Potential static issue through airport security causing screen freeze

Queen of Maps · 10-24-2012, 03:54 PM

There has just been a report on BBC Watchdog focusing on Kindle's screens freezing. But they had an interesting piece which said that people's Kindles (and presumably all ebooks) often froze soon after putting them through the X ray machine at airport security.

An expert showed how static (not the x rays) can affect the screen and cause the fatal freezing. Particularly if you take your jumper/coat off at security (causing a build up of static) and placing it on top of your ebook which is sat in the plastic tray and then gets put through the x ray machine. The combined effect is that the static can be discharged into the ebook causing the freezing.

This may be something worth bearing in mind when flying.

soulfuldog · 10-24-2012, 04:29 PM

Thought this might give us some insight into the broken/frozen screen issue, but in true Watchdog style, they come up with one possibility, but no answers.

Penforhire · 10-24-2012, 04:55 PM

If true, may be worth worrying about in any dry air climate, such as most winters, when static discharges are most common. This failure mode deserves watching more closely!

Bilbo1967 · 10-24-2012, 04:58 PM

Is that the same thing that made Anne Robinson's face freeze?

JSWolf · 10-24-2012, 05:43 PM

When I go through airport security with my reader, it stays in my bag. I don't have to worry about x-rays and static at the same time. Also, the cover is closed when it goes through security.

pidgeon92 · 10-24-2012, 06:01 PM

Not buying it. Most screens are broken by torquing the ereader or putting pressure on the screens, both of which can happen when traveling with an ereader.

Antoinekamel · 10-24-2012, 06:09 PM

It was already a hoax years ago.

I've listened about it when I had my Kindle Keyboard.

By the way, my Kindle went through airport scans inside a simple woman's purse inumerous times, and I never noticed nothing.

I've heard other positive reports, and not one real person report about the problem occuring.

ucfgrad93 · 10-25-2012, 12:04 AM

My Kindle has been through airport security dozens of times without any problems.

IMoL · 10-25-2012, 01:59 AM

I travel by air on a weekly basis and have been carrying kindles through security since early 2011 without any issues. I usually take them out of my bag and put them in the same tray as my laptop.

IMoL

Soldim · 10-25-2012, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

Not buying it. Most screens are broken by torquing the ereader or putting pressure on the screens, both of which can happen when traveling with an ereader.

Ehh, this thread is about screens freezing:

Quote:

There has just been a report on BBC Watchdog focusing on Kindle's screens freezing. But they had an interesting piece which said that people's Kindles (and presumably all ebooks) often froze soon after putting them through the X ray machine at airport security.

That's something completely different than screens physically breaking. (But, just as annoying)

HansTWN · 10-25-2012, 05:59 AM

My Kindle has been scanned about 100 times, in and out of the bag --- most airports allow me to keep it inside, only real laptops must be taken out.

Queen of Maps · 10-25-2012, 02:25 PM

Just to clarify what I said in the opening post as comments seem to have strayed into thinking it was blaming X rays: the Watchdog article wasn't blaming the X ray scanners themselves but blaming the combination of a jumper/coat taken off at security with lots of static electricity and being placed on an eBook and that their proximity in a confined space (i.e. the x ray machine) causing the static to zap into the eBook and affect the screen.

10-24-2012, 03:54 PM	#1
Queen of Maps Member Posts: 12 Karma: 497132 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Wantage, UK Device: Kobo Touch	Potential static issue through airport security causing screen freeze There has just been a report on BBC Watchdog focusing on Kindle's screens freezing. But they had an interesting piece which said that people's Kindles (and presumably all ebooks) often froze soon after putting them through the X ray machine at airport security. An expert showed how static (not the x rays) can affect the screen and cause the fatal freezing. Particularly if you take your jumper/coat off at security (causing a build up of static) and placing it on top of your ebook which is sat in the plastic tray and then gets put through the x ray machine. The combined effect is that the static can be discharged into the ebook causing the freezing. This may be something worth bearing in mind when flying.

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10-24-2012, 04:29 PM	#2
soulfuldog I ♥ Calibre Posts: 2,073 Karma: 5678911 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Voyage, Sony PRS-350, Hudl2	Thought this might give us some insight into the broken/frozen screen issue, but in true Watchdog style, they come up with one possibility, but no answers.

10-24-2012, 04:55 PM	#3
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	If true, may be worth worrying about in any dry air climate, such as most winters, when static discharges are most common. This failure mode deserves watching more closely!

10-24-2012, 04:58 PM	#4
Bilbo1967 Not scared! Posts: 13,424 Karma: 81011643 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midlands, UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite 10, Huawei M5 10	Is that the same thing that made Anne Robinson's face freeze?

10-24-2012, 05:43 PM	#5
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,727 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	When I go through airport security with my reader, it stays in my bag. I don't have to worry about x-rays and static at the same time. Also, the cover is closed when it goes through security.

10-24-2012, 06:01 PM	#6
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	Not buying it. Most screens are broken by torquing the ereader or putting pressure on the screens, both of which can happen when traveling with an ereader.

10-24-2012, 06:09 PM	#7
Antoinekamel Addict Posts: 278 Karma: 2511467 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: ABC W p2	It was already a hoax years ago. I've listened about it when I had my Kindle Keyboard. By the way, my Kindle went through airport scans inside a simple woman's purse inumerous times, and I never noticed nothing. I've heard other positive reports, and not one real person report about the problem occuring.

10-25-2012, 12:04 AM	#8
ucfgrad93 Wizard Posts: 2,372 Karma: 9026681 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2nd Gen	My Kindle has been through airport security dozens of times without any problems.

10-25-2012, 01:59 AM	#9
IMoL Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Canton Vaud, Switzerland Device: iPad, Kindle 4NT, KK (left on plane!)	I travel by air on a weekly basis and have been carrying kindles through security since early 2011 without any issues. I usually take them out of my bag and put them in the same tray as my laptop. IMoL

10-25-2012, 05:59 AM	#11
HansTWN Wizard Posts: 4,538 Karma: 264065402 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Taiwan Device: HP Touchpad, Sony Duo 13, Lumia 920, Kobo Aura HD	My Kindle has been scanned about 100 times, in and out of the bag --- most airports allow me to keep it inside, only real laptops must be taken out.

10-25-2012, 02:25 PM	#12
Queen of Maps Member Posts: 12 Karma: 497132 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Wantage, UK Device: Kobo Touch	Just to clarify what I said in the opening post as comments seem to have strayed into thinking it was blaming X rays: the Watchdog article wasn't blaming the X ray scanners themselves but blaming the combination of a jumper/coat taken off at security with lots of static electricity and being placed on an eBook and that their proximity in a confined space (i.e. the x ray machine) causing the static to zap into the eBook and affect the screen.