Hello,
It is surprising that this information is not available online. I
could not find it after searching the internet, visiting the Best Buy
website (although they list a recommended targus power adapted on
their accessories page), or the VPR Matrix website
(http://www.vprmatrix.com). Even the product specifications sheet did
not include this information: (starting page 3)
http://www.vprmatrix.com/pdfs/BBIA_3042_Palomino_Spec.pdf
To find a solution for you, I phoned Best Buy directly. When I was
finally able to get a living person on the line, they transfered me
from department to department, apparently because they did not have
the information themselves. The last person who I was transferred said
"one second please" and disconnected the call. I called back again and
was told that the the travel power device that was compatible with the
vpr Matrix 180b5 was this one:
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11080428&m=488&cat=561&scat=563
I could not find any other source that confirmed this. My suggestion
to you would be to take your notebook to the Best Buy store and have
them try various power tips to find which one will work. Chances are
that it is a generic one, but that it is not listed in the product
information either online or in the customer support database.
I have sent detailed emails to various departments of both Targus and
Best Buy and should be hearing back from them by Monday or Tuesday,
after which I will post the responses here. In addition I will
continue doing research to find out if the above device actually is
compatible or if it was just the "Compatibility: All notebook
computers."
If you have a chance to try this device, (also works in your car's
cigarette lighter) I would recommend that you give it a try. I am sure
that they will take it back if it is incompatible, it is the only
answer that I have been able to find thus far.
If you need any clarifications regarding this answer, please let me
know and I will do my best to further assist you. As soon as I get a
reply from Targus or Best Buy I will post the information here. If you
find that the device listed above does or does not work after trying
it, please give me an update.
tisme-ga |
Request for Answer Clarification by
mobileman-ga
on
30 Nov 2002 12:03 PST
Thanks for the information you posted. I previously went down the same
route you did (web search, documentation review, and phone calls with
both Targus and vprMatrix), and came to the same end result: vprMatrix
recommends the APC Travel Power, and Targus is unable to help.
The APC Travel Power will work, but it is what I am specifically
trying to avoid. The product is just a AC->DC converter that
terminates in a standard household-style 120V AC jack. This means that
it is universally compatible, because it doesn't need any
notebook-specific cabling or tips. Cabling this on a plane involves
plugging the APC Travel Plower into the plane's DC jack, then plugging
the OEM AC adapter, including the brick, into the APC device. This is
the route I don't want to go. Not only is it inconvenient, but the APC
device weighs about 14.5 ounces where the Targus device weighs only
3.2 ounces.
I appreciate your time, and I'm looking forward to hearing what else
you are able to determine.
Thanks.
|
Clarification of Answer by
tisme-ga
on
30 Nov 2002 12:15 PST
Hello mobileman,
I apologize for the grammatical errors in my answer. I had two copies
of the answer open and pasted the rough draft instead of my edited
one.
tisme-ga
|
Clarification of Answer by
tisme-ga
on
30 Nov 2002 12:17 PST
Hello mobileman,
Thanks for the update. I will do my best to find out which powertip
from targus works with your product or if there are any similar
products which will work with your notebook.
tisme-ga
|
Clarification of Answer by
tisme-ga
on
01 Dec 2002 14:06 PST
mobileman,
Here are the results I have been getting:
First I was told that before listing products as an accessory, they
are tested with the notebook in question, so the powertip should be
INCLUDED in the best buy targus package accessory purchased from them.
Another person on the phone actually offered to go try this on the vpr
notebook (while I was on hold) and his response was after 20 mins was
that there was not yet a targus tip for your notebook, but he did give
me contact information at Targus which should result in me getting a
fast answer as to when the tip will be available. He said that because
the notebook is still very new, and targus is a third party company,
they probably did not have access to a preproduction model to design
the tip and test it.
Having said that, I have already contacted Targus and am still
awaiting their reply.
tisme-ga
|
Clarification of Answer by
tisme-ga
on
02 Dec 2002 16:12 PST
Hello mobileman,
I just received a response from a reliable source at Targus:
"Thank you for your interest in Targus products. I am sorry but at
this time we do not have a tip to support your notebook model.
Unfortunately, I am unsure of any other type of adapter that might be
compatible with your computer.
Customer feedback is important in developing new products. Please
contact us again in the future. Unfortunately, there are currently no
plans to develop a tip for your notebook."
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
mobileman-ga
on
02 Dec 2002 17:26 PST
Well...thanks for your heroic efforts on this. It's not the answer I
was hoping for, but at least it's definitive.
Nice job.
|
Clarification of Answer by
tisme-ga
on
02 Dec 2002 17:34 PST
Sorry it had to be a negative answer.
I suggest you email them at mailto:targus@custhelp.com and ask for the
tip for your model. (Ask your friends to do the same). They did say in
their reply that they take customer feedback into account. You could
also try emailing them after a few weeks to see if their stance has
changed yet.
Good luck,
tisme-ga
|
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