A Dell laptop computer literally exploded at a conference in Japan, according to a reader of British technology tabloid The Inquirer, which reported the news on its website. Fortunately, nobody was injured as a result of the incident, though Dell’s reputation might have been hurt.
Picking up on the news, Gadgetophile notes that lithium-polymer batteries can become flammable under exacting condition, while a reader at Gizmodo opines that the offending machine looks like one of the models cited in Dell’s battery-recall program.
While some observers wonder whether this incident will cause transportation authorities to ban notebook and laptop PCs on planes, I wonder whether Dell’s marketing mavens will decide to resell suspect models as special-edition incendiary devices for use as fireworks on Independence Day. Some marketing teams always manage to find the silver lining in the smoke-filled room.
Twilight in the Valley of the Nerds 