Perhaps this is some sort of elaborate hoax, maybe it's an epidemic of iPod touch coffee stains, or perhaps this player really just is this hard to photograph. Still, our second set of blurry "
my iPod touch caught on fire" pictures certainly has us reaching for our Flaming Goblet of Skepticism (+3 WIS). Similar to Max's experience a couple days ago, tipster Ryan F. says his iPod caught on fire from the inside. Ryan says he plugged it in to charge and it showed a dead battery, then the screen went white and the device started to get super hot, so he unplugged it but it continued to burn. The fire ended up leaving a blackish orangish circle in the screen, along with a brown dent in the metal on the back (pictured after the break). Ryan's going to try and track down a better camera to take some better pictures of the damage.
@Paul: Please explain how your online lecturing, and playing the parent behind your computer screen, "contributes to the bettering of online social behavior", any more than a handful of users being the "tough guy" as you put it, behind their own computer screens? You're no different than them.
somebody wants to get paid. For every real story there will be 5 more just wanting to ride the wave.
Objects can catch fire, or they can be on fire, but nothing ever 'catches on fire'.
According to what i can tell from both pictures, they are in the EXACT same position and same size.
Andrew
@ Mar 15th 2008 6:25PM
@Paul: Please explain how your online lecturing, and playing the parent behind your computer screen, "contributes to the bettering of online social behavior", any more than a handful of users being the "tough guy" as you put it, behind their own computer screens? You're no different than them.
This is as much as I would expect out of you, since you are the one insulting his camera just for the sake of being ignorant.
'nuff said
First of all, you replied to the wrong Andrew. Second of all, I'm entitled to my opinion, and my opinion is that Kodak branded cameras are generally poor quality. I also fail to see why you felt compelled to get yourself involved, by bashing my opinion; apparently for the sole purpose ranting. Unlike you, I don't have time to sit at my computer, in my parent's basement, and write a two page rant about how terrible Engadget's userbase is.
...you dont need to take a good shot, or even know how to use macro. we want 20 bad shots from different angles so we can tell how good you are at using photoshop
@ryangohabs
If I were you, I would just forgot about this posts and all the comments. It doesn't really matter what these people think or say, the internet is full of doubters, but rightfully so.
Once you get your iPod replaced, it is all gravy.
If you do want to try to take a better photo just to get some piece of mind. Just read the digital camera's manual, it should be on-line if that is easier. Look for information about a macro mode, like people in this thread have said, it will allow you to take a close up picture with good focus. Also make sure to the force the flash on and take it in a decently well lit room.
zargon, you are the smartest person on Engadget, thank you.
This could be real, or this could be fake.
The reality is that this problem is blown out of proportion.
2 batteries caught fire? Out of how many ipods? Sometimes they are shipped bunk processors or headphones or screens. This happens more often than batteries. So 2 batteries caught fire. Big Flippin' Deal.
Am I the only person who doesn't trust photographic evidence anymore? In an age where a cell phone can have a 5MP camera I'm a little doubtful that they'd be unable to get a decent picture in focus. Add on top of that the ease by which you can cover up bad photoshop work by adding a bit o' blur and some grain to make it look like the ISO was off...
whats that old adage: "believe only 10% of what you read and 20% of what you see"
Had my touch for 4 months and it has not cought on fire!...
P.S.
In the first burning ipod comments:
"ryangohabs @ Mar 13th 2008 1:43AM
This must be what happens when you dont spend 20 dollars to upgrade firmware."
Sarcastic anti-ipod comment, real slick ryangohabs.
I don't think you own an ipod touch, I think this is MAJOR BS.
Also, you might be the dude with the Zune tattoo.
It was a joke, and I do own an iPod Touch, well, I did. Take a look at the picture above. And I also bought the 20 dollar upgrade.
Ryan
Do you always allow your battery to go flat before charging or was it just this occasion?
I dont let it completely die, it usually goes into the 20% though.
I believe you. Because I had experience a similar problem although it did not burn. I was charging my iphone with a firewire charger, and then it went very hot, and the screen went white. And the unit stopped working.
I open the iphone to discover that the comm board was fried. Replaced one, and it works again.
But, i am not sure what the problem was ...
Is it me or does this sound so familiar? There are a dozen blogs about the zune player from Microsoft burning up the screen after an extended charge. The battery on the Zune was mistakenly placed behind the screen. The extreme heat from a charge over night was causing the screen to crack on to many Zunes to count. Is there possibly a jealous member of the Zune audience looking to dissuade potential buyers of the Ipod? Why are the pictures so blurry? Why can't the owners take a decent shot? Poor Zune owners. There's still time to buy an Ipod. :)
Its like Bigfoot for christs sake
no fires here....
Hey I have a great idea, this picture didnt come out that well? Take another one. Jesus stop bitching about noise filters and Kodaks and tell him to take another picture in a "lighter room"
I have this same noise filter in photoshop - it's called 'sparse' or 'loose' or something. Definitely recognise it.
It's all total FUD.
You're using a 7mp camera, and the photo is -still- grainy after scaling the picture down to this small size? Most of that grain should have been reduced into nothingness, or at least not be this defined.
Or did you take these at 640x480 or something instead?
I'm on my third iPod Touch. The first one had the negative screen issue. The second one got really hot one day in the top right back area-- it was not being charged.
The strange thing is at the top of the screen is the small round hole for the IR sensor. While I was using it all of a sudden a perfect circle of condensation formed on the outside of the screen in the exact position of the ir sensor. I'm guessing something burned briefly lowering the air pressure in that area.
After that the touch screen stopped responding and it randomly reset itself. Apple happily replaced it and my third one seems fine but the intense heat was in the same area as the burn marks on this photo. Might be related...
I can tell its photoshopped from the back, look around the touch, there is clearly a visible line that shows where its been shopped to be blurred, right around the middle and then you see it clearly, also the background its crystal clear.
If its real just pointing out my observation.
Are you really that dumb? I have more and better things to do in life than sit and Photoshop images for you to complain about, seriously you guys are the most negative people ever. All you need is more damn proof and cant sleep until you get a full crystal clear photo of it. Quit your compalining im the one with a burnt iPod.
Cant you read. . . . . I said if its real, juts pointing out my observation. Did you not also read I didn't mention anything about the 1st photo? Do you have nothing better than to defend your self all night? I have a life so. . . . I know you are the one with the burnt iPod but we cant do anything about it because its yours not ours.
dude, if you don't know how to use a camera, stick it in your scanner... seriously, try it. Just make sure you don't use the highest resolution or your Photoshop might crash. :P
Glad someone actually called out the blurryness!
Everyone, please stop bashing the young man. k? :)
I publish a yearly calendar with user submitted photographs... You should (or shouldn't) see the range of photos I receive from the public.
People with really GOOD cameras, who just plain don't know how to fix the settings to get a decent picture.
The photos I require are a very large size.
Often I get photos that are about a 20th of the size needed, and after sending them my basic 'look for these settings on your camera, and try again' email once or twice, I can usually get a photo big enough or ALMOST big enough out of them to cover the page, using the SAME camera. And don't get me started on bad focus and blurriness. :) LOTS of people don't know how to use their cameras. Some of those need more help than you can get in a quick comment on a forum.
And as far as editing the photos.. I don't have photoshop. I use a cheap program I've had about 20 years.. (yes, I'm broke) using this program, If I wanted to send you a crystal clear photo of a ruined Ipod, I could. And I don't even own one. I doubt the majority of people, or even maybe anyone not TRAINED to find fakes.. could tell I'd altered the images. This without training, except practice, OR a 400$ program.
(you know those ALMOST big enough photos I mentioned? When I need to, I draw more photo on the outside of the photo to cover the page, and unless a really really difficult to clone pattern is present, my additions are indiscernible from the original... then I blur it anyway, because I want the REAL photo to take center stage, and not my 'fake' bit.)
So, there's no need automatically calling every blurry photo a fake.
This is a free world however... so question all you want.. but please be nice about it, and willing to listen to the other side.
oops. Sorry CB.
This reply was intended for the entire thread, NOT your comment.
I've never posted here before, and it seems I clicked the wrong 'Reply' link.
It's ok. :P
Nice. I've seen similar damage to my iPhone screen when I accidently put pressure on the back (silver foil) part of it while replacing it. Fortunately the screen I damaged was the old one. Isn't that what an LCD looks like when too much pressure is put on it?
It looks photoshopped. Yeah, the reflections are all wrong. Definitely photoshopped.
why does mr. blurrycam ALWAYS have to be there
LOL!
Yep it's either him or Edward Vaseline Hands handling the wacky half-assed photo shoot.
Hey guys... stop complaining about Ryan!
If I did had the same problem... I would make a picture with professionnal equipment... AND then... you would say that the picture is TOO crystal clear and TOO good that there must be something!
Come on! Grow UP (and I do am young :D)
Bull Shit...grow up
i figured out why it's so blurry.
IT'S.A.VIBRATOR.
that takes pictures.