Monthly Archives: September 2006

Cars, Computers/Technology, Focus Grumbling, Psion

Repairs

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PsiXPDA Box

This weekend we’ve had a couple of repairs.

Firstly there was the Focus Bulb change, which started off somewhat stressful when we arrived at the dealer to be told that they were only planning to asses the work that was needed, not actually do it. At this point I said that I had told them over the phone exactly what needed doing, at which point they said that they didn’t order parts in ahead of time – remember that all that needed doing was the replacement of a bulb which they could get at the Halfords round the corner. At this point, the service manager clarified exactly what the problem was, and it seems that the person who had taken the booking had written down that I wanted the whole headlight unit changed, rather than just the bulb. Perhaps the only saving grace this time round was that they did it slightly cheaper due to less time – I assume because the dealer is getting well practised at changing Ford Focus bulbs. Having said that it is still massively more expensive than the cost for doing the same job on my VW Golf – a task I can do myself in minutes.

Secondly, I also got my venerable Psion 5mx back after a visit to POS Ltd for a service and to sort out a problem with the sliding keyboard mechanism not shutting smoothly. The keyboard is held in place by a metal spring, this is held in place by a couple of small plastic lugs, and it seems one of these had broken, so POS took the old case off and replaced it with a new one. The new case is the same colour, aside from around the external voice recorder buttons, where the surround is now silver rather than black. The finish also feels slightly different, compared to the older plastic that remains around the screen. However the interesting thing, was the packaging in which it was returned – a box for a PsiXPDA, a machine that has a website, and is described on the POS site, but that doesn’t seem to be available. Looking at the spec on the box, the machine is essentially a classic Psion 5mx but with the manufacturer logo changed. I’m thinking that perhaps I’ll keep the box, as quite apart for being just the right size to pack a Psion 5, maybe if the PsiXPDA never sees the light of day it will be a bit of a collectors piece.

Computers/Technology, Web/Internet

K2 Update

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If the site looks a little different, it’s because I’ve updated the K2 theme which I am using for presentation. Amongst other things it changes how the header and sidebars are handled, so some of the tweaks I’ve made still have to be replaced. It also has a couple of new toys, the most obvious being the archive slider that appears at the top of the front page – try it out and see what you think.

Cars, Focus Grumbling, General

Headlight Fun Again

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You may remember my rant two years ago about the idiotic design of the headlamp cluster on the old style Ford Focus – the article is by far the most popular on the site, and still gets comments two years later.

The bulb, following on from the fragile windscreens (the Focus currently has it’s fifth windscreen), and the general feeling of instability caused by the combination of tyres and suspension, oh and not forgetting the misfire, was ultimately the final straw that set me looking for a new car that in the end became the Golf. Now that has had one or two problems, but it still has the original windscreen, although it does have a small crack on it thanks to a stone chip – unlike the Focus, it has stayed a small crack. It also has the annoying dashboard light problem when it is cold, and of course it has that weird feature with the windows, but ultimately it is much better to drive.

Just in case I was starting to think that maybe the Focus isn’t that bad a car – the passenger side headlight has blown, almost exactly two years after it was last replaced, so I guess it’s another £40 headlight change from Reg Vardy – and a timely reminder of why I didn’t buy another Ford.