I will never buy another product from HP!
I made the mistake of buying an HP Photosmart C6188 All-In-One printer for my iMac whilst living in China in 2007.
My initial impression of the hardware was quite good although the software is over-the-top (200 MB for the Windows version seems large for something that lets me print and scan (can't remember the size of the OSX software)
After returning to the UK 18 months later one of the cartridges ran dry so I took a trip to PC World to buy a replacement. The exact cartridge models as supplied with the printer (801) were unavailable but I managed to find 363 cartridges which are physically identical to 801's and (according to the box and the PC World rep) are suitable for C6180 series printers.
On fitting the new cartridge the printer displayed the following error message:
"The following ink cartridges is/are not intended for use in this printer... Printer configured to use 801 print cartridges."
After a little web research I found out that HP regionalise their hardware in the same way that DVD suppliers do. Parochial? Petty? Annoying? Perhaps, but how to fix the problem so that I could use my printer again? I got in touch with the US HP online support who sent me a phone number for the UK support line (44 (0) 906 477 0 477 if you have the stomach for it). Apparently they are able to re-configure my printer to accept the alternative cartridges. This was the beginning of my frustration...
1. Cost - The phone number is charged at 60p per minute (for out of warranty equipment). So far I have spent around 30 minutes (i.e. £18) on multiple phone calls, being bounced around various operators/technical support staff without a resolution to my problem. I have been cut off twice and offered 2 call backs neither of which has yet materialised.
2. Communication - Whilst the support staff speak English it is sometimes so heavily accented as to be unintelligible (to me anyway)
3. Attitude - Either HP select surly, depressed staff or (as I suspect is the case) their jobs are so demoralising that this is how they turn out. I get the feeling that these are people who are used to dealing with frustrated, angry customers!
I am almost at the point of throwing the printer away and buying another brand.
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