1G iPod Shoots out Sparks in Japan

There have been cases before when Lithium-Ion batteries swelled during the recharging process, burst into flames, busted the device it was powering and so on. It seems it has happened again, this time around with a first-generation iPod.

A Times Online report reveals that January saw a 1G iPod shooting out sparks while being recharged by its owner in Kanagawa Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo. The Japanese official informs that the respective iPod owner was not hurt. Sparks!? Is there anything those Li-Ion batteries can't do? As mentioned above, this is not the first time something like this has happened, and it's always this type of batteries that malfunction.

Anyway, just so you know, you're not in for a surprise party complete with fireworks on behalf of your 1G iPod, the malfunctioning iPod comes from a batch of devices stamped with an MA099J/A serial number, which shipped between September 2005 and September 2006. If that's you, the least you can do is stick around the house while the device charges. Don't think that if it hasn't happened until now, there's little chance it will, as an early adopter of the device. In October 2007, an airport worker from Georgia, claimed that his iPod Nano caught fire in his pocket and then burned for 15 seconds. He had it for one year and a half.

The 1G iPod has been discontinued, so most possible faulty Ipods have already been sold. The Japanese official said, however, that it was not clear how many 1G iPods had been sold.

Tens of millions of Li-Ion batteries powering up laptops, cell phones and other portables have been recalled during the past two years. Although they are still manufacturers' favorite kind, because they are lightweight and they can carry more energy for longer periods of time, companies dealing with such batteries have often had to replace them, mostly because of overheating issues.

Overheating is said to occur because of dust making its way inside the batteries during the manufacturing process.

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