Lexar recalling 66,000 defective JumpDrives
By Evan Blass 
posted July 6th 2006 8:25PM
posted July 6th 2006 8:25PM
Here's a new one for you: we've all seen product recalls stemming from overheating batteries, defective CCDs, and faulty power cords, but this is the first we've heard of a USB thumb drive being called back for "posing a risk of burns to consumers and property damage." Actually, Lexar -- in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission -- is recalling a total of five different models when all is said and done: the 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, and 2GB flavors of the JumpDrive FireFly and the 1GB version of the JumpDrive Secure II. According to the CPSC, 66,000 of the faulty units were sold between April and May of this year -- check the Read link for specific serial number ranges -- and although so far no injuries have been reported, consumers are advised to stop using affected models immediately. As usual, the company will hook you up with a new model free of charge if you ask very nicely; as for us, we're probably gonna hold onto ours and use them to brand new interns with the Lexar logo as part of our geeky hazing ritual.[Via The Inquirer]
O_o I own one of these, and its filesystem is corrupted right now!
how hot can these things really get
If someone here has one- I want to know how hot it gets
Haze the newbies?
What an opportune time for a recall...
Actually, I've witnessed one "blow up" a chip inside the memory card where I've worked. All I heard was a pop as soon as I plugged it in and when I looked at the stick, there was a hazy film inside the see through plastic and a burnt chip. It was only in use about 6 months. Luckily didn't break by USB bus.
They almost very cool neer had one heat up
They should just remarket them as USB hand warmers :)
I loves me my OCZ 1GB stick.
And, cycomachead - my old SanDisk miniCruzer (256MB) used to get fairly warm under intensive/extensive usage. Never hand-scalding hot, but something that could definitely be considered hand-warming material on a chilly day.
haha.. firefly
sorry
My 1GB Attache gets mighty warm when It sits in the port for a few hours.
i bought the 512 MB Firefly in June and got a "safe" serial. it's a really nice jumpdrive and i am glad i escaped the recall. crossing my fingers that it is the only recall of these coming down the pipes
That's why i bought a sandisk, it works like a charm
uhhhh, it'd be backwards, stupid.
hahaha just kidding (though it actually would be)
I think USB thumb drives are a waste of money. Just buy a USB SD card reader, which can be the same shape, and an SD card. It's around £14 for an 1GB SD card on Ebuyer at the moment. Much cheaper option.
Lexar products? Hell NO. They are a joke. Remember last time the data-lose problem happened to their extire line of flash memory products? I would avoid this brand at all cost.
I used to have a lot of respect for Lexar, they were my favorite portable memory company until they sold out to some other company. Here is something I wrote on my blog back in February 2005, and I still use my Lexar 1 GB jump drive to this day, it hasn't missed a beat.
(Lexar Jump Drive Durability -- I just pulled out my clothes out of my dryer and began to put in the next load in, right before I closed the door something caught my eye. What did I see, but my Lexar Jump Drive, that means that it went into my washer and then dried in the dryer. I was real disappointed, since this was my life force for all of my files. I quickly checked it out and it seemed dry, I took it to my computer to see if I had a $60 piece of trash. To my amazement, it worked just like the first time. Just amazing, can't say that it will be the same for you, but I highly recommend one of these.)
Sweeeet a usb cigarette lighter. Too bad I don't smoke.
I've had a xbox controller start burning where the chord is connected to the controller. Mass production babee!
I had a SanDisk Cruzer 512 go through the wash twice and the dryer once during its service life, and it's still going. It only warms up when I read/write incessantly. It's the older, larger form factor so I imagine that dissipates heat more quickly.
A lot of modern solid-state electronics are surprisingly resilient to submersion in a clean liquid like water, provided that you dry them out before energizing them. (A couple of hours in the sun were enough to dry out my dinosaur Kyocera KX414 phone on two occasions.) However, if your phone is not a dinosaur, beware the Red Dot.
HOT DIRECT- SKU 335159 (LEXAR 1GB SECURE II JUMPDR)
To: General Sales Manager
From: Merchandising
Deadline: Immediately
Contact: Joel Boquiren, x4854; Lindsay Appleby, x5915
Assigned To: .
Completed By: .
Date Completed: .
SKU 335159 (LEXAR 1GB SECURE II JUMPDR) needs to be field destroyed immediately. This is a type 3 field destroy. Please check to see if you have any of this SKU on hand. If so please locate and destroy. If you are unable to find this SKU or do not think you still have it, but you are showing to have the inventory, please cycle out of your inventory.
Please send an email to Lindsay_appleby@compusa.com once you have completed this. Please let me know if you have any questions
Lexar management have tried their best to ignore comments such as this about renaming the company LexScar.