I just read this Tablet PC Buzz thread where users are talking about the M1400 (which I bought in December 2004) is being obsoleted by the LE1600 (which will probably be obsoleted a year from now too). alltp writes:

The M1400 is officially “end of life” and Motion has sold out of their stock. Some product still exists in the channel (distributors and resellers), but it is probably only a couple hundred units. Even the accessories are disappearing quickly, although in another post paul from Motion said they would still make the batteries until 2008.

Obsoletion is a computer reality and I anticipated and expected a quicker, better, faster model would come along, I get that. Personally I do not think the LE1600 is significantly better than the M1400 and have also already written that I think it is overpriced. Still, I suspect Motion will come out with a better version at a better price within the next 12-18 months that will really obsolete the M1400 and the LE1600. Just don’t think that has happened yet.

I just called Motion Computing support (1-866-322-9783) 8/10/05 2:55pm PST and talked to *Bill* and told him about this situation and asked to verify whether or not M1400 batteries would continue to be produced after 2007 as well as the official support status for the M1400.

Seems like that post from Paul who works for Motion is, in fact, accurate. At least according to Bill.

Bill came back and told me that they will no longer produce any of the M1400 accessories including the battery after December 31, 2007. So the computer I bought in December 2004 (exactly 240 days ago, as I write this) currently has no official plans to have batteries for it three years later.

That blows.

If this turns out to be true, I will not ever buy another computer from Motion Computing. I told Bill to pass that along to the higher ups that they need to have at least a third party option for batteries.

So often existing and past customers get crapped on by businesses and the emphasis seems to be more on acquiring new customers. There’s an old saying I picked up in sales: when the prospecting ends, decay begins, so I understand and agree that new customers are important, but you can’t forget about and/or abandon the existing/past ones in the process. That’s just wrong and foolish considering the most likely candidate to purchase a new machine is somebody who already has bought one! They know what they are getting. Know the support. Know the company.

Duh.

Therefore, it’s my opinion that Motion should continue to make batteries for at least 10 years after the date they stop selling a product or allow third parties to make batteries. Bill seemed to believe that Motion “would not leave its customers high and dry.”

Hopefully, Bill is right.

Even though it is unlikely I’ll be using the M1400 portably for 10 years or even 5 years, the fact that they are planning on forcing me not to by not making batteries for it at that time is very anti-customer and seriously turns me off to their company.

And I like the M1400 Tablet PC. I think it’s a beautiful machine. I haven’t had any bad experience with the hardware or the support. I’ve called them only two times and both conversations were not even that related to current support issues. They were extremely polite, courteous and respectful. I’ve got no issues with Motion.

In 2005, that is.

And yes I absolutely do realize that there will be a much better Tablet PC computer on the market by January 1, 2008 (maybe Apple will have one by then?) but I don’t see many folks, especially those who bought the M1400 new in 2006, being all that psyched about the possibility of not being able to buy a replacement battery … somewhere, some place, some how.

I suppose if you buy a couple of them in December 2007, you’ll be good for another couple years. I don’t know how long the M1400 batteries last. Mine is still doing good, but my guess is no more than a couple years, even if one takes very good care of the battery.

I still use my Sony VAIO that was purchased in 2000 and that’s five years old. No, not that much admittedly, but it is still really in use on our home network. As a matter of fact the battery is shot in the VAIO so I need to buy another, so we’re not using that portably any more and haven’t for at least a year. Although we did take it on our vacation last month and had to keep it plugged into the cigarette power inverter. Something tells me that I can still buy a replacement battery from Sony for that, though. I will have to check. If Sony doesn’t have it, then hopefully a third party does.

Motion: Grrr.

In Motion’s defense, I fully expected my M1400 purchase to last 24-36 months and that should still be within the 2007 timeframe. Again, I am sure there will be something drastically better by 2008, but still, one can buy a beater vehicle for $2,500 and get at least 5-10 years of part time use out of it with proper maintenance and care. The same should hold for a brand new Motion Tablet PC, shouldn’t it?

Please, especially if you are a Motion customer call support and tell them that they should continue to support making batteries or allowing some third party vendor to do so for at least 10 years. Write something on your blog and trackback it, complain! The squeaky wheels get the grease, so don’t just sit back and say: who cares, I’ll have a much better machine in 2008. Don’t let the computer you bought a couple months ago be non-portable in a couple years. How good is a Tablet PC slate, really, if it isn’t portable?

Man I hope Bill from Motion support is right. Bummer.

Did this post make you go hmm?

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