I've had this computer for going on two years and three months, or so. When I first got it, it suffered from intermitant speaker problems. What happened - and it didn't happen all the time - was that the speaker would go out for a few seconds. Usually nudging the bass-speaker with my foot would get it going again, although sometimes I'd have to crawl under my desk and wiggle the various connection wires.

Kevin said this was a "Known Issue". (That is to say, back when he worked at Gateway, it was a common problem for which they had decided not to fix unless people complained.) I called Gateway Tech Support and was told that the reason my speakers weren't working is because I had my bass-speaker on the floor, therefore it was misuse and I'd just have to live with it. Or replace them myself.

Um... bass-speakers are supposed to be on the floor.

Right. Whatever. It was still intermitant enough that I just suffered through it.

Well, it started getting more regular recently... so I tried Gateway's internet support. I had pretty good luck with them on my Monitor issue a few months back (my monitor was fading out... and I wasn't noticing really, since it was the only computer I ever looked at and I looked at it all the damned time. But believe me, when I got the new one, I really noticed the difference).

The internet guys really seem to be better techs, or at least, they do what I want faster then the phone techs. I don't have to go through eight calls and four techs and six reinstallings of my drivers. So, replacement speakers are coming. Eventually.

That's the part that I'm annoyed about. My speakers finally gave up the ghost day before yesterday, and they don't work at all. The tech issued replacement speakers on the 22nd of June and said I should expect my new ones by "next Thursday." Ok...

Thurday came and went with no speakers... On Saturday I sent an inquiry email. Where are my speakers? My email comes back saying that "The tech didn't mean 'this Thursday' (the 27th). He meant 'next Thursday' (the 4th) so, expect your speakers then."

I sent back an email saying "Um, the 4th is a holiday."

"Oh. Expect them later."

Sigh.