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Samsung blames two different battery flaws for the Note 7 fires
Well, after months of speculation, Samsung has finally announced the results of its Galaxy Note 7 investigation. The official line: those fires were caused by two distinct battery flaws (just as a recent report suggested), not a hardware or software issue. The first flaw had to do with how the Note 7's original batteries were manufactured: their casings were too small to safely fit the electrode assembly inside, which led to short-circuiting.
Chris Velazco01.22.2017
Samsung will explain the Galaxy Note 7 explosions Sunday night
As Reuters had suggested, Samsung is close to holding a press conference where it will "announce the cause of the Galaxy Note 7 incidents and quality enhancement plan." The event is being held on Monday morning (local time) in Seoul, Korea, and will be livestreamed in English on Samsung.com. If you'd like to tune in, set your alarm for 8PM ET on January 22nd. It seems likely that the battery will take the blame, as customers and regulators alike are waiting to find out what Samsung has planned to make sure this never happens again.
Richard Lawler01.19.2017
Report: Samsung's Note 7 probe points blame at batteries
Samsung has concluded that the Galaxy Note 7's fires and explosions were caused by battery problems, not the phone's hardware or software, Reuters reports. The information comes from "a person familiar with the matter," rather than an official source, but Samsung will reportedly release the full results from its investigation on January 23rd. To assuage nervous buyers, Samsung mobile chief Koh Dong-jin will likely also detail steps it's taking to prevent similar problems with the Galaxy S8 and other future devices.
Steve Dent01.16.2017
A visual history of gadgets that have burst into flames
Samsung had a rough 2016. Last year, the company had to recall its Galaxy Note 7 after units were catching fire, followed by millions of washing machines that were exploding in people's homes. But Samsung isn't the only company that's struggled recently with faulty batteries. We've seen similar issues with hoverboards, a Tesla Model S and the latest electric skateboard from Boosted. Let's take a look at other products that have had trouble in the flammability department. And let's hope those non-exploding lithium Ion batteries get here soon.
Edgar Alvarez01.15.2017
Three Takata executives charged in global airbag scandal
It's official: The US Department of Justice has indicted three Takata Corporation executives -- Shinichi Tanaka, Hideo Nakajima and Tsuneo Chikaraishi -- on charges that they knowingly falsified safety reports in an effort to continue selling airbags the company knew were unsafe. The DoJ is also expected to announce that the company will plead guilty to criminal misconduct charges, though that announcement has not yet been formally made.
Andrew Tarantola01.13.2017
GoPro will outline the Karma drone's future in February
GoPro has mostly been silent about its Karma drone's return following a recall in November, but it's finally ready to start talking... well, almost. The action camera maker has revealed that it will detail the Karma's worldwide relaunch sometime in early February. GoPro isn't saying much at this point, but it's close to completing its investigation of the Karma's power loss issues and expects the robotic flyer to hit shelves in 2017. Vague, we know.
Jon Fingas01.05.2017
Samsung's 2016 went up in smoke
Samsung's year started well, all things considered. The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge were bona fide hits. The company's financials looked great. Its position as the global leader in the smartphone market was assured. And then the Galaxy Note 7 happened. After months of success, Samsung's year started to unravel -- quickly.
Chris Velazco12.27.2016
Samsung will disable remaining US Note 7s with software update (updated)
Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 recall in the US is still ongoing, but the company will release an update in a couple of weeks that will basically force customers to return any devices that may still be in use. The company announced today that a December 19th update to the handsets in the States will prevent them from charging at all and "will eliminate their ability to work as mobile devices." In other words, if you still have a Note 7, it will soon be completely useless.
Billy Steele12.09.2016
Apple replacing a small number of iPhone 6s batteries
Apple has let a cat out of its bag, the cat in this case being that there's a problem with some iPhone 6s models. According to the company, a fault with the battery is causing a "very small number" of handsets to randomly shut down. If you're rocking a device that was manufactured between September and October 2015, then you're eligible for a replacement. Simply head down to your local Apple Store or authorized service provider to have your serial number checked and, if you qualify, you'll get a replacement battery.
Daniel Cooper11.21.2016
GoPro compensates Karma buyers with free Hero5 cameras
We won't blame you if you're upset that GoPro had to recall your Karma drone over sudden power losses, but at least you're getting compensation for your trouble. GoPro is offering American Karma buyers a free Hero5 Black camera once they return both their drones and the accessories that came with them. That's on top of the full refund during the investigation, we'd add. While this won't completely make up for having to go droneless (or, gasp, look for an alternative), you won't have to go empty-handed -- and GoPro won't have to worry so much about customers holding on to their Karmas at all costs.
Jon Fingas11.20.2016
GoPro recalls all Karma drones over safety concerns
If you recently picked up one of GoPro's long-in-the-works Karma drones, you should probably return it. The company has issued a recall for all devices (around 2,500 according to internal estimates) because "in a very small number of cases" the Karmas lost power while in use. Exchanges won't be offered, and GoPro says to take your device back to the point of purchase for a full refund. Once the issue has been worked out, shipment and sales of the drone will resume.
Timothy J. Seppala11.08.2016
Software update will annoy Galaxy Note 7 owners into a return
While Samsung continues its quest to retrieve every Galaxy Note 7, a software update that reduces how much the phone's battery can be charged is finally rolling out in the US. Even though it's still apparently unclear exactly what caused so many of the phones to overheat, smoke and/or start fires, the idea is that this will increase participation in the recall. Another "feature" of the update is a system of pop-up notifications about the recall anytime an owner reboots, charges or turns on the screen of the device
Richard Lawler11.04.2016
Samsung recalls 2.8 million top-loading washing machines
No company likes to issue a product recall, but Samsung is having to deal with its fair share as of late. After going some way to reduce the damage following the disastrous launch of the Galaxy Note 7, the company has today made the headlines again after issuing an urgent recall on 2.8 million top-loading washing machines.
Matt Brian11.04.2016
You can still buy the Note 7 in Hong Kong, but you shouldn't
Hong Kong's Sincere Podium is home to all manner of mobile devices -- be it second-hand phones, imported handsets (mainly from Japan and Korea), spare parts and even prototypes once in a while. This time, the mall appears to be the last place in the city -- if not the world -- to still be openly selling the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 despite the worldwide recall. Over the weekend, I came across a shop with a glass cabinet full of boxes for the 64GB Note 7, with a bright sticker on one of them saying "Samsung Note 7 dealer goods: special offer" in Chinese. I didn't think much of it and simply tweeted a couple of photos, only to be surprised by the posts' traction over the last two days.
Richard Lai10.24.2016
Vulnerable webcams used in major internet attack recalled
This past Friday, some of the biggest sites and services on the internet were effectively shut down by a major distributed denial of service attack (DDoS). As the day wore on, it was revealed that hacked Internet of Things devices like webcams and other connected home devices were the tools used to carry out the attack, and now at least some of the hacked devices are being recalled. The BBC reports that Chinese manufacturer Hangzhou Xiongmai has issued a recall for its faulty webcams that were involved in the attack.
Nathan Ingraham10.24.2016
Samsung's hurried Galaxy Note 7 recall doomed the phone
You knew it was just a matter of time before some of the drama behind the death of the Galaxy Note 7 came to light, and what we're seeing isn't all that pretty. Wall Street Journal sources claim that Samsung's mobile chief DJ Koh thought there was enough evidence (protrusions in the batteries from one supplier) to go ahead with the speedy initial recall. He thought it was best to do "the right thing" and start a recall, insiders say, even though there was incomplete evidence. The company didn't want to leave people in the dark, worrying what was wrong. And while there was a debate about the seriousness of the issue (some even suspected the fires were fake), it's not as if Koh was a lone wolf. Company heir and vice chairman Lee Jae-yong was also in favor of the hasty recall, possibly due to his push for greater transparency at a company known for its secrecy.
Jon Fingas10.23.2016
Soylent recalls its food bars after making some customers sick
You probably shouldn't eat one of Soylent's recently-launched food bars. The company is halting sales, and recalling existing bars following reports of of customers getting sick after eating its latest future-food. People have reported feeling nauseous, vomiting and even diarrhea.
Mat Smith10.13.2016
Samsung offers Note 7 owners $100 off another Galaxy phone
In an attempt to keep users, Samsung is issuing a $100 credit to exchange the defective Galaxy Note 7 for a Galaxy S7 Edge or other Samsung device. By comparison, it'll give you just $25 if you switch to Apple, HTC or any other brand. It has also expanded the recall to include all Galaxy Note 7 devices, including those issued as replacements for the original defective phones. That move was expected, since both have proved to have defective batteries that can cause fires and explosions.
Steve Dent10.13.2016
US couriers issue strict guidelines for returning your Galaxy Note 7
If you can't walk into your carrier's store to turn in a Galaxy Note 7 in person, you'll have to ask them for Samsung's fire-proof box and wait for it to come in. FedEx and UPS have announced that they won't ship out the phone unless it's inside one of the special containers Samsung has prepared for it. This container is actually comprised of several boxes you'll have to stack like a Russian doll, though the outermost one is lined with ceramic fiber designed to keep potential fires under control. Meanwhile, the US Postal Service will accept your shipment, so long as it's inside hard cardboard or plastic boxes.
Mariella Moon10.13.2016
NYT: Samsung engineers can't replicate Galaxy Note 7 problems
Even though Galaxy Note 7 production has shut down and the phones should be on their way back to Samsung in fireproof boxes, the question of how everything went so wrong has yet to be answered. When it initiated a recall on September 2nd, the company said that "we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue." However, today when it announced a permanent end to manufacturing, there was no word on the problem. A report by the New York Times indicates that despite assigning "hundreds" of employees, they have not been able to reproduce the spontaneously smoky, blazing hot phones too many customers have experienced.
Richard Lawler10.11.2016