Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The Nike FuelBand when used with the iPad or iPhone Ap can make normal exercise a lot of fun. While some people complain that it won't track runs or similar activities, the ap allows you to set up sessions (everything from a run to tennis with all points in between.) I purchased one recently and after 5 days use (and meticulous care---I didn't even get it wet) the button that activates the display on the band stopped working. After reloading the factory settings and resyncing the device to ensure I had the latest firmware and software loaded i called tech support. A very helpful woman named Barbara told me that while the button issue had been a problem on the first generation device, the engineers had redesigned it and no such problem now exists. When I explained that based on my sample of one, they are 100% defective, she acknowledged that a problem existed but that it was exceedingly rare. She went on to compare the reliability of the Fuelband to the reliability of the first generation iPod, which I found tacky. Frankly why anyone would think I would care about the reliability of the first generation of iPod in this circumstance is mystifying to me. Barbara laid out my options as either return the unit (standard shipping 5-7 days for it to get to Memphis, 5-7 days for them to look at it, and 5-7 days to get it back to me. I told her that this was absurd, and that in thins scenario Nike would have my unit almost 5 times longer than I had owned it. She then offered me a "collatoral" option, wherein I would provide a credit card number and promise that if, for any reason, Nike judged my complaint to be outside the warranty I would be billed for a new unit, but if after receiving the unit and Nike judged it to be a legitimate warranty issue my card would not be charged. I asked who in their right mind would purchase another unit after the first one broke after 5 days of meticulous care, I was told that that was all that could be done. Barbara, promised to come in on her day off, speak to the people she needed to get authorization of a more equitable solution and call me at 12 noon EST. I received no phone call and later that day recieved an email instructing me to next day Fedex it to Memphis, where "they will do their best to evaluate it in 5-7 business days" and next day mail it back to me. So essentially I would be without the device only about twice as long as I had owned it. Given my experience and the supposition by Nike that I am either a nut, a scam artist, or a thief, and the fact that the device malfucntioned after only 5 days of light use (it malfunctioned while I was asleep) I would strongly recommend prospective buyers consider a competitive product. In my limited research there seems to be cheaper devices with greater functionality and lacking only the Nike brand, which I now believe means nothing. If you are going to buy crap, there are cheaper devices out there, and if you are looking to buy quality this just isn't it, and finally if you are looking for a manufacturer who will stand behind its products and treat its customers with professionalism and respect, in my estimation Nike isn't for you.