UPDATED 15:20 EST / JULY 31 2015

NEWS

Nvidia forced to recall 88,000 Shield Tablets due to battery fire hazard

Nvidia Corp is instituting a recall tens of thousands of its Android-based Shield Tablets due to concerns that the device’s batteries could pose a serious fire hazard.

According to a report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Nvidia has received reports of at least four cases where the batteries in the Shield Tablet overheated, damaging the device and, in two of the reports, the floor below it. Both the CPSC and Nvidia warn consumers to stop using the tablets immediately until a replacement can be obtained.

The recall affects 88,000 devices that were sold in the U.S. and Canada between July 2014 and July 2015, and Nvidia has released a boilerplate statement saying that it is “coordinating with appropriate governmental agencies to ensure that the recall follows established industry practices.” The official website for the tablet currently displays an error message, and it appears to be unavailable for purchase from Amazon, though some other online stores like Newegg are still selling the device.

Consumers who purchased a Shield Tablet are eligible to register for a free replacement, but there is currently no timeframe listed for when the new devices might become available.

If you own a Shield Tablet and would like to find out if your device is included in the recall, you can visit Nvidia’s recall website or call their hotline at 1-888-943-4196.

Major problem for Nvidia, or minor speedbump?

Nvidia has traditionally been a manufacturer of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) for PCs and various chipsets for other systems, but the company has recently started becoming involved in the production of its own complete hardware devices, including Shield Portable and Shield Android TV.

The current recall could be a serious blow for the company’s reputation as an up-and-coming hardware maker, but Nvidia spokesperson Hector Marinez points to the batteries as the main issue rather than Nvidia’s devices themselves.

“Products containing lithium-ion batteries have been the subject of numerous recalls across the electronics industry,” Martinez told Reuters. He also stated that the costs associated with the recall would not be serious, and an analyst told Reuters that the recall would probably cost Nvidia roughly $1 million.

Photo by pestoverde 

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