I bought the dv1170us notebook from Best Buy. So far it has been sent in for service 2 times for the same issue. The left front speaker emits electrostatic charges that when touched, freezes the unit. This is a known issue, and the system engineers are trying to figure out how to resolve it. You can call them directly at 866-671-7359 to inquire more about this issue.
To all you computer guru's out there:
After many days of exhaustive research on which type to buy, I've narrowed my search to the Gateway M210X and the HP dv1000 with equal internal system #'s. I'm more concerned with reliability/defects than performance. I know of the dv1000 clock problem, but according to the HP rep, as of Dec. 28th the problem has been fixed. I know of no other problems the dv1000 has. As for the gateway, I know of no problems to date, but it's newer. I'm unsure of Gateways service & product reliability. I don't want to be plagued with problems with the laptop, it must be solid. Any help/experience would be appreciated.

Chowhound
Comic Vine
GameFAQs
GameSpot
Giant Bomb
TechRepublic