Monday, August 03, 2009

Exploding iPod blows up in Apple's face

Exploding iPod blows up in Apple's face


Apple's got a lot of problems when it comes to overheating iPod batteries -- not only is the situation potentially dangerous, every move Cupertino makes is subject to sensational misinterpretation. Take today's Times UK story this morning about 11-year-old Ellie Stanborough, whose iPod touch blew itself up last month: when her father Ken contacted Apple for a refund, it seems he got a little bit of a runaround, but was eventually sent a settlement agreement offering a full refund if the family agreed to keep the deal confidential. That's actually totally standard practice when companies settle out-of-warranty claims, but since the agreement was written by lawyers, it contained a bunch of vaguely threatening language about how breaking confidentiality might result in Apple relentlessly suing everyone until Liverpool itself goes bankrupt and the populace is forced to resort to cannibalism and network television. Cue hysterical media coverage.

Now, it's no secret that lithium-ion batteries like those used in the iPod have a long history of overheating and exploding, and Apple's certainly had large-scale problems with defective cells -- the first-gen iPod nano has been recalled in Korea and Japan, for example. It's also obvious that the sheer number of iPods sold means there are more exploding iPods than anything else -- and while we're sure some accountant at Apple has a spreadsheet showing the exact failure rate is acceptable, all we've got right now is story after story of these things blowing up with zero context. So here's our suggestion to Apple: maybe instead of having lawyers draft individu! al settl ement agreements full of impenetrable and scary legalese for each and every jilted iPod owner out there, why not simply fess up to the problem, let people know exactly how common it is and how to avoid it, and provide a dead-simple replacement option for people who've had their iPods go up in smoke? That would put everyone at ease, and make these types of stories much less likely to blow up in a media feeding frenzy. Or, you know, do nothing because overwhelming market share inevitably leads to arrogant laziness -- your call.

[Via TUAW]

Exploding iPod blows up in Apple's face originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ's 1TB Colossus SSD gets a price and launch timeframe

OCZ's 1TB Colossus SSD gets a price and launch timeframe


We already got word of the starting price for the entry-level 128GB drive in OCZ's new Colossus line of SSDs, but details on the standout 1TB model have unfortunately been quite a bit harder to come by. OCZ's now finally cleared up most of those remaining questions, however, and announced that the drive will be available mid-August for a jaw-dropping $2,500 (give or take a few bucks). The 500GB drive will also apparently be available at the same time, although OCZ doesn't seem to be saying anything more than that it'll be "less expensive."

[Via Electronista]

Update: OCZ just hit us up with the official information. The company is actually "about three weeks" out from release, and it'll ship the Colossus 120 (128GB), 250 (256GB), 500 (512GB) and 1TB (1024GB) for $300, $650, $1200 and $2200 in order of mention.

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OCZ's 1TB Colossus SSD gets a price and launch timeframe originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu's CELSIUS ULTRA gaming PC caught on video

Fujitsu's CELSIUS ULTRA gaming PC caught on video


It's not exactly the most exhaustive of hands-ons, but the video after the break appears to be one of the very first looks at Fujitsu's much-hyped CELSIUS ULTRA gaming PC which, as promised, made its debut at the big KnastLAN event in Germany this weekend. From the sound of things, however, Fujitsu still isn't quite ready to dish out many details about the system's specs, although it does apparently make use of a pair of unspecified overclocked NVIDIA graphics cards in an SLI configuration, and it was reportedly able to run Crysis "impressively" at a full 120 fps. Head on past the break to see it for yourself.

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Fujitsu's CELSIUS ULTRA gaming PC caught on video originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikon Coolpix S640, S570, S70 leak out, leave little to the imagination

Nikon Coolpix S640, S570, S70 leak out, leave little to the imagination


Nikon's Coolpix S1000pj project-o-camera may be the big rumor du jour, but the company's also got plenty of other cameras slipping through the cracks these days, like this trio of new compact shooters. Leading off the lot is the 12.2-megapixel Coolpix S640 (pictured above), which is said to pack a 5x, 28mm equivalent wide-angle lens, a 2.7-inch display, an "ultra-fast autofocus system," a start-up time of just 0.7 seconds, built-in quick retouch features, and your choice of three different colors for $499. Joining it are the 12-megapixel Coolpix S570, which replaces the 10-megepixel S560 and will set you back $349, and the all new 12.1-megapixel Coolpix S70 (check it out after the break), which runs a hefty $599 and includes 3.5-inch OLED touchscreen, a 5x optical zoom, sensitivity setting up to ISO 6400, and your choice of red, black, or champagne colors. No word on a release date for any of them just yet, but it sure seems like they're about to burst out of the gate.

Continue reading Nikon Coolpix S640, S570, S70 leak out, leave little to the imagination

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Nikon Coolpix S640, S570, S70 leak out, leave little to the imagination originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Square iPhone Payment System turns your phone into credit card reader

Square iPhone Payment System turns your phone into credit card reader


Everyone and their uncle Steve uses WinCE terminals to execute cashless transactions these days, and while you'd expect Apple to remedy that right quick, the Square credit card reader has beaten it to the punch. Plugging into the headphone jack of either an iPhone or iPod Touch, the dongle takes a swipe of your card, the seller enters the purchase data and you do your best penless John Hancock on the touchscreen. After that, a receipt is delivered by email and the app retains geotagging data for each transaction. Spiffy, right? Well, there is a surcharge to pay, and it's still in early alpha testing in New York, but should it prove popular, there's no reason not to see this appendage make an appearance on Android or WinMo phones as well. Rest easy, Gotham, we're sure nothing could possibly go wrong.

[Thanks, Derek]

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Square iPhone Payment System turns your phone into credit card reader originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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