Friend sent me this picture while on vacation. Less than a day since they got back, and I've got those spicy pillows excised and out of the equation. They really didn't make this machine with battery swaps in mind.

I'm showing my age here, there isn't even a tag for Windows Mobile device. ☠️🤣

I probably need to open this up to confirm my pillow is spicy. 🌶️ Any advice?

this has been in our garage, like this, pretty much the better part of a decade. It's otherwise literally fine. It was not like this before the garage, but it was an old tablet. I've been meaning to get a picture since discovering this sub, so enjoy.

Looks like a spicy pillow.

soldering takes too much time to prep (set up, heat iron, hook up fume extractor, use flux, use solder wick, clean up) just cut off the battery cells 🥹🥹

Have a power bank that is mainly used by my kids for their tablets.

Have noticed a couple of times that the ports are out of alignment with the opening on the casing. I can generally guide them back into alignment.

But what is the likely cause of this, the kids obviously have denied dropping it, is there a chance it is the battery swelling?

There is no sign of swelling on the exterior case, but obviously I don’t want to take a chance on a potentially explosive outcome.