Nelson --

Years ago    , I had problems with my local Radio Shack not wanting to open
the battery compartments of various items I brought in for battery
replacement.  So I called the District Manager, and explained that, being
blind, it wasn't very easy, if at all possible, for me to locate, remove and
replace the batteries on various items.

He then immediately sent out a memo to all the Radio Shack stores in the
Orange County (California)  area, advising them that they were henceforth
REQUIRED  to assist in any way possible, any blind or visually-impaired
customer who entered their premises, opening, identifying testing and
replacing as necessary, batteries that needed replacement, without any
additional charge to the customer, other than the actual cost of the
replacement batteries themselves.

I have had absolutely no trouble with batteries of any kind, in any kind of
device I have brought into any Radio Shack store since then.

I strongly suggest that, if you are given any heat whatsoever about the
replacement of batteries at your local Radio Shack store, regardless of the
type of device, or where it was even purchased, that you personally contact
the local Radio Shack District Manager in your area, and explain your
plight.  I'll virtually guaranty you that you'll get things changed.

-- George


----- Original Message -----
From: "Nelson Blachman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2005 11:09 PM
Subject: Re: Talking wristwatch with Stopwatch


George,

  What you write about the Radio Shack is very encouraging.  But, when I
bought my $10 Chinese talking-watch at the Radio Shack in 1999, I asked
about replacement of its battery if it should fail during the warranty
period and was told that they don't bother opening the watch to put in a new
battery; they throw it out and give the customer a new watch.  (I didn't buy
the warranty because it didn't seem to cover  the time I expected the
battery to last.)

  That may or may not be true, but it doesn't seem easy to open these
watches.  The back's held on by four tiny Philips screws at the four
corners.  I've tried inserting my smallest Philips screwdriver and loosening
a screw, but I made no progress and felt I might be messing up the bits of
metal that separate the perpendicular slots.  So I quit and am waiting till
my half-dead watch is entirely dead before trying again to make sure it's
really possible.

Etc.


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