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I'm scared of my laptop!!!(dell recall)

Spunger

Git yer dumb questions here
Feb 19, 2003
2,257
0
805
N8 said:
me too except for the crappy power plug design on it...
On ours the plug isn't the problem it's the hinges to the screen! I gotta take it apart and tighten them :)
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
rideit said:
If I could make a device that would harness the wattage produced by masturbation, the world energy crisis would be over.
:rofl: :rofl:

On my dell, the plug (end that goes into computer) sucks. They should make a 90* adapter. I have gone through 3. When I put my computer on my desk, the cord does a 180* bend, then toward me and down into the outlet. That bend wears out the part between the tip and cord. It opens up and the wire is exposed. I put a zip tie to stiffen it, and then wrapped it in red electrical tape. It's much better now.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,162
1,261
NC
mtnbrider said:
On my dell, the plug (end that goes into computer) sucks. They should make a 90* adapter. I have gone through 3. When I put my computer on my desk, the cord does a 180* bend, then toward me and down into the outlet. That bend wears out the part between the tip and cord. It opens up and the wire is exposed. I put a zip tie to stiffen it, and then wrapped it in red electrical tape. It's much better now.
I completely agree, mine is the same way and I am on my second power adapter... but only because I pulled the first one apart and ghetto-repaired it for a few months.

I wrapped mine in layers of duct tape to keep it from flexing as much but I pulled it apart to check it the other night, and found that the problem was still occuring... just slower.

I'm seriously considering coating the entire plastic section behind the metal plug with epoxy to make it one solid, inflexible piece. I haven't been able to discern a real reason why that wouldn't work, besides making it slightly inconvenient to have a solid piece sticking an inch or so out the back of the laptop.
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
binary visions said:
I completely agree, mine is the same way and I am on my second power adapter... but only because I pulled the first one apart and ghetto-repaired it for a few months.

I wrapped mine in layers of duct tape to keep it from flexing as much but I pulled it apart to check it the other night, and found that the problem was still occuring... just slower.

I'm seriously considering coating the entire plastic section behind the metal plug with epoxy to make it one solid, inflexible piece. I haven't been able to discern a real reason why that wouldn't work, besides making it slightly inconvenient to have a solid piece sticking an inch or so out the back of the laptop.
That sounds like a good idea. Maybe put some silicon after that over the cord part to ease the stress. Or you could put it over the cord and make it bend 90* to relieve most all the stress.
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
Another thing...

I hate the tap to click feature on my touchpad on my laptop. When I do photoshop (brush tools) or anything else, stuff gets accidently clicked. I like to just use the button to click.

When I uncheck the box for tap to click, it goes off. Soon, (maybe an hour) it's back checked (default). This is so frustrating. I have to go uncheck it so often.

Any ideas why it's doing this and how to fix it?
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
55,976
22,017
Sleazattle
My company had some batteries that shorted out from shipping damage and caught fire. The result was a few hundred million dollars worth of stuff in a warehouse lost to fire.
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
Westy said:
My company had some batteries that shorted out from shipping damage and caught fire. The result was a few hundred million dollars worth of stuff in a warehouse lost to fire.
That's not good. :eek:
 

Nobody

Danforth Kitchen Whore
Sep 5, 2001
1,511
58
Toronto
More info...

Sony Corporation, which has been making a steady comeback in its electronics and entertainment divisions, was hit hard Monday when it was announced that it would share the costs with Dell Inc. for the recall of 4.1 million laptop computer batteries that may explode in flames. The recall, expected to cost upwards of a quarter billion dollars, followed a report in the Wall Street Journal on Monday observing that such batteries pose a particular threat to airliners. The recall would be the largest in the history of the consumer electronics business, reports said. Nevertheless, shares in Sony rose 1.5 percent higher at midday today (Monday). In an interview with Bloomberg News, Mitsuhiro Osawa, an analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities Co. in Tokyo, said, "Market reaction to the news has been weak because it is difficult to measure the impact of the recall."
 

Austin Bike

Turbo Monkey
Jan 26, 2003
1,558
0
Duh, Austin
BigMike said:
Thats why I'm glad I got me a MacBookPro! :D
Unless you realize that Sony probably made their batteries too.

There are only ~5 or 6 companies that actually make batteries, everyone puts their name on them.

Plus, there have been reports of flaming apples instead.

Think the same.
 

Kornphlake

Turbo Monkey
Oct 8, 2002
2,632
1
Portland, OR
mtnbrider said:
:rofl: :rofl:

On my dell, the plug (end that goes into computer) sucks. They should make a 90* adapter. I have gone through 3. When I put my computer on my desk, the cord does a 180* bend, then toward me and down into the outlet. That bend wears out the part between the tip and cord. It opens up and the wire is exposed. I put a zip tie to stiffen it, and then wrapped it in red electrical tape. It's much better now.

If you are handy with a soldering iron you can buy a 90* adaptor and just replace the connector when the cord wears out next time. You should be able to find a suitable connector at www.digikey.com, www.mouser.com or maybe at Fry's or Radio Shack. The connector should cost less than a dollar and if you buy a couple of extra ones you can repair the cords you've already broken and give them to your friends or sell them on eBay.