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ThinkPad explodes at LAX, ignites bomb scare

engadget.com — In a time when you're not even allowed to say the word "bomb" in an airport (hey, it's for good reason), it's got to be like, really freaking embarrassing to have to run up the jetway at full speed, shoving other passengers out of the way as your flaming laptop explodes on the ground

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  • fatmike, on 10/12/2007, -6/+64damn, it let me submit mine, but you beat me by 12 seconds or so..
    i will, however, digg yours and comment a link on mine to your digg...
  • therernospoons, on 10/12/2007, -31/+7You can't say Bomb on an Airplane!

    Bombibomb Bombity Bomb Bomb Bomb
    • ZaNkY, on 10/12/2007, -20/+4And then you wonder why you always get "randomly" selected for a strip search.....

      Smarten up buddy.
    • ardellin, on 10/12/2007, -22/+1But what if I was a bombardier?

      Bombabomb bomb bomb!
    • nreynolds, on 10/12/2007, -6/+39you're not on an airplane. You're on the internet. They're different.
    • cam18, on 10/12/2007, -10/+27@nreynolds

      Exactly. You can't put bombs in the tubes...
    • ardellin, on 10/12/2007, -9/+4Eh, so much for having fun with movie quotes. Thanks, guys.
    • hmemcpy, on 10/12/2007, -3/+22@cam18

      Haven't you ever heard of a pipe bomb? :)

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipe_bomb
    • Chakz, on 10/12/2007, -9/+4IT'S NOT A BIG TRUCK !!!
  • cooltom2006, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14I remember once in England somone joked about a bomb in Manchester airport and got arrested, fined and sent to jail!
    • Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -23/+12England is the land of Orwell for a reason. Those ASBOs are proof how the British are just bitches of Her Majesty.
    • Troopy, on 10/12/2007, -4/+14@Urusai:

      Thats the most ***** comment i've heard in some time. Well done.

      What have ASBOs got to do with our Queen?..
  • wibblewibble, on 10/12/2007, -8/+4This just in, Lithium Ion is explosive when mishandled.

    Really, this isnt news.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_ion

    Its frightenly easy to turn an ipod and mobile phone into a bomb. Literally. Watch them ban anything with batteries. At least this will promote a market shift into non volatile materials for batteries. Why dont they add solar panels to the ipods and laptop lids too to extend battery life. Cost isnt an issue nowdays for those sizes and power outputs especially on the production scale they will be doing.
    • r2d7, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16Solar panels on an iPod ... how much sunlight do you get in your pocket?
    • DigeratiPrime, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5correction: people wear their iPods on their sleeves.
    • r2d7, on 10/12/2007, -1/+13... on your whatnow? Oh ... I don't use my nano as a fashion accessory, I just listen to music on it ...
    • d2nd, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1i dont think most people who "wear" their nanos (lanyard or armband) are trying to be fashionable. I'd like to think most balance the trade off between convenience and looking absurd (or dont care they look absurd)
    • Obvioustroll, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1ROTFL

      I love how people are digging you down for telling them the truth. But I think you're mistaken about one thing - aren't the current generation of laptop batteries using a NiMH chemistry, rather than Lithium?

      I can remember for years people were saying "we can make higher power batteries using a Nickel-Hydride chemistry, but we're worried about safety." Then, suddenly, NiMH batteries start showing up in laptops and people are wondering why they go boom?
    • wibblewibble, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Well you can put it on your OFFICE DESK and play it from there and while its playing or you are at a meeting, it can be recharging from the solar cells or would you rather connect it to the dirty grid to recharge and have to carry that bulky power adaptor or dangly USB cable about (assuming there is a computer about and a power plug - not on airplanes) . Really, was it such a strain on your brain to think of that scenario?
  • gwjc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+13Wow that's amazing, lucky thing the laptop wasn't stuck in the luggage hold of an airplane at 35,000ft.

    p.s.: those "bomb" signs have been in airports for as long as I can remember.
    • Olle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Yeah, wow. That's a scary thought.

      I've been thinking that they were going to ban laptops from carry on bags, but it is even worse if it is in the luggage hold because then nobody can fight the fire very easily.
    • Toastydoc, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1While that is a scary thought, The batteries only have a problem if they are left on charge for more than 8 hours. This guy probably was sitting there all day, charging his laptop and killing time while he waited.
  • JerodSlay, on 10/12/2007, -0/+28I love the end of the article. It says that on-lookers were mumbling that too many viruses caused it. lol.
    • titlesaysitall, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15OMG Bonzi Buddy! Run, it's gonna blow!
    • floppyparty, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7we can all laugh, but this is the reason we all have jobs in IT lol.
    • Schug, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12People are so stupid when it comes to computers and they all think it's a good thing that they aren't a geek. Who's gonna be laughing in 20 years when computers take over the world? ME, that's who!
    • ApplCmptrDood, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1and i saw an add that said "114,000 viruses? Not on a Mac!" I LOLd.
  • narcofiche, on 10/12/2007, -0/+19This is the kind of stuff where in 10 years, 2006 will be known as the year of exploding laptops. Maybe even a Lifetime movie will be made.
  • TGDuff, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15What is up with all these laptops exploding all of a sudden?
    • wibblewibble, on 10/12/2007, -0/+17Heat. The polymer becomes more of a liquid at high temperatures and bits move about and then they suddenly come into contact with too thin a wall inside the battery cells and boom. Basically they tried to cheap out on the production cost by reducing material usage inside the cells and then now its comming back to bite them in the arse as they went too far and its not safe enough under heavy usage and higher temperatures. They blame battery defects but most likely its because of the production companies trying to reduce costs to increase profits.

      Its just like the motherboards with crappy capacitors, they tried to use cheaper caps and then they failed and it came back and haunted them :)
    • dextroz, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2looks like someone forgot to factor the increased external environmental heat due to global warming...
    • monkeybutler, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3But was the computer on? The guy was running with a laptop and dropped it supposedly. So did the impact cause this or what? Its pretty crazy to know something we keep on our laps can burst into flames at any second.
  • wibblewibble, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1Just wait for fuel cells :) (these are really a joke anyway, refillable laptops oh thats teh funnay right there!)
  • emorphien, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2These exploding batteries are getting out of control! I wonder if the battery used Sony cells. Somebody somewhere got a bad batch of chemicals or must have screwed something up. There's been too many of these incidents all of a sudden.

    Maybe I'll go inspect my Thinkpad's batteries, although I think they use Panasonic cells.
    • wibblewibble, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4It wasnt a bad batch, it was them trying to cheap on the materials to decrease production costs and increase profits. Thats them trying to squirm out of it.
  • sfty, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4So, which Laptops actually do not explode? Apple, Dell, Lenovo are out.. :/
    • exobyte, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4well... it's just one, it could have been a 3rd party battery or modded, and Thinkpads actually cut power when batteries get hot.

      Sidenote: I have 2 thinkpads.
    • celeronxl, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This wasn't a Lenovo ThinkPad, it was a pure IBM. I have a Lenovo ThinkPad that barely even gets warm, let alone hot; although I have a friend with a slightly different model who does have a heat problem. So I guess it varies.
    • oepapel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"Thinkpads actually cut power when batteries get hot."

      Once things start going bad, cutting the power will do NOTHING. It's a chemical explosion inside the battery. The laptop can be completely off and the battery removed from the laptop and it would still explode!

      And I believe that HP is still free and clear of exploding laptops. Go HP!!!!
    • emorphien, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1yeah, even though Thinkpads have probably the best power management systems, they aren't going to undo a chemical reaction gone bad.
    • dextroz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3It's all go for HP/Compaq right now... (Acer does not count)
    • MerlynXLII, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@celeronxl

      That is a Thinkpad T-43 variety (possibly T-43p, which is the exact model I own). At the time the Thinkpad T-43 came out Lenovo was in full control. They just maintain the IBM name on the Thinkpad line as par their agreement when Lenovo purchased that section of IBM.
    • celeronxl, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@MerlynXLII:

      "...passersby stared aghast or fled crying terrorist, the ThinkPad (which was quoted to be an IBM, not a Lenovo)"
      ~the article
  • wibblewibble, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1My Acer uses SMP cells ( http://www.siimp.co.jp/top_e.html ). I have had my laptop on non stop as a server for 24/7 over the past couple of years and well, so far Its fine, and its next to the HD which is guranteed to be warm, so if it was going to go, then it would have went by now. Anyway nobody should run with the battery in when on power unless charging but when fully charged, remove it to be safe and prolong its life. Something I should do actually :) I wish they supplied blanking plates for the battery bay at the bottom of the laptops, thats why its nicer to have them on the sides or front. It also adds to stability with its weight :)
    • r2d7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3On occassion I've left my Acer on and put it in my backpack and wandered around with it because I wanted to go walkies and didn't want to stop downloading.

      All I get is a face full of hot air when I open my bag. :(
    • emorphien, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4It's not necessary to remove a charged battery when using AC on many laptops, which stop charging the battery once they're full.
    • E1M1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0emorphien, true but if your never actually use the battery and keep it in a state of near-permanent full charge it will die off quicker than if stored with little charge.

      source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_ion#Storage_temperature_and_charge
    • emorphien, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@E1M1

      That is true, but that's a separate issue from how some laptops constantly charge it or run power through it. It's best to not store the batteries full, but doing so won't cause them to burst in to flames AFAIK.
  • roguescout, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16Endgadget needs to hire a copy editor.

    Also:
    +Digg to fatmike for being a gentleman.

    +Digg to aaaz for being courteous.

    (stares around at the rest of us Diggers)
  • daines88, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6These laptops are really starting to piss me the hell off. Pretty soon every airport, train station or bus company (basically any means of traveling) will not allow laptops or any kind of electronic device with a battery onboard. Then what will be the point of owning a laptop at all? Sony ***** up big on this one.
  • marosnax, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5He is the guy that will ruin bringing a laptop on a plane for the rest of us
  • dasrore, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Well most things electronic have some chance of a malfunction resulting in fire, I think that banning laptops because of one unintentional incident is a bit outlandish. Then again if I was on the plane I would have freaked out too.
  • Hegemony, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Dammit, we're all gonna get our laptops taken away. What the hell am I gonna do on a plane now?
  • TheElectricFox, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10so if you see your friend named Jack at an airport you cant shout Hi Jack???
  • KyleMistry, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3What is this, the era of exploding laptops and batteries?

    If Samuel L. Jackson read digg, he'd probably be saying something along the lines of, "we've got to get these *****' exploding laptops off these *****' planes!"
  • AnotherBrian, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2They are not exploding.
    They are rapidly overheating and catching some of the plastic on fire. Yes it looks dramatic. Yes it would injure you if it was on your lap. but this poses no danger to an airplane. Even if a dozen of them go off at the same time.

    It's actually a lot more dangerous if this happens while it's in the cargo hold, packed in solid with flammable suitcases and clothes.
    • LuCiFer6, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Dude what are you talking about, no danger to an airline? Any fire on a airline is dangerous, it's one of the main reasons why the banned smoking from airlines.
    • Wyzard, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Fires consume oxygen, and in a confined space full of people who need to breathe, that's a bad thing.
  • kevnaca, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1OMFG if this happened when he was on board a plane he would get death threats because he ruined bringing a laptop on board for the rest of us. It would have been a pandemonium on that plane. But it wasn't really his fault. Who actually makes IBM batteries, Sony or *****?
  • raccettura, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1My Thinkpad has a Sayno..

    I know some batterys are made by Panasonic and some by Sony... no recalls that I'm aware of yet.

    That looks like a Thinkpad T4x, the current corporate workhorse... if there's a recall, this is big for business travelers.
    • MerlynXLII, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1From examining the features on the bottom of the unit it looks like a Thinkpad T-43 (the same model I own).
    • sriracha, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I have a T42 and it looks similar.

      I do hope there's a recall. My battery has lost its mojo.
    • emorphien, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Looks like a T4x to me as well, I have a T43p.
    • Wyzard, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Where do you find who made the battery? The battery in my Z60m doesn't seem to say who made it, only that it was "Manufactured for Lenovo" and "Made in China".
  • Splitt3rxx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2get an Hp laptop, they don't explode ;)
    • KyleMistry, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Yet. >:)
    • Kev585, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Hp's don't explode but from my experience that'd be an improvement over their performance. Two people I know have heat issues with their Hp laptops and an Hp laptop I own, and I have since replaced with an IBM, can not rip a CD without dieing.
  • joe7d6, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0so.. no sony, dell, apple for me
    hp here i come!
  • LuCiFer6, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Has anyone other than the tech sites confirm this story? Because I live in L.A. and I have yet to hear anything about it on the news here.
  • smartydebater, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Next Generation bomb, laptops?

    Airplanes are going to have to start banning laptops for fire risk!
  • gyrfalcon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Besides being fake... who cares?
  •  

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