Engadget

Apple reportedly swapping recalled iPod nanos for 6G counterparts; you have yours?

Joe Pollicino — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:50:00 EST

It's been a few weeks since Apple's issued a worldwide recall on a number of its first-gen iPod nanos at risk for becoming uncomfortably hot under the collar. Evidently, many folks who've sent their devices into AppleCare to get swapped are finding that they've being treated with an upgrade to the current sixth-gen variant. Lovers of click wheels may view its square, touchscreen shell as folly, but hey, its hard to fuss over owning latest there is, right? The replacement program is still ongoing, so if you haven't checked to see if your nano qualifies, hit up the "more coverage" link below to find out. Already got yours back? Let us know your mileage in comments!

[Thanks, Scott]

Apple reportedly swapping recalled iPod nanos for 6G counterparts; you have yours? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple is replacing first gen iPod nanos due to faulty batteries

Richard Lawler — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:53:00 EST

After offering to swap out a few faulty first gen iPod nanos in Korea back in 2009, it appears Apple has finally seen fit to get them out of owner's pockets here in the US (update: worldwide) too. An email just sent to registered owners (included after the break) and notice posted on its replacement program site inform users the affected units were sold between September 2005 and December 2006. If you have one (seriously, yours still works?), stop using it right now and fill out the form at the link below to order a free replacement unit. The main inconvenience -- other than finding out you've been walking around with the possibility of a "rare case" of overheating taking place in your skinny jeans -- is an anticipated six-week lag between Apple receiving the old unit and shipping you out a replacement.

The reason given for waiting so long to replace them is that when it comes to this issue "the likelihood increases as the battery ages"; that, and it's finally too late for you to run out and get a Zune. No word yet on which models will be sent out as replacements, but if yours is personalized, then sorry -- no inscriptions available.

[Thanks, Paul & Jordan]

Continue reading Apple is replacing first gen iPod nanos due to faulty batteries

Apple is replacing first gen iPod nanos due to faulty batteries originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: Sony says counterfeit PS3 controllers could explode

Sean Hollister — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 18:01:00 EST

We're not sure why anyone would buy a knock-off DualShock 3 or SIXAXIS gamepad, considering the trouble Sony's taken to make sure they don't work, but the PlayStation 3 manufacturer has another reason you might want to steer clear of counterfeit pads -- they could be tiny Li-ion bombs poised to explode. Talk about force feedback! Yes, the company that brought us exploding laptop batteries says that third-party products "which are practically identical in appearance to genuine PlayStation(R)3 wireless controllers" may burst into flame, and as you might expect, Sony suggests that you run out to your nearest retailer and purchase the real deal instead.

PSA: Sony says counterfeit PS3 controllers could explode originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MacBook Pro battery flies off the handle, busts wide open

Darren Murph — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:23:00 EST

Here's the thing: that horrifically swollen, completely destroyed battery you're peering at above isn't as rare a sight as it should be. If you'll recall, we've personally covered at least four MacBook Pro battery explosions, and we've also seen a similar amount of volatility over on the PC side. The story behind this one is as follows: a 17-inch (non-unibody) MBP owner was using his machine on a desk (thankfully), when suddenly an odd noise began to increase in volume; following that, the entire machine "jumped up" slightly and turned off, and this battery is to blame. Oh, and if this all-too-commonplace occurrence happens to you next, let's hope you aren't actually using your laptop on your, um, lap.

Gallery: MacBook Pro battery flies off the handle, busts wide open

Filed under: Laptops, Peripherals

MacBook Pro battery flies off the handle, busts wide open originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple recalls faulty first generation iPod nano players in Korea

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:05:00 EST

While Apple may have moved on to selling the 4th generation iPod nano, consumer protection agencies are still focused on gen-1. For good reason too, apparently, as there's mounting evidence that those early white and black plastic players have a tendency to overheat, swell, and possibly burst into a nasty chemical fire. Responding to four formal consumer complaints made between December and June, the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards sent a request to Apple on June 25th recommending that Apple "aggressively" collects first generation iPod nano with Lithium Ion batteries made by the Chinese company ATL. Initially, Apple agreed to replace faulty units as they did in Japan upon request by the consumer. However, KATS is now reporting that Apple will recall the players under its own initiative making this the first formal iPod nano recall we can, uh, recall.

Filed under: Portable Audio

Apple recalls faulty first generation iPod nano players in Korea originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exploding cellphone kills Chinese man

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 01:51:00 EST

Here's the thing about batteries: they store energy. Lots of it. Channeled correctly, that energy does really awesome things for us -- but channeled chaotically, and... well, you know where this is going, don't you? A man shopping in a Lenovo store in mainland China has been killed after the phone in his chest pocket exploded, severing arteries and leading to massive blood loss. The make and model of the phone and battery have yet to be identified, but seeing how this is the seventh high-profile case of an exploding phone in China in the last six years, it really gives you pause before installing that shady off-brand juice, doesn't it?

Filed under: Cellphones

Exploding cellphone kills Chinese man originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 01:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exploding cellphone kills Chinese man

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 01:51:00 EST

Filed under: Misc

Exploding cellphone kills Chinese man originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 01:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japan orders Apple to investigate exploding iPod nanos

Thomas Ricker — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:12:00 EST

Uh oh. Japan's trade and economy ministry is now officially investigating the explosive nature of the iPod nano. The culprit is model MA099J/A -- AKA, the old black and white plastic model already reported to spew "chest high flames," cause bedroom fires, and explode across the floor. The Japan incident occurred in January when an iPod nano reportedly "shot out sparks while recharging." At this point, all odds are with the nano's lithium ion battery. Apple Japan has been ordered to investigate the issue and report back to the ministry with the cause. Kind of like asking the fox what it was doing in the hen house, eh?

Update: Apparently, the Japanese ministry "strongly warned" Apple for failing to report the incident (as required by law) when it occurred. Apple's filing with the ministry came on March 7th.

Filed under: Portable Audio

Japan orders Apple to investigate exploding iPod nanos originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ghana man killed by exploding handset?

Darren Murph — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:02:00 EST

Truth be told, we aren't exactly inclined to believe this here article is entirely accurate, but nevertheless, Modern Ghana is reporting that a resident was recently killed by an exploding cellphone. Notably, this unfortunate accident wasn't due to a faulty battery, or at least that hasn't been blamed just yet. Rather, the young man simply answered his ringing mobile while it was still plugged into the wall, and seconds later, electricity flowed into the cellphone unrestricted and threw the man back. Reportedly, he was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital, and we're sincerely hoping that investigators get to the root cause of all this if indeed the tale is true.

[Via textually]

Filed under: Misc

Ghana man killed by exploding handset? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tektronix oscilloscopes could catch fire due to volatile Li-ion

Darren Murph — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 03:01:00 EST

We've seen some strange devices catch fire due to faulty batteries, but this one just may take top honors. Apparently, a pair of Tektronix oscilloscopes (model numbers TDS3000 and TDS3000B) have the potential of catching fire; according to the company, it has received two reports of the units "burning at customer sites." Upon closer inspection, it was noticed that the machines both relied on a TDS3BATB Li-ion battery, which is now carrying the blame for the unexpected blazes. If you or a loved one just so happen to own or use one of these rigs in your everyday life, Tektronix is suggesting that you power it down and stop using the battery until further notice.

[Via TheInquirer]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Tektronix oscilloscopes could catch fire due to volatile Li-ion originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPod "nana" spews chest-high flames from trousers -- lawsuit at 11

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 05:43:00 EST

Prepare to be amazed at what passes for investigative journalism on television these days. Atlanta's WSB-TV Action News team ran a sensational iPod "nana" piece last night under the title "Man's Pants Catch Fire At Airport." To set the stage, WSB-TV says that the nano "uses the same technology as those troubled laptop batteries under recall due to the risk of fire." In steps Danny Williams -- mild mannered consumer, airport employee -- who claims that his iPod nano "burst into" chest-high flames while he was at work. So why isn't he covered in burns after exposure to such a serious chemical fire? We've all watched the horrifying video of a lithium ion battery explosion, right? Well, Danny claims that he was protected by a "glossy piece of paper" in his pocket at the time. Taking it up a notch, WSB-TV worries that Danny could have been mistaken for a terrorist due to his smoking airport trousers. Look, we're not saying that nothing happened, after all, we've written about an exploding iPod nano before. We're only saying that it didn't happen in the way described. Check the video of the hot-coffee-in-lap style legal preparation after the break.

[Thanks, Will]

Continue reading iPod "nana" spews chest-high flames from trousers -- lawsuit at 11

iPod "nana" spews chest-high flames from trousers -- lawsuit at 11 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Oct 2007 05:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Non-recalled Nokia phone battery explodes, injures woman

Darren Murph — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 18:38:00 EST

While Nokia and Matsushita were busying settling the disputes that arose when the phone maker had to recall some 46 million handset batteries, a lady in India has been injured by a Nokia-branded cell that's not on that list. Located in eastern India, the woman noted that the BL-D3 series battery "blew up about 10 minutes after it was put on charge," resulting in a "ball of fire" that led to minor burn injuries to the user. According to Nokia, the incident was "isolated," and if it finds that the handset, battery, and charger are original, the 30-year old victim will supposedly be compensated.

Filed under: Cellphones

Non-recalled Nokia phone battery explodes, injures woman originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Sep 2007 18:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Non-recalled Nokia phone battery explodes, injures woman

Darren Murph — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 18:38:00 EST

Filed under: Peripherals, Nokia

Non-recalled Nokia phone battery explodes, injures woman originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Sep 2007 18:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exploding Hello Kitty toys recalled

Darren Murph — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 08:01:00 EST

Although a Hello Kitty toy might not seem quite as dangerous (read: life threatening) as the notebooks and cellphones we're toting these days, the explosive tendencies have somehow veered from batteries to stuffed animals. In the latest episode of spontaneous combustion, Takara is being forced to recall specific Hello Kitty dolls which featured a heatable disc that could be warmed and stuffed within the lining to keep kids toasty while resting. Apparently the microwavable pad housed a chemical substance (manufactured by ADEKA) not quite stable enough to handle the heat, sparking a lengthy list of of cases where the liquid erupted from its container and provided an uncomfortable surprise to the poor soul embracing the creature's volcanic warmth. It was noted that this has "nothing to do" with the scapegoat-of-the-year (Li-ion cells), but if you (or your offspring) just loves to cuddle with this volatile critter, you should probably ice the situation before it unleashes something a bit more serious than a cat's meow.

[Via Engadget Japanese]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Exploding Hello Kitty toys recalled originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Oct 2006 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alan Cox's ThinkPad battery explodes

Cyrus Farivar — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 15:22:00 EST

It appears that the exploding IBM ThinkPad that we spotted last week at LAX may not have been a fluke after all. Telsa Gwynne, wife of famed Linux kernel programmer Alan Cox, describes on her website how her husband's ThinkPad battery suddenly exploded last night (see the photo on the next page), after which "a couple of fires started where the (presumably) boiling battery landed," with one of the fragments taking out a nearby LCD monitor. Alan sustained a few minor burns, but other than the laptop itself there were no serious injuries, thankfully. Telsa does note, however, that the battery was third-party and was bought on eBay, so it may not be an authentic IBM pack at all. Still, somebody needs to get to the bottom of this, like, now -- after the Apple, Dell, Panasonic, and Toshiba recalls, the public demands and deserves complete and rapid disclosure.

Update: We traded emails with Alan Cox and have posted some of our questions and answers with him on the next page.

Continue reading Alan Cox's ThinkPad battery explodes

Filed under: Laptops

Alan Cox's ThinkPad battery explodes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Sep 2006 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell knew about "dozens" of burned laptops two years before recall?

Stan Horaczek — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 13:30:00 EST

We know you've all been following closely as Dell investigates the case of their exploding laptop, so you'll probably be interested to hear about a report claiming that Dell knew dozens of their laptops had sustained extensive heat damageat least two years before initiating any kind of recall. The source, who is claimed to be someone "close to the company," has said that Dell execs were provided with documents and photographs in 2003 and 2004 showing lappies described as "burned," "melted" and even "scorched." Of course we can't vouch for the legitimacy of the source's information, but if it's true, the danger that could be involved makes "dozens" sound like a lot, even compared to the millions Dell sells every year.

Filed under: Laptops

Dell knew about "dozens" of burned laptops two years before recall? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Jul 2006 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sanyo recalls whopping 500,000 phones

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 18:04:00 EST

Sketchy batteries doing bad things to you and your phone are nothing new. Sanyo has set an interesting new precedent, however, turning a good battery bad with software. Some half million units of their W32SA clamshell for KDDI's network are being sent home for faulty software that can prevent the battery from fully charging. That, in itself, isn't too scary -- but here's the twilight-zone part of it: there have been documented cases where the batteries "have cracked and become deformed." From some faulty software, people, written by the US' favorite cellphone manufacturer, no less. Happily, afflicted handsets can be flashed at the local KDDI shop, but our paranoia is getting the best of us here; could rogue KDDI employees send bogus OTA firmware updates to grenade the phone in your pocket?

Filed under: Handsets, Sanyo, KDDI

Sanyo recalls whopping 500,000 phones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jun 2006 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exploding SE phone charger hits three year-old

Paul Miller — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 22:40:00 EST

Far be it from us to revel misfortunes of others, but is it really heartless of us to have a chuckle at the thought of a little kid getting nailed in the chest by phone charger shrapnel? Yeah, we suppose it is, but at least we're on the up about it, which is more than we can say about Sony Ericsson and their CST-20 charger. Turns out a UK man recently had a run-in with a rogue CST-20 unit, which after being plugged in for 45 seconds blew up in his kitchen. The room was sprayed with shrapnel, and the man's three year-old son was nailed in the chest with the lid of the unit. Along with tripping the circuit breaker and filling the house with fumes, the explosion managed to get a vulgar yell out of the man's wife upstairs, which really seems to make it all worthwhile. The man doesn't think so, and is of course looking into the matter legally. Sony Ericsson says the CST-20 is built by a different manufacturer than the one responsible for the infamous CST-13 of 2003.

[Via textually.org]

Filed under: Peripherals, Sony Ericsson

Exploding SE phone charger hits three year-old originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Apr 2006 22:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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