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More Exploding Cellphones In The News
adityapandey writes "It's happened again. Yahoo News has another story on exploding cellphones. Most of these mishaps are blamed on counterfeit batteries and chargers. Recently, Kyocera recalled about 40,000 cellphones for free replacement, because of batteries overheating and venting superheated gases. Yet, cellphone makers claim that such incidents are too rare to care about. Shouldn't cellphone companies be making people aware of the hazards of usage?"
The "Can you hear me now?" guy trying to talk from his neck.
Get the Department of Defense together with Verizon and para-drop a shitload of cellphones in Mosul and other Iraqi hot-spots with flyers on how the insurgents can call their friends.
Instead, they'll be calling Allah.
"Can we blow you up now?" "Good."
Vos teneo officium eram periculosus ut vos recipero is.
170 million cell phones and 83 reports of cell phones exploding or catching fire in the past two years. 83/170,000,000 = 4.88 x 10^-7. To me, this is way within acceptable margin of error or uncontrollability. Think about how many computer power supplies have shorted out and caught fire (i have had 2 at my job in the last year, and we only have 17 computers). It is a shame, and I am sure it is painful for the people and i do feel bad, but lets not get out of hand with this.
83 cell phones have exploded or caught fire--but there are millions that haven't, so it is not a big deal.
Hmmm... How well did that logic work against Ephedra or Firestone Wilderness AT tires?
TSA completes calculation (2+2) and determines cell phone and computer batteries pose a greater threat aboard planes than boxcutters of nail clippers. Well maybe not yet, but if trends continue, perhaps. In this article we read of exploding batteries and increasing power density. "If you're cramming more and more power in a small space, what you're making is a small bomb," said Carl Hilliard...
Exploding batteries have already caused disruption at LAX.
The subject of potential weapons on planes has been beat to death, but the battery angle is still interesting. Especially when you consider that a weapons intimidation power is more a function of public perception than killing power. The more press exploding batteries receive, the greater the perceived danger. Never mind that a torn beer can can do more damage.
Now I'm the grandest Tiger in the Jungle!
I'd be a lot more afraid of getting run over by a cell phone talkin' driver than my own cell phone exploding...
Seems to me that there's no better way to ensure that companies will do all they can to cover up the problems with their products when they know that any admittal of problems is only going to cause negative publicity, lawsuits, etc.
---As my daddy used to tell me: "You gotta be smart before you can be a smartass."
Most of these mishaps are blamed on counterfeit batteries and chargers.
and then...
Shouldn't cellphone companies be making people aware of the hazards of usage?
So you want cellphone companies to tell you to not buy batteries off of ebay, but only one of their batteries from one of their approved resellers? And then you'll be complaining about unfair business practices, how they are trying to monopolize the battery business, etc etc.
Several years ago, I read an article predicting that cell phones would explode in the coming years. They were right!!
Unknown host pong.
Cell phone companies already warn against using third party batteries which are often substandardly made. The risk is even greater with regards to Lithium Ion and Lithium Polymer batteries which require additional protection circuitry to prevent overheading / overcharging. Poorly made knockoffs often do not have these safety mechanisms or are not properly compatible with the power management subsystem in the mobiles.
Not much to see here, don't buy shoddy accessories.
low level radiation, etc... My old Nokia phone used to make my monitor flicker really bad if a call was coming in and would actually turn on my cordless electric shaver if it was near by. (Yes, I got rid of it)
Now, don't get me wrong, I feel bad for anyone who put a burning hot device up against their face, but 83 people?
83 reports of this in the past 2 years - out of what, 100,000,000 cell-phone users? That's is extremley rare.
I'm not saying such a problem should be ignored, but you can't expect anyone to prioritize it when occurences are so rare.
and how many of the 83 reports of 'exploding batteries' were due to misuse? "the box didn't say I couldn't put my phone in the microwave"
..mork
It's funny, as most people here get all pissy when Nokia introduces protection for their phones by allowing nokia-only batteries to be used. Guess what? It's for this exact thing. Nokia can't rate every battery each company comes out with for their phones, yet if one blows up, it's the phone manufacturer (not the battery manufacturer) who gets the bad press. It's protecting their business, pure and simple. :)
...is figuring out how *I* can make *your* cellphone explode when you're being a loud a**hole and chatting away at the next table, or what have you...
---As my daddy used to tell me: "You gotta be smart before you can be a smartass."
> Shouldn't cellphone companies be making people aware of the hazards of usage?
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
we should probably have warnings on powder blue crayons too. cause god know how bad it is when one of those gets jammed up your nose and i know from experience that this happens all the time same with screwdrivers and pencils and pens, and come to think of it every other pointy object, they dont have warnings- it must be ok. There comes a point when people stop paying attention to warnings because they already know that they know better, which is often the case- the problem with this is that more often than not, truly important warnings get glossed over becuase they are assumed to be the regular "do not light on fire", "not to be taken internally", etc... ... extended warranty, how can i lose!
"Alcohol, cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" -Homer Simpson
Dude, you've got a 20 gallon high explosive device sitting in your parking space, right now!
You're lucky just to be alive, and the bomb squad will be over in minutes to contain and confiscate it. We hope you drive a Porsche.
KFG
Lithium ion batteries, so popular for their power density, are inherently unstable if they are overcharged or become too hot (about 140 F is the threshold). As a spokesperson for one battery maker said "When you heat this material up, it (can) reach an onset temperature that begins to self-heat and progresses into fire and explosion." One battery company claims to make a "safe" battery that uses phosphates, not cobalt oxides in its lithium ion. They even have a video demonstration that we can slashdot.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
What if cell malware like Skulls could be used to cause the battery to explode? Perhaps by modifying the firmware to overcharge or overload the battery? A well-written worm would have them going off like popcorn...
perl -e 'foreach(values %SIG){$_="IGNORE";}while(){}'
Oh yeah, the guys with the bandannas and the slimjim are members of bomb squad. They will also need to examine your radio for radiation output, and take your tires back to the lab for testing.
"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
--Dr.W.Edwards Deming
Common sense (although many consumers lack it) lets you know that jamming a crayon up your nose is asking for trouble. However, even with common sense, you wouldn't expect a cell phone to explode. You bought a tool that lets you speak with people from far away, not a stick of dynamite.
Consumers are indeed jaded enough by the warnings of "do not cram this up your butt" and the like, and since most of these stupid warnings are for inappropriate use of the object, they shouldn't even be there. There should be a law against plain stupidity, and lawsuits because "the manual didn't say I shouldn't jump out the window with this pillow" should never deserve to be heard... only in America can the stupid hope for a better life.
Now, when the hazard comes from regular use of the item, like... talking on your cell phone, well if said phone can explode, or "vent superheated gases" on me, I think I would like to know.
After 3 days without programming, life becomes meaningless
- The Tao of Programming
The odds are 100million to one that your cell phone will explode, you think people will care about those odds?
I thought they were supposed to do that.
... in StarTrek, one of the standard ways of getting out of a tricky situation would be to 'switch my phaser to overload', throw it round the corner and hide.
Five seconds later, loud bang, and no problem .. er, no wall ... and possibly no building .... depending on the charge left in the battery at the time.
Don't you remember
I work at a cell-phone store, and you would not believe what people do to their phones. I have seen phones get hot, vent hot gas, catch fire, bulge and almost pop, etc. In each case, it was because of something the customer had done to damage their phone. Usually, it's water damage, teenie bopper kids taking their phone into the shower cuz they can't miss that one important call. Or, even more benignly, (is that a Bushism?) if you have a little bit of drippings in your car's cupholder, and throw the phone in there when you get in the car, guess where the charging circuitry is located? Usually in the bottom of the phone. So, the next time you go plug your phone in, instead of the beautifully complex current-limiting charging circuit, you have yesterday's mocha providing a dead short.. BOOM. Please, PLEASE look to the stupid masses for the cause BEFORE blaming the manufacturers. I know there are bad designs out there, but 99.999999999 times out of a hundred, it's the idiots using them everyday. really. (flame suit on)
"A new car built by my company leaves somewhere traveling at 60 miles per hour. The rear differential locks up. The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now, should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field (A) multiply it by the probable rate of failure (B) then multiply the result by the average out of court settlement (C). A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of the recall, we don't do one."
It all comes down to money.
Personally, the low number of incidents does make this pretty insignificant.
-- i am jack's amusing sig file
I recently found a new battery for my Motorola, after searching for several weeks. I am in the UK btw. No doubt it's a "counterfeit", but I am pleased to find one of any sort.
"Car Phone Warehouse" at Bristol Cribbs Causeway is listed on the Motorola Web site as one of their Agents. When I asked them for a new battery they treated me as crazy. I asked therefore what was meant by their being a Motorola "agent", and they said their workshop could provide "spares" but the battery was a "consumable", not a "spare"! And they did not keep "consumables" for my phone because it had been discontinued for over a year. I said it was precisely because the phone was that old that the battery needed replacing, all the more reason why they should sell them.
Several other shops found batteries under the counter that were almost but not quite the same size, shape, and contact layout. Every model of phone seems to have different battery. Why can't there be standardisation?
I was persistent, but most users must sling their phone when the battery is clapped. So much for environmental responsibility.
Shouldn't cellphone companies be making people aware of the hazards of usage?
I used to work for a phone company that did a recall on the Kyocera 7135 (apparently no exhaust was installed on the battery).
All I can say is that under your contract they wipe themselves clean of *evreything* that could possibly happen and it is then the responsibility of the user. If you ever try to make a case other wise they will refer you to your contract, store you bought it from (or likely in this case undertaker) and tell you to shove it or go though mazes of 'pass the buck'.
Trust me (or check *your* contract) they cover their ass nice and clean. Of course most companies will put on a good public face and say even though its not our shit we will be happy to tell you all how to shovel it.
A loop, by its nature, continues. If that didn't make sense, start reading this sentence again.
A BIG notice on all phones here in the UK say "Use of non original Batteries can cause damage or fire".
Yet most people turn around and say the words "lock in" and buy cheap of the back of the lorry specials, and wonder why they have problems.
Mobile phone batteries are not simple. The cells can release flamable gas if not used properly, and if overcharged can cause leakage, or damage.
It is unreasonable to accuse the Phone Manufacturers for faulty third party products, when they clearly warn against their usage.
Some manufacturers like Ericsson go one step futher.
Ericsson incorporate a special curicuitry that if the battery is not original or licensed, it would use a much lower power to charge the battery, to avoid overheating due to sub par components.
and for those who argue about Lock In, I have a T68 phone which still uses its original battery. My frined who poo pooed the disclaimer bought third party batteries and is has had to replace the batteries 3 times.
Secondly, All ericsson batteries have a temperature sensor built in. The phoen can monitor the temperature of the battery and cut power shoudl anything dodgy be happening. Anyone who has a Ericsson phone (T68/T610/T630 except the Pxxx series) can test this by getting the Float Mobile Agent software and linking to the phone, where you will be able to read the temperature of the battery as well as the phone.
Point being, manufacturers have done all they can to limit the issues with this, and cellphones are still relatively safe.
Have a nice day!
I remember the delay in getting my phone earlier this year: The press release said the reason for the recall last time was "Kyocera has received four confirmed reports of rapid disassembly."... "Continued use of the phone with the '-05' battery could result in injury in the form of burns due to the battery's rapid disassembly (which may appear as an explosion), or emission of excessive heat."
So in field of Public Relations objects don't explode, they just rapidly disassemble!!!.....
Kyocera made about $2.7B US in profit last year. If they say "Our cell phones are dangerous", they'll loose sales. If they instead, let one or two people blow up every year, they only have to pay out a couple million in lawsuit damages each year. Do the math.
Simply don your Slashdot-approved tin hat (available now at OSDN.com), as it has built-in protection from cell phone radiation. Make sure to use the supplied grounding strap, affixing the free end firmly to the steel pad on the bottom of your shoe.
I've realized why the cell phone makers aren't concerned about random explosions. It just saves their users from succombing to brain cancer. Humane, in a way, and cheaper to litigate.
sigs, as if you care.
If anyone is familiar with the show in the US called "Myth Busters" they did this exact thing. They tried and tried to get the thing to explode to no avail...so they put it in a plexi-glass like container and filled it with a mix of gas fumes and oxygen and called the cell, STILL NO explosion. the only damn way THEY could get the thing to go off was to put an actual spark in the chamber with it.
:)
There are *so* many things that can go wrong with cellphones that if I were to see one exploding I'd first ask "what was the condition of the phone prior to the explosion?" People are STUPID...I used to do tech support, I KNOW this
Asmodeus
Your mind is like a parachute. It works best when it's been opened.
But I am just SO tired of cell phones. People want to drive while they talk on them, but they really can't - swerving, slowing down in traffic, whatever - dangerous and a pain in the ass. Not to mention the way the signal drops out, no matter what the user is doing. I am SO tired of talking to people on their cell phones and losing the connection, or one of us not being able to hear the other.
We got along before we had cellphones, I really think we could continue to. Personally I don't want to have people being able to contact me every moment of the day, nor do I need to take it into the grocery store to send my wife a picture of the damn steaks I want to buy. For some people they are literally life savers, but for the most part they are intrusive and rude - as are the people who use them everywhere.
Cell phones, just say NO!
I mod down all the "free iPod"-sig losers.
...a friend of mine took his phone out with him in a heavy storm, and it got rather water damaged. He decided he'd "dry out the phone" by taking the battery out, and placing it on his radiator...luckily, we were all in the room at the time, and able to enlighten him somewhat...
Despite what the storey headline says, the cell-phone industry is not well served by telling everyone that their products could explode and cause injury.
So they're not going to make sure to tell consumers about it unless they have no choice. And until they can be shown it really happens with their products which are used as designed, they may not believe it.
In reality, the way industry will make this decision is a cost-benefit analysis. In the airline industry, for example, wether or not to do a refit/new safety measure/etc is defined by a formula which measures how often it's likely to happen, and how much it costs if it did.
Using an average industry payout of $2mil/death (I think that's close), a $20 million upgrade will only happen if 10 people are expected to die from it. If the math says the upgrade is cheaper than paying for deaths, it gets done. If 3 people might die over 20 years, then the math says it's cheaper to let people die and pay settlements than to make the change.
It would be naive to think that the cell-phone industry is going to start running around saying "oh my god, they exploded".
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Well, I would only want to point out that the US didn't put a known madmen / dictator in power... He kind of became that way after he was set up.
From that POV, the USA had every right to take him down, since he backstabbed them and turned to the 'dark side'.
I'm not crazy,I'm actively irresponsible.