TMP214-53-58GN ProShield Plus Issue Does anyone have a download of this service?

JackE

Sorry. I suspected this. So ask them to replace it with either the tmp414-51 or tmp614-51 with the hello-compatible camera as advertised. If they can't accommodate, return the machine and ask for a refund.

Vanilla66

Thanks, I’ll ask them tomorrow.

Vanilla66

Interestingly, the Travelmate P2 page (https://www.acer.com/ca-en/laptops/travelmate/travelmate-p2) prominently features a picture of a P2 with the longer Windows Hello camera. However, none of the P2 models listed below or that I could find from other places show it in the listing picture. I called the support agent again and gave him the link to the page as well as a link to a P6 model (https://www.acer.com/us-en/laptops/travelmate/travelmate-p6/pdp/NX.VSYAA.006) with the long camera. He said he would send them to the RMA department and reiterate the issue to them.

JackE

Yes, but I suspect they may claim that it really only applies to the P2 series models offered in the lower part of the ad. It'll be interesting to see how they respond. Good luck. 🙂

Vanilla66

Friday business hours have passed with no updates from acer. Will call on Monday.

Vanilla66

They started processing a refund. They said they couldn’t accommodate. This was my first time buying an Acer business laptop and I was disappointed. I’ll probably buy an HP probook during the Black Friday sale. Thank you so much @JackE and @billsey! You guys were much more helpful than acer support was.

JackE

>>>They started processing a refund.>>>

Sorry. But please let us know how this goes.

Vanilla66

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1153962#Comment_1153962

After seeing that an equally specced probook costs double what the P2 cost, also without facial recognition/smartcard, I decided to pursue a unit with the proper specs instead in late Oct. or Nov. Since then, they've been letting me use the unit I have as a loaner basically while they figure out what to do.

The agent asked their website team and the website people couldn't find any mention of a model with the IR camera and a smart card reader being sold in the USA (which is just blatant false advertising now because the IR camera is proudly shown on the US travel mate page: https://www.acer.com/us-en/laptops/travelmate/travelmate-p2). I also couldn't find any models in the US with the 12th gen vPro processor advertised but that's another issue.

I asked the agent if they could provide something else like a P4 or P6 with the IR camera and smart card reader but he said those don't seem to exist either. The only thing he could find with an IR camera was a ConceptD. He escalated the case to the product manager of the travel mate series but he hasn't responded. For the past months, it's just been occasional calls of "any news?" "nope".

Vanilla66

@billsey I have an update

JackE

>>>they've been letting me use the unit I have as a loaner basically while they figure out what to do.>>>The only thing he could find with an IR camera was a ConceptD. He escalated the case to the product manager of the travel mate series but he hasn't responded. For the past months, it's just been occasional calls of "any news?" "nope".>>>

Thanks for update.

If I were in this situation --- and if they still had all my money---and if I really needed the IR camera --- and if the ConceptD was an acceptable equal or higher-priced alternative to the "loaner"TMP," I'd ask them for an even. exchange.

Otherwise, I wouldn't let this go on unresolved too much longer. I'd either return the machine for a full refund or negotiate a partial refund if I decided to live with the TMP as-is.

Vanilla66

@JackE I called someone else and they said they would look into it. The original agent who escalated to the PM got back to me the next business day and said he and the PM looked for a model with IR camera. They didn’t find any. I asked him about the ConceptD and he looked through the specs with me but the camera it had was used for the 3D screen only. No Windows Hello.

I asked him about a partial refund of the amount to get an external IR camera or an extended service plan for keeping the unit as is but he said they weren’t going to do any more. He said they replaced it and offered a return with full refund which I didn’t take so they’re not going to approve anything else anymore.

JackE

>>>offered a return with full refund which I didn’t take>>>

Asking a retailer for anything more than a full refund is probably like asking them to make up for miss-leading ads & specs by the manufacturer. But was still worth trying. While not fully their fault, the retailer still has a duty for checking manufacturer claims in the products they offer They lacked due diligence at least in this case.

Thanks for the report.

Vanilla66

@JackE Sorry for the misunderstanding, I’m talking to acer, the manufacturer, not the retailer. I was past the retailer’s return period when I found out about the issue so I contacted acer, not the retailer. When I ordered the laptop, I went by the specs on acre’s website, not the retailer, since I assumed the manufacturer would have the most complete specifications.

JackE

So Acer offered you the full refund?

Vanilla66

@JackE acer did yes

JackE

Well, I guess that's some consolation. Since I could care less about facial recognition & IR cameras, I probably would've kept it too if I was otherwise satisfied with the machine and the price I paid for it.

Vanilla66

@JackE The case is finally over. They called back saying that I’ll get two years of warranty instead of one. Thank you so much for continuing to support me the this!

JackE

>>>They called back saying that I’ll get two years of warranty instead of one>>>

Well, that seems better. But are they following up the call with documentation if you need service after the standard one year warranty expires?

Vanilla66

This is what the warranty checker says. Interestingly it doesn’t say mail in and carry in like the original warranty.

JackE

Carry-in OK or even preferred if the closest Acer authorized service center isn't too far away. Might want to use the chatline to find where it is.