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Attention Kmart Shoppers, Augen Electronics Support Stinks


How is that for a start.   I have the Augen eBook.   I reviewed it here last July. 

Overall it is a good product for the money but you do get what you pay for.   In this case that is a non-existent technical support department.   The reader has not worked well with DRM books from the start.  DRM is digital rights management and it is a protection scheme by the powers who dictate that kind of thing.  If you google it you will find many articles on “cracks” for DRM.  It is obvious I am not the only one that finds DRM annoying and I am an author.   The problem is that DRM causes books to behave badly.  

In my case, DRM handling by Augen means periodically dropping lines of the story.   Since I review books on Pick of the Literate and Azure Dwarf’s Horde of SciFi and Fantasy I get a lot of books protected by DRM.   Dropping lines can have an impact on the plot and the enjoyment of the story.

I went to Augen Electronics website and found that they had a fix.  Sadly the fix does not work.   In fact the fix, locked up the eBook every time I tried to use it.   The Augen site claims to have online chat for tech issues but I have yet to see the icon indicate that anyone is there.   The readme files on the “Fix” are either a result of a horrendously bad translation program or someone whose first language is definitively not English and who has obviously been indulging in some mind altering substances prior to writing the information.   In other words, the “Fix” is useless.   I have emailed Augen multiple times for help and get an automated response that someone will get back to me.   Thank goodness I didn’t hold my breath or I would be long, long dead.

So as an amendment to my original review of the product,   it is still a fair value for the money however with the Kindle now at $139.00 and a color nook and tablets dropping in price, I would suggest saving your money and purchasing a product that actually works the way it is suppose to and that perhaps has technical support that exists.

Alas Augen Electronics the bloom is off the rose and Attention Kmart shoppers, don’t touch Augen products with a 10’ blue light special.






Comments

Randy Brown said…
I too had my experience with Augen Customer Support. It took 22 days to get someone to help. They finally sent me an RMA, so I could return the computer for repair. Then after another 45 days, told me they would simply replace the computer with a new model. Today I call and they have gone out of business. Way to go Augen. Best of luck to the CEO in his future career opportunities.

According to information in the BBB files, it appears that the company is no longer in business. The phone numbers the BBB had for this company are disconnected, and directory assistance does not have a listing for this company. The BBB's mail to this company has been returned as undeliverable. If you have an unresolved dispute with this company you may wish to seek legal advice.

The Better Business Bureau has verified that the company's phone numbers are either disconnected or rapid busy, website is inactive and the mail has been returned by the post office.
Please consider contacting for further assistance your credit card company to dispute charges, legal counsel and or the Division of Consumer Affairs at 1.850.488.2221 or www.800helpfla.com.
Randy Brown said…
I too had such an experience and today I found this ...

According to information in the BBB files, it appears that the company is no longer in business. The phone numbers the BBB had for this company are disconnected, and directory assistance does not have a listing for this company. The BBB's mail to this company has been returned as undeliverable. If you have an unresolved dispute with this company you may wish to seek legal advice.

The Better Business Bureau has verified that the company's phone numbers are either disconnected or rapid busy, website is inactive and the mail has been returned by the post office.
Please consider contacting for further assistance your credit card company to dispute charges, legal counsel and or the Division of Consumer Affairs at 1.850.488.2221 or www.800helpfla.com.
Anonymous said…
I think Kmart should do something about this. I had my computer alittle past their 90 day mark and they said to get in contact with the company I did back in April and they promised me a new model replacement. I never got anything from them. Way to back up your products you sell KMART!
Anonymous said…
Kmart should backup their products! Augen was awful from the beginning. We all got screwed after Kmart passed their 90 day return policy.
Zenia Moran said…
After searching for weeks, for some type of customer service or contact information I have finally learned from this blog that Augen has closed shop. I learned several weeks ago that the e-book website that provided the Augen eReader with a means to purchase digital books has discontinued there website. But the icing on the cake is there is not any information regarding who will be servicing ebooks for the Augen eReaders!!! Not even Augen has provided this information or set up a means for their customers to use their eReaders. I am very disappointed, how can this type of business receive the consumers money and just disappear. Augen has been in business since 2005; just imagine the money they have made in the past six years? If anyone has any addtional information to provide please contact me at zenia.moran@yahoo.com. Thank you for your kindness. Zenia, Panama City, Florida
Interesting and important information. It is really beneficial for us. Thanks

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