Slideshow » Technology fails: 8 extreme electronic disasters
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Technology fails: 8 extreme electronic disasters

From acid-leaking game controllers to flame-shooting laptops, these eight failures are enough to shake anyone's faith in technology

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Let's face it: Technology seems made to stop working. Screens crack, circuits short, and power supplies abruptly conk out. It's all part of the complex and confounding ecosystem of electronics. The worst, though, is when something really is built to break--and in the most extreme way. I'm talking fiery explosions, flying components, and acid-leaking compartments, all courtesy of bugs built right into ill-fated devices.

Sound far-fetched? Hey, we've seen some crazy stuff happen over the years. Some of it is astonishing; some of it is merely annoying. But all of it is extreme--and entirely too real. We start with some good old-fashioned spontaneous combustion.