A bit of a follow-up.
I used the ZAGG website "live support staff" tool to contact them. To their credit I got a response from them at 12:15am EST on a Friday night.
The entire conversation is below:
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12:10:40 AM : System: Lisa K has joined this session!
12:10:40 AM : System: Connected with Lisa K. Your reference number for this chat session is 5805.
12:10:40 AM : System: Thank you for contacting ZAGG, where we are zealous about great gadgets!
12:10:45 AM : Lisa K: Hello Larry.
12:10:45 AM : Lisa K: My name is Lisa and I appreciate the opportunity to assist you. How may I help you?
12:10:54 AM : Larry: Hello Lisa
12:11:12 AM : Larry: I received my ZAGGsparq in the mail today
12:11:28 AM : Larry: It is DOA. No lights. Not even while charging.
12:11:37 AM : Larry: NOT happy
12:12:02 AM : Larry: YEARS of using Invisible Shields... very pleased with them.
12:12:28 AM : Lisa K: I apologize for any confusion.
12:12:43 AM : Larry: NOT pleased with this product. Especially after finding THIS forum thread....
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/831099/
12:13:18 AM : Larry: There's no confusion. The unit appears to be dead. And this also appears to be a very common occurrence.
12:13:45 AM : Lisa K: It does not light up until there is at least 25% charge.
12:14:16 AM : Lisa K: Please allow the ZAGGsparq to charge before the lights will come on.
12:14:28 AM : Larry: The instruction sheet (pathetically inadequate) clearly states that the bottom LED lights up while the unit is charging.
12:14:48 AM : Larry: There is NO indication at all that the unit is charging.
12:15:01 AM : Larry: NO power light. No charging light. Nothing.
12:15:04 AM : Lisa K: Yes, and I apologize about the confusion in the instruction sheet. We are aware of the discrepancy.
12:15:16 AM : Larry: Terrible engineering in this product don't you think?
12:15:38 AM : Lisa K: The ZAGGsparq needs to charge for at least 9 hours for a full charge. When it reaches 25%, the first light will come on.
12:15:42 AM : Larry: So..if I leave it plugged in overnight I should expect to see lights tomorrow?
12:15:56 AM : Lisa K: When the ZAGGsparq is not plugged in, please press the button to see how much charge it holds.
12:15:56 AM : Lisa K: Correct.
12:15:58 AM : Lisa K: Is there anything else I can assist you with?
12:16:43 AM : Larry: I find it hard to fathom that a company that received hundreds of complaints about the sparq v1.0 didn't bother to address the main usability issues.
12:17:20 AM : Lisa K: I appreciate your feedback. Is there anything else I can assist you with?
12:17:25 AM : Larry: Please just pass along my complaint to the powers that be. Pass along my email address as well.
xxxxxxxxxxx@gmail.com
12:17:56 AM : Larry: I would hope for a response from the customer satisfaction folks
12:18:28 AM : Larry: One further question.
12:18:31 AM : Lisa K: You are more than welcome to email our President, Robert G. Pedersen II. His email address is
president@zagg.com.
12:18:42 AM : Lisa K: Go ahead.
12:18:57 AM : Larry: WHAT is the function of the button on the sparq. It is not mentioned anywhere on the small instruction sheet.
12:19:11 AM : Larry: (Thanks for the email address...I will def. contact him.)
12:20:03 AM : Lisa K: Yes, we are aware of that discrepancy in the instruction sheet as well. The button will cause the LEDs to light up when the ZAGGsparq is not plugged in, indicating how much charge the ZAGGsparq has.
12:20:21 AM : Lisa K: And please do contact him. Customer feedback is very important to us.
12:20:30 AM : Larry: I think the company needs to stop using the tagline "we are zealous about great gadgets!" until they prove that they actually ARE!
12:20:50 AM : Larry: k.. Thanks Lisa. I do appreciate contacting a real person at this late hour!
12:21:33 AM : Lisa K: Thank you for chatting with me Larry.
12:21:38 AM : Lisa K: I hope you have a pleasant weekend
12:21:44 AM : Larry: you too. thanks
12:21:53 AM : System: Lisa K has left this session!
12:21:53 AM : System: The session has ended!
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My

"unhappy customer" letter will going out to the president. If any of you are still having troubles, I suggest you do the same. Releasing an improperly tested product is one thing. Releasing a V2.0 of the product which hasn't addressed ANY of the usability issues is an insult to the customer base and should be a huge embarrassment to the entire ZAGG organization.
