Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/08/03/more_laptops_burn/
More notebook computers are spontaneously bursting into flames, possibly in a bid to show solidarity with similar self-combusting comrades. Is it, we wonder, a sign that the portables we take for granted have had enough of their human masters?
One tale certainly reads that way. According to a report (http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/08/dell_fire.html?www.reghardware.co.uk) on US website ConsumerAffairs.com, (yet another) incendiary Dell laptop stashed in the back of a pick-up set of "several boxes of ammunition" starting a blaze that totalled the owners vehicle.
The upshot: Thomas Forqueran and buddy Rod Riddle were left stranded in Lake Mead National Forest, Nevada.
There's a positive side: the smoke from the burning truck attracted the attention of park rangers, who were able to rescue Forqueran and Riddle, but not, it seems, the laptop.
But it's not only Dell machines in peril. Norwegian website ITAvisen reports (http://www.itavisen.no/php/art.php?id=313244?www.reghardware.co.uk) that a reader's Apple 12in PowerBook G4 also experienced a battery burn-out. Here's a pic, but the site has more:
(http://www.itavisen.no/php/art.php?id=313244?www.reghardware.co.uk)
Apple recalled certain PowerBook G4 batteries in August 2005, including some in 12in models. At this stage it's unclear whether the singed machine would have been covered by the recall and if so whether the owne availed his or herself of Apple's offer to ship them a new power pack. Either way, the blaze appears to have begun in the battery compartment, melting the thin plastic edging between the notebook's aluminium panels and bursting the computer's seams. ®
Laptop overheats, vapourises Brazil... almost (11 May 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/05/11/white_hot_compaq/
Acer recalls 27,000 Sony laptop batteries (26 April 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/04/26/acer_recalls_27k_batteries/
Panasonic pitches 'safe' lithium-ion laptop battery (18 December 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/12/18/panasonic_pitches_safe_li-ions/
Fujitsu admits its laptop 'overheated and sparked' (30 October 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/10/30/fujitsu_laptop_sparks/
Battery recall spreads like wild, er fire (29 September 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/29/battery_recall/
Man saves laptop from battery blaze (25 September 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/25/man_saves_laptop/
Sony probes Los Angeles Airport laptop blaze (25 September 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/25/sony_probes_lax_laptop_fire/
Yahoo! guest's Dell laptop goes up in smoke (21 September 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/21/burning_laptop_epidemic/
Virgin tells travellers to remove Apple, Dell laptop batteries (14 September 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/14/virgin_apple_dell_battery_ban/
Korean airline says no to Apple, Dell laptops (13 September 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/13/korean_air_bans_apple_dell_batteries/
Dell laptop detonates in UK home (1 September 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/01/dell_laptop_combustion_uk/
Japan tells Apple to probe burning battery problem (30 August 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/08/30/japan_apple_battery_probe/
'Hindenbook' returns to burn Apple users (24 August 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/08/24/apple_battery_recall/
Dell's 'Zippo' batteries may be in other machines (16 August 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/08/16/dell_battery_problems/
Dell exec confirms AMD notebooks for October (9 August 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/08/09/dell_confirms_amd_notebooks/
Dell laptop smoked in Singapore (31 July 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/07/31/dell_laptop_burned_in_sinagpore/
Dell laptop goes up in smoke (28 July 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/07/28/another_dell_laptop_burns/
Lexar recalls burn-hazard FireFly USB drives (7 July 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/07/07/lexar_usb_drive_recall/
Dell probes incendiary laptop incident (28 June 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/28/dell_probes_fiery_laptop/