Nokia handset exploded in Hong Kong  

Another exploding cell phone incident, reported this time in Hong Kong. South China Morning Post, a Hong-Kong based daily, reported Sunday that a Nokia handset exploded and injured a man, according to Telecom's Korea. "According to the report, the victim took his mobile phone out of his pocket after he felt heating. and the handset went off a few seconds later. The man had his hand burnt and got first aid by an emergency service worker at the site, the paper said. As he told the police that he had bought his battery for about a half the normal price in the street, an inferior battery is presumed to be the main culprit." Related articles and other such incidents reported around the world: -- In July 2004, a man was injured when a mobile phone he was using exploded in Beijing.. -- On July 2nd, 2004, a 16-year-old California girl suffered second degree burns Thursday when her Verizon Kyocera cell phone caught on fire in her back pocket. -- Verizon Wireless - on June 2004 and for the second time this year - recalled 50,000 cell phone batteries some of which may be counterfeit, after reports suggesting that they may cause minor fires and injuries. -- Good Morning America reported in January 2004, that the phone manufacturer Kyocera was voluntarily recalling batteries for one of its phones, the first-ever recall of cell-phone batteries. About 140,000 batteries custom made for the Kyocera 7135 Smartphone were recalled. -- Nokia has confirmed that one of its 3310 handsets, which exploded and caused minor injuries to a woman in Finland in November 2003. -- In a rare accident in Amsterdam in August 2003 a mobile phone exploded in a woman's face causing burns to her face and neck. -- In February 2003, Cellular News reported that Nokia had admitted that cases had been reported of non-original mobile phone batteries overheating in the European, African and Asian regions, causing damage to both batteries and Nokia phones. -- An incident in Norway was reported by Belgian newspaper Le Soir, in November 2002, when the Nokia handeset of a 15 year-old boy exploded in class. His cell phone was equipped with a non Nokia battery. No one was hurt. -- The first case tracked down of a cellphone fault causing an explosion occured in Taiwan in June 2002, injuring its owner, and reported by Cellular News. The woman appeared on ETTV television channel saying: "The phone heated up and I could feel the heat coming from my bag, but I did not pay attention because I was eating. A few minutes later it exploded. The hot debris burned my arms and feet." permalink (August 2nd, 2004)

Kyocera resumes phone shipments, denies phone exploded

Following last week's story on Kyocera stopping shipment one of its Phantom models of cell phones after a US family reported the phone blew up, after investigating, Kyocera has resumed shipping, according to RCRNews.

“There was no explosion,” said Kyocera spokesman John Chier. The incident was actually caused by a safety feature built into the phone's battery which caused it to short circuit, then heat and pressurebuilt up inside of the battery. “This is a very unique incident,” Chier said. “We're very confident in the safety of the battery and the phone.”

permalink (October 15th, 2003)

Cell phones don't ring everyone's bell

Most of us just can't live without a cell phone and we wonder how we managed all those years without one. But according to The Houston Chronicle, a small group of die hard folks are surviving just fine without what some describe as a high-tech digital leash.

Although the number of holdouts is dwindling, U.S. Census data released Thursday indicates 29 percent of the nation's homes still do not have cell phones. Yet Census data show the ubiquitous cell phone is increasingly becoming the communication tool of choice for the majority. Some are even disconnecting their landlines and using cell phones exclusively. According to the new data, the number of households with cell phones exploded from 36 percent to 71 percent between 1998 and 2005. Landline ownership during this same period fell from 96 percent to 91 percent, with many in their 20s particularly seeing no useful purpose in having a hard-wired phone. Those age 65 and older were the most likely to still have landlines — 98 percent.

permalink (November 20th, 2009)

Apple denies 'exploding' iPhones

A number of iPhones that reportedly "exploded" in France were not due to the battery overheating as had been suggested, Apple has said, reports the BBC.

The firm said that all of the handsets they had seen with broken screens were caused by an "external force". "To date, there are no confirmed battery overheating incidents for iPhone 3GS and the number of reports we are investigating is in the single digits," Apple said in a statement.

permalink (August 30th, 2009)

iPhone App Classroom Allows Regular People To Create Their Own iPhone Apps Without Programming

iPhone development has exploded as one of the most lucrative opportunities in our economy. But non-programmers have been left asking themselves, "How can I make my own iPhone App?" iPhone App Classroom, unveiled Friday during WWDC, gives regular people an exciting opportunity to make their own Apps with what is being called "Codeless iPhone Development." Press release. permalink (June 13th, 2009)

For Japan, Email is a Cellphone Phenomenon

OTM producer Mark Phillips took a look at Japan, one of the world’s most cellular nations.

When you say email to today’s young people, they would never think of emails you do on the computer. To them, cell phone emails are emails. There are even some users who would say, oh, I didn't know you could do email on a computer, too. This brings up one of the biggest differences between U.S. and Japanese cell phone culture. While most Americans use computers to develop an intimacy with the Internet, the Japanese access the Internet primarily through the cell phone. U.C. Many Japanese actually say they prefer the cell phone keypad over the computer keyboard because they can type faster on it. And perhaps, most importantly, they don't have to share their phones with anyone else. That’s why the pager fad exploded in the '90s, because it was so personal.

[OTM via Gizmodo] permalink (February 3rd, 2009)

Linc: The Lifecycle Concept Phone

LINK is a concept for a completely sustainable phone that doesn't sacrifice style or functionality. Its returned to the manufacturer as a part of a service, so all the parts can be properly reused, recycled, or disposed of. LINC is a typical touch screen smart phone with all the connectivity and features you come to expect. Its got a cell phone, a media player, a web browser, GPS, downloadable content, Bluetooth, wifi, the latest 3G network. But here’s the catch. LINC is leased to the user as a service, not a product. The user holds on to the device for about a year, and when the next generation of hardware comes along, the user receives a new LINC in the mail. The LINCs inform the user of their hardware upgrade, wirelessly transfer the digital account, and before being shipped back to the manufacturer, LINC informs the user of the next part of its journey. LINC is designed for automated disassembly. A directed radiant heat beam targets its internal memory metal latch, releasing the assembly. In one step, LINC automatically disassembles into its few simple components, glass, aluminum and its circuit flex. permalink (March 3rd, 2008)

Late night explosion fright prompts Nokia investigation

Nokia has launched an investigation after a phone battery exploded while it was charging next to the bed of an Auckland man. stuff reports. "Norman Sievewright said he was given a "huge fright" when he awoke to a loud bang in the in the middle of the night. He found his phone in pieces and the carpet singed. "It was very scary. . . especially with the fumes." he told One News. Nokia said it had the remains of the charger and phone and would be investigating the cause of the explosion. In August Nokia issued a global advisory notice that it would replace its bl-5c batteries made between December 2005 and last November, after about 100 of them had overheated or exploded. The company had produced about 46 million of those batteries worldwide." Other story in the news today involving an LG phone Man Killed by Cellphone Explosion and links to related incidents. permalink (November 28th, 2007)

Man Killed by Cellphone Explosion

A Korean man was apparently killed by his LG cellphone today. He was carrying the phone in his left shirt pocket when it exploded, puncturing his heart and lungs. It happened in the North Chungcheong Province of Korea as the man was working on a construction site. He was found dead by one of his coworkers. [via Gizmodo] Click here for related incidents involving cell phone batteries exploding. permalink (November 28th, 2007)

101 gadgets that changed the world

Alongside aspirin, barbed wire, bras, easers, fire, toilet flushing, microchips, floppy disks, light bulbs, laptops and iPods, text messaging comes in 76th place as one of the 101 gadgets that changed the world, according to Belfast Telegraph 76. SMS, 1992 Linguist purists H8 txtspk. The Short Message Service (SMS) has developed the thumbs of a generation of communicators who have devised their own shorthand, textspeak, to stay in touch (and uncover extra-marital affairs). The British engineer Neil Papworth sent the first (unabbreviated) text 15 years ago. It read: "MERRY CHRISTMAS". Their popularity exploded in the late 1990s and now in the UK alone we send millions every day (a record 214 million last New Year's Eve). permalink (November 5th, 2007)

More incidents of Nokia batteries exploding

The AFP reports that a pregnant woman suffered burns in eastern India after the battery of her Nokia mobile phone exploded minutes after she put the handset on charge in eastern Kolkata city, police said Saturday. The battery that exploded was, however from the firm's BL-D3 series, and not from BL-5C that Nokia recalled a month ago, police said. And The Times of India reports on another such incident where by a battery used in a Nokia handset exploded while being charged at a telecom outlet in Asansol on Friday. The battery used in the handset belonged to the BL-5C series. Two Nokia officials met Prosad, but a spokesperson said it was a "fraudulent attempt to malign the company". permalink (September 3rd, 2007)

About Texting Teens

Now that texting has exploded in America, it's regarded as one of the current teen generation's inexplicable behaviors, like instant-messaging or spending hours on Facebook . The Washington Post reports. ... The explosion of this technology was inevitable, according to those who research adolescent behavior, because it provides a new tool for creating what teenagers always have wanted and needed -- distance from parents. "It's a form of silent communication; they can do it whenever, they can do it fairly secretively," said Rob Callender, trends director for Teenage Research Unlimited. Lilli Friedland, a Los Angeles psychologist who also does consulting for the entertainment industry, says texting is different from the marathon phone calls most parents remember making as teens because it's typically done with a large group of friends. "For many of them, it is the sense of being part of a group that is really important," she said. What she worries about is that children aren't getting the "cleaner, deeper sense of friendship and relatedness" that came from talking to someone directly, even on the phone. "We just don't know yet what the impact will be," she said. Picture above left: Last month, Sofia Rubenstein, 17, used 6,807 text messages, which pushed her family's wireless bill to more than $1,100 for the month. She couldn't believe the "incredible" number she hit. permalink (May 21st, 2007)

Mobile social netoworking, via cell, taking off

While people have been using their cell phones to send text messages to friends and relatives for years, technology companies and carriers are expanding this ability to unite people with friends and strangers, writes the Denver Post. "Chat rooms, once a bastion of the personal computer, have exploded on cell phones. The experience of typing in messages to friends, or hooking up with potential new ones is being replicated in the mobile world. Instead of sending text or e-mail messages to friends via cell phone, mobile chat rooms let users interact with people of similar interests, for example snowboarding or local bands. It's different from sending a text message to someone you know, as messages in chat rooms appear on the cell phones of all users in that particular room. Companies that offer mobile chat services include AirG - where ssers spend an average 59 minutes each day chatting -- on and off -- according to Fred Ghahramani, founder and CEO of AirG, - Power Chat and Upoc." permalink (February 13th, 2007)

Mobile Phones Made from Castor Oil

A catchy headline on Cellular News , mobile phones phones made from castor oil. The article doesn't say whether this is a cost saving component or an environmentally favorable option. Probably one or the other. "Fujitsu says that it has developed a new polymer with a high bio-content that uses castor oil, which the company says could be used for small components of mobile phones, such as connector covers." Other pioneering bio-phone technology, showcased at UK's Science Museum in March of this year: -- The first UK display of NEC's phone with a biodegradeable cover‚ currently only available in Japan. -- A a prototype phone cover with an implanted sunflower seed. As the sunflower grows‚ it gets additional nutrients from the biodegrading phone cover. -- The only lasagne-based circuit board in the world. -- An exploded phone showing how new smart metals will help phones take themselves apart for recycling. permalink (December 8th, 2006)

Mobile Phone Explosions Worry Brazilians

At least five mobile phones have exploded over the last two months in Brazil, causing anxiety among phone users and making news headlines, reports TechWeb. "The incidents all involved Motorola phones. Motorola said the probable cause of the explosion was that the owners used non-original or low-quality batteries. Related articles and timeline of incidents reported around the world permalink (May 13th, 2006)

Three year-old son hit by Sony Ericsson debris

An angry The Register reader has told how his Sony Ericsson CST-20 charger exploded on Monday night, spraying the room with shrapnel: "Swindon man Scott Wichall said the lid of the smoking unit flew across the kitchen, striking his three-year-old son Kieran square in the chest. ... In 2003 the firm had to recall the CST-13 model due to a spate of similar self-destruction issues. Richard Dorman, Sony Ericsson's UK PR man said that an isolated incident is unlikely to precipitate a recall, but that the matter would be fully investigated. He added that the CST-20, which is packaged with the K600i and V800 handsets amongst others, was not manufactured by the same Thai firm responsible for the CST-13." permalink (April 20th, 2006)

Innovative new mobile phone technology on display for the first time at the Science Museum

"1712 mobile phones are upgraded every hour in the UK alone‚ reveals Dead Ringers?‚ a new free exhibition to be opened at the Science Museum on Wednesday 29th March by Government Minister Ben Bradshaw. The exhibition‚ opening in Antenna - the science and technology news gallery of the Science Museum - will showcase pioneering phone technology, such as: -- The first UK display of NEC's phone with a biodegradeable cover‚ currently only available in Japan. -- A a prototype phone cover with an implanted sunflower seed. As the sunflower grows‚ it gets additional nutrients from the biodegrading phone cover. -- The only lasagne-based circuit board in the world -- An exploded phone showing how new smart metals will help phones take themselves apart for recycling. Further inventive design ideas covered in the exhibition include new and biodegradeable battery designs and design innovations from Nokia which may reduce the need for toxic flame retardants‚ aiding easier recycling of mobile-derived plastics. [via science museum e-newsletter and Press Release] Related: -- Researchers compost old mobile phones & transform them into flowers permalink (March 28th, 2006)

Nokiaphobia: the fear of Greeks bearing phones

A new phobia has exploded among mobile phone users in Greece, reports The Observer. "The 'fear of fear' has been brought on by revelations of eavesdropping at Vodafone, the country's biggest mobile operator, say psychoanalysts reporting a boom in patients. "Greeks, anxious their phones may have been tapped by bosses or spouses, have sought medical help. 'The afflicted show all the signs of a classic phobia,' said Dr Dimitris Souras, an Athenian psychotherapist. 'I have had at least 25 people, of all ages, displaying what I can only call a "fear of fear", that is fear of their own fear that their private conversations may have been monitored. All had complained of anxiety, sleep disorders, irritability and an inability to function properly. 'There is no doubt in my mind that this is connected to what we now know: that in Greece mobile phones are not safe,' said Dr Souras who includes the phobia in his latest book." Related articles: -- Greek boss at phone-tapping probe -- Mobile phone-tapping plot uncovered in Greece -- Furor continues over unprecedented mobile phone-tapping case permalink (March 27th, 2006)

Cover-up of toxic spill in China raises doubts: Can leaders be believed?

When a chemical plant exploded and leaked poison into a river in northeastern China, sparking a calamity this week, regional officials employed a time-tested strategy to quash the bad news: They lied, reports The Seattle Times. "Only when panic and public suspicion overwhelmed officials Wednesday did they admit that 100 tons of toxic chemicals had leaked into the river after the Nov. 13 explosion and acknowledge the danger to public health. ... On Friday night, reporters received orders from the party's central propaganda department to stop asking questions and go home. All state media were told to use only the reports of the official New China News Agency (Xinhua), the journalists said. ... One newspaper called on Beijing to learn a lesson from the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, when the government tried to smother news of the disease, which eventually killed nearly 800 people in 30 countries. "The government should tell the public the truth," the Beijing News said. "During SARS, the publication of truthful information turned the situation around. During the SARS crisis, Pettis said, word of a government cover-up spread rapidly by cellphone text-messaging. ... Chinese are more wired and digitally connected than ever, making government cover-ups more difficult. The nation has 377 million cellphone users. "In today's China, it's very hard for the government to conceal information," said Yang Hongshan, deputy director of the Public Policy Research Center at People's University in Beijing. "The public can turn to text messages, the Internet or other ways for help. Rumors can spread more easily, and there can be greater panic." permalink (November 26th, 2005)

Build-it-yourself cell phones

Frustrated at limitations on mainstream mobile phones, "homebrew" enthusiasts are building their own, reports News.com ... "Cell phone use has already exploded all over the world, but it is only recently that falling component prices have made it practical for homebrew phone hackers to build their own. Certainly, the phone tinkerers are chafing at the boundaries set by the handset makers and the big phone carriers. They want phones to be programmable, so they can create their own services, either as start-up companies or just for their own use. " permalink (November 16th, 2005)

Handsets' Deadly Use: Detonators

More and more terrorists are using cell phones to remotely detonate bombs — and there's not much authorities can do about it. At least, not that they can say, reports Investor's Business Daily, in a very interesting and thorough article on this issue. "Cell phones have been connected to terrorist bombings in Madrid, Bali and Israel. Many roadside bombs in Iraq are believed to be triggered by cell phones. (more examples in Cell Phones used by terrorists) ... The very factors that make cell phones so easy and affordable to use also make them easy to use as detonation devices. Radio jamming gear can prevent cell phone detonations, but cops don't have easy access to such gear or the ready authority to use it. Carriers, too, are limited in what they can do to stop cell phones from being used to detonate bombs. It's a complex, delicate situation. Few in government or industry care to talk about it publicly. Unfortunately, it's easy to use cell phones as detonators. Handsets are so similar, terrorists encounter the same circuitry in most any phone. Phones can easily be disassembled. "It takes about a minute and a half using a screwdriver" to connect a cell phone to a bomb, said Howard Melamed, president of Coral Springs, Fla.-based CellAntenna. It sells gear to jam cell phone signals. Melamed says there are two main ways to use a cell phone as a detonator. One method is to connect a bomb to the wires of the phone's ringer. The bomb can be exploded with a call to the phone. The other way is to connect a bomb to the phone's internal alarm clock, to detonate at a preset time. Walls concedes that design makes it easy to convert cell phones into detonators. But cell phones can't shoulder all the blame, he says. Many other electronic devices use radio airwaves and also can be made into detonators. Authorities believe garage door openers, cordless phones and toy remote controls have been used as detonators of roadside bombs in Iraq. Electronic jammers could prevent detonations. If a bomb is known to be in an area, the jammer interferes with signals reaching the phone, hence preventing ignition. In July, the Pentagon began issuing the third generation of its Warlock electronic jammers to soldiers in Iraq. The latest version is handheld. Other versions are vehicle-mounted or require manpower. Israeli security's had ready access to cell phone jamming gear because of that nation's long history of terrorist attacks, but not so elsewhere. ... jammers are fine in places like Iraq where the U.S. military has full authority to stop all cell phone communications in a battle zone. But in the U.S., jamming signals knock out all communications, even those of civilians. Oelrich says few government agencies want to risk the wrath of angry consumers who can't make a cell phone call. More than that, the fact is that jamming devices work only when a bomb is detonated through calling a cell phone. A preset explosion using the cell phone's clock can't be prevented through jamming, since no signal goes over the airwaves. ... cellular networks also can be designed to allow only outgoing calls in certain locations, such as subway tunnels. That way, terrorists couldn't call a cell phone to set off a bomb." permalink (August 27th, 2005)

Cellphones Catapult Rural Africa to 21st Century

Africa is the world's fastest-growing cellphone market. From 1999 through 2004, the number of mobile subscribers in Africa jumped to 76.8 million, from 7.5 million, an average annual increase of 58 percent. South Africa, the continent's richest nation, accounted for one-fifth of that growth, according to The New York Times. "Asia, the next fastest-expanding market, grew by an annual average of just 34 percent in that period. Africa's cellphone boom has taken the industry by surprise. Africans have never been rabid telephone users; even Mongolians have twice as many land lines per person. And with most Africans living on $2 a day or less, they were supposed to be too poor to justify corporate investments in cellular networks far outside the more prosperous cities and towns. But when African nations began to privatize their telephone monopolies in the mid-1990's, and fiercely competitive operators began to sell air time in smaller, cheaper units, cellphone use exploded. It turned out that Africans had never been big phone users because nobody had given them the chance. One in 11 Africans is now a mobile subscriber." permalink (August 25th, 2005)

London bombs made of ordinary stuff

Associated Press reports that the suicide bombers cooked up their explosives using mundane items like hydrogen peroxide. They stored them in a fancy commercial refrigerator that was out of place in their grimy apartment. And cell phones were probably used to set off the bombs. Investigators believe the three bombs that exploded in the subway were detonated by cell phones that had alarms set to 8:50 a.m. "Those details from the July 7 London bombing emerged Wednesday at an unusually wide- ranging briefing given by the New York Police Department to city business leaders. The briefing - based partly on information obtained by NYPD detectives who were dispatched to London to monitor the investigation - was part of a program designed to encourage more vigilance by private security at large hotels, Wall Street firms, storage facilities and other companies." Picture from the BBC. permalink (August 4th, 2005)

Blog Depression

This is not realted to the cell phone industry, but to blogdom. And well, there is something to it. the nonist writes: ... As blogging has exploded and, under the stewardship of the veterans, the form has matured more and more bloggers are finding themselves disillusioned, dissatisfied, taking long breaks, and in many cases simply closing up shop. This debilitating scourge ebbs and flows but there is hardly a blogger among us who has not felt it's dark touch. we're speaking, of course, about blog depression. Fact: Meta-bloggers may experience particularly severe blog depression when they realise everyone is continually posting the same information, on every other meta-blog, over and over and over. The realisation that meta-content is never “owned” can be very painful.” [via Ektopia] permalink (July 28th, 2005)

Car bombing increase prompts changes in tactics

Iraqi insurgents have increased their use of car bombs to an average of 30 per week, a move that has changed U.S. tactics, according to the head of a Pentagon task force that deals with remotely detonated bombs, a huge jump from the one-bomb-a-week average in January 2004, according to the Marine Corps Times. ...] The insurgents continue to use wireless roadside bombs that can be exploded by using consumer electronics devices such as garage-door openers or cell phones. [...] Improvised explosives have been used in previous wars, Brig. Gen. Joseph Votel, head of the Pentagon's Task Force on Improvised Explosive Devices said. But what's new in Iraq is that they've become a primary weapon. [...] The Pentagon now has about 4,200 portable electronic jamming devices in Iraq and more are on the way". permalink (June 9th, 2005)

China's Communications Future

Interesting insight on China from World Changing: "As China continues to urbanize (its urban population having exploded from 19% in 1979 to 40% in 2003), huge numbers of workers are being drawn from the comparatively poor countryside to booming urban job markets. Qi Wang and his colleague Jonathan Anderson calculated that at least 100 million people now work away from their primary residence, and that number will swell to 200 million by 2010. Traditionally, Wang explained, Chinese people have very strong ties with their families and hometowns. The family home is a spiritual center. So maintaining ties with one's roots is a very big deal to the almost 10% of the population which is working away. And providing communication services for that mobile population is in turn a very big deal. 50% already have access to mobile technologies, with low-cost options spreading and the total number of mobile phone minutes used in China going up 20% a year. But, Wang said, while the urban market is exploding, rural areas lag behind, PC penetration in the hinterlands is "essentially none," and there are few if any efforts to develop village technologies like the simputer, Jhai or hole in the wall approaches." permalink (May 10th, 2005)

Nokia Sued Over Alleged Exploding Cell Phone

A Thailand newspaper said Finnish phone maker Nokia is being sued after one of the company's handsets allegedly exploded and seriously injured a Thai welder, according to the Associated Press. " The Nation newspaper reported that the lawsuit seeks compensation of more than $26,000 for severe burns and leg and hand injuries to the welder. Prosecutors said the man was working near a high-voltage power pole last March when the phone, in his shirt pocket, rang and then exploded. By November 2004, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission had received at least 83 reports of people being burned by cell phones. Those problems were traced to defective or counterfiet batteries." Click here for related articles and timeline of incidents reported around the world permalink (March 14th, 2005)

A cell phone explodes in jacket pocket

A 911 dispatcher in Ogden needed a little help of her own Sunday when the cell phone in her jacket exploded, a Motorola V-300 camera-phone, reports the Desert Morning News. "The cell phone battery became so hot it burned through the phone and through her jacket, dropping onto the floor. The rest of the phone "shot across the room," leaving pieces everywhere, Munford said. Most of the pieces were "glowing red hot," she said. The hot phone burned several holes in her jacket, burned the chair she was sitting in and the carpet. Although incidents of cell phone explosions are rare, they are not unknown. In November, a report by MSNBC said that federal officials had received 83 cases of cell phones exploding or catching fire over the past two years. The most common cause of those fires was incompatible, faulty or counterfeit batteries or charges, according to MSNBC." Related articles and timeline of incidents reported around the world: -- Nokia Sued Over Alleged Exploding Cell Phone - A Thailand newspaper said Finnish phone maker Nokia is being sued after one of the company's handsets allegedly exploded and seriously injured a Thai welder. -- CPSC highlights dangers of exploding cell phone batteries - The Consumer Product Safety Commission is providing tips for cell phone users to avoid such accidents and has stepped up oversight of the wireless industry. -- Cell phones: Too hot to handle? - Defective or counterfeit batteries have caused nearly all of the reported incidents, while others were caused by dropped phones, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. -- Kyocera recalls 1M phone batteries - October 2004, Kyocera Wireless, along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, is recalling 1 million cell-phone batteries, pointing to concerns that some of the batteries supplied by the manufacturer may be counterfeit -- Industry groups to address exploding phones September 2004, The mobile-phone industry and the The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers are expectedly shortly to announce plans to address exploding mobile phones -- Kyocera phone blows up in South Carolina - September 2004, Another incident of an exploding cell phone battery, this time in the US. Shelley Kaehr was visiting South Carolina when her Kyocera cell phone, Model 2325, blew up and burned her hand -- In August 2004 a Nokia handset exploded in Hong Kong and injured a man. -- In July 2004, a man was injured when a mobile phone he was using exploded in Beijing.. -- On July 2nd, 2004, a 16-year-old California girl suffered second degree burns Thursday when her Verizon Kyocera cell phone caught on fire in her back pocket. -- Verizon Wireless - on June 2004 and for the second time this year - recalled 50,000 cell phone batteries some of which may be counterfeit, after reports suggesting that they may cause minor fires and injuries. -- Good Morning America reported in January 2004, that the phone manufacturer Kyocera was voluntarily recalling batteries for one of its phones, the first-ever recall of cell-phone batteries. About 140,000 batteries custom made for the Kyocera 7135 Smartphone were recalled. -- Nokia has confirmed that one of its 3310 handsets, which exploded and caused minor injuries to a woman in Finland in November 2003. -- In a rare accident in Amsterdam in August 2003 a mobile phone exploded in a woman's face causing burns to her face and neck. -- In February 2003, Cellular News reported that Nokia had admitted that cases had been reported of non-original mobile phone batteries overheating in the European, African and Asian regions, causing damage to both batteries and Nokia phones. -- An incident in Norway was reported by Belgian newspaper Le Soir, in November 2002, when the Nokia handeset of a 15 year-old boy exploded in class. His cell phone was equipped with a non Nokia battery. No one was hurt. -- The first case tracked down of a cellphone fault causing an explosion occured in Taiwan in June 2002, injuring its owner, and reported by Cellular News. The woman appeared on ETTV television channel saying: "The phone heated up and I could feel the heat coming from my bag, but I did not pay attention because I was eating. A few minutes later it exploded. The hot debris burned my arms and feet." permalink (February 8th, 2005)

Cell phones: Too hot to handle?

A good article in News.com on the safety issues surrounding cell phone batteries and how "the threat of a cell phone turning into a sort of Zippo lighter is rare, but real." "Bad batteries have made 2004 a year of living dangerously with cell phones. Watchdog groups devoted to the safety of consumer products say they've fielded dozens of reports this year of cell phone meltdowns that have resulted in injury and property damage. Defective or counterfeit batteries have caused nearly all of the reported incidents, while others were caused by dropped phones, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The incidents have involved a tiny percentage of the 170 million cell phone subscribers in the United States. But consumer advocates believe that the increase in battery failures points to a worrying trend. Related articles and incidents in the US: Kyocera recalls 1M phone batteries Industry groups to address exploding phones Kyocera phone blows up in South Carolina Verizon recalls cell phone batteries Related articles and incidents from around the world: -- In August 2004 a Nokia handset exploded in Hong Kong and injured a man. -- In July 2004, a man was injured when a mobile phone he was using exploded in Beijing.. -- On July 2nd, 2004, a 16-year-old California girl suffered second degree burns Thursday when her Verizon Kyocera cell phone caught on fire in her back pocket. -- Verizon Wireless - on June 2004 and for the second time this year - recalled 50,000 cell phone batteries some of which may be counterfeit, after reports suggesting that they may cause minor fires and injuries. -- Good Morning America reported in January 2004, that the phone manufacturer Kyocera was voluntarily recalling batteries for one of its phones, the first-ever recall of cell-phone batteries. About 140,000 batteries custom made for the Kyocera 7135 Smartphone were recalled. -- Nokia has confirmed that one of its 3310 handsets, which exploded and caused minor injuries to a woman in Finland in November 2003. -- In a rare accident in Amsterdam in August 2003 a mobile phone exploded in a woman's face causing burns to her face and neck. -- In February 2003, Cellular News reported that Nokia had admitted that cases had been reported of non-original mobile phone batteries overheating in the European, African and Asian regions, causing damage to both batteries and Nokia phones. -- An incident in Norway was reported by Belgian newspaper Le Soir, in November 2002, when the Nokia handeset of a 15 year-old boy exploded in class. His cell phone was equipped with a non Nokia battery. No one was hurt. -- The first case tracked down of a cellphone fault causing an explosion occured in Taiwan in June 2002, injuring its owner, and reported by Cellular News. The woman appeared on ETTV television channel saying: "The phone heated up and I could feel the heat coming from my bag, but I did not pay attention because I was eating. A few minutes later it exploded. The hot debris burned my arms and feet." permalink (October 30th, 2004)

Kyocera phone blows up in South Carolina

Another incident of an exploding cell phone battery, this time in the US. Shelley Kaehr was visiting South Carolina when her Kyocera cell phone, Model 2325, blew up and burned her hand, reports The Lewisville Leader. "Kaehr was holding the cell phone in her left hand when the lithium battery attached to the phone exploded, spewing battery acid all over her hand. John Chier of Kyocera Wireless said he other incidents have been reported with this model of phone but that there is nothing to suggest any kind of epidemic with the phone model or its battery." Click here for related incidents reported around the world. permalink (September 27th, 2004)

Mobile-phone user injured by exploding handset in Beijing

A man was injured when a mobile phone he was using exploded in Beijing, state media said, reports the AFP. "He was treated for neck and hand injuries in hospital. The phone's owner, Chen Huang, said he bought the N530i DB7000 phone by Japanese firm NEC at a Beijing shopping centre, which has agreed to compensate Chen if it is proved the battery was faulty. However, an official in the NEC China office said the company was not responsible. "N530i is not made and sold in the Chinese mainland," he said, adding he had never heard of an NEC phone exploding before. Poorly-made fakes are widely available in China". Related articles and other such incidents reported around the world: -- On July 2nd, 2004, a 16-year-old California girl suffered second degree burns Thursday when her Verizon Kyocera cell phone caught on fire in her back pocket . -- Verizon Wireless - on June 2004 and for the second time this year - recalled 50,000 cell phone batteries some of which may be counterfeit, after reports suggesting that they may cause minor fires and injuries. -- Good Morning America reported in January 2004, that the phone manufacturer Kyocera was voluntarily recalling batteries for one of its phones, the first-ever recall of cell-phone batteries. About 140,000 batteries custom made for the Kyocera 7135 Smartphone were recalled. -- Nokia has confirmed that one of its 3310 handsets, which exploded and caused minor injuries to a woman in Finland in November 2003. -- In a rare accident in Amsterdam in August 2003 a mobile phone exploded in a woman's face causing burns to her face and neck. -- In February 2003, Cellular News reported that Nokia had admitted that cases had been reported of non-original mobile phone batteries overheating in the European, African and Asian regions, causing damage to both batteries and Nokia phones. -- An incident in Norway was reported by Belgian newspaper Le Soir, in November 2002, when the Nokia handeset of a 15 year-old boy exploded in class. His cell phone was equipped with a non Nokia battery. No one was hurt. -- The first case tracked down of a cellphone fault causing an explosion occured in Taiwan in June 2002, injuring its owner, and reported by Cellular News. The woman appeared on ETTV television channel saying: "The phone heated up and I could feel the heat coming from my bag, but I did not pay attention because I was eating. A few minutes later it exploded. The hot debris burned my arms and feet." permalink (July 14th, 2004)

Girl burned when cell phone catches fire

A 16-year-old California girl suffered second degree burns Thursday when her cell phone caught fire in her back pocket, according to the Ontario Fire Department, reports CNN. "The victim was transported to Chino Valley Medical Center where she was treated and released with small second-degree burns to her right buttock. The phone is a Verizon Kyocera, but because of damage investigators could not tell the model number." Related articles and other such incidents reported around the world: -- Verizon Wireless - on June 2004 and for the second time this year - recalled 50,000 cell phone batteries some of which may be counterfeit, after reports suggesting that they may cause minor fires and injuries. -- Good Morning America reported in January 2004, that the phone manufacturer Kyocera was voluntarily recalling batteries for one of its phones, the first-ever recall of cell-phone batteries. About 140,000 batteries custom made for the Kyocera 7135 Smartphone were recalled. -- The first case tracked down of a cellphone fault causing an explosion occured in Taiwan in June 2002, injuring its owner, and reported by Cellular News. The woman appeared on ETTV television channel saying: "The phone heated up and I could feel the heat coming from my bag, but I did not pay attention because I was eating. A few minutes later it exploded. The hot debris burned my arms and feet." -- An incident in Norway was reported by Belgian newspaper Le Soir, in November 2002, when the Nokia handeset of a 15 year-old boy exploded in class. His cell phone was equipped with a non Nokia battery. No one was hurt. -- An incident in Norway was reported by Belgian newspaper Le Soir, in November 2002, when the Nokia handeset of a 15 year-old boy exploded in class. His cell phone was equipped with a non Nokia battery. No one was hurt. -- In February 2003, Cellular News reported that Nokia had admitted that cases had been reported of non-original mobile phone batteries overheating in the European, African and Asian regions, causing damage to both batteries and Nokia phones. -- In a rare accident in Amsterdam in August 2003 a mobile phone exploded in a woman's face causing burns to her face and neck. -- Nokia has confirmed that one of its 3310 handsets, which exploded and caused minor injuries to a woman in Finland in November 2003. permalink (July 2nd, 2004)

Global mobile phone market explodes in first quarter:

The global market for mobile telephones exploded in the first quarter of 2004, with sales up by an annual 40 percent to 153 million units according to a study published by Strategy Analytics. [AFP]. permalink (April 29th, 2004)

Nokia phone explodes in pocket

Here we go again, another story on a Nokia cell phone blowing up. This time, according to The Times of India, a Nokia 8310 exploded in a man's pocket in Vietnam's central City of Danang. "The mobile was in a normal state in my trouser pocket and there were no communication at that time when suddenly I heard a little explosion and my phone became hot," said the unnamed man. "I took it out and found the mobile was off and I couldn't use it." The man, who suffered no injuries, said the blast caused a thumbnail-sized hole in the handset's front cover and blackened the screen. The Finnish mobile phone giant has cited faulty batteries from independent electronics manufacturers for similar incidents in the past". permalink (January 10th, 2004)

(Another) Nokia phone explodes in Finland

Nokia has confirmed that one of its 3310 handsets, which exploded and caused minor injuries to a woman in Finland yesterday, was equipped with a rogue battery, according to The Register.

"The woman was taken to hospital but it's understood that her injuries were not severe, according to reports.

The incident is the latest in a worrying line of incidents involving exploding Nokia phones. In all cases, Nokia reports that the batteries used are made by third parties and are simply not up to scratch".

Related stories:

-- Nokia makes official statement on explosions

-- Nokia cites fake batteries in phone explosions

-- Research into exploding Nokia phones

-- Woman burned by exploding cellphone

permalink (November 6th, 2003)

MMS use explodes in Norway

According to Per Helmersen, Senior Research Psychologist at Telenor, Norway's two MMS service providers, MMS use has exploded in Norway this Summer - 160,000 messages in May, 550,000 in June and 1.35 million in July - making Norway the leading MMS nation in Europe. Norway has a population of 4.4 mill. and a mobile penetration of 84% (ITU, 2002).

Telenor and NetCom, have extended the free MMS trial period for their customers through October (started in June).

permalink (August 28th, 2003)

Woman burned by exploding cellphone

In a rare accident in Amsterdam last week, a mobile phone exploded in a woman's face causing burns to her face and neck. According to The Register, the phone switched itself off when the woman dropped the phone and then exploded when she turned it on again.

A spokesman for Nokia confirmed that while the phone was made by Nokia, the battery was not. Nokia intends to carry out an investigation into the incident but has warned that some replacement batteries, while cheaper, lack some essential safety features. Nokia was aware of "three or four" similar incidents of exploding mobile phones over the last six months or so.

Other such incidents reported around the world:

-- The first case tracked down of a cellphone fault causing an explosion occured in Taiwan, injuring its owner, and reported by Cellular News. The woman appeared on ETTV television channel saying: "The phone heated up and I could feel the heat coming from my bag, but I did not pay attention because I was eating. A few minutes later it exploded. The hot debris burned my arms and feet."

-- An incident in Norway was reported by Belgian newspaper Le Soir, in November 2002, when the Nokia handeset of a 15 year-old boy exploded in class. His cell phone was equipped with a non Nokia battery. No one was hurt.

In February this year, Cellular News reported that Nokia had admitted that cases had been reported of non-original mobile phone batteries overheating in the European, African and Asian regions, causing damage to both batteries and Nokia phones.

permalink (August 25th, 2003)