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Lawsuit claims Google 'knowingly sold' Pixels with microphone issues
Shortly after Google released its first branded smartphones in 2016, the Pixel and Pixel XL, some early adopters reported a microphone issues. While they were fixed in phones produced later, the problems disabled all three mics on the devices and often cropped up at odd times, like when holding the devices in different ways or in cold temperatures. Now the search giant faces a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company knew about the issues but sold the phones anyway.
GM recalls 4.3 million vehicles worldwide over faulty airbags
General Motors will recall 4.3 million vehicles across the globe because of a software defect in the airbag system that has so far been linked to one death and three injuries, Reuters reports. The bug prevents frontal airbags from deploying in "rare circumstances when a crash is preceded by a specific event impacting vehicle dynamics," GM tells Reuters.
Double-cannon Samus Amiibo fetches $2,500 on eBay
A defective Samus Amiibo proved this week that double the firepower can translate into many more multiples the cash. After discovering the potentially one-of-its-kind figure with two arm cannons rather than the regular one, a lucky Best Buy customer turned his $13 purchase into a $2,500 golden ticket on eBay. Nintendo's Amiibo range launched last month, providing Wii U users with Skylanders-like toys that are compatible with games including Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8. As GameSpot reports, Adam Truesdale was one of many customers who bought the Samus Amiibo, and he was all ready to rip into the case until a friend pointed out the defect.
Nikon to replace some defective 'dust spot' D600s with brand new cameras
After offering up several solutions to a sensor spotting problem on its full-frame D600 DSLR -- with limited success -- Nikon has now said that it will replace any defective cameras that can't be repaired. When reports of the oil and dust spots first cropped up, Nikon suggested that photographers clean the sensors themselves or send them for cleaning under warranty. However, when some users found that the shutter was ejecting difficult-to-clean oil on the sensor, it began to offer free shutter mechanism replacements. Recently, some owners also reported that they were sent brand new Nikon D600s and even newer D610's instead of a repair. Nikon has now admitted as much in a letter of apology, and said it will continue to repair or replace the model as needed, even out of warranty. It may also explain why it brought the very similar D610 to market so quickly.
Sony: 'Less than one percent' of PS4s have issues
Sony addressed numerous reports of defective PlayStation 4 systems this week, and estimated that the number of damaged consoles is relatively low. "The number of affected PS4 systems is less than one percent, which represents a very small percentage of total units shipped to date and is within the expected range for a new product introduction," a Sony representative told Engadget. "We understand the frustration of consumers that have had a problem and are working with them and our retail partners to help troubleshoot issues and ensure affected units are exchanged." Given that several issues were reported to Sony, the hardware manufacturer believes "there isn't a singular problem that could impact a broader percentage of PS4 units." The company previously said it is investigating "isolated" PS4 issues and offered troubleshooting steps for players experiencing "blinking blue light" problems.
Lego Lord of the Rings for 360 recalled due to packaging error [update]
If you're planning on picking up the Xbox 360 version of Lego Lord of the Rings today, make sure to open the case and verify that an actual game is inside before you leave the store.It appears as though demo discs, instead of the retail game discs, have been shipped out to numerous retailers incorrectly, according to Game Informer. Only Xbox 360 shipments appear to have been affected by the issue, and even then not all 360 shipments were part of the faulty batch, so there's still a chance you'll be able to go out and buy an actual copy today.We've reached out to Warner Bros. for comment and will update with any further information we receive on the situation.Update: Warner Bros. issued a statement to IGN saying it's recalling a "small number" of discs which, while labelled as demo discs, do in fact contain the retail game.The statement reads: "Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is recalling a small number of LEGO The Lord of the Rings video games that were released for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft to Walmart, Target and Toys 'R' Us in the United States with a disc labeling error. The discs in question are incorrectly labeled as demo discs, but those discs do contain the full game content and are fully functional. This error does not affect any other formats of the game. We are in the process of remanufacturing the discs and will get them to the stores as soon as possible. Consumers who purchased a copy of the Xbox 360 version of the game with the disc labeling error can contact customer support via email at support@wbgames.com or phone at 410-568-3680 for a replacement disc."
iPad 2 light leakage due to faulty LG panels? (update)
We don't have official word from Apple on the subject, but we're hearing rumors that might explain why some iPad 2 backlights tend to bleed -- according to Digitimes' anonymous sources, LG Display was "forced to reduce its shipments in the first quarter due to light leakage problem for panels," and that Samsung took up the slack. That suggests that some of today's vaunted 9.7-inch IPS displays may be from LG's faulty batch and some may be slightly superior Samsung screens, but we don't really recommend you crack yours open on the basis of an uncorroborated rumor (or at all, really) to find out the truth of the matter. Update: An astute reader reminds us that while LG, Panasonic and Chimei make IPS screens, Samsung traditionally does not. Perhaps Samsung has managed to get its plane-line switching (PLS) displays into iPads instead, as was rumored last month, or perhaps this rumor is simply inaccurate, in whole or in part. [Thanks, trucker boy]
NVIDIA's faulty GPU class action settlement challenged, but time's running out
Remember when NVIDIA was caught selling defective mobile graphics chips, and agreed to provide bargain-basement replacement laptops to make a class-action lawsuit go away? At least one gentleman wasn't happy with how that went down, and is suing to see that affected customers get a fair shake. Ted Frank of the Center for Class Action Fairness says that NVIDIA has no business passing off cheap laptops, and we think he might have a case -- after all, the judge ordered that NVIDIA provide "a replacement computer of like or similar kind and equal or similar value," and it doesn't take a lawyer to see that the $400 Compaq Presario CQ56-115DX that the company's offering doesn't come close to compensating owners of faulty machines. We joked that you might be better off selling your old laptop for parts on eBay, and that might not be far from the truth. The thing is, whether Ted Frank and company win or lose in court, defective laptop owners have only two weeks remaining to sign up for whatever NVIDIA ends up handing out, as March 14th is the final deadline to have settlement claims postmarked. Read the arguments at our more coverage link, and decide for yourself.
NVIDIA's faulty laptop GPU settlement starts paying out, file your repair and reimbursement claims now
Got an old Dell, HP or Apple laptop sitting around with a defective NVIDIA GPU? The company's finally ready to compensate you. That proposed class-action settlement from late last year has been approved by a California court, and the company's taking claims for repairs, replacements and reimbursements at a specially-designated website until March 14th. If you've got an affected Dell or Apple MacBook Pro, you can get the faulty chips replaced free of charge, while HP owners get a whole new replacement computer, though considering the choices there are the budget Compaq Presario CQ50 or an ASUS Eee PC T101MT, you might be better off selling your old parts on eBay. Finally, if you've already paid to get your components replaced and have the docs to prove it, you might be able to get refunded -- NVIDIA's set up a $2 million pool to be divided among all such reimbursements. Find everything you need at the links below. [Thanks, Kalyan]
Apple tracking an issue with defective Monster headphones?
We just received a tip and some screencaps, purportedly from the Apple-verse, with a word of warning about Monster's headphone lineup. Apple is apparently blaming the "conductive flanges" used in many of Monster's earbuds for erratic stopping and starting of playback on Apple devices. The point of this internal memo seems for support staff to recognize that what a consumer might assume is a defect in an Apple product might actually be a Monster problem. Interestingly, Apple's list of problem headphones doesn't mention any of the Beats-labeled products that Apple actually sells, and is limited to Monster headphones that include "ControlTalk" tech for controlling playback with a cable-mounted mic / volume / pause remote, modeled after Apple's own iPhone-bundled earbuds. We're not sure if this means Monster is mis-applying Apple standards or just has a manufacturing defect, and it's also unclear if this problem also extends to the ControlTalk-equipped products in the joint-developed Beats lineup, but if you've been having some trouble with random stop-starts in your music on your $400 pair of Copper Turbines (and you aren't listening to James Blake), perhaps this will clear up some confusion. A full list of the affected 'buds is after the break. [Thanks, Anonymous]
NVIDIA reaches settlement in class action suit affecting Apple, Dell, HP laptops
Some folks may have long forgotten about the issue by now, but anyone that was hit by those defective NVIDIA GPUs a couple of years back will likely want to take notice -- the company has finally reached a settlement in the class action lawsuit spurred on by the issue, and anyone with an affected Apple, Dell or HP laptop is eligible for some form of compensation. In the case of Apple and Dell laptops, that includes a replacement of the GPU or MCP, while users of an affected HP laptop will actually get a full replacement laptop "similar in kind and value." Anyone that has already paid to have their laptop repaired due to the GPU issue is also entitled to a full reimbursement provided they have the necessary documentation for the repairs. Even if you are covered, however, you'll still have to wait a bit longer to actually get any compensation -- a final hearing is scheduled for December 20th, and claims will only begin sometime after that. In the meantime, be sure to hit up the source link below for the complete details, including a list of all the models affected. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Verizon confirms Droid X screen issues, but says they're not widespread
We just got word back from Verizon regarding those flickering Droid X screens, and sure enough, the ghastly images are not a side effect of your assimilation into the Droid collective. Verizon and Motorola have owned up to a genuine problem with a small number of Droid X displays, approximately one-tenth of one percent. If your screen starts acting up you'd best contact the authorities immediately. And by authorities, we mean tech support, not the FBI -- the omnipresent glowing red eyeball is completely normal. It told us so. Here's Verizon's full statement on the matter: "Verizon Wireless and Motorola are aware of a very small number of DROID X units that have experienced a flickering or banding display. Motorola has resolved the issue and is continuing to ship the phones. Any consumer who experiences a flickering or banding display should contact a Motorola customer support center or Verizon Wireless."
Some Droid X handsets have defective screens? (video)
All's not well in Creepy Red Eye land, if reports out of several cell phone forums can be believed -- a number of early Droid X adopters are documenting serious graphical or possibly electrical problems with the handset's giant screen. While we don't know how widespread the issue might be quite yet, symptoms include rapid flickering and vertical banding over all or part of the 4.3-inch LCD. Several forumites claim to have already had their phones replaced, in some cases being told the defect was a common problem in their respective launch day batches. We've contacted Verizon for confirmation and hope to have a response soon; in the meanwhile, see video examples of both issues after the break, and let us know if you've seen similar glitches in comments below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Documents show that Dell knowingly sold defective computers, misled those needing support
What happens when capacitors go bad, spewing out their tangerine innards like the ones in the photo above? Components die. In the early to mid naughties there was a rash of failures, the so-called "capacitor plague" that affected many manufacturers thanks to millions of bogus units filled with an electrolyte mixture that was a bit off. However, nobody was quite affected like Dell. The company took a $300 million charge in 2005 to cover costs related to the faulty machines that went out with these components, and now we're getting a better picture of just how bad it was -- and continues to be. According to recently released documents stemming from a three year-old lawsuit, Dell not only knew about the bogus components but some of its employees were actively told to play dumb, one memo sent to customer service reps telling them to "avoid all language indicating the boards were bad or had issues." Meanwhile, sales teams were still selling funky OptiPlex machines, which during that period had a 97 percent failure rate according to Dell's own study. (And you thought the Xbox 360 had problems.) With that on the minds of shoppers, plus Throttlegate and some other recent laptop quality issues, we have to think consumer confidence for Dell must be at an all-time low at the moment. [Image courtesy of Bushtails]
Walmart recalls 1.5 million flammable Durabrand DVD players
Remember those amazingly cheap doovde players Walmart was so proud of a couple years back? Well, they ain't so amazing anymore, unless that's what you'd call a device capable of spontaneously bursting into flames. Sold between January 2006 and July 2009 exclusively at Walmart stores in the US and ASDA supermarkets in the UK, the explosive Durabrand units are being called back due to 12 reported instances of overheating, including five that caused fires. You have to love the irony of skimping on a doovde player purchase, only to pay for it later with "enhanced" insurance premiums. We reached out to Walmart for comment, but they didn't know what a doovde was. Nevertheless, we captured the conversation after the break. Update: While we haven't yet got clear confirmation that ASDA is following suit, we'd be very surprised to not see the product pulled and returns honored in the UK in the same fashion as in the US. [Via CNN Money; Thanks, Keith]
Sony finally admits NVIDIA chips are borking its laptops, offers free repair
Last summer, while Dell and HP were busy pinpointing and replacing faulty NVIDIA chips in their notebooks, Sony was adamant that its superior products were unaffected by the dreaded faulty GPU packaging. Well, after extensive support forum chatter about its laptops blanking out, distorting images and showing random characters, the Japanese company has finally relented and admitted that "a small percentage" of its VAIO range is indeed afflicted by the issue. That small percentage comes from the FZ, AR, C, LM and LT model lines, and Sony is offering to repair yours for free within four years of the purchase date, irrespective of warranty status. Kudos go to Sony for (eventually) addressing the problem, but if you're NVIDIA, don't you have to stop calling this a "small distraction" when it keeps tarnishing your reputation a full year after it emerged? [Thanks, Jonas]
Faulty GPUs reportedly cost NVIDIA another $119 million
We already knew that NVIDIA had to shell out anywhere from $150 to $250 million last year to resolve issues related to its defective GPUs, but it looks like that may have only been the beginning, with The Inquirer now reporting that the company has also been forced to pay an additional $119.1 million over the past four months to fix a faulty die and weak packaging material used in the affected graphics chips. What's more, NVIDIA apparently won't say whether it expects to incur any further charges related to the defective chips or not, although it simply describes the whole situation as "small distraction," and says it hasn't affected its ability to launch new products.
Xbox 360 red ring of death problems (finally) solved?
Is your Xbox 360 red in the face? No, not that kind of red, but facing that painstakingly loathsome red ring of death? Well, if group product manager Aaron Greenberg knows anything about the situation -- and we'd imagine he does -- then it looks like the guys at Microsoft have finally found a solution to many gamers' worst nightmares. In an interview with Edge Online, Greenberg said that through repairs they've done as well as updated technology, the guys in Redmond are pretty confident that afflicted consoles should be nonexistent in the not so distant future and that they've "put the worst behind us on this." So, breathe easy obsessive gamers, you needn't worry about getting an infected console any more -- we hope.[Via Yahoo! Games]
NVIDIA reportedly urging customers to buy new problem-free GPUs
NVIDIA has yet to step in and confirm this publicly, but a purported leaked memo from the outfit has been posted over at VR-Zone. What's it say, you ask? Only that the company "strongly recommends that customers transition to the latest revision of the NB8E-SET GPUs as soon as possible." Said revision taps a new Hitachi underfill packaging material that "improves product quality and enhances operating life by improved thermal cycling reliability." If you'll recall, certain PC vendors such as Dell issued their own firmware updates to combat the weak packaging set in the chip maker's faulty GPUs earlier this year, but it appears that NVIDIA's solution is to just let bygones be bygones and get on with the new and improved.[Via Electronista]
Apple says some MacBook Pros hit by faulty NVIDIA chips
It's pretty far behind the likes of Dell and HP in getting to the bottom of the whole defective NVIDIA GPU situation, but Apple has now finally come out and confirmed that some of its MacBook Pros are indeed affected by the problem. According to a just posted Apple support document, the specific models affected were all made between May 2007 and September 2008, and include all 15- and 17-inch models equipped with NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processors. As with other laptops, the problem shows itself in the form of distorted or scrambled video, or a complete absence of video on the screen or external display. If your MacBook Pro falls into that lot, and the problem occurs within two years of your original purchase date, Apple says it'll repair it free of charge, even if it's out of warranty. It's also issuing refunds to folks that have already paid to get their MacBook Pro repaired. Hit up the link below for the complete details.[Via AppleInsider]
