Amazon has asked its customers in the UK to junk hoverboards purchased from its site over fears that they might catch fire.
In an email, the company urged customers to dispose of the product at recycling centers as soon as possible. It’s also promised to refund them within three days.
The news comes soon after Trading Standards seized 15,000 imported unbranded boards that it had deemed unsafe. They’re thought to have been shipped from East Asia and China with faulty UK plugs and lithium-ion batteries.
Since October, three house fires in London have been caused by these devices. Amazon has also pulled boards off its site, along with online retailers Argos and John Lewis.
It’s just as well, as hoverboards are illegal to use on roads and sidewalks in the UK . Plus, a teen in Alperton died earlier this week after colliding with a bus while riding a hoverboard.
Until these devices can be vetted for safety and cleared for use in public, it’s best to avoid buying them, even if you’re keen on gifting one for the holidays.
➤ Amazon tells customers: Throw away unsafe ‘hoverboards’ [BBC]
Tiffen’s new Stedicams for GoPro and smartphones will make your videos smooooth
Shooting steady handheld video with a smartphone or GoPro even without filling yourself with caffeine is difficult. Tiffen wants to help you make your videos smooth as butter.
The Tiffen Stedicam Curve for GoPro and Smoothee for smartphones bring the awesome power of a Steadicam to your hand-held video footage. Both rigs have a handle that acts independent to the weighted mount. You make tiny adjustments with your index finder and thumb.
It takes a little practice, but soon you’ll be shooting video like a pro without the tell-tale signs of footage bobbing up and down associated with hand held video.
The Stedicam Curve will cost you $100 while the Smoothee will set you back $150.
➤ Tiffen Stedicam
Strategy Analytics: Smart TV shipments grew 55 percent in 2013, accounted for one third of all flat panel TVs
Global Smart TV shipments grew 55 percent year-over-year to reach 76 million units in 2013, accounting for 33 percent of the total number of flat panel TVs shipped last year. Western Europe was the leading market for Smart TVs in terms of penetration, with almost 45 percent of flat panel TVs shipped in 2013.
Those figures come from Strategy Analytics , which also predicted Smart TV share will grow as follows globally for the next few years:
That being said, only about half of owners are actually taking full advantage of their new devices. David Watkins, Strategy Analytics’ Director of Connected Home Devices service, said: “Our consumer survey data shows that around 50 percent of Smart TV owners across the USA and major European markets are currently using their TV’s Internet capabilities, so vendors must continue to add compelling applications and services to entice consumers to utilize their platforms.”
Image Credit: Jon Fingas/Flickr