Prepare to be amazed at what passes for investigative journalism on television these days. Atlanta's WSB-TV Action News team ran a sensational iPod "nana" piece last night under the title "Man's Pants Catch Fire At Airport." To set the stage, WSB-TV says that the nano "uses the same technology as those troubled laptop batteries under recall due to the risk of fire." In steps Danny Williams -- mild mannered consumer, airport employee -- who claims that his iPod nano "burst into" chest-high flames while he was at work. So why isn't he covered in burns after exposure to such a serious chemical fire? We've all watched the horrifying video of a lithium ion battery explosion, right? Well, Danny claims that he was protected by a "glossy piece of paper" in his pocket at the time. Taking it up a notch, WSB-TV worries that Danny could have been mistaken for a terrorist due to his smoking airport trousers. Look, we're not saying that nothing happened, after all, we've written about an exploding iPod nano before. We're only saying that it didn't happen in the way described. Check the video of the hot-coffee-in-lap style legal preparation after the break.
1) This gentleman with the flaming iPod is a national hero. He may have saved millions of lives. He should be awarded some kind of medal and possibly made Director of Homeland Security.
2) Apple should pull all pre-September 2007 iPods from the market and fully reimburse the owners. As an added measure of safety I think Apple should probably also buy back any accessories that the iPod owners may have purchased over the years - even if they were not manufactured by Apple.
give it up to the national media to sensationalize ANY story and make it seem like an epidemic. Thats the funny thing about batteries, even if you can test them all, it doesn't mean that a very small number arn't slightly defective and won't show for a while.
keep in mind that was a first gen nano, so he must have had it for like a year or two. not to mention ipods are manufactured in the wonderfully health concerned china, we should just be glad the nanos arn't slathered in a "protective lead coating"
WOW, you have a low threshold for greatness. Not even the best comment of the thread.
Anyway, my personal favorite line is "it could have happened when he was driving" Oh really? Listening to a music player while driving? That would be Darwinesque if his ass got burnt by a Nana while driving and crashed.
That news lady reminds me of Wesley Snipes in Demolition Man
Oh, and iPods uses Li-ion batteries, the same tecnology used in the recalled burning laptop batteries. Also the same in every or handphone, every portable player, most rc-car, new electric screwdrivers and so on... WE ARE ALL IN DANGER!! Save the battery, save the world!
1) Go to Hardware store 2) Buy tack hammer 3) Hit yourself in the head with tack hammer for not realizing that she was talking about people who fell asleep listening to their iPod for some reason. Her comment was stupid, but you still edge her out.
Most journalists are simply not that bright and seek sensation, that's for sure.
In the modern days it's not enough to passively soak anything the TV throws at you without critical analisys, but it's still better than not having the information at all (it's same when researching for something in Internet).
At least you're made aware your Li-ion device may burst into flames for no apparent reason. The cumulative effect is positive.
a pr nightmare? anyone can see that this guy is full of crap. I mean chest high flames from a nano, he has no idea what he's talking about. Not to mention the little piece of glossy paper he showed in the news report was very slightly charred on the outside. If the flames didn't burn through that, how are they going to be chest high?
It looks like there possibly were not any flames to begin with and it was only heat that charred the paper. The paper smoked and he made the assumption that it was the ipod burning.
This guy is obviously going to sue Apple. Hopefully Apple sue WSB-TV. How ridiculous. "This isn't about what happened, it's about what could of happened." What a load of crap! I think they need some more what ifs? What if he was an airline pilot. He could have crashed the plan killing everyone! Better sue based on that "what if."
If he works in a kiosk at the Airport he is most likely selling $2 bottles of water, and crappy t-shirts. He thinks he has hit the lottery, with visions of a multi-million dollar settlement with Apple. He obviosly was not injured, if he had been, the "Nana" investigation would have been video taped outside a busy Trauma Center. Oh the agony and pain he must be suffering! PTNSS for sure (Post Traumatic Nana Stress Syndrome)
Umm... This doesn't surprise me at all. I noticed my battery life had lowered dramatically over the course of a couple of weeks and recently replace the battery on my 5G. The battery was puffed up and leakage was starting to show. I was very glad that I had replaced the battery when I did or I could have ended up like many before me.
"Good morning, Mr. Jobs. Bit of a problem already this morning."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, a news station in Atlanta is reporting that some guy's first-gen iPod nano burst into flames while in his pocket."
"Oh, wow. Well, I guess we'll just have to stop manufacturing the first-gen iPod nano OH WAIT WE ALREADY DID. We don't make the product anymore and the guy wasn't injured. End of story, nothing to see here. I'll send him a black turtleneck just in case his shirt was damaged in the fire, whatever. Next?"
It's all about money. Biz Markee looking dude wants to make some easy money. Plus, the reporters themselves are morons. How many items out there use Lithium-Ion batteries? Millions, and millions. So, to say that the "iPod uses the same battery used on laptops that are under recall" is moronic, misleading, and ignorant. Sure they use the same technology in the batteries, but not the same batteries that have been recalled.
I'm not saying that it couldn't happen. All I'm saying is that the reporters are the typical "Yellow Press" clowns out for attention and ratings, and the guy and his girl, well, they wanted to be on tv.
Nana is not a surprise from Monica. She misspeaks about 5 times a newscast. Its as much a part of channel 5 news here in Atlanta as Coke is a a part of the cities history.
As for the ipod, despite this being the second melted nano publicly photographed, has anyone proven it was due to a lithium discharge? Sounds like Fox5 may be in in for a little smackdown. And one other problem remains, there has been no forensic analysis of the ipod. Was it bent before it melted applying pressure to it, was he sweating, did he spill coffee on his lap?
Sorry one melted pile of electronics and a scorched piece of paper with no other corroborating evidence doesn't make a news story. I'm sure there were no witnesses at all as he was only in the busiest airport in the country (depending on who you talk to).
I assume the “hot-coffee-in-lap style legal preparation” is a reference to the infamous McDonald’s coffee case (Liebeck vs. McDonald’s). Although this case has become the poster child for so-called “frivolous lawsuits” most people don’t seem to know the facts of that case.
Oh and one thing the author forgot to mention in his speech: the day after the jury verdict, McDonald’s lowered the temperature of its coffee. So if you ever happen to spill McDonald’s coffee on yourself, you won’t end up in the hospital having skin grafts (and you can thank Stella Liebeck of that!)
i wouldn't scoff at it completely-- those batteries store a lot of power, and they can explode, especially while charging. maybe he had dropped it a lot, or something like that. i've read elsewhere that it's not really safe to let any device (cellphone, whatever) charge unattended, and especially not overnight while you're asleep (and prone to be burned alive). of course that doesn't mean all 1st gen nanos will set your pants on fire.
I love how the mom so astutely claims that it isn't about facts, it is about a bunch of what-ifs and the possibility of making money based on those what-ifs. Give the guy a new ipod and send him back to work. Maybe someday he'll be smart enough to tell the difference between flames and bit of smoke and his crazy mom won't dream up possible disasters when their wasn't one.
Seems kind of fishy to me that his USB connector was also burned. I'm sure it can't be good for it, being plugged in all day while being smashed around in a 300lb guy's sweaty pocket.
Wow - how big must his pockets be that the miraculous glossy paper didn't even have to be folded? (Or maybe it was, but the picture quality is crap and I can't tell.)
Otherwise, am I the only one who thinks that "chest high flames" may have caused a bit more damage to said miraculous savior than a small little burn mark? His pants seem to be in excellent condition, as well, after surviving such a dangerous environment.
Watch the video again, in the final 17 seconds there is a profile shot of the Nano. I find it odd how the case is bent up as if something crushed the Nano. I bet what ever it was caused the battery to short out. Thank God he had a glossy piece of paper in his pocket to protect him.
I worked at a local news channel for 4 years. They are a complete joke & the last place I'd go for news, weather, etc. Local media in general usually sucks balls.
Being a resident of Atlanta, its wiser to think "scam" first. More then likely this person is looking for a financial angle. Also I find it hard to believe that the little ipod battery would have enough energy to create ignition much less the flames this person describes. Its possible but doubtful.
As for the news, well WSB is known for aiming for the sensational over the factual. They might give facts, but cherry pick them so don't get the full context of the situation to come to your own conclusions.
Actually I think that describes all of news nowadays. It may be why people use blogs to get information. At least easy to tell the facts from the opinion.
I have a friend that this happened to... well kinda... He had been using a generic wall charger (that he won as a prize) the IP stopped working. While his dad was doing the reset procedure on it black acrid smoke shot from the headphone jack and the touch wheel melted a lot like this one. There were no flames to be seen... just the smoke. It was on a table at the time and didn't have a protective glossy piece of paper to shield... they chalked it up to the charger...
Probably this happened. Guy played around with cigarettelighter in pocket where he has the ipod. Scared to shit for his mum, makes up exploding nano story. Mother contacts Apple for milliondollar settlement. Apple refuses to pay but wants to exchange for a new one, mother goes to media. Apple is wise to refrain from any comments.
Liar, liar, pants on fire. Going to sue Apple and raise their ire. The iPod nano is the world's newest and smallest IED (Improvised Explosive Device). All the iRaqi terrorists are carrying them for their dual purpose.
I think the same thing can happen if you sit on Pop Rocks really hard.
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posted Oct 5th 2007 5:43AM
nana?
The new iPod Nana. It gives new meaning to hot pockets.
Hot pockets are nasty... just like a burning iPod... i have about 25 iPods.. and never had a problem with any
I live in Atlanta... that news channel is a joke. The sensationalist garbage they try to pass off as news, it's embarrassing
Why the hell do you have 25 ipods?
Because he's an iPod shill, trying to give it a good name. Hes likely to be lying.
Well, that "nana" says it all. He had a chineese knockoff! :P
Americans ARE stupid... wtf "chest high" yea right... dumbass
go piss on an electrical fence
w3rd UP!
Yeah, that's right, because all Americans are this sensationalist.
You're a moron.
americans are from countries all over the world. that said, you must be stupid too
woah it happened TWO known times? thats proof enough to say they are dangerous.
scarcasm is hard in writing.
I agree with you. Two times is proof!
Let me just add these two points:
1) This gentleman with the flaming iPod is a national hero. He may have saved millions of lives. He should be awarded some kind of medal and possibly made Director of Homeland Security.
2) Apple should pull all pre-September 2007 iPods from the market and fully reimburse the owners. As an added measure of safety I think Apple should probably also buy back any accessories that the iPod owners may have purchased over the years - even if they were not manufactured by Apple.
Sincerely,
JoeX
haha.
seriously.
give it up to the national media to sensationalize ANY story and make it seem like an epidemic. Thats the funny thing about batteries, even if you can test them all, it doesn't mean that a very small number arn't slightly defective and won't show for a while.
keep in mind that was a first gen nano, so he must have had it for like a year or two. not to mention ipods are manufactured in the wonderfully health concerned china,
we should just be glad the nanos arn't slathered in a "protective lead coating"
"give it up to the national media to sensationalize "
Except it was not national. And you need to figure out waht the shift key is for.
It's funny because she said NANO right the second time a few secs later
Ah yes, we all know the life saving properties of a "glossy piece of paper". After all it's what all flak jackets are made of.
BEST COMMENT EVER!!!!!!!!
"BEST COMMENT EVER!!!!!!!!"
WOW, you have a low threshold for greatness. Not even the best comment of the thread.
Anyway, my personal favorite line is "it could have happened when he was driving" Oh really? Listening to a music player while driving? That would be Darwinesque if his ass got burnt by a Nana while driving and crashed.
That news lady reminds me of Wesley Snipes in Demolition Man
It looks more like one of those iPod nano knockoff (still made in China)...
LMAO @ End of video. It said Apple called back but refused to say anything about it, so Apple basically called to ask what's up
why apple refuse to comment on that?
They only need to come out and simply say.. "because that brother was using a fake.. not our fault"
Oh, and iPods uses Li-ion batteries, the same tecnology used in the recalled burning laptop batteries. Also the same in every or handphone, every portable player, most rc-car, new electric screwdrivers and so on... WE ARE ALL IN DANGER!! Save the battery, save the world!
i wonder how a nano would burst into flames while they're sleeping when the ipod is off
1) Go to Hardware store
2) Buy tack hammer
3) Hit yourself in the head with tack hammer for not realizing that she was talking about people who fell asleep listening to their iPod for some reason. Her comment was stupid, but you still edge her out.
4. ???????
5. PROFIT!
Most journalists are simply not that bright and seek sensation, that's for sure.
In the modern days it's not enough to passively soak anything the TV throws at you without critical analisys, but it's still better than not having the information at all (it's same when researching for something in Internet).
At least you're made aware your Li-ion device may burst into flames for no apparent reason. The cumulative effect is positive.
i live there.
i watched that.
and i thought "engadget's going to talk about that."
then i thought:
"my neighborhood is doomed with stupidity"
Me too! Another reason I'm trying desperately to transfer out of Atlanta.
Run Scoob! Like zoinks, this place gives me the creeps!
ROOOBEEEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
holy flaming nano's!
I wait to see one of the big boys burst into flames. Apple has a PR nightmare on their hands with this one.
a pr nightmare? anyone can see that this guy is full of crap. I mean chest high flames from a nano, he has no idea what he's talking about. Not to mention the little piece of glossy paper he showed in the news report was very slightly charred on the outside. If the flames didn't burn through that, how are they going to be chest high?
It looks like there possibly were not any flames to begin with and it was only heat that charred the paper. The paper smoked and he made the assumption that it was the ipod burning.
This guy is obviously going to sue Apple. Hopefully Apple sue WSB-TV. How ridiculous. "This isn't about what happened, it's about what could of happened." What a load of crap! I think they need some more what ifs? What if he was an airline pilot. He could have crashed the plan killing everyone! Better sue based on that "what if."
What if he crashed the plane into a school bus? Think of all the children he could have...that is to say APPLE could have (tortured and) killed.
An iPod Nana is just an iPod for grandparents, that or an iPod SHUFFLE around!
haha.
hell yeah to the ipod nana. my grandkids think that's me
His pants were on fire, so, I would guess he's a liar.
omg that is f'ing brilliant. this comment wins and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise.
I live in the Atlanta area, so I stopped reading after I saw WSB-TV. Your preaching to the choir when it comes to their "investigative journalism".
More importantly, this guy works at a kiosk at the airport, and thats his neighborhood? I knew those sunglasses were really marked up, but damn.
If he works in a kiosk at the Airport he is most likely selling $2 bottles of water, and crappy t-shirts. He thinks he has hit the lottery, with visions of a multi-million dollar settlement with Apple. He obviosly was not injured, if he had been, the "Nana" investigation would have been video taped outside a busy Trauma Center. Oh the agony and pain he must be suffering! PTNSS for sure
(Post Traumatic Nana Stress Syndrome)
Engadget getting mad at people creating sensationalist Apple stories? Those who throw stones...
Umm...
This doesn't surprise me at all. I noticed my battery life had lowered dramatically over the course of a couple of weeks and recently replace the battery on my 5G. The battery was puffed up and leakage was starting to show. I was very glad that I had replaced the battery when I did or I could have ended up like many before me.
"Good morning, Mr. Jobs. Bit of a problem already this morning."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, a news station in Atlanta is reporting that some guy's first-gen iPod nano burst into flames while in his pocket."
"Oh, wow. Well, I guess we'll just have to stop manufacturing the first-gen iPod nano OH WAIT WE ALREADY DID. We don't make the product anymore and the guy wasn't injured. End of story, nothing to see here. I'll send him a black turtleneck just in case his shirt was damaged in the fire, whatever. Next?"
Now, that... is some horrendous news reporting.
It's all about money. Biz Markee looking dude wants to make some easy money. Plus, the reporters themselves are morons. How many items out there use Lithium-Ion batteries? Millions, and millions. So, to say that the "iPod uses the same battery used on laptops that are under recall" is moronic, misleading, and ignorant. Sure they use the same technology in the batteries, but not the same batteries that have been recalled.
I'm not saying that it couldn't happen. All I'm saying is that the reporters are the typical "Yellow Press" clowns out for attention and ratings, and the guy and his girl, well, they wanted to be on tv.
Living in Atlanta and having to suffer the hellish cluster fuck that is the airport, this story makes me happy.
That is why I am perfectly happy with my Microsoft Zing.
Nana is not a surprise from Monica. She misspeaks about 5 times a newscast. Its as much a part of channel 5 news here in Atlanta as Coke is a a part of the cities history.
As for the ipod, despite this being the second melted nano publicly photographed, has anyone proven it was due to a lithium discharge? Sounds like Fox5 may be in in for a little smackdown. And one other problem remains, there has been no forensic analysis of the ipod. Was it bent before it melted applying pressure to it, was he sweating, did he spill coffee on his lap?
Sorry one melted pile of electronics and a scorched piece of paper with no other corroborating evidence doesn't make a news story. I'm sure there were no witnesses at all as he was only in the busiest airport in the country (depending on who you talk to).
I assume the “hot-coffee-in-lap style legal preparation” is a reference to the infamous McDonald’s coffee case (Liebeck vs. McDonald’s). Although this case has become the poster child for so-called “frivolous lawsuits” most people don’t seem to know the facts of that case.
http://www.okbar.org/public/judges/mcdonaldsspeech.pdf
Oh and one thing the author forgot to mention in his speech: the day after the jury verdict, McDonald’s lowered the temperature of its coffee. So if you ever happen to spill McDonald’s coffee on yourself, you won’t end up in the hospital having skin grafts (and you can thank Stella Liebeck of that!)
True, but I still don't feel safe around O.J.
Thomas
OK- that's just flat out funny.
It's her fault for spilling the coffee.
Did O.J. set your pants ablaze?
Really now, who even reads the actual article anyway? It's all about the comments, right?
Why is this guys mom in on the story? He's an adult right? The last time something bad happened to me and my mom got involved I think I was 10.
My 2G Nano stopped working and just says charged when plugged-in. I still have files on it and can sync/restore, but it just goes off when un-plugged.
Is there a problem with the batteries ?
What's so hard to believe about fire-resistant paper? They make children's pajamas out of paper, right?
i wouldn't scoff at it completely-- those batteries store a lot of power, and they can explode, especially while charging. maybe he had dropped it a lot, or something like that. i've read elsewhere that it's not really safe to let any device (cellphone, whatever) charge unattended, and especially not overnight while you're asleep (and prone to be burned alive). of course that doesn't mean all 1st gen nanos will set your pants on fire.
I love how the mom so astutely claims that it isn't about facts, it is about a bunch of what-ifs and the possibility of making money based on those what-ifs. Give the guy a new ipod and send him back to work. Maybe someday he'll be smart enough to tell the difference between flames and bit of smoke and his crazy mom won't dream up possible disasters when their wasn't one.
Seems kind of fishy to me that his USB connector was also burned. I'm sure it can't be good for it, being plugged in all day while being smashed around in a 300lb guy's sweaty pocket.
Wow - how big must his pockets be that the miraculous glossy paper didn't even have to be folded? (Or maybe it was, but the picture quality is crap and I can't tell.)
Otherwise, am I the only one who thinks that "chest high flames" may have caused a bit more damage to said miraculous savior than a small little burn mark? His pants seem to be in excellent condition, as well, after surviving such a dangerous environment.
I thought fire burned things. =(
Watch the video again, in the final 17 seconds there is a profile shot of the Nano. I find it odd how the case is bent up as if something crushed the Nano. I bet what ever it was caused the battery to short out. Thank God he had a glossy piece of paper in his pocket to protect him.
Lawyer lawyer!!! pants on fire
"nana" is the bigger story here
I worked at a local news channel for 4 years. They are a complete joke & the last place I'd go for news, weather, etc. Local media in general usually sucks balls.
I just saw a commercial for my local news (in Las Vegas) and they're going to mention this today apparently. So stupid.
Being a resident of Atlanta, its wiser to think "scam" first. More then likely this person is looking for a financial angle. Also I find it hard to believe that the little ipod battery would have enough energy to create ignition much less the flames this person describes. Its possible but doubtful.
As for the news, well WSB is known for aiming for the sensational over the factual. They might give facts, but cherry pick them so don't get the full context of the situation to come to your own conclusions.
Actually I think that describes all of news nowadays. It may be why people use blogs to get information. At least easy to tell the facts from the opinion.
(insert liberal comment here)
I have a friend that this happened to... well kinda... He had been using a generic wall charger (that he won as a prize) the IP stopped working. While his dad was doing the reset procedure on it black acrid smoke shot from the headphone jack and the touch wheel melted a lot like this one. There were no flames to be seen... just the smoke. It was on a table at the time and didn't have a protective glossy piece of paper to shield... they chalked it up to the charger...
Probably this happened. Guy played around with cigarettelighter in pocket where he has the ipod. Scared to shit for his mum, makes up exploding nano story. Mother contacts Apple for milliondollar settlement. Apple refuses to pay but wants to exchange for a new one, mother goes to media. Apple is wise to refrain from any comments.
Liar, liar, pants on fire. Going to sue Apple and raise their ire. The iPod nano is the world's newest and smallest IED (Improvised Explosive Device). All the iRaqi terrorists are carrying them for their dual purpose.
I think the same thing can happen if you sit on Pop Rocks really hard.
Weren't the recalls on the batteries lithium-ion and the ones inside the ipods lithium-polymer???