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Maytag recalls 2.3 million dishwashers due to fire concerns
We know, you most definitely would've opted for the Party Dishwasher had it been available a decade or so ago, but since Maytag was the king of dish scrubbing club, you're now stuck with a potentially fire-starting machine crammed beneath your counter top. Maytag Corp. is recalling around 2.3 million dishwashers across North America after finding that a "potential leak issue" could actually come into contact with the machine's internal wiring, which could then cause quite a heated mess in the midst of your kitchen. The faulty machines (Maytag / Jenn-Air branded) were sold between July 1997 and June 2001, which probably means it's about time you ditched that piece for a new one anyway, but considering the company has already received 135 reports of fires and four injuries, you might want to revert to the old fashioned method of cleaning your pots and pans until you get that thing replaced.[Via Fark]
Fire Emblem Wii site opens for business
Fire Emblem is not like Ice Emblem in that it is, well, hot. When a small portal opened, leading to just a subsection of its fiery domain, we could not resist.The official site for Fire Emblem: Akatsuki no Megami has opened for business, and yes, its entirely in Japanese. For your viewing pleasure, though, you might check out this bitchin' opening cinema, and some excellent box art. We're such suckers for box art. In any case, any FE fans out there owe it to themselves to journey to yon fiery realm. You won't be disappointed.(And what the hell was Bahamut doing in that cinema?)[via NeoGAF; thanks Creamsugar!]
Matsushita recalls 68,000 potentially fiery massage chairs
We're all very aware of how often Li-ion batteries have been on the literal hot seat over the past year or so, but now it looks like Matsushita has yet another recall to deal with outside of those overheating laptop batteries. The company best known for its Panasonic brand has recalled 68,762 of its electric massage chairs after two cases were reported of the "internal motor burning out" and sparking fires. Thankfully, no one was injured while getting all the kinks worked out of their spine, but considering there are much safer ways to heat your bottom while kicked back in a recliner, we doubt the unadvertised warming functions were appreciated. So if you just so happen to own one of these vibrating chairs, you should probably make haste in pulling the plug and phoning Matsushita for an RMA number.[Via Fark]
Japan rescuers to get water jet cutters for debris slicing
While Japan is fairly well equipped to notify citizens of impending doom, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency is taking another step to preparing its rescue forces for anything in times of emergency, and the forthcoming water jet cutter should help slice through debris without the risk of starting a fire in the process. Due to a railway disaster in April of 2005 which forced rescuers to find an alternate way of cutting metal with gasoline sloshed about, the water jet cutters were moved up in priority, and now the powerful streams can output a high-pressure blast of water / sand in order to make a "1.5-centimeter cut through a 2-centimeter-thick steel plate in just a single minute." Of course, the biggest boon here is the device's inability to spark a fire, but the pressure cutter can also be used in instances where flammability isn't an issue, and it has already been demonstrated to local reporters last week. Although we're not sure just how soon these slicers, along with high-powered "blowers" to whisk away harmful fumes, will be put into action, they'll be hitting the fire departments of Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Sapporo first.[Via Fark]
California fire not sparked by defective cellphone battery
Just two days ago California fire department authorities pinned the blame of damaging hotel fire on a malfunctioning cellphone battery, but after further inspection, it seems that the mobile's battery isn't the culprit after all. Engineers from 2125i could not have sparked the blaze that resulted in $75,000 worth of property damage and severe burns to Luis. Upon testing the phone, they discovered that "the electronic circuitry in the phone was undamaged and that the battery was still functioning," with a Vallejo Fire Department investigator adding that the battery performed flawlessly after surviving the fire, which eliminated it from being a suspect. Unfortunately, it looks as if the real case of the blaze may "have been destroyed in the fire," but thankfully, Mr. Picaso is in "critical but stable condition" in a Sacramento hospital.[Thanks, DeShaun]
Cellphone ignites fire, severely burns owner
We're a bit heavy-hearted to report the news, but it would appear a 59 year old man by the name of Luis Picaso was severely burned when a cellphone in his pocket caught fire and consumed his hotel room. Over half of Luis's body is said to be severely burned; damages to the building totaled over $75,000. Other details are still slim -- like what kind of phone and battery he was using -- but suffice it to say, be careful with your batteries both in the way you use and handle them, as well as the kind you buy. That extra $10 you spend for a first party batt might be worth the cash in the long run (unless it's a Sony, har har).
Fire Emblem: Goddess of Dawn rumors
Some nice folks over at GoNintendo have submitted some scans and a rough translation for the upcoming Fire Emblem: Goddess of Dawn for the Wii. Though we follow the FE story about as well as we can save a dying victim using pretend surgical skills (damn you, Trauma Center!), some details might interest those masochists among us: Sothe is Mikaya's younger brother, though they aren't blood-related. The nations of Gallia and Begnion are at war. Lots and lots of war. The game will be divided into discrete portions, and the first will focus on the "Dawn Group". An additional story synopsis can be found after the break. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance was one of the unheralded masterpieces on the Cube (we didn't mention it, we know!), and we greatly look forward to the sequel.
NEC recalls 14,600 desktop power supplies after a pair of explosions
You know, ever since Sony got all responsible on us and started recalling those exploding batteries of theirs, things have been pretty quiet on the whole "OMG my computer is on fire" front. That's why we're happy to report that NEC is recalling fire-starting power supplies in 14,600 of its Valuestar desktops, which were produced between November 2003 and June 2004. Two computers have already esploded due to overheating PSUs, but luckily nobody has been hurt yet. It's a Japan-only problem, and we're not quiet sure how to go about getting your power supply replaced or how much the total cost of the recall will be for NEC, but we're really just glad to be back in the swing of things.
Today's hottest (literally) game video: when Wii play with candles
Some geniuses read that you can replace the Wii sensor bar with candles, and proceed to set their TV on fire, making this the hottest game video by far. The real fun happens when another Einstein comes in and tries to put the flames out, resulting in some barbecue action. Check it out after the jump, and donate to the "Fire Extinguishers for the Burning Impaired" fund. Wii gaming is supposed to be hot, but not this hot. If you burn your house down, please don't blame Joystiq.
Clarion's N.I.C.E. P200 in-car navigation batteries recalled
No, the word "recall" isn't entirely synonymous with "battery," but in this case, we're afraid the dreaded overheating Li-ion curse has struck again. This time the recall is hitting Clarion's N.I.C.E. P200 in-car navigation / entertainment unit, and the problem seems to be the same as nearly every other recall currently out -- it's too hot for comfort. Reportedly, about 2,500 units are potentially problematic, and with "four reports of the unit melting or overheating" due to a faulty Li-ion cell, the company isn't taking any chances. So if you've got the 4-inch flavor of Clarion's do-it-all with a serial number ended in "UE" or "UF," you should power that bad boy down immediately (and call for a free replacement) before that "NAVBATTERY" gets a little hot under the collar.
Variations on a theme: the Motorola KRZR Fire
Motorola has rebuilt its once-diminished empire on the back of the RAZR and its endless variants, milking the platform for absolutely everything it's worth (and beyond, depending on who you ask). Why not continue the trend, then, with the RAZR's heir apparent? The KRZR "Fire" is pretty much like any other KRZR, but with a decidedly crimson appearance to its glossy outer shell. For the time being, the Fire appears to be a Korea-only special, but we'd be surprised -- nay, shocked -- if we didn't get our own full spectrum of KRZRs in these parts of the globe over the next couple years.[Via Akihabara News]
Thumbs up to Red Steel
The Official Nintendo Magazine (a European publication) recently got their hands on the very latest build of Red Steel, one of the most anticipated launch titles for the Wii. They seemed extremely impressed. Some of the major points: The controls of the game felt vastly improved, thanks to software tweaks by Ubisoft and the final remote/sensor bar hardware from Nintendo. The player is able to gesture toward defeated enemies to direct their movements. The graphics have also undergone improvements of epic proportions. The excessive hyperbole involves "forgetting everything you've seen" and the visuals are compared to a prettier version of Resident Evil 4. Which is really damn pretty. Apparently, the fire effects look really effin' good. Red Steel might just be the bar to which all other first-person shooters are measured. Why, it might even start ... a revolution.
An alternate solution to the Hello Kitty toy recall
Hello Kitty doll got your beloved tyke a little hot under the collar (due to leaking chemicals)? Recall, shmecall -- just stick one of these Kitty-branded fire extinguishers under his / her bed and call it a day. Stop, drop, and roll has never been this much fun.[Via Hello Kitty Hell]
Sony is investigating Lenovo fires
We suppose "We Didn't Start the Fire" is quite the popular tune around the Sony HQ these days, but, unfortunately, that statement seems to be proving increasingly false. After a recent rash of violent Lenovo battery explosions, Sony claims they're "investigating" the fires, specifically the LAX incident. Sony apparently thinks there is no official confirmation that the battery in the PC was Sony-made, but we've got a lot of empirical evidence that has us betting otherwise. Lenovo wasn't available for comment, but it doesn't seem far-fetched that we could have the making of a fourth major Sony battery recall in the recent weeks.
CSIRO unveils fire-proof plastic
In an age where plastic (and aluminum) gadgets are bursting into flames left and right, we'd say it's about time some manufacturers looked into what CSIRO is cooking up. Scientists at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization have devised a plastic that morphs into a flame-denouncing "ceramic" structure when exposed to fire, and although the newly formed substance doesn't cool down the situation per se, it does provide a useful barrier to slow the spread of flames. The polymer transforms into a heat-restricting blockade when facing "temperatures as high as 700 degrees," but we're left to ponder what (presumably not-so-good) condition the hardened plastic would be in should things get any more heated. Considering that fires can ignite and get way out of hand relatively quickly, designers said this plastic reacts substantially quicker than humans can, and it could provide the extra time necessary to reach folks stranded in a high-rise blaze, for example. Potential applications for the two-timing plastic include oil rigs, cargo ships, aircrafts, offices, and other highly populated public buildings, but we're envisioning this going even further; it could presumably show up in flame-breathing robot protective gear or in the construction of electronics that run a bit toasty -- but who knows, maybe we're just blowing smoke.
12-inch PowerBook batteries can catch fire, too
It looks like Dell isn't the only company who can have a little fun with laptops that get just a little too hot. Apparently, the battery of a Norwegian design firm employee's 12-inch PowerBook worked just a little too hard and caught ablaze itself, resulting in the image you see here. Let's hope this is not much more than an example of what can happen if you don't participate in those battery recalls that Apple's issued in the past.[via Engadget]
Dell laptop + ammo = no go
We'd think by now people might have heard about some of those Dell laptop mishaps, but it looks like a few boxes of ammo and a vintage Ford pickup are the latest casualties in an incident of laptops gone bad. While it's yet to be proved certainly that the Dell Inspiron 1300 in question did actually start the fire that blew up the ammo boxes of two outdoorsmen on a fishing trip (uh, who needs ammo on a fishing trip?) and overtook Jenny, the '66 F-250, we've little doubt that the laptop's, ammo's, and truck's owner Thomas Forqueran regrets ever placing the three within the vicinity of one another. ConsumerAffairs, from whom we sourced this story, did make mention of the Dell battery recall website some Engadget users have been tossing about -- you know, the launched in December of last year to take back some 22,000 batteries. Calls to Dell this week about the program went unreturned, but one thing is definitely for sure: if you've got a Dell laptop, do yourself (and your truck) a favor and still check and see if you can get it taken back, would you? We know you like your lap / desk / shoulder bag / car / plane in good working order.Here's that Dell recall page one more time, keep it handy, would ya? http://www.dellbatteryprogram.com/[Thanks, Robert]
Dell knew about "dozens" of burned laptops two years before recall?
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.
NTSB looks to laptop batteries as possible cause of plane fire
It looks like laptop batteries are fast gaining on cellphones as the technology most likely to kill you, or at least give you a nasty, potentially embarrassing burn. Hot on the heels of Dell investigating its own case of spontaneous combustion, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is now getting in on the act, looking into the possibility that laptop batteries may have started a fire on a UPS cargo plane that was forced to make an emergency landing last February. The plane's three crew members managed to escape with only minor injuries, but the fire ultimately destroyed the plane and most of the cargo on board. While the NTSB investigation hasn't pinned the blame on the batteries just yet, the FAA's has Harry Webster has testified that lithium-ion batteries can vent flammable liquid and "pose a risk to the cargo compartment." We've already seen warnings not to use your laptop on your lap -- think warnings not to travel with them are far behind?
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Resident's 18 TVs might have caused high-rise fire
Picture this: you're kicked back watching several of your 18 televisions while propping your feet up on one and holding the door open with two others -- and then your room catches on fire. Strangely enough, something very similar may have happened; the precise cause of the fire that lit up Florida's Hotel Versailles -- forcing the Red Cross to relocate 150 residents -- is still being investigated, but there's no way having that many TVs plugged into a small army of power strips can be safe. When firefighters arrived, even they commented on the difficultly of extinguishing flames while wading through over a dozen CRT sets. So the next time you think about rigging up an insane multi-monitor setup, keep your protective gear close at hand.
