Researchers have proposed a new method for detecting trojan viruses embedded into hardware chips by using voltage detectors that “sing out” in a different frequency when they’re used on a tampered circuit. [More]
laptops
![The 4th Replacement Laptop HP Sent Me Doesn't Work, Either](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/bitethathp-thumb-153xauto-52336-1.jpg?w=153&h=114&crop=1)
The 4th Replacement Laptop HP Sent Me Doesn't Work, Either
John bought a rather nice HP laptop for his business, and it would be nice if it would work. Ever. Every time they boot up one of the replacement machines HP has sent, it crashes. They’re now on laptop #5. [More]
![Alienware Laptop "Fixed" With Black Marker, Food Crumbs](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/badlaptop.jpg?w=240&h=128&crop=1)
Alienware Laptop "Fixed" With Black Marker, Food Crumbs
Jeremy’s 3D Alienware gaming laptop from Dell hasn’t worked right from its first bootup. It had blue screens of death and the video card needed swapping out. Then when he sent it in for repairs, he got it back with food crumbs between the keys. The side panel was also cracked, and someone had tried to hide the crack by coloring it in with black marker. [More]
![$250 Laptop Turns Out To Be Made Of Paper](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/printfail.jpg?w=240&h=135&crop=1)
$250 Laptop Turns Out To Be Made Of Paper
Two women bought what they thought was a laptop for $250. Upon opening, it it turned out to be a packet of paper wrapped in black tape. [More]
![Toshiba Considers Using Your Laptop Mouse 'Abuse'](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/cat_netbook1.jpg?w=180&h=135&crop=1)
Toshiba Considers Using Your Laptop Mouse 'Abuse'
Even though his Toshiba laptop is less than a year old, Toshiba won’t repair the touchpad of Justin’s computer. He doesn’t think that he’s done anything out of the ordinary with the machine, but Toshiba insists that the button won’t work because of “accident, misuse, abuse, neglect, improper installation, or improper maintenance.” They’re happy to sell him an extended warranty that will cover the repair, though. [More]
![Fighting For A Working HP Laptop For 8 Months](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/bitethathp.jpg?w=240&h=180&crop=1)
Fighting For A Working HP Laptop For 8 Months
Try as they might, HP just seems to be incapable of getting David’s repair right. When repairing his wireless card that was damaged in a previous repair, they broke the motherboard. Fixing the motherboard, they broke the screen connector. And so on. Even the replacement computer they gave him started to fail, and then they failed at fixing that correctly. This ridiculous dance has been going on for 8 months. [More]
![Best Buy Holding Deaf Bed-Bound Girl's Laptop Hostage Since May](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/shadowbestbuy.jpg?w=240&h=225&crop=1)
Best Buy Holding Deaf Bed-Bound Girl's Laptop Hostage Since May
Jenni’s sister is disabled and bed-bound, and her laptop is her portal to the world. So when her HP laptop had to go in for repair, it was a big deal. It was an even bigger deal after the Geek Squad spent over a month dickering with the repair and while it was in their hands, the warranty ran out. Now Geek Squad won’t give it back unless the full out of warranty price is paid, and HP says it’s not their problem, it’s Geek Squad’s. Meanwhile it’s been almost three months and Jenni’s sister has no computer. [More]
![Buying Laptop At Best Buy Ends In Misery And Failure For All](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/cryingtears.jpg?w=240&h=182&crop=1)
Buying Laptop At Best Buy Ends In Misery And Failure For All
All Rob wanted to do was buy a laptop at his local Best Buy for the price shown on the website. As we know, sometimes this can be a bit of a problem. What followed was a comedy of errors as the guys in the khaki pants try to foist off on him a display model laptop that doesn’t even have the right battery. When Rob gives up and orders one directly from Best Buy with in-store pickup, it turns out to be defective. The experience of then trying to get a straightforward refund is then equally defective. Go big blue! [More]
![Man's 400 Minutes In Dell Hell Could Cost Them Millions](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/smashthatlaptop.jpg?w=240&h=180&crop=1)
Man's 400 Minutes In Dell Hell Could Cost Them Millions
By pissing off this one customer, Dell may have lost millions of dollars. Bill is a corporate account holder and a consultant who makes recommendations to Fortune 500 companies on how to spend their IT money. Usually he recommends Dell, but after his trip to Dell Hell, that will no longer be the case. [More]
![Laptop Thief Caught Thanks To Spy Program, Twitter, And Eventually, The Oakland PD](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/thisguyhasmymacbook.jpg?w=240&h=225&crop=1)
Laptop Thief Caught Thanks To Spy Program, Twitter, And Eventually, The Oakland PD
After Joshua Kaufman’s Macbook was stolen from his apartment in Oakland, he notified the police. Due to budget cutbacks, Oakland PD don’t respond to many non-violent crimes anymore like burglary, grand theft, and car wrecks, so initially they couldn’t help him. Then Josh activated a tracking program on it called Hidden. Like other similar programs, it gave him real-time remote access to his computer, letting him take pictures using its webcam and capture screenshots. He set up a Tumblr to post them, his story went viral, he gave the tracking info to the police, and they ended up trapping the thief and getting the laptop back to Josh. [More]