Velocity Micro Cruz T410 user reviews

Pros Great price, large screen.

Cons Buggy software and firmware. Doomed to eventually stop working with little-to-no (and even negative) tech support.

Summary [Velocity makes PC's, tablets and many other products. I've had issues, to say the least. All I want from them is acknowledgement and reparation. This is the final letter I posted to Velocity Micro. By this time, I had dealt with them for a week. I was discarded and treated with disinterest and disrespect. I was beyond angry.]
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This is now my problem, and if I am not treated with the dignity I deserve as a human being and respectfully responded to, you will find this letter on every tech-site and forum on the internet. Once it hits the internet, it cannot be undone.
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I didn't know I was difficult to shop for until my wife proved me so. For our anniversary she displayed utter pride in finding the perfect gift - something I've wanted for a while but could never find the right one: a tablet. She found in the Velocity® Cruz T410 familiarity through the Android, easy to read through the 10" screen, and affordability in the low price. It seemed every bell and whistle was tailored to my needs in a tablet and, to top it all off, the representative informed her it was the best available and a very hot-selling item. Often it takes a week to grow complaisant to something new - this tablet took me a week to completely hate, from the item to the company and its employees.
My problems started within a week with the discovery that my icons were disappearing. I found that internet bookmarks and some apps refused to stay on the home-screens or subsequent windows. Shortly after this discovery, my tablet refused to connect to any wireless. I attempted to reach Velocity® to no avail. Velocity's® phone system would place me in queue for approximately half-an-hour and then send me to voicemail - I left a message (to which, to this day, I never received a reply). The following day, I asked Radio Shack® tech support for help (Radio Shack® was phenomenally useful to the best of their ability and have even taken some action to help make things better, but this will become clear later). I explained my shortcut and wireless issues to the RS tech and we worked together for about an hour-and-a-half attempting to resolve the problem. In the end, I was referred to a firmware update (which we walked-through together) which fixed my wireless problem, but not my shortcut problem. There was nothing we could do about the shortcuts. I told her I would try Velocity® again.
The following day, I discovered that my tablet would no longer mount to my PC. In an attempt to troubleshoot, I tested it on my laptop with the same result: would not mount (aka "Turn on USB storage"). My first call was to Radio Shack® tech support. Together we worked for another hour resulting in a complete loss as to what to do about the matter. The rep, then, connected me with Velocity®. Finally in touch with Velocity®, I explained my entire story and the V rep determined that the tablet should be replaced. After another week of waiting for a response from Velocity® on the process to replace the tablet, I am informed that they do not carry new tablets and only supply refurbished ones. Remember: this tablet is only two weeks old by this time, with one of those weeks completely out of service. I had yet to address two additional problems of lock-ups and the action bar flashing in and out of existence.
Again (as I thought these were due to the firmware update), I called Radio Shack® to explain my frustration with this product and Velocity® and, in an utter display of divine patience, they searched neighboring stores for a brand new replacement (and had one within an hour). However, a fear still lingered: the problems I had were inherent in the software and firmware and may be present in the new tablet. With these tablets now in short supply, what do I do if this one is just as defective? I called Velocity® to explain my fears and what could be done about such defects. Miraculously, a tech-rep answered within a few minutes and he explained to me that they do in fact have new tablets but reserve them for repeat issues. If Radio Shack's® new tablet has problems, I may receive one of their new tablets with the new operating software called Ice Cream Sandwich. I felt comfortable with that guarantee as I felt that new operating software should solve the issue should this new one be defective as well.
Now skeptical of Velocity®, the first thing I do is test the shortcut issue. It was present in this tablet as well. The action bar flashed in and out of existence and it locked-up. My new fear is that it will soon refuse to connect to wireless and I will be down that familiar path again. I called Velocity® (and by another miracle they answered in about twenty-five minutes), and explained the (now extended) story to the rep. He grabbed his own Velocity® Cruz T410 and saved a bookmark on the home screen. After a restart, his was gone as well (keep in mind that this is also apparent in some app shortcuts and not only internet bookmarks, but saving a bookmark is indigenous and cannot be blamed on third-party software). Confused, he put me on hold and I gained some hope in that the problem was now completely clear to a tech rep on three identical tablets. When he returned, the real problem became apparent.
"I'm sorry, but I'm being told that this is not a feature available on this tablet."
Befuddled, I was almost at a loss for words, "What do you mean 'feature?' The ability to add shortcuts to one of several home screens is the very heart of Android!"
"I don't know what to tell you. I have nothing. I can't... I don't know what I can do."
"What about a new tablet with the Ice Cream Sandwich operating system?"
"That OS is not available on the T410."
"Can I be put on a list so I can receive one when it becomes available?"
"You can go to our website and sign up for our newsletter or call back in a couple of weeks. That's all I got."
"Can I speak to someone in programming so I can make this a known issue?"
"I can't do anything more, I'm sorry?"
Ready to take out my anger by flinging my phone like a rock, I hung up. My wife felt horrible believing that she'd done something wrong. Her pride was crushed and she could do nothing but apologize. I tried profusely to explain to her that I love her, this was not her fault, I appreciate her, and that I would fix it somehow. I don't think she believes any of that right now except that I love her very much.
I called Velocity® once again - this time to speak with the business office. I explained this epic problem to which he responded, "Where did you buy the tablet?"
"Radio Shack®."
"Take it back."
"I did. This is the replacement."
"Take it back and get your money back."
That was the extent of the conversation - measured in seconds.

I do not know where to go from here. It has become clearly apparent to me that this hot-selling item comes with lukewarm software, room temperature tech support and chillingly cold customer service. Maybe this will get their attention and fix the issue.
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[I've received no response.]