IBM To Repair Smoking Monitors

Rio writes "A local6.com story says IBM is recalling to repair 56,000 G51 and G51t computer monitors because the circuit board can overheat and smoke, posing a fire hazard. IBM has received several reports of monitors overheating and smoking, including one report of minor property damage, according to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Comission." And I thought all that smoke was just my mobo overheating.

Comments

Well that's corporate civic-mindedness!

[Tofino]

If only tobacco companies would be as obliging!

Nice to hear

[stratjakt]

It's good that a company actually has the balls to recall a faulty product. It's kind of a shame that it has to be a fire hazard to make it happen, and not poor quality. I guess it's the lawyers who made the call, fearing wrongful death suits when some kid dies of inhalation while playing UT.

The PC market is flooded with second rate, faulty, poorly designed and nonfunctional hardware.

I once had an NEC monitor that burned out on me, had it replaced, that one burned out, replaced again, that one burned out ad nauseum - 5 in a row. By the 6th, they had stopped manufacturing them and I got a different one, which still works fine today.

I knew the monitor was designed poorly, they knew it was designed poorly (they only made 'em for like 6 months). Wouldnt a recall have been easier and cheaper than cross shipping me 5 replacements in a row?

Oh well. I just wish there were more corporations willing to stand behind their merchandise.

Re:Nice to hear

[DJ FirBee]

//I knew the monitor was designed poorly, they knew it was designed poorly (they only made 'em for like 6 months). Wouldnt a recall have been easier and cheaper than cross shipping me 5 replacements in a row?//

The answer is no. If they had a recall they would have to recall every monitor not just yours. If it would have been cheaper, they would have done it like that. They are a company with accountants and what not. They know what is cheaper.

IBM is doing it's recall no doubt because they fear litigation. IBM did not recall it's crappy GNX series hard drives that fell apart, because they would not catch fire and expose IBM to a lawsuit.

fire?

[_ph1ux_]

I'd say they were more of a water risk....

If you have a smoke detection system that will set off sprinklers in the event of smoke....

then all your machines are Toast!

Maybe a flamebait....but

[greymond]

It seems like IBM is really half-assing their recent products/services. Within the last 12 months I've seen them take a lot of flak for their flaky batteries, and bad hardrives

I know their stance for linux has improved, but still seems somewhat wisshy washy at times....IBM IMO is a really strong business, but they seem to be half-assing a lot lately

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just replace them?

[brickbat]

These things are ancient. I've gone through at least two monitors since the G51 was introduced. And a decent new 17" monitor is about $120. Seems like it would be cheaper for IBM to just give owners a credit towards a new monitor.

Perhaps IBM is banking on the fact that most of these dinosaurs are sitting on a shelf somewhere because their tubes blew out long ago. I know I wouldn't bother getting a 6-year-old 15" monitor fixed, even if it was for free.

smoke test...

[mike77]

silly engineers, when I worked for motorolla and we had a new product, the FIRST test we put it through was the smoke test. We went for lunch, and on the way plugged the devices into the car lighter socket to see if it smoked.

we rolled the windows down alot....

No your MONITOR is flambait.

[nlinecomputers]

RTFA! :-D

Sorry I could not help myself.

It isn't just IBM the whole industry is starting to put out crap. Everyone wants cheap PCs and you take a hit on the quality when you go for that.

Don't let IBM change the subject!

[Provocateur]

Focus, guys, focus! Thinkpad Batteries!