Despite Blog, Dell Still Forced To Recall Exploding Batteries
from the boom-boom-boom dept
Dell has announced it is recalling 4.1 million laptop batteries following a spate of well-publicized incidents of its computers catching fire. The battery problem, which had been kicking around for a while, was but one facet of consumers' growing frustration with Dell's customer service -- a frustration the company noted was hurting sales and which it intended to rectify. The most high-profile aspect of this was the launch of a corporate blog, a move partly intended to try to fix some of the damage Dell had taken from pissed-off bloggers. While perhaps the launch of the blog had some symbolic meaning of Dell "joining the conversation", it can't, on its own, solve the company's customer-service woes, or indeed, its deeper problems. While the blog may prove a valuable tool to humanize the company and with which to communicate with customers, as long as faulty products like exploding batteries and many other aspects of the company's service remain a problem, Dell's woes are going to continue. It's doubtful Dell ever assumed blogging would solve all its problems, though the comments of some bloggers would make you think otherwise. But even a blog can't solve the most fundamental problems that are turning people away from the company, something Dell continues to try to fix.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Hmmm...
Good way to save money without having to do research.
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I didn't even know a hard drive could DO that! Apparently Dell didn't either, and before they would send out a replacement drive, we had to put it in another machine, which it subsequently fried.
So two machines down because of one hard drive.
Then, with ANOTHER hard drive from one of these USFF machines that failed, we tested it in two machines and it wasn't detected, and before they would send replacements, we had to reset the NVRAM. How the heck would NVRAM on two different machines cause a single hard drive not to be detected?
Moran's I tell ya.... ;)
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Explosions
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Batteries
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Pinto
It will have a dell computer running it's internal systems and gas tank fuel-management software.
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Burnin' Down the house!
The determination: the laptop exploded-
The result: yet to be determined between Dell and the insurance company!
http://tinyurl.com/s2zsn
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Re: Burnin' Down the house!
Man, that is the coolest story I've yet read in this place!
Tell us more: What model, was anyone home, anyone get hurt, is Dell giving you a hastle, how long have you had it before it caught fire?
What a trip. I thought it was all just exagerated press coverage. We use only Dell at my company, all I buy are Dells. I would hate to burn down one of my employees homes.
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Re: Re: Burnin' Down the house!
I don't have much more detail than that as I haven't spoken to my "aunt-in-law" in awhile -they are in Florida and trying to rebuild-clean up and salvage before Hurricane season takes over!
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Re: Re: Re: Burnin' Down the house!
This is really making me rethink my laptop cooler tray thingie with built in fans.
If the laptop is going to burst into flames, I really don't want to be force-feeding it...
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Dell, Blogs and so much more......
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bleh
it's crap... i've seen out of the box computers from dell with 50+ processes running... wtf is that? 30+ of those processes aren't needed at boot time or at all (reminds me of hp's 'let's give you a shitload of services that aren't needed to print but we'll make you think they are)... it's shady i tell you...
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Re: Dell, Blogs and so much more......
I hope that you are correct in that your efforts will result in Dell being viewed in a more favorable light.
However, is that going to correct #12s entry about the packaged trial/bloated software?
Also, what about the subpar components? I've had issues with USBs going out on several flagship laptops. Dell wanted to charge me for replacement motherboards even though the users never broke the USB and it was under warranty!
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Burnin' Down the house!
Ha Ha!
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Human Evolution
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Grrr.. first dell laptop and very unhappy
Several times the computer has locked up on me due to heat, it gets so hot, touching the bottom can almost give a burn.
Hopefully the new batteries will run cooler, anyone have a direct link to get a new battery?
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http://www.dell.com
Caution of computers blowing up in our faces from a electrical defect.?
.............>>
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All too often these companies don't think - while outsourcing your customer service may save you a few bucks in the short term - in the long run, it will be a bottom line killer.
I won't recommend anyone I know to buy a Dell now, since my last 'customer service' experience with them - look at it this way - for many in my family I'm the 'go to guy' for computer matters. So while Dell doesn't really consider any customers important unless they are buying in mass - that's still a number of customers gone to other companies.
I'd say about 20 or so people I know, perhaps more would give me a ring and ask what PC I'd suggest if they were buying a new one..
Truthfully - the only place you can see to get decent customer service anymore is local computer shops.
Afterall, each family member Dell can't help ends up being another 'tech call' for me, lol. I don't mind helping friends and family - but like I tell them: If you're paying for a warranty and tech support - use it.
Really - a faulty battery problem can be overlooked - pathetic customer service cannot.
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RE: Dell, Blogs and so much more
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Um duh.
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Chill Mats for Laptops, Anyone?
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Re: Re: Dell, Blogs and so much more......
1. You might find this vlog helpful on bloatware: http://www.direct2dell.com/default.aspx?p=3.
Add your comments and weigh in....we are listening.
2. We want to follow up on the USB component going out and replacement motherboards but need you to contact us at: Customer_advocate@dell.com When you email us, please mention this exchange so we recall who you are.
Waiting to hear from you :-)
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I think the problem is Dell's business model, which limits the R&D that goes into their products. The manufacturing of ost (if not all) of the components in their products is outsourced, which means loss of quality control. You know the third party manufacturers are gonna use the cheapest crap they can find. At least Dell quit using Maxtor hard drives, for the most part anyway. I can't even begin to tell you how many of those I've replaced. I do not buy prebuilt PCs, because I build my own. But if I had to buy a prebuilt one, I would not buy one unless I am told the brand names and model numbers of all the parts so I know what I'm getting. Places like Dell refuse to give you any brand names for parts like motherboards, RAM, and hard drives on their website, which is a pretty clear sign that it's cheap crap that they don't want you to know about. Unfortunately, most people don't care because they wouldn't recognize the bad parts even if they saw the brands. But that doesn't give Dell an excuse to exploit their ignorance. They should be educating people on the parts that go into a PC and how to make a good buying decision. I can't wait for AMD-based Dells, because they won't be able to use cheap, crappy Intel chipsets on the motherboards. A Dell with AMD/nForce wouldn't be half bad.
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Replacement battery
If it does burn down my house tho, it wouldn't be too good, but it would give us the extra push out the door to move :)
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Check out this Video.....
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stop the insanity!
(please don't shoot the messenger...)
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Dell Batteries
But I see no response from Dell here on what to do about the exploding batteries. Nor on the website... at least not easily found. What models of LT's have these batteries? How do I get a replacement? Is that even possible? I have 4 dell LT's, and I am NOT enthusiastic about burning down my house.
How about some REAL action, Dell, before you lose another loyal customer?
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The dell computer blog that generated so much atte
Thank you in advance
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Re: Dell Hell
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laptop battery
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Product Recall
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Recall
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Dell support really sucked
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Used Refurbished Laptops
Now Dell has decided to drop the price bomb. The UltraSharp 2405FPW 24-inch widescreen LCD will cost a measly (by comparison) $1,199. It's the classic Dell approach: Not pioneering a new market or category, but entering it later and at high volume, usually with a significantly lower price.
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Cheap Computers
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online store
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