recall
Latest
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Samsung ships fire-proof boxes and gloves to recover Note 7s
If you purchased a Galaxy Note 7 from a US carrier or retailer, you can (and should) return it to a store immediately. If you bought the phone straight from Samsung, though, the process was a little trickier -- some customers complained early on about FedEx and UPS refusing to handle return units out of fears they would blow up. That's why Samsung has adopted an elaborate recall box that allows affected phones to be returned to the company via UPS Ground. It's... sort of a doozy.
Samsung ends production of the Galaxy Note 7 for good
Samsung has "permanently discontinued" production of the Galaxy Note 7, the company told Engadget in a short statement. Sales of the flagship phone were halted yesterday because replacements for the original, recalled model were still catching fire and exploding. Shortly after it started doing exchanges, the updated models were involved in several serious fires, causing the evacuation of a Southwest Airlines flight and a fire that sent a Kentucky owner to hospital with smoke inhalation.
Samsung's Note 7 catches fire, but the damage isn't done
When Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 launched earlier in the fall, we loved it. So did a lot of others, critics and consumers alike. Then the reports of battery-related fires started rolling in. Just weeks later, Samsung was forced to kick off a massive recall of Note 7s, a complicated, crucially important process that should have signaled the end of this disaster. It didn't. Now we're left with reports of replacement units going up in smoke -- one of them started smoldering on a Southwest flight, and another put a Kentucky man in the hospital for smoke inhalation. Then, during the writing of this very sentence, Samsung told all of its carrier and retail partners around the world to stop sales and exchanges of Galaxy Note 7s. It's the move Samsung dreaded, and the move Samsung needed. As dramatic as this seems, though, it's just another step in its fight to piece its reputation back together, bit by agonizing bit.
Samsung stops Galaxy Note 7 sales, owners should 'power down'
That's it for the Galaxy Note 7 -- Samsung just issued a statement saying it's asking "all global partners to stop sales and exchanges of Galaxy Note 7 while further investigation takes place." That includes both original and devices issued as replacements, matching a rumor from last night that Samsung had, in conjunction with consumer safety organizations from several countries, decided to stop manufacturing the phone.
Samsung reportedly halts Galaxy Note 7 production (update: confirmed)
After more reports of replacement Galaxy Note 7 phones catching fire, Yonhap News reports that Samsung has temporarily suspended production. The Korean paper cited an anonymous source working at one of Samsung's suppliers, and the company has not yet commented. Already, AT&T and T-Mobile have said they will stop Galaxy Note 7 sales and replacements while investigations into the incidents continue.
Bloomberg: AT&T considering a halt on Galaxy Note 7 sales
Reports that a Galaxy Note 7 issued as a replacement caught fire on an airplane may be too much for at least one carrier. Bloomberg cites a single unnamed source claiming that AT&T is "considering" stopping sales of the troubled phone based on that incident. Although AT&T (along with Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon) have already issued statements indicating that customers can return or exchange their replacement phones, this would go a step further. The rumored deadline for the decision is Friday, which would put pressure on Samsung to figure out what's going here.
US carriers exchange replacement Note 7s after airplane incident (updated)
A replacement Samsung Galaxy Note 7 started smoking and burned through the carpet on board a Southwest flight this week. Following the incident, one US carrier is allowing owners to exchange those replacement devices even though the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) hasn't issued a formal warning or recall yet. Sprint confirmed to Engadget it will allow customers to return their replacement Note 7 for another device at its retail stores "during the investigation window." The carrier says that it's working with Samsung "to better understand the most recent concerns" with the handset.
Replacement Note 7 starts smoking on Southwest flight (updated)
A Southwest flight was evacuated in Lousiville, Kentucky when a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 overheated and began smoking on board. Louisville Metro Arson investigators confirmed to WAVE News 3 that a Samsung device was the cause of the incident. All passengers and crew members exited the plane safely via the main cabin door and no injuries were reported. To make matters worse, the device was a replacement following the company's global recall of the handset over the last few weeks.
Galaxy Note 7 finally goes on sale in Europe on October 28th
Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 was originally set to go on sale in Europe on September 2nd, but on that very day the launch was pulled and a global recall issued on account of their tendency to explode without warning. This made the regional recall process a little simpler for Samsung, given only those who had taken advantage of early delivery preorder promotions had devices in hand, but it also meant Europeans have never actually been able to straight-up buy -- battery defects aside -- Samsung's finest smartphone yet. That changes October 28th, however, when the Note 7 will finally go on general sale in the region "subject to full completion of the exchange programme." Though whether consumer confidence has been irreparably damaged already remains to be seen.
Samsung already exchanged half of recalled Galaxy Note 7s
A lot of Note 7 owners don't have to sleep with one eye open anymore, according to Samsung's latest press release. The company says it has already exchanged half of the Galaxy Note 7s sold in the US that had been turned in through its voluntary recall program. Further, 90 percent of the people who went in for the recall apparently asked for replacement Note 7s, which were released on September 21st, instead of getting another model. Samsung made sure those replacement devices are safe, but if you want to know if you really got one that won't blow up, check its battery indicator. The safe Note 7s have green battery indicators, though you might have to download a software update to change its hue.
Samsung's replacement Galaxy Note 7s will be in stores tomorrow
More than 500,000 replacement Galaxy Note 7 phones have landed in the United States and been shipped to stores across the country, meaning anyone in need of a non-explosive device can get one tomorrow, September 21st, just as Samsung planned. Samsung is also rolling out a software update to all affected Galaxy Note 7s prompting users to turn off and exchange their devices every time they're charged or powered on. An update released today additionally limits affected phones in Korea to a 60 percent charge.
Samsung begins replacing Galaxy Note 7 handsets in the UK
Although Samsung acted quickly to stop the bulk of Galaxy Note 7s making their way to consumers before its recall in the UK, units were delivered before the official launch. Now that it's had to time to prepare, the company today kicked off its Galaxy Note 7 Exchange Programme, allowing those affected to swap their defective unit for a brand new one.
The FAA really doesn't want you flying with a Galaxy Note 7
Samsung is already laying out the steps for how and when it will have new Galaxy Note 7s available, but everyone else is still dealing with the now-recalled first batch. Eight days ago the FAA warned travelers against using or charging them in-flight, and today put some teeth behind that with a pair of advisories for airlines (PDF) and passengers (PDF). If you've flown lately, you've probably heard some level of warning against using a Galaxy Note 7 or, on some flights, even all Samsung mobile devices, and the FAA's Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) should provide more detail on what they're looking for.
The Engadget Podcast, Ep 6: I Beg Your Pardon
Managing editor Dana Wollman and reviews editor Cherlynn Low join host Terrence O'Brien to discuss all the latest Apple goodies. Plus they'll talk about Samsung's software bandaid for your exploding Note 7 and debate whether or not Edward Snowden deserves a presidential pardon.
