This just isn’t Samsung’s month. Just as the electronics maker begins to replace potentially explosive Galaxy Note 7 handsets comes news that some Samsung washing machines are now going ballistic. ABC News reports that 21 people so far have reported to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that their Samsung top-loading washing machines have blown apart or exploded.
Apparently, the problem is limited to some recently made Samsung top-loading washers, and, specifically, relates to a support rod which isn’t sufficient for keeping the wash tub in place when the machine goes under extreme stress. One victim of the failure said the force of the explosion was enough to send their washer through the garage wall. Others have reported bolts and other shrapnel thrown from the washer at high velocity.
The CPSC has issued a warning, and for now Samsung is advising people use the delicate cycle when washing really heavy loads of blankets, towels and such.
iPhone case brings back the headphone jack
Given the upset generated by Apple’s ditching of the headphone jack on the new iPhone 7 and 7 plus, it was only a matter of time until someone built a case with a headphone jack in it, but already? You betcha! Fuze’s cases appear to be the first on a block that will soon be crowded with similar cases which may or may not feature a supplemental battery pack along with a built-in headphone jack.
To be clear, this case is only an Indiegogo campaign right now, so back at your own risk, but Fuze has a pretty good idea going here, one which provides both the lightning port and a headphone jack so you can use the lightning cable that came with the phone to charge the case and the phone while having access to a headphone jack. Basically, a case that says “see Apple, I care more about convenience than form factor!”
The campaign just got going, and is at about $19,000 along the way to their $60,000 goal. One pledge of $49 gets you in the line to receive a Fuze case, but it might be worth waiting around to see what the folks at Mophie and other popular case makers come up with. Oh, and if you want a good laugh with a heavy dose of cringe, check out Fuze’s pitch video on Indiegogo. It is so … incredibly … over the top. You’re welcome.
Best Buy PlayStation VR promo
Finally, if you’re chomping at the bit to get hold of a PlayStation VR, you might want to plan a little campout at a Best Buy near you. On October 13, 350 Best Buy locations will open at midnight on the east coast, but dig this: that means if you live in the Central time zone you can snag one on the evening of the 12th at 11, Mountain time at 10, and west coasters can score one at 9:00.
As a reminder, the PlayStation VR is designed to work with the PlayStation 4 exclusively, will cost $400 and comes with a disc containing demo snippets from eight different PlayStation games, optimized for VR.
