Cheap hoverboards keep exploding, and the damage costs are starting to add up

Hoverboards are blowing up in popularity. They are also literally blowing up, at least in the United Kingdom. Multiple accounts of hoverboard devices exploding have been reported in the country.

There have been at least two cases of the popular two-wheeled devices experiencing electrical issues that result in explosions. In first occurrence reported on October 11, one of the rideables caught fire while charging in a bedroom and produced a loud bang. The two people in the house escaped through a first-floor window to avoid the blast.

Later in the month, a family in Kent had a similar experience that produced considerably more damage. The hoverboard was charging in the kitchen when it began flaming. The owner of the board told the Daily Mail he thought about attempting to put out the fire when a firework-like flare shot out. Moments later, the board essentially detonated like a bomb. The explosion resulted in nearly $40,000 in damages, though no one was injured.

The London Fire Brigade responded to both incidents, and told the Daily Dot that its investigations into the cause of the fires are ongoing but it believes the battery pack to be at fault. They also cautioned that it's too early to say if the issue is specific to any particular model or brand of hoverboard. 

Likewise, Electrical Safety First Media Relations Executive Christina Copp told the Daily Dot that the issue isn't the board itself but the charging unit. 

"There are no particular brands or models identified as being particularly prone to this problem, but it does seem to be revolving around the cheaper end of the market," she said.

A spokesperson from the London Fire Brigade confirmed this, stating, "Our concern is that cheap versions of the product are available on the Internet and people are buying them without knowing how safe they are."

The boards in question are believed to have been sold with substandard battery packs. When incorrectly charged, the packs damage the internal structure of the battery. Copp said this can result in thermal runaway, "where basically the battery starts to discharge into itself and heats up. As the battery heats up it releases further energy, which causes a further increase in temperature, releasing more energy and so on. This continues until the battery explosively ruptures."

Both of the reported cases of explosions took place while the hoverboards were connected and charging, and the London Fire Brigade spokesperson urged any device owners to “especially keep an eye on their devices whilst they are on charge and not to leave them charging unattended or whilst they are asleep."

But Copp said thermal runaway can occur even when the device isn't plugged in—and will almost always lead to a rupture or explosion.

"This can happen extremely rapidly, or it can take hours, so it could possibly occur during use or even after it’s been stored away" she said. "This is a known issue with lithium ion batteries. Of course, this is not guaranteed to happen, but it is a significant risk, as we see more and more in the news."

While the exploding boards have received considerable attention, in part due to the resulting destruction, there has been at least one other documented incident of what appears to be a similar incident. A Redditor going by the username /u/icefreezposted images of his hoverboard bursting into flames. In the captions of the images, he explains that the batteries exploded twice after the fire started, which is in line with what happened in the other occurrences.

If you have a hoverboard with a faulty charger, Copp warned there is "pretty much no way to avoid" the risk. "If you change the charger, you’ve still got a substandard battery unit, and the battery units are not intended to be user-replaceable," she said.

In response to the recent issues, the city of Salford removed 90 hoverboards from a wholesaler in Greater Manchester area because of failure to comply with British safety standards. The boards were confiscated to be inspected further, but the Salford City Council declined to identify the wholesaler from which they were taken.

The London Fire Brigade expressed concerned with the holidays approaching that more of the low-quality might land in the homes of consumers without them being fully aware of the risks. " If anyone is planning to buy a hoverboard as Christmas present, we’d recommend they purchase it from a reputable retailer," a spokesperson said.

Copp concurred, stating, "We would advise to be careful buying them online and try to use reputable shops."

Read More

Samsung rumoured to be working on affordable fitness tracker

 Most of Samsung's wearable devices are for the mid and high-end segment. The company could now be developing a fitness tracker for the entry-level market, which is primarily dominated by Fitbit, Misfit and Xiaomi.

Bearing model number SM-R150, Samsung's upcoming wearable is internally codenamed Triathlon, which indicates that it could be an activity or fitness tracking device. According to exclusive information obtained by Sammobile, Samsung's fitness tacker could bundle similar features seen in Xiaomi's Mi Band that just costs $15 (£10).

Xiaomi recently unveiled the second generation Mi Band, which will be available for purchase at CN ¥99 (£10, $15) in China from 11 November. It is also expected to be released in European and Asian markets in the coming months.

While hardware details of the device are scanty as of now, the disclosure suggests that it will not pack the heart rate sensor, as its model number is lower than the Gear Fit SM-R350. The Gear Fit, company's fitness wristband belonging to Samsung's Gear series wearable, incorporates the heart rate sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope.

As Samsung recently updated the S Health and Gear apps for the non-Galaxy devices powered with Android 4.4 and above, it would not be surprising to see the upcoming fitness tracker is compatible with all Android devices including the Galaxy series.

Read More

How To Make A Smartphone-Powered Hologram

Smartphone Hologram

Photograph by Bryan Edwards

Holograms aren’t just for droids and dead rappers. You can make your own with a piece of transparency paper and a four-sided hologram video. Properly folded, the transparency will combine the images on a phone or tablet screen to create “a reflection that gives you the illusion of an object hovering in space,” says Alex Cronin, a physicist at the University of Arizona.

Make the Hologram

Stats

• Time: 10 minutes
• Cost: $0.30-$1
• Difficulty: Easy

Tools and Materials

• Sheet of transparency paper
• Pencil, pen, or marker
• Ruler
• Compass
• Scissors
• Smartphone or tablet

Instructions

©

Hologram Template

Levi Sharpe

Use this template to fold the transparency paper into a prism. Cut along the solid black lines and crease along the red lines.

1. Copy the online template onto the transparency, with a radius of 4 inches or more.
2. Cut along the solid black lines, and crease along the red lines.
3. Tape the two opposite sides together to make a prism.
4. Open a four-sided hologram video on your smartphone or tablet. We have one of these videos below, and you can find more by searching for "hologram video" (this is a particularly fun one).
5. Place the small opening of the prism in the video’s center. Look through the side.

Instructions—Without a Template

No printer for the template? No problem!

1. Use a compass and pen to draw a circle with at least a 4-inch radius on the transparency paper. Cut it out with scissors.
2. Mark five dots around the circle, each the radius’ distance apart, and use a ruler to draw a line connecting them.
3. Cutting along the lines, discard the rounded edges and the remaining third of the circle.
4. Fold the trimmed transparency in fourths to make four separate equilateral triangles. Cut off their tips about an inch from the bottom and tape the two opposite sides together to make a prism.
5. Open a four-sided hologram video on your smartphone or tablet. We have one of these videos below, and you can find more by searching for "hologram video" (this is a particularly fun one).
6. Place the small opening of the prism in the video’s center. Look through the side.

More Optics Hacks

A smartphone can perform other optical tricks. Harvest a focus lens from a laser pointer, and attach it to the phone’s camera with some wire. The lens will magnify images to make a DIY microscope (full instructions here). Or stick a few pieces of clear tape over the flash, and color them with blue and purple Sharpie markers. This filter blocks out most visible light and leaves only the ultraviolet spectrum, turning the phone's flashlight function into a blacklight (full instructions here).

This article was originally published in the November 2015 issue of Popular Science, under the title "Smartphone Hologram."

Read More

10 Essential Games for Windows 10

Looking for games? The Windows Store has them: puzzle games, simulations, shooters, racing games, sandboxes, card games, board games and more. We selected 10 of our favorites to help you start building your collection.

Candy Crush Soda Saga

Candy Crush Soda Saga

Candy Crush Soda Saga is the latest game from the makers of the legendary Candy Crush Saga. New candies, more divine combinations and challenging new game modes brimming with purple soda and Candy Bears!

Get the Candy Crush Soda Saga app

Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta

Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta

Build anything from makeshift shelters to the grandest of castles! Create and explore your very own world where the only limit is what you can imagine, just be sure to build a shelter before night comes to keep yourself safe from monsters. Find materials and craft tools, items, food, and weapons to survive. Millions of crafters around the world have smashed billions of blocks - now you can join in the fun on Windows 10! Join in the development process with beta access to Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition and provide your feedback to shape the game in future updates!

Get the Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta app

Star Wars: Commander

Star Wars: Commander

The Galactic War rages on. Where does your allegiance lie? Will you side with the Rebellion or the Empire? Join the fight, build your base, recruit and train your army, strategically plan your defenses, and lead your troops to victory on war-torn worlds throughout the galaxy!

Get the Star Wars: Commander app

Lara Croft GO

Lara Croft GO

Lara Croft GO is a turn based puzzle-adventure set in a long-forgotten world. Explore the ruins of an ancient civilization, discover well-kept secrets and face deadly challenges as you uncover the myth of the Queen of Venom.

Get the Lara Croft GO app

Microsoft Solitaire Collection

Microsoft Solitaire Collection

Check out the new look and feel of Microsoft Solitaire Collection on Windows 10! Solitaire remains the most played computer game of all time, and for good reason. Simple rules and straightforward gameplay make it easy to pick up for everyone. Solitaire has been part of Windows for more than 25 years, and the Microsoft Solitaire Collection makes it the best experience to date with five different card games in one.

Get the Microsoft Solitaire Collection app

Halo: Spartan Assault

Halo: Spartan Assault

Halo: Spartan Assault brings the excitement of Halo combat to touch-based devices for the very first time. Battle your way through 30 action-packed missions against the Covenant as you explore the origin of the Spartan Ops program and Halo 4's Spartan Commander, Sarah Palmer. Earn Xbox achievements, complete mission and weekly challenges, unlock new customizations for your Halo 4 career, and compete against your friends for the top scores in the leaderboards.

Get the Halo: Spartan Assault app

Slot Machine

Slot Machine

Play the slots with Slot Machine for Windows 8, the most fun you can have without going to the casino! With the most machines of any slots app on Windows 8, and bonus features, you are sure to have a good time! Slot Machine currently has 17 machines with more being added all the time!

Get the Slot Machine app

Sonic Dash

Sonic Dash

How far can the world’s fastest hedgehog run? Play as Sonic the Hedgehog as you dash, jump and spin your way across stunning 3D environments. Swipe your way over and under challenging obstacles in this fast and frenzied endless running game.

Get the Sonic Dash app

Crossy Road

Crossy Road

Join over 100 million players worldwide and experience Hipster Whale's massive viral #1 hit!

Get the Crossy Road app

Hungry Shark Evolution

Hungry Shark Evolution

Take control of a very Hungry Shark in this action packed aquatic adventure. Survive as long as possible by eating everything that gets in your way! Many different sharks to collect and evolve, including the Hammerhead, Great White and Megalodon!

Get the Hungry Shark Evolution app

Read More

Artificial Nose “Smells” When Food Is About to Go Bad

Cameras gave computers eyes. Microphones gave them ears. Touchscreens gave them tactile perception. Now the Massachusetts-based company C2Sense has invented a tiny chip that gives computers a sense of smell.

The first goal of the company, says co-founder and CTO Jan Schnorr, is to use machines to sniff out spoiling food. And that could have a bigger impact than you might think.

Food spoilage can be contagious. You know the saying “one bad apple can spoil the whole batch”? It’s true. As fruit ripens, it releases a musky gas called ethylene. When fruits are exposed to ethylene, they ripen more quickly and give off more ethylene themselves, creating a domino effect that speeds up the ripening process for every piece of fruit nearby.

C2Sense’s technology can detect ethylene even in trace amounts that a human wouldn’t be able to smell, enabling food sellers to spot ripening food before it spreads. A wholesaler might use these sensors to monitor crates of fruit and move those that are starting to ripen before they spread ethylene to every other crate in the warehouse, while a restaurant might use a handheld device to pinpoint individual pieces of fruit before they spoil their neighbors.

The Smell-o-Meter in Every Home

Many of us already have rudimentary smell-o-meters in our homes. We call them smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. Everything we can smell, from buttery popcorn to pine trees, radiates particles that trigger chemical reactions in the cells in our nasal cavity. Depending on the specific reaction, the cells then send signals to our brains. Carbon monoxide alarms and ionization smoke detectors work in much the same way: specific particles cause chemical reactions that change an electrical current in the device, which in turn triggers an alarm.

Sensors that are able to detect ethylene have been around for years, Schnorr says, but they’ve generally either been too expensive or unable to accurately detect ethylene outside the lab where they’ll be exposed to numerous other similar gases. What C2Sense has done, he explains, is create an affordable sensor that’s also sensitive enough to detect low levels of the gas without setting off false positives.

Read More

Celebrate your next birthday with a meat cake

 

Birthday cakes are generally made of sweet things like ice cream and frosting, but they don't have to be. After all, if it's your birthday, you should be able to have whatever you want. Meat lovers may want to throw the whole sugar idea to the wayside and opt for a pile of steak instead. Such is the case in Japan, where some lucky birthday boys and girls are treated to a savory cake made out of raw meat. This vegetarian-unfriendly dish looks like a cake, but is instead made with steak, pork, or fish.

Despite being a little (extremely) unorthodox, the bright red color certainly makes for some beautiful creations. Some cakes arrange the meat into spirals or complex flower shapes. Others incorporate real flowers and candles. They all look very festive, albeit a little gruesome.
While this might seem strange to some, meat is often considered a special treat in Japan. RocketNews24 explains: 

When you consider the culinary landscape of Japan, a heaping helping of meat is every bit as decadent as a dessert of chocolate and cream. High-quality cuts are relatively expensive in Japan, and in many traditional and gourmet meals the few morsels of meat are more of a side dish than the main course.

So maybe for your next office party, you might consider a cake made entirely out of bacon. 

Read More

Image of the day

Wednesday, Nov. 4: Melbourne Cup Day

Racegoers arrive on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington Racecourse on November 3, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia.

Read More

The power of pumpkin

Is pumpkin seed oil the new coconut? That's the question on many health and beauty experts' lips. Coconut has become the magic word in both natural beauty and cooking, with stars like Miranda Kerr and Kim Kardashian swearing by it for everything from preparing food to a night-time hair mask. It also works wonders directly applied to the skin.

But like everything in the beauty arena, coconut oil has a shelf life. And it seems pumpkin seed oil is poised to take over, with health guru Gwyneth Paltrow already said to be a huge fan.

As well as making skin glow, pumpkin seed oil is being hailed for its mood enhancing benefits and helping to ease menopause symptoms. Oh and don't forget how shiny it can make your hair.

The amazing, and seemingly endless, list of benefits is all thanks to its high vitamin content. Pumpkin seeds are packed full of vitamin A, K and E, plus minerals and fatty acids. The high zinc content in particular, mixed with the vitamin E, is great for skin complaints and can help with acne and scarring. It also maintains skin renewal.

Add the actual seeds to dishes like soups and salads while also using the oil in your bathroom to get the best effects. It's especially apt this time of year, with Halloween just around the corner.

Oskia has turned to pumpkin enzymes for their brilliant skincare properties. The ingredient is key in the brand's Renaissance Cleansing Gel, a gel-to-oil formula that removes impurities, brightens and illuminates the complexion.

Erborian fuses traditional South Korean beauty remedies and French luxury, and is also utilising pumpkin seeds in its products. Its Pink Perfect Crème provides sheer facial coverage and gives a luminous finish. Make room beside your BB and CC cream for the PP variety. It also refines texture and helps to set make-up.

Lush is getting in on the Halloween act with spooky new offerings for 2015. The Pumpkin Heebie Jeebie set includes the brand's Sparkly Pumpkin bubble bar and Lush favourite Lord of Misrule bath bomb, all encased in a cute pumpkin. Glam yet ghoulish!

For a pumpkin infused detox, try Chris James 3R Cleanse. Following on from the yoga expert's 12 Days Cleanse, this condensed version provides sachets for a three-day cleanse containing body-boosting ingredients like pumpkin, chia seeds and ginger.

Read More

Hackers Access Nearly 2,000 Vodafone Accounts

Vodafone says hackers have accessed the accounts of 1,827 customers, just a week after a separate hacking attack at TalkTalk.

The hack could potentially give criminals customers' names, mobile numbers, bank sort codes and the last four digits of their bank accounts.

The company said an attempt had been made to access some of its customers' account details between midnight Wednesday and midday on Thursday.

An investigation has been launched by the company and the National Crime Agency and communications watchdogs were told on Friday.

A Vodafone spokesman confirmed 1,827 customers had their accounts accessed but added that the information obtained by the hackers "cannot be used directly to access customers' bank accounts".

The information does leave the customers open to fraud and perhaps phishing attempts, however, and Vodafone said the banks of affected customers had been contacted.

Vodafone said it is also contacting affected customers and helping them to change their account details.

They added: "Our investigation and mitigating actions have meant that only a handful of customers have been subject to any attempts to use this data for fraudulent activity on their Vodafone accounts.

"No other customers need to be concerned, as the security of our customers' data continues to be one of our highest priorities."

TalkTalk was hacked on 23 October, saying last Friday that fewer than 21,000 unique bank account numbers and sort codes were accessed.

Two boys - a 15-year-old from County Antrim in Northern Ireland and a 16-year-old from Feltham, west London - were arrested and released on police bail over that incident.

Read More