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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.
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.
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)
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
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.
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
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)
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!!!.....