In order to cycle the battery and run it down, I set the display to stay ON. To my surprise the unit overheated to the point that it distorted the back cover of the Pronto. The back looks like it was cooked under a heat lamp and there is even a small crack by the speaker area. Has this happened to anyone and is there a danger of the battery catching fire or exploding? I have not yet contacted Philips about this problem.

I doubt this is due to the hardware overheating, but more due to battery overheat. Can happen with faulty batteries when they're put under heavy current usage. Like those laptop batteries igniting of which has much be said in the last years.

You should contact Belgium, to notify them, could be a serious fault not limited to you. Maybe they used the same Sony batteries that were in all those laptops.

Why do you cycle the battery? Do you do this every day ? If the unit was constantly on I could understand why something like this might happen . Some batteries only have a life of a few hundred charges.
"Cycling a multicell battery into deep discharge to overcome a memory effect can cause cell reversal and do more harm than good." [Link: en.wikipedia.org]

I just put it in the charger when it is low. Usually overnight once every ten days for the 9400.

Alpha, have you got an extra capacity battery for the 9400? I'm lucky if it lasts 2 days, 10 days would be a dream.

Simon

I don't use the Wi-Fi. The screen turns off after about 20 seconds. Back light after 15 seconds. Screen brightness is set at the lowest. I think the battery lasts longer then my old TSU 3000.