Dell laptops 'smell of cat urine'

Post by **klr** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 1:23 pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24741832

A number of Dell users have complained that their Latitude 6430u Ultrabooks "smell of cat urine".

Dell engineers have ruled out biological contamination, and said the smell was not a health hazard.

The problem lay in the manufacturing process, which has now been changed, the company said.

Users affected by the issue should send their laptop back for replacement parts.

Customers first raised the issue with Dell's high-end business laptop in June.

"A few weeks ago I got a new Lattitude 6430u for work," one user called Three West complained on Dell's hardware support forum. "The machine is great, but it smells as if it was assembled near a tomcat's litter box. It is truly awful!"

Another customer, Hoteca, said: "I thought for sure one of my cats sprayed it, but there was something faulty with it so I had it replaced. The next one had the same exact issue. It's embarrassing taking it to clients because it smells so bad."

Other users said they had blamed their cats for the smell.

Dell support technicians initially suggested that users should clean the laptop air vents with compressed air, but users complained that the odour persisted.

In September, a customer known as Malioz raised a concern that the cause of the problem could be to do with the polymer used in the laptop plastics, and asked whether chemicals causing the smell could be a health hazard.

Replacement parts

After an investigation, Dell concluded that the odour was not hazardous to health.

"The smell is not related to cat urine or any other type of biological contaminant, nor is it a health hazard," Dell support technician SteveB said.

The problem was related to the manufacturing process, and had now been resolved, he said.

"If you order an E6430u now, it will not have the issue."

Dell recommended that users should send affected laptops away for a replacement palm rest and keyboard.

News of the issue spread after a link to the thread was posted to discussion site Reddit.

Post by **Bella Fortuna** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 1:37 pm

"Dell support technician SteveB" ?

Post by **Faithfree** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 1:42 pm

Bella Fortuna wrote:"Dell support technician SteveB" ?

He kept that one quite.

Post by **Faithfree** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 1:45 pm

Just a marketing fail! They could've cleaned up with a little spin -

"The all new Dell Latitude 6430u Ultrabook, now with free added cat piss odour for a limited time only. Order now, this offer cannot last!"

Post by **Clinton Huxley** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 1:59 pm

I think you'll fnd that Apple own the patent for things that stink like animal effluvia. iTunes, for example, honks of Rhino poo.

Post by **mistermack** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 2:04 pm

It could CAUSE the cat to piss on it. Cats might try to cover what they think is the territory markings of other cats with their own scent.
It would be advisable to cover it with a mac.

Post by **Clinton Huxley** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 2:06 pm

I'm going to get one, good way to clear a room when you are in a meeting you want to get out of.

Post by **Bella Fortuna** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 2:10 pm

People will be telling them to piss off!

Post by **Tyrannical** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 2:53 pm

Dude, should have bought some pot to cover up the smell

Post by **Mysturji** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 3:05 pm

klr wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24741832

A number of Dell users have complained that their Latitude 6430u Ultrabooks "smell of cat urine".

Dell engineers have ruled out biological contamination, and said the smell was not a health hazard.

The problem lay in the manufacturing process, which has now been changed, the company said.

Users affected by the issue should send their laptop back for replacement parts.

Customers first raised the issue with Dell's high-end business laptop in June.

"A few weeks ago I got a new Lattitude 6430u for work," one user called Three West complained on Dell's hardware support forum. "The machine is great, but it smells as if it was assembled near a tomcat's litter box. It is truly awful!"

Another customer, Hoteca, said: "I thought for sure one of my cats sprayed it, but there was something faulty with it so I had it replaced. The next one had the same exact issue. It's embarrassing taking it to clients because it smells so bad."

Other users said they had blamed their cats for the smell.

Dell support technicians initially suggested that users should clean the laptop air vents with compressed air, but users complained that the odour persisted.

In September, a customer known as Malioz raised a concern that the cause of the problem could be to do with the polymer used in the laptop plastics, and asked whether chemicals causing the smell could be a health hazard.

Replacement parts

After an investigation, Dell concluded that the odour was not hazardous to health.

"The smell is not related to cat urine or any other type of biological contaminant, nor is it a health hazard," Dell support technician SteveB said.

The problem was related to the manufacturing process, and had now been resolved, he said.

"If you order an E6430u now, it will not have the issue."

Dell recommended that users should send affected laptops away for a replacement palm rest and keyboard.

News of the issue spread after a link to the thread was posted to discussion site Reddit.

I bet it was the "P" key.

Post by **JimC** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 10:15 pm

I hope they give Dell a damn good spray over this!

Post by **mistermack** » Thu Oct 31, 2013 2:17 pm

This reminds me of an incident in my distant past, about forty years ago.

I was in a house-share, and there was about six or seven of us in a small living room chatting in the winter. As time went on, a faint smell of fish started wafting around. At first, I though I imagined it, but it gradually got stronger, and more unmistakable.
The girls were looking embarrassed, and eventually someone said something.
We were going, ''well, it's not me'' and it got so strong, we eventually tried to track it down.

We eventually found it was not coming from any of us, and we went round the room sniffing, and found it.

It was coming from a three-way plug adapter, that was powering the electric fire. It was overloaded, and extremely hot.
We unplugged it, and the smell went away.
Apparently, some of the early plastics were bulked up with whale bone. The fish smell was absolutely unmistakeable, and it was STRONG.
The funniest bit was when we were sort of looking sideways at each other, but too embarrassed to say anything.

rationalia.com

Dell laptops 'smell of cat urine'

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