Yes, I Lost My Cell Phone...
Is this more information than I want about its replacement?
Hell no!
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Is this more information than I want about its replacement?
Hell no!
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As opposed to me, who had something sent USPS priority on the 12th which hasn't yet arrived, and the only entry on the tracking form is 'received' on the morning of the 12th. For all I know, it hasn't even left the post office yet. Gah.
Posted by: anon | July 22, 2008 at 09:43 AM
I like the adult signature required. Are you sure you qualify? ;D
One has that kind of detail because they scan every package as it goes through every shipping point. The detailing can be numbing but it assures each package gets where it needs to.
But yeah, the USPS tries to make the same system, but they fail. That's why I like to use FedEx when shipping things.
By the By - FedEx had a truck stolen, I know because I had a package on it. It was easy to see that something weird happened when the package Departed one facility and never arrived at the next one. Because the seller and I could easily determine what happened with a quick call to FedEx, they sent me another copy of the item and then filed the claim with FedEx.
Posted by: Lisa Harrigan | July 22, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Lisa -- did "hijacked" or "lost" ever appear on your tracking data or did it just forever end with "Departed"?
Posted by: Murray Bowles | July 22, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Your new cellphone weighs 2 pounds???
Posted by: ogmb | July 22, 2008 at 11:02 AM
The USPS doesn't update its tracking database at each step. They have the internal records, but you can't get at them until after the package is delivered.
My favorite tracking was the last Harry Potter book which was scheduled for Saturday delivery. It was sent by UPS for Saturday delivery. Unfortunately, UPS does not deliver on Saturday in our area. I watched the book make its way from warehouse to warehouse en route to my house with the awful recognition that it would not actually arrive until Monday.
Then, late that Friday the tracking data showed that the shipment had been canceled. I expected to have to reorder on Monday and get the book, perhaps, by Wednesday. But then, Amazon updated the tracking number. It was a USPS tracking number, and the Post Office delivers on Saturdays. The book arrived mid-day sent via priority overnight shipping.
If you like that sort of thing, I'll recommend the movie Sink The Bismark which was almost as exciting.
Posted by: Kaleberg | July 22, 2008 at 11:50 AM
It's not enough information. I want an ssh connection into it, so that I can begin a download and bring it online and make it useful if not before I get to it, than as soon as I unwrap it.
Your old phone, I assume you sent it "the text message of doom?" (something like this: http://www.motionapps.com/product/msafe/index.jsp)
More realistically, it is not enough information, it is lacking the one key piece of information: how may I authenticate and identify myself so that I can leave a last minute message for the driver.
Two weeks ago, my apartment number was left off a package that HP sent me and though it was sent next day, it took FedEx two days before calling me and leaving me a message asking for me to call them. I tracked it the entire time, and so did HP, but no one could get FedEx to change their ahipping information, so it bounced around on the truck and then in exception mode.
So no, not enough information if there is no way for you to authenticate so that you can leave FedEx a message about delivery.
Posted by: jerry | July 22, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Shipped from Oakland to Berkeley via Memphis?
Repeat after me: "The solution to any problem in transportation can be improved by addition of a catapult." (*Not* excepting those that already have a catapult.)
Posted by: Nathan Myers | July 22, 2008 at 02:34 PM
Clearly UPS is already using a catapult, if condition of recent deliveries is any indication.
Guess they save on jet fuel.
Posted by: curmudgeonly troll | July 22, 2008 at 03:12 PM
"Shipped from Oakland to Berkeley via Memphis?"
Read from bottom to top. But speaking of, I just received a replacement part from HP (headquartered in Palo Alto) via FedEx. The shipment originated in Nashville, so I'm assuming most/all the major manufacturers have central warehouses in Tennessee now.
Posted by: ogmb | July 23, 2008 at 04:43 AM
Shouldn't it have been IN the FEDEX vehicle not ON the FEDEX vehicle? (I'm reaching...)
Posted by: Darryl | July 23, 2008 at 05:29 AM
When I see stuff that technology like this can do, I keep wondering wtf can't we count votes?
Posted by: jpmist | July 23, 2008 at 06:39 AM
USPS needs to contract with FDX for this...
Posted by: baileyman | July 25, 2008 at 12:06 PM
This is all George Bush's fault.
Posted by: Brent | July 26, 2008 at 10:55 AM