To begin with, let me qualify my criticisms with a bit of personal background, I am a director of manufacturing operations in the electronic industry. I am fully proficient in all aspects of electronics manufacturing, including surface mount soldering systems technology and quality assurance of products of those systems.
I bought an Ectaco Russian/English translating dictionary for about (if memory serves) $500US. The unit that arrived in the mail was scratched and blemished. When I complained to their New York manager I was told that there would be a 20% restocking charge if I returned it, and when I objected I was told to go pound salt. I returned it and they exchanged it but attempted to charge my credit card for the "restocking". I had to complain to my bank to stop the charge.
8 or 9 months later, while I was in Russia, the unit stopped working. I contacted Ectaco and they referred me to their Russian office. They in turn advised me that repair would cost me an additional $100.instead of paying this I opened the unit to find the trouble. The quality of surface mount soldering (voids, cold joints, solder balls, and corrosion) was the worst I have ever seen in 40 years in this industry. It was unrepairable. When I again complained to the individual in New York, he responded, with a very unpleasant demeanor, that he would do nothing to help me.
Being in this industry, I know that the manufacture of these devices is contracted out to 3rd parties. I ran one of these 3rd party shops myself at one time, and I know that their quality runs the range from excellent to terrible, almost always in proportion to their charges. This company used, or is using, the very bottom of that range. And true to their obvious character, reject any responsibility for the results of their economizing.
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