The Associated Press culled together three previously reported news stories of preinstalled viruses found on new iPods, TomTom GPS navigation gear, and digital picture frames sold by major retailers and aptly points this is a disturbing trend.
I couldn't agree more. PC World ran a report in November 2007 that Seagate had inadvertently sold new hard drives infected with the Virus.Win32.AutoRun.ah password-stealing virus.
What's very interesting about the report is that the AP traces problems back to Chinese factories where it says the devices in question were made. The problem, it's stated, stems from lax quality control. The AP reports viruses get onto hardware when workers plug gear into factory-floor PCs for testing purposes. Those test PCs, through negligence (not malicious intent), are infected with viruses. Lax quality control in Chinese factories was also to blame in the Seagate case as well.
It goes without saying quality control is very important. The AP report reminds me of another incident where, perhaps, quality control comes into play. On Wednesday it was reported some iPod Nano models when charging sparked due to a faulty lithium-ion battery used in some model Nanos. As far as I can tell the faulty iPod Nano has not been traced back to China.
Granted the gadget market is a cutthroat one for businesses where margins are razor thin and competition fierce. Are companies pressed so hard to keep costs down they can't be bothered with topnotch quality control processes? I don't know. But loss of consumer confidence in your brand and products will likely cost businesses more money if they don't get their acts together. After all, look at the damage control the toy industry has had to engage in after dozens of high-profile toy recalls.
