Sony Corp. on Wednesday confirmed that it is recalling approximately 1.6 million Bravia-branded LCD televisions. Sony said it has received 11 reports to date, all from within Japan, from customers complaining that their TVs have overheated or begun to smoke. The problems are caused by a defective inverter transformer used with the LCD backlighting assemblies in the Bravia TVs, and the part is found in televisions sold both locally in Japan and overseas. Sony told the Associated Press it will issue local recall information in each market that sells the affected television models, which include the Bravia KDL-40X5000, KDL-40X5050, KDL-40W5000, KDL-40V5000 and KDL-40V3000.

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According to 9to5Mac, some Verizon iPad 2 units are being recalled to Apple, including devices mid-shipment. If an iPad 2 comes in with a specific serial number, Cupertino is asking that store employees ship the device back to Apple. Several customers who ordered the iPad 2 have also received “returned to sender” notices from FedEx, too. It’s currently unclear what was wrong with the batch, or if this will stall new shipments, but here’s to hoping that Apple and FedEx sort it out quickly.

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RIM on Monday confirmed that it has issued a recall for approximately 1,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets. “RIM determined that approximately one thousand BlackBerry PlayBook tablets (16 GB) were shipped with an OS build that may result in the devices being unable to properly load software upon initial set-up,” the company said in a statement. “The majority of the affected devices are still in the distribution channel and haven’t reached customers. RIM is working to replace the affected devices. In the small number of cases where a customer received a PlayBook that is unable to properly load software upon initial set-up, they can contact RIM for assistance.” Shortly after the PlayBook was released, a BGR reader contacted us to report problems with his PlayBook. The device, which was purchased on launch day, would not boot. Instead, it would just flicker and flash randomly while the power button was depressed and then power down when the button was released. It is unclear if this is the same issue that resulted in RIM’s PlayBook recall, but RIM’s description of the devices’ inability to boot on initial setup matched our reader’s description last month. Hit the break for a video of the BGR reader’s PlayBook.

Thanks for the video, Jake

Here’s a head scratcher. Several of our Best Buy ninjas have come forward to let us know that Best Buy Mobile is informing employees that it will no longer be selling the Verizon Wireless’ DROID 2 Global and DROID Pro. Explanations run the gamut, several sources have referenced that exploding (probably not exploding) handset we reported about last week, while others are blaming a handset pricing disputed between the big box retailer and America’s largest cellular carrier. Whatever the reason is , it has not been clearly communicated to employees or the media at this time. We’ve reached out to both Best Buy and Verizon Wireless to see if either party would like to clarify why the two members of the DROID family are no longer on BBY’s store shelves. We’ll report back with any clarification we get.

Just a quick PSA: Garmin has just announced that they are voluntarily recalling 1.25 million nüvi navigation units due to the possibility of faulty batteries. A press release explains that some devices, with a specific printed circuit board design, could contain defective third-party batteries that, “in rare circumstances, increase the possibility of overheating, which may lead to a fire hazard.” The nüvi models affected include those with the model numbers 200W, 250W, 260W, 7xx and 7xxT. If you want to determine if your nüvi is being recalled you can visit garmin.com/nuvibatterypcbrecall to check. We have the full press release after the break.

Garmin® Announces Limited Recall of Certain nüvi® Personal Navigation Devices

Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, announced today that it is voluntarily recalling approximately 1.25 million nüvi personal navigation devices (of which approximately 796,000 units were sold in the United States) that contain batteries manufactured by a third-party supplier within a defined date code range and that have a specific printed circuit board (PCB) design. Garmin has identified potential overheating issues when the third party supplier’s batteries manufactured within this limited date code range are used in certain Garmin devices with the PCB design. It appears that the interaction of these factors can, in rare circumstances, increase the possibility of overheating, which may lead to a fire hazard.

This issue has been identified in less than ten cases in total involving certain nüvi models. None of the reported incidents has caused significant property damage and no injuries have occurred. Nevertheless, given Garmin’s longstanding commitment to safety and customer satisfaction, Garmin is proactively recalling nüvi units with the specific PCB design and with batteries from the specific date code range out of an abundance of caution. Garmin strongly urges customers to go online to determine if their nüvi device is one of the few nüvi models affected by this recall and, if so, to participate in the program. Only the 200W, 250W, 260W, 7xx and 7xxT (where xx is a two-digit number) model numbers may be affected. These units were sold worldwide.

To determine if a unit is affected, customers can visit www.garmin.com/nuvibatterypcbrecall. They will be asked to enter their nüvi’s serial number, and if their unit has the specific PCB design and contains a battery from the specific date range, they will be given instructions on how to return their nüvi at no charge. Garmin will replace the battery and insert a spacer on top of the battery next to the PCB before returning the nüvi to affected customers free of charge. If customers are unable to access the website, they may contact Garmin through one of the phone numbers below:

• In the United States and Canada, call (866) 957-1981
• In North America and South America outside the U.S. or Canada call +913 397-8200
• In Europe, Middle East, and Africa, call +44 870 850 1242
• In Asia, call 886/2.2642.9199
• In Australia, call 1800 113 738; and in New Zealand call 0800 427 652

Owners should not attempt to remove or service the battery on their own. To ensure that the unit’s battery is replaced as part of this recall, please return any affected unit directly to a Garmin-authorized facility, using the procedure outlined above.

Garmin is making every effort to cooperate with customers, dealers, and regulatory agencies worldwide, and the company apologizes for the inconvenience that this issue may cause.

Garmin does not expect this recall to have a material adverse effect on its results of operations, financial position or cash flows. The battery supplier has agreed to share the cost of replacement battery packs and all other costs of the recall program.

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Rumors have started to fly around the internet about an iPhone 4 recall, and this got us thinking… while we think a mandatory recall is very unlikely (as the iPhone 4 isn’t much of a safety concern), this is now a no win-situation for Apple.

When accounts of the iPhone 4′s reception woes first began to surface — shortly after the device’s release — Apple instantly denied the problem. We heard things like, “There is no issue,” and “All phones have some signal degradation depending on how you hold them,” and so on. Apple’s initial strategy seemed to be to deny the existence of an issue.

After the initial wave of consumer complaints came some expert testimony. People with RF engineering backgrounds and fancy degrees began stating that due to the way the iPhone’s antenna is engineered, grasping the phone “incorrectly” could cause the RF emission from the antenna to convert into heat, thus losing or diminishing the signal. To this Apple’s response was the admission of a “shocking” software error that causes your iPhone 4 (and presumably all other iPhones) to display the wrong number of “bars” in your signal meter.

Now, onto the latest — and perhaps most damning — round of critiques. Consumer Reports, a highly respected company in the United States, has confirmed through laboratory tests that the root issue with the iPhone 4 is a design problem with the antenna. The findings have resulted in the iPhone 4 receiving a “not recommended” rating from Consumer Reports, even though it otherwise tested as one of the best smartphones on the market. This morning, a member of the Consumer Reports team was on CBS’ The Early Show, demonstrating to Harry Smith how to “fix” your iPhone with a piece of duct tape. Ouch.

So here Apple sits. The Cupertino company first denied the antenna problems then admitted to there being some sort of software problem that had to do with reception perception. Meanwhile, the rest of the iPhone universe – lovers and haters alike, as well as Consumer Reports – has come to the conclusion that the issue with the iPhone 4 is definitively hardware and design related. So what about some sort of voluntary recall?

Occasionally, if done properly, a voluntary recall can earn a company some good will with its customer base. However, for Apple, that ship has long since sailed. Apple is going to release some sort of software patch for the iPhone 4, and if that doesn’t remedy the issue, here are Apple’s options.

1. Do nothing. Stick with the stance that there is no antenna issue with the iPhone 4, remind users that holding all smartphones a certain way will cause signal degradation, and deal with the impending lawsuits. Refute the concrete evidence and try to ride out the public relations nightmare.
2. Do some sort of voluntary recall of the first wave of iPhone 4′s. By doing this it would be admitting that, at best, the company was wrong and did not fully understand its own product, or at worst, it lied to its customer base. Deal with the backlash, and still potential lawsuit, and move on.

These are the choices that Apple has left itself through its management (read: mismanagement) of this situation. Neither option is all that appealing, and it leaves Apple with a pretty unenviable decision.

Apple announced last week via a support bulletin that it is replacing defective Time Capsules manufactured between February 2008 and June 2008. The defective units are plagued by a power problem that causes the unit to either not power on or power off unexpectedly. If you experience this problem, contact Apple, an authorized service center, or setup an appointment at your local genius bar to arrange for a repair or a replacement. Good news for those who already paid for a repair; Apple is going to issue a refund for the complete cost of the repair service. Hit the link for the contact information, serial numbers of affected units, and more on Apple’s support site.

[Via TUAW]

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The Wall Street Journal reports that electronics giant Sony is recalling over 500,000 laptops for a “temperature-control defect that may cause excessive heat and distort the shape of the laptop” and/or ” skin burns.” The WSJ goes onto write: “The recall concerns some of the company’s F and C-Series Vaio laptops sold since January 2010. [...] the recall applies to 259,000 laptops in the U.S., 103,000 in Europe, 120,000 in Asia and 52,000 in Japan.” Sony has stated that customers affected by the recall can fix the problem themselves by downloading a patch from Sony’s website, or have Sony pick the machine up to perform the repair work (which is just confusing ). Anyone out there rocking a hot VAIO?

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Following Bell’s lead, Canada’s Rogers Wireless has issued a recall notice for the Novatel Wireless MiFi 2372 Rocket mobile hotspot on account of its faulty battery. Novatel will be sending Rogers MiFi owners a pre-addressed and pre-paid envelope so they can send in their device to have it replaced. According to Rogers, Novatel will have the MiFi back in the customers hands within 7 to 10 business days of receiving the device. It doesn’t look like Rogers will be giving their customers a Rocket stick to make up for the temporary loss of mobile data, although credits will be given for the time the MiFi is out of action. Anyone with questions or comments is asked to call 1-866-511-5311.

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We don’t have all the details here, but we’ve confirmed that Bell has issued a recall on the freshly launched BlackBerry 8230. Both colors are affected, and while we’re not positive if every single handset is being recalled, we’ve been told it has something to do with how the handsets were flashed. We’ll update this when we get more information. Any Bell Pearl Flip users having any issues?

Thanks, to one of our ninjas!

UPDATE: We’re now hearing that customers won’t have to bother with returning any handsets. If you bought a handset with OS 4.6.1.162 you’ll get an SMS telling you to update your OS to the new build, 4.6.1.182. If you already have 4.6.1.182, you’re good to go. Stores are being sent updated units right away so sales shouldn’t be interrupted.

Nokia has reportedly confirmed that some if its North American 5800 XpressMusic handsets are having 3G connectivity issues. The information, said to have been provided by an unnamed Nokia rep, suggests that only customers in Chicago and New York are experiencing difficulties while handsets in Dallas and Miami are working without issue. Nokia claims to be investigating both the device and the networks used in order to determine the source of the problem. Here’s the PR blurb:

We have learned that some Nokia 5800 XpressMusic devices are having issues with 3G performance. This is a very isolated problem concerning only the North American market* and is not specific to any other region or country. We are currently investigating the matter further to find a quick remedy to the situation. Customer satisfaction and product quality are very important to Nokia and we take all quality and customer satisfaction-related issues seriously. Nokia is investigating the issue. Existing customers of the 5800 XpressMusic who experience 3G signal issue with the device are advised to contact Nokia Customer Care.

*only NY and Chicago affected, in Dallas and Miami the devices are working OK. The investigation is ongoing on the device itself and the network used in these cases.

No word on how this will effect the general availability of the device but regardless of the outcome, such a problematic launch of Nokia’s first S60 5th Edition in the US does not bode well. On the other hand, here’s our theory: 3G handsets are developing AI and refuse to be crippled any longer by AT&T’s sorry excuse for a high-speed data network as it continues to reach new lows in several big cities around the country.

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Bear with us while we try and get a handle on the situation, but it has come to our attention that the Nokia flaship store in New York City has pulled the 5800 XpressMusic NAM from its shelves. Apparently the move is completely related to the whole no 3G signal fiasco which led to massive amounts of returns but who knows. Perhaps all of their units have bum earpieces? Currently the Nokia USA online shop is showing the 5800 as backordered, a perfect excuse to hide behind while a defective product gets patched up behind the scenes. But we wouldn’t know anything. You know, with us being BlackBerry and Apple fanboys…

Thanks, Mark!

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It looks like four bands of HSPA is too much for a BlackBerry to handle as Japanese carrier DoCoMo has suspended all sales of the Bold due to overheating issues. Since its February 20th launch, DoCoMo has sold approximately 4,000 Bolds but after receiving more than 30 complaints about overheating keypads while charging, DoCoMo decided it was best to halt sales while RIM investigates the matter. RIM is being quite tight-lipped on the matter and would only comment with, “This issue appears to be specifically limited to the BlackBerry Bold devices sold in Japan since last week and sales of BlackBerry Bold devices in other countries are unaffected by this matter.” RIM went on to clarify that faulty batteries are not to blame. For those of you scoring at home, this brings the number of carriers that have suspended sales of the Bold up to two thus far. Anyone taking bets on who might be the third?

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Sony has just announced its latest line of laptop batteries, engineered exclusively for masochists. Wait, no, don’t get excited. It looks like it was just an accident that Sony’s notebook batteries have been melting on people’s laps. Back to the shadows of society you go, you crazy deviants. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has decided to recall approximately 35,000 laptop batteries after reports from 19 people that their lappys got a bit too hot to handle. 17 of the 19 reported that their computers actually caught fire and two of them even suffered burns as a result. The affected batteries have shipped out in various manufacturer models including Dell, Toshiba and HP notebooks. Sony, buddy, what’s going on here? The world has been having some serious battery shortages lately and you’re off frying people’s thighs. Not cool. Sony also issued a major recall for similar reasons last month, affecting about 438,000 laptops around the world. Now this. It might not be a bad idea to start checking the battery make on potential notebook purchases from here on out… Hit the jump to find out if there’s a chance your laptop might try to stop you from reproducing, and for recall info if you plan to thwart it.

Hewlett-Packard

• dv1000
• dv8000
• zd8000

Compaq Presario:

• v2000 and v2400

HP Compaq:

• nc6110, 6120, 6140, 6220, 6230
• nx4800, 4820, 6110, 6120, 9600

Toshiba Satellite:

• A70/A75
• P30/P5
• M30X/M35X
• M50/M55
• ecra:
• A3, A5, S2

Dell

• Latitude 110L
• Inspiron: 1100, 1150, 5100, 5150, 5160

Consumer Contacts:

Hewlett-Packard
(800)889-2031
http://www.hp.com/support/BatteryReplacement

Toshiba
(800) 457-7777
http://www.bxinfo.toshiba.com

Dell
(866) 342-0011
http://www.dellbatteryprogram.com

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