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Dell Notebooks Catch On Fire!
Mr_Person writes "Dell Computer will recall about 284,000 notebook batteries due to a flaw in batteries incorporated in Inspiron 5000 and 5000(e) notebooks. The flaw causes the batteries to produce excessive amounts of heat, in fact,
at least one notebook has even gotten to the point of
catching on fire!" I thought the worst part of Dell Laptops was the fact that they broke all the time, and that they billed me for months after I shipped them the laptop back claiming they never got it. Maybe you could use Dell Laptops as an alternate heat source, what with rising gas prices *rimshot*
If Dell eus this recall like they did the previous battery recall, it will work like this:
It worked out pretty well then.
(I own a 5000)
Tip #1 Never place your laptop on a bed, on cushy upholstery, soft carpet, comforter, etc. for long periods of time or operation
If you want to fry your laptop, your couch, or your own leg (i.e. under a comforter), that's the fastest way. From what I can gather, the laptop is designed to radiate heat downward. When you place it on an insulator like a carpet, a bed, or a comforter, it gets hot REALLY fast.
Yes, it is a laptop. But I wouldn't recommend curling up with it on a cold night with your favorite quilt--unless your heat is out.
Tip #2 Fan == "Danger Will Robinson!"
Shortly after owning my laptop, I noticed that the little fan in the back would come on and turn off. One day, the area under the Enter key was super hot--I could feel it through my keyboard. I ejected my modem and ethernet cards and I couldn't hold them they were so hot! I grew worried (I really love this laptop) and so I called support thinking my fan was busted. The info I go was shocking.
The standard operating temperature for the processor is 150F. The fan kicks on only if the processor is starting to operate out of the spec'd range of "standard". If your processor starts getting up around 180F, the fan kicks on to cool it off.
Those numbers are based on memory, but they feel right (i.e. by how hot my cards get ).
Now, I don't care how many assurance that Dell tech gave me--180F is not a Good Thing[tm]. When I hear my fan kick on, I usually give my laptop a quick look-over to make sure I can't do anything to help it cool down. Proping the back end up on a book *might* help.
Needless to say, if your fan is on for a long time, you might want to check on your laptop. OTOH, maybe your just cracking distribited.net blocks ;-)
(disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for anything stupid or reasonable you do with your own laptop; take or ignore this advice at your own risk)
All that being said, I really dig my 5000. I loaded it up with a crap load of memory and a big HDD--it is a great development tool on the Commuter rail. I just always make sure to score a table in the middle of the double-decker cars. My right leg is getting scorched (kidding).
"Doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs." -- Switchfoot, Ode to Chin
After the week-long recall, Apple replaced the LiIon battery with a NiMH one and cut the price by $100.
The PowerBook 5300 might be one of the worst computers Apple ever released. Everything that could go wrong with a design did go wrong. The original System software was so buggy, Apple posted an entire updated disk set for the 5300 up on its web site. The hinges broke, the power adapters would snap off, the casing around the screen would separate, the PC cards wouldn't eject properly...it was a mess. To top it off, performance sucked. No L2 cache meant that the CPU was constantly starved. Add in a 33MHz system bus, and you've got one heck of a problem computer.
Before my 5300 developed problems, I had been a huge proponent of them, but after my 5300 broke many, many times (something like 8 times in 18 months), I was disgusted and called Apple, demanding that they do something about it. They did. I was sent, for free, a PowerBook 1400 in exchange for that defective 5300. Apple won me as a permanent fan that day.
The 1400 is still working today. I've upgraded the CPU and hard drive, added Ethernet and Wireless cards, and it keeps on humming along well enough to prevent me from buying a new laptop to replace it (I did buy a new iMac, but portability is nice). That new iBook is looking awfully tempting, though.
-jon
Remember Amalek.
... I've owned and administered dozens of Dells. I've had few if any problems, and always, always Dell has provided excellent support --and more than half the time they did't need to: support.dell.com absolutely kicks ass.
But interestingly enough, I am typing this on a broken Dell laptop --ironic isn't it? This machine is completely hosed, it will BSOD if you move it an inch (external keyboards rule).
Anyway, it's my first truly broken Dell machine --ever. A corporate machine, purchased in Minneapolis for our company office in Atlanta. I am sitting right now in an apartment in Thessaloniki, Greece, 7,000 miles away from this machine's "home". I hang up the phone with US Dell Support an hour ago (collect). Dell has promised me that they will have a technician *on site* with a new motherboard *tomorrow morning*.
I will be sure to post Dell's performance here tomorrow. In the mean time, CmdrT., you may want to go tell VA that they have a long way to go to compete with these guys...
It always makes me laugh when I read one of these yahoo stories with glaring grammatical and/or spelling errors. Slashdot is one thing; it's a weblog that's SUPPOSED to be a buncha nerds arguing over crap and being opinionated. Yahoo (and Cnet, which is where the article actually came from), however, are attempting to be credible news sources.
Sentences like "Dell agreed to replace the memory was replaced free of charge." do not help the crediblity of Yahoo and Cnet.
Disclaimer:
I am not a grammar nazi. It's quite likely that this post contains grammatical errors. I, however, am not claiming to be a news source. Your mileage may vary. Removing this screw may void your warranty. MSRP based on standard package. Power windows, air, and seats extra. #include
I love my 7000 laptop - keeps me toasty warm on those long nights :-) Seriosly though I've had no problems - it's one of the best Linux laptops I've used - has a great APM implementation (unlike the brand new IBM I have at work whicxh despite it's lovely display freezes whenever I try and suspend it)
Can you imagine a Beowolf cluster of these Dell laptops? You can probably bbq an entire heard of cattle!
I have a Dell laptop and it's only broken down once. The return time was extremely fast (a few days), and they didn't bill me for anything.
I'm still trying to decide why everyone hates Dell laptops.
The US and British governments should get ahold of these for their spy agencies...they could set their laptops to self-destruct every time they're lost.
The Good Reverend
I'm different, just like everybody else.
I have a inspiron 7500 and this beast can get *very* hot. I have a habit sometimes of leaving it on after work and commuting while using it as an MP3 Player in my car stereo. When I get it home, sometimes it is so hot I cant touch any of the metal ports on the back and it is hard to type! Needless to say, I don't do that much anymore...
-Moondog
Ob Ref to Jargon File: The problem seems to be with the implementation of the HCF instruction: http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/jargon/html/entry/HCF.h tml
I was thinking about picking out a laptop as my new firewall, I guess the Dell Inspiron 5000 is the one for me!
haha! ok that didn't make any sence...
Dell is quite familiar with this sort of thing. Last time, it was the Latitude notebooks that were going up in flames. The details from the horse's mouth can found here.
This is yet another example of how the Apple Macintosh has led the industry and everyone else follows.
Apple had flaming Mac PowerBooks years ago. PC vendors are just now getting around to copying.
Those who would give up liberty in exchange for security and DRM should switch to Microsoft Palladium!
Apple wasn't happy :-P
--
TO BUY A NEW CAR WOULD MAKE YOU SEXUALLY ATTRACTIVE.
Furthermore it is not completly Dells Fault. These batteries were completely manufactured by another company. Come-on slashdot. Are we trying to do News For nerds or is this site going the way of other journalistic sites where they put up whatever will sell more papers/get more page views.
Pithy, yet ultimately meaningless, phrase expressed with gusto!
It was released earlier today for the 5000x series. Earlier Latitude and Inspirons had problems a few months ago.
They should just rename it the MI-Laptop. Mission Impossible, this laptop will self-destruct in 10, 9, 8, ...
3 S.E.A.S - Virtual Interaction Configuration (VIC) - VISION OF VISIONS!
I still have mine, but did get a G3. There were some awfully tempting trade-in programs a couple of years ago - for whatever reason I failed to participate. Oh well!
sulli
RTFJ.
To top this off, according to their site:
"Customers will receive one replacement battery for each battery identified as subject to recall. Upon return of a recalled battery, customers will receive an additional battery at no cost."
Thats TWO brand spankin new batteries, one upon registering the defective one and one upon receipt of it... I just ordered an Inspiron 8000 two days ago, and service like this make me damn glad I went with Dell.
Read up on how the moderation system works... moderation points are given out randomly to any logged-in /. reader. (Except maybe those with negative karma.)
/. news posters editorialize in their headlines.
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So saying they're hypocrites is a bit silly, as its impossible to generalize. If you want to complain about anything, complain about how the
If you really want to see all the "SPORK!" messages, just change your setting to browse at -1 - you'll see everything that's been posted. Me, I'm glad the idiot comments get modded down and the intelligent ones get modded up (I browse at +3)... it makes
--
Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies.
Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies.
- Nietzsche
Hehe. The Ford Pinto of notebooks, eh?
The article I originally read on yahoo stated that Panasonic was the manufacturer of the batteries, so we can not necessarily blame Dell for this.
Even so, not *everything* works correctly all the time. If this was the case, we wouldn't have this thing called innovation.
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w00t w00t raise da r00f!
Techsupp: 'help ya? Me: My laptop is on fire! Techsupp: Sir? Me: Fire! Fire! The computer just burst into flames! Techsupp: Did you try to reboot Windows? Me: What? I said it's on fire! Techsupp: OK, you need to use Quick Restore then call us ba....[fire engine sirens in the background/screams of pain] Sir! Drop and roll! Drop the laptop and roll on it! Then use the Quick Restore CD!
Quote from the home page of dell.com;
...they're just living up to their claims of *blazing* performance!
"Notebooks & Desktops
Harnessing the power of emerging technology for blazing performance, serious multitasking & high productivity."
I was gratified to be able to answer promptly. I said I don't know. ~Mark Twain