What is Digg?159 Comments
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -6/+74So let me see evaluate my options here... Either I can get a dell laptop that explodes after prolonged usage, or I can get a dell desktop that crashes by sending text messages... Decisions, decisions...
- MrSpontaneous, on 10/12/2007, -1/+45it would probably attract snakes.
- trampish, on 10/12/2007, -0/+37I was in a computer lab when I my GSM RAZR got a call. It was sitting on the desk and right before it rang like 4 of the Mac desktops turned on. Could it have anything to do with those nifty power buttons they have on the monitors?
- x0rtrunks, on 10/12/2007, -3/+40I know when my phone is about to ring when I'm watching tv or at my computer because the tv gets wavy and the speakers emit clicking and popping sounds.
- joel2600, on 10/12/2007, -7/+42it's just the phone establishing a better connection with the tower. while you are not in a call or not transmitting anything the signals sent out are quite minimal, but when you are actually on a call or doing something over the phone network the connection established with the tower will be a lot stronger.
i'm not sure of the exact technical information related to this, but just try it. hold your phone next to a computer monitor or any speaker. then call your voicemail or anything and then hold your phone back against your monitor or a speaker. pretty big difference.
gives you a pretty good insight into how these devices are contributing to the tumors we probably will all eventually grow in our brains. - karamba_kid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+30Now lets see what happens in a airplane.
- Abatrour, on 10/12/2007, -2/+24I believe its only the phones that use the GSM network that cause those speaker noises. My girlfriend's phone does that but mine doesn't (CDMA)
- undersky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+21News article related to this
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/07/28/dell_turned_off_by_text/ - Nesh, on 10/12/2007, -1/+20Yea, my old Cingular phone would make speakers and monitors freak out. I was at my friends' band practice sitting next to the bass rig one night and it started making what I referred to the "galloping" noise. You should have seen the look of horror on his face when his several thousand dollar rig started making weird noises. If I set it on top my pc case, it would make weird clicking noises come from the pc somewhere (power supply maybe?)
On another note, my Verizon phones don't do this. - adgreene, on 10/12/2007, -1/+20I can make the mouse move with my cellphone.
- carebearwarrior, on 10/12/2007, -1/+18The unusual thing is that other computers don't exhibit this (or as predominantly.)
- OBKenobi, on 10/12/2007, -3/+19Now you know why they tell you not to use this kind of stuff on airplanes.
- utch, on 10/12/2007, -2/+18how is this a hack?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16As others have said, I don't think this is Dell specific. I have a Gateway laptop; and if I set my RAZR near my laptop while it's ringing the laptop restarts/shuts down.
- Nesh, on 10/12/2007, -1/+15What's even more funny (pathetic?) is that these devices have to do this according to FCC regulations. "This device must accept incoming signals, including those which may cause degraded performance" etc...
- patrickloggins, on 10/12/2007, -2/+15Probably hardware. A different OS MAY have a little different effect, but It would still probably crash. Windows doesn't know it's crashing, the computer kinda does.
- dodd, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14Electronic devices can interfere with each other. So what is so unusual here?
- Flankk, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14We got motherf**king cells on this motherf**king Dell!
- yeahbuddy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14Uh-oh. This will easily turn into a CDMA vs. GSM debate.
*runs* - geardosdotnet, on 10/12/2007, -7/+20Got to love Dells. When they aren't randomly exploding they are being crashed with phones.
- fjc8, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12The noise/interference is caused by the transmitter shutting on and off rapidly on time division networks.
It doesn't happen in code division networks (wifi, CDMA, UMTS) - JamesGlover, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14@ twiztedambience
The effects of mobile phones on biological systems are completely removed for those on electronic systems. - cbrack, on 10/12/2007, -5/+16and samuel l jackson
- JackHallows, on 10/12/2007, -19/+30Dells suck.
(someone had to say it) - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10whoa. nesh, you described it spot-on. it does sound like "electronic galloping" I've wanted to refer to the noise and i couldnt describe it
- GeneralAntilles, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Nextel phones do this, too. I think Nextel is on the 800MHz-900MHz band, not sure how this relates to the electronics aspect of the sound though. Does it a lot in my car, and with computer speakers.
- Arthemys, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10The same thing happened to my friend's IBM ThinkPad (pre-Lenovo), except that he fired off his Nikon external flash unit.
He fired it near his laptop, it just froze solid and half-shutdown. Something to do with a large blast of EMI I'm guessing. - rasbill, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10thats a quick way to get no cell phones allowed at work
- heavyd14, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Your cable modem uses RF signals, and the phone is putting out a strong RF signal. Not much to that.
Also, I must have a newer version, my cable modem manages to do that on its own! - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10flame me if you must, but i just cant seem to find a reason to like CDMA.
gsm is so much more accepted worldwide and sim cards are so convenient.
is it the call quality? someone please tell me why i should like CDMA over GSM other than the fact that it is "outdated technology" - booc0mtaco, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Part 15, perhaps?
- scrubadub, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9I wish they said what type of phone. I was at a conference once and my friend was using his crackberry, every time he SMS'd the the speakers would freak out. Not sure exactly what component was causing that.
- Clevinger, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11@ twiztedambience - Wow, that is about the most stupid comment I have read all day.
- DigitalWorld, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I would assume that the EM interference that the phone is producing when it receives a message is screwing with some circuitry in the computer, somewhere, and that it's going into a "I don't want to die" mode, which would explain why it can't come back without pulling the plug, or holding down the power button. I wouldn't be surprised at all if more computers and electronic devices were effected by this.
- quazywabbit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6no the service didn't keep you in the contract for the whole two years, it was the contract itself.
- Hawk2007, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6dell buys from the lowest bidders with quality products, so it can be from a number of manufacterers e.g. samsung, toshiba, nec, etc. the only guarantee you have is that it's not a plextor :)
- Hawk2007, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5In my home, I discovered something similar to this. If you put a phone next to one of those GFCI protected outlets and then make a call to the phone, you'll hear that "click" sound and it'll break the circuit.
- bodger, on 10/12/2007, -6/+11Not really a 'hack'...
- lost84001, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I've seen similar issues with WiFi networks. I had a group of Linksys WiFi cards installed into several desktops. The computers were all different models and brands.
Occasionally, something in the building would spontaneously make them *all* crash with a blue screen of death.
Guess how much help I got from Linksys? Zip.
Good times.... - HappyScrappy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5bloret:
Honestly, even though CDMA is technically superior, there isn't a lot of reason for a phone user to prefer it.
It provides better handoffs between towers resulting in fewer drops.
It allows operators to more easily put in extra towers and microcells to beef up coverage.
It degrades more gracefully when overloaded. However, an overloaded cell system isn't a lot of fun with either system.
It doesn't make systems nearby make funny noises (dit-dit-dit).
And if you believe RF radiation right next to your head is bad, CDMA puts out a whole lot less of it.
But I'm not sure all that adds up to enough for a customer to care.
The operators like it better because it provides up to 3X more efficient bandwidth utilization and far easier tower placement/setup rules.
I really prefer CDMA, but I don't use it because the CDMA operators take advantage of the inability to select your own phone model to use on their system to bolster their profits. That is, my GSM phone lets me put ringtones on it for free and take pictures off it for free, both via Bluetooth. CDMA providers (Verizon) disable this capability so they can charge you for both of these things. GSM operators would do this too, except you can always use your own unlocked phone on their service, with the features you want. - Kale, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5It's not. It might be considered an exploit, but in reality, it's probably a bad design and an annoyance. My guess is that the signal is causing interference on the IDE cables.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -7/+12FYI, the more advanced data centers in Australia and New Zealand have bans on cellphones on the raised flooring. You usually have to surrender them at the entrance.
Also, GSM signaling sucks ass... - SmeRndmGy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5People rent phones?
- larfus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4When I do deliveries to a server room I must always leave my phone outside the room. I always wondered why but now I think I see why.
- orlyyarly, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8GSM ftw!!
- OBKenobi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I agree about the Dell-bashing. This is not a Dell-specific problem.
Disclaimer: I build my own PCs. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3What's the use of having a newer, supposedly better wireless standard if you don't have any signal? I'm speaking of Canada here, but GSM coverage is everywhere and I can't get signal in the middle of the city sometimes with CDMA.
- kev009, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3This isn't the least bit surprising. Take a look at the case of the original IBM PC. Now take a look at that latest ***** box dell. EMI/EMF wreak havoc on things as complex as computers, and that plastic case with tin foil lining isn't going to do much to stop it.
- HappyScrappy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3This isn't that odd. GSM is an RF nightmare.
A GSM 850 phone can transmit at up to 2 Watts of power. (900 also, 1800/1900 only go to 1 Watt). It will do this when the system is trying to locate it (when it is about to ring) and in poor signal areas will continue to do so.
GSM users may notice that they sometimes hear bip-bip-bip on a nearby speakerphone or amplifier just before their phone rings.
This kind of energy being thrown into the air right next to a computer can make it go haywire.
Despite what the article says, I bet a CDMA (Cingular or Sprint) phone will not cause the problem. They don't exhibit this behavior, and their maximum power is 0.6W.
Yet another reason I don't like GSM. But I still use it, because all the coolest phones are GSM, and you have a much wider choice as to which to use. - meatmcguffin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3A powerbook g4 will instantly turn off if you put a bluetooth headset on the trackpad.
I think it has something to do with a feedback loop causing the hard drive to go nuts.
Anyone have the guts to try this with another type of laptop? -
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