[fly]

Can anyone provide the contact details for who would be interested to publicize/resolve consumer complaint issues? Is there a media outlet for this sort of thing?

I have an issue along the lines of the Nokia phone battery that burst into flames a few yrs back, only mine involved an H-P laptop and all original vendor parts. Needless to add, I've already approached H-P and their reply was a repair/replacement bill

Thanks in advance

[KnowItAll]

Do you have a photo of the burnt up battery by any chance? Might be worth forwarding it to SCMP .. or if you want to go a bit further www.theregister.co.uk .. they love pissing of vendors.

[JaredHK]

I'd write in to the SCMP.
The CC is a joke.

[Asian1]

Writing the SCMP is a good idea but as an analogy its like firing a scud missle on HP. Why do that when you can write to Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal and get global coverage which would be like dropping and atom bomb on them. Maximum impact is what you need to get heard. Also try some of the online computer industry blogs.

If you are not familiar with Mossberg he writes a tech column for the WSJ and takes letters in his column and answers them. Kind of like a Dear Abby.

[Asian1]

http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.../10/15/1750211

Check Slashdot. Get the message out and HP will react.

[PDLM]

Just a quick check before you make a fuss... the compauter was within its specified operating environment at the time? (Humidity <90%, non-condensing; temperature <35degrees)

[KnowItAll]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060815/...tery_recall_10

PDLM : Yeah right .. you're going to be able to check "within its operating environment at the time" ...

I will now start carrying a temperature probe in my notebook when I travel with it.

We all know, that realistically .. the spec's should be designed to cover all normal usage. If your usage has been normal .. stink time!

[KnowItAll]

Asian1 : Small chops fall big trees. Getting Walt Mossberg to cover your issue is a chance in a few thousand. Getting SCMP to cover is a chance is a hundred.

[fly]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will definitely keep these handy in case this escalates. Apparantly I was still upset yesterday, I would like to clarify that it wasn't the battery, it was the transformer cable (not the AC cord) that shorted and spewed flames. I still have the item and yes, this is my home laptop that has never left the house, (except for 2 service fixes for the harddrive and touchpad, but that's unrelated) so it was definitely within the operating environment.

I have sent them a formal complaint yesterday evening and their CS has just called me back "my pc was ready for pickup"; unfortunately he wasn't clear I didn't leave them any PC and I wanted to talk about my flammable transformer cable! He's called me about the wrong ticket! Aargh, even their internal communication sucks!

[fly]

Oh, I remember the battery recall and asked if there was any similar recall for the transformers: of course not, they've never had any problems so mine was the unlucky one apparantly. As if I have nothing better to do than twist the cord until it shorts and cause H-P and myself grief!