[officialleafan]

Random i know...but it's quite interesting...

Eleven-year-old Ellie Stanborough's music player was blown 10ft into the air and was left a scorched, charred mess after she dropped it on the stairs.

But when her father Ken contacted Apple to ask for a refund, he said the company returned a letter insisting any "settlement agreement" must remain "completely confidential".

The letter warned any breach of confidentiality "may result in Apple seeking damages and legal costs against the defaulting persons or parties".

Mr Stanborough told Sky News the iPod had "started making a hissing sound" after it fell on the carpeted stairs as his Liverpool home.

He said: ''I threw it out of the back door and within 30 seconds it exploded. It went 10ft in the air.''

The 47-year-old was advised by Argos, where he bought the £162 player, to contact Apple for a refund.

Mr Stanborough e-mailed over pictures to the company of the damaged music player while requesting to be repaid, though without compensation.

Apple denied its response had attempted to gag the family when Sky News Online contacted them, instead describing it as "standard practice to have a letter of settlement".

A spokesperson said no further comment would be made on the case because Mr Stanborough had refused to hand over the defunct iPod for their engineers to examine.

Mr Stanborough said he refused a request from Apple to send the player via DHL to Cincinnati.

He suggested a representative pick the phone up from his home, but this was declined by the company.

"We're not out to cause trouble," Mr Stanborough said. "We just don't want this happening to anyone else."

Apple is currently facing a lawsuit in America after a mother from Ohio alleged her child's iPod touch exploded in his pocket.

She is suing the company after complaining the iPod burned through her son's trousers and injured his leg.

Source: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090803/...i-45dbed5.html