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Consumer Electronics

Can KitchenAid Stand up to the Grind?

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One of the easiest ways I have found to get calcium and vitamins into my kids is to offer them smoothies as an after school snack.I just throw a variety of frozen fruit, yogurt and some milk into the blender and produce a treat they love. This is a great time of year to pull out the blender and make a cool treat.

I have been doing this for years using a Hamilton Beach blender I purchased on sale at a local drugstore almost twenty years ago. Now we have a problem. kitchenaid-blender.gifAbout five years ago, my husband bought me a Kitchenaid blender that claims to be strong enough to crush ice at all speeds, but after years of occasional use, the coupler started breaking apart.The coupler is that small black gear-like circle that connects the blender jar and blades to the base. It has broken in two stages. The first time, when two pieces broke off, I called Kitchenaid customer service. The representative there was friendly and sympathetic, but as our blender was out of warranty, she offered no advice other than that we could continue to use the blender as it was although, it would add a slight strain to the motor and therefore shorten the lifespan of the appliance somewhat.

kitchenaid-blender-drive-coupling.gif

So, we continued using the blender for the next few months.Yesterday, two more pieces of coupler broke off.I have sent the base to be repaired at an authorized repair shop at a cost of $25. This is not a huge cost, but as a percentage of an $80 blender, it seems high considering how often (or not, really) we used it. I just think a blender that claims to be an ice crushing, high powered appliance, made by a quality manufacturer should be more durable.

Finding Your Inner Guide – or at Least a PDF Manual

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I recently overhead someone ask a friend: ‘how did we ever find out anything before Google?’. I gave away my internet age when I said “with altavista” and added for good measure – in a gopher guide. But nevertheless, the point stands. Google is just the greatest mindshare search tool, but its just a gateway into the riches of the internet. One of the great killer aps of customer service is the ability of any manufacturer to make all of their manuals available instantly to their customers.

att_logo.jpgMy ATT answering machine phone is acting weird, and my wife asked me to find the manual. After 10 minutes of wasting my time in paper files, I just did a quick search and came up with this page listing dozens of PDF manuals to various AT&T phones.

One of our goals here is to create a single point resource with as many manuals as we can hunt down. So here’s a start.

Recall: Coby Boombox

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Coby Boombox recallCoby Electronics Recalls Boomboxes Due to Fire Hazard

Name of product: Coby-Brand USB/MP3/CD Boomboxes

Units: About 13,800

Importer: Coby Electronics Corp., of Maspeth, N.Y.

Hazard: When left plugged into an electrical outlet and the off switch is not firmly in place, these boomboxes can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Coby Electronics Corp. has received 18 reports of these boomboxes overheating resulting in three reports of minor property damage. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled Coby boombox is a portable CD/MP3 player with an AM/FM radio. The USB feature allows it to be connected to a computer.
The boombox is primarily white with silver-colored speakers. The word “COBY” is written on the front and “DIGITAL” is written on the top. The model number, “MP-CD475” also is written on the top. The recalled units have serial numbers, located on the rear of the unit beneath the AC power cord plug-in outlet, in the following range limits:

0736000001 through 0736005000
0816000001 through 0816005300
0826000001 through 0826003500

Sold at: Discount, toy and office supply stores nationwide from August
2006 through December 2006 for between $20 and $50.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should unplug these boomboxes immediately, and contact the firm for information on returning the recalled units and receiving a refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Coby Electronics Corp. at (800) 524-9219 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site.

Source

Recall: Version-X Hair Dryers

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Version-X Travel N Baby hairdryer recallName of product: Travel’N Baby Mini Hair Dryers

Units: About 18,000

Importer: Detour Corp., doing business as Version-X, of Studio City, Calif.

Distributor: Metropolis Beauty Inc., of Los Angeles, Calif.

Hazard: These electric hair dryers are not equipped with an immersion protection plug to prevent electrocution if the hair dryer falls into water. Electric shock protection devices are required by industry standards for all electric hand-held hair dryers. If the hair dryer falls into water during use and is not equipped with this safety device, it can pose a shock and/or an electrocution hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled hair dryers are made of plastic and are red, blue or green. The hair dryer’s handle folds up. The words “Travel’N Baby” are printed on one side of the hair dryer.

Sold by: Independent beauty supply stores and beauty salons nationwide and online at www.metropolisbeauty.com from January 2004 through January 2005 for about $20.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using these hair dryers immediately and contact Version-X at (800) 871-6824 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or visit the recall Web site at www.metropolisbeauty.com for a replacement hair dryer equipped with an immersion protection plug.

See this recall on CPSC’s web site.

Recall: Holmes Group Tower Fans Fire Hazard

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holmes oscillating fan recallName of product: Holmes® Oscillating Tower Fans

Units: About 300,000

Distributor: The Holmes Group, of Milford, Mass.

Hazard: Electrical arcing in the fan’s wiring can cause a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: The Holmes Group has received 16 reports of property damage, including one reported injury involving minor burns and smoke inhalation.

Description: The recall involves the Holmes HT30 Oscillating Tower Fan.
The model number can be found on the silver label on the back of the unit. The tower fans are white. “Holmes®” is printed on the front of the base.

Sold at: Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and additional department and specialty stores nationwide from July 2002 through June 2005 for about $30.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the fans and contact The Holmes Group for instructions on receiving a free replacement unit at (800) 524-9204 anytime or visit the firm’s Web site at www.holmesfanrecall.com.

See this recall on CPSC’s web site.

Can You Hear Me Now? Amplified Phone Market to Grow As Boomers Age.

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Earlier this month, the news reported the latest craze, cellphone Ringtones that only teens can hear. The National Public Radio (NPR) article Teens Turn ‘Repeller’ into Adult-Proof Ringtone describes how:

The war between teens and authority figures has a new — or old — front: ears. British shopkeepers tired of teenage loiterers have turned to the Mosquito teen repellent, which emits a high-pitch frequency that most teenagers can hear — but not most adults.

But now teens have struck back against the Mosquito: They are using the same sound to communicate without adults’ knowledge.

At issue is a text-message ringtone that emits the same pitch as the Mosquito. Using it, students can learn about a new message while they’re in class — where they’re not supposed to be using their cellphones. Most of their teachers can’t hear the alert.

No matter which side of the argument you’re on, the rest of the article is fascinating reading.

At the opposite end of the sound spectrum are amplified phones for baby boomers. This Week In Consumer Electronics (TWICE) reports that

According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, 28 million Americans (one in 10) suffer from some form of hearing loss. The percentage shifts dramatically for those age 65 or over to one out of three. According to the National Institutes of Health, the number of people aged 65 and over is expected to double in size within the next 25 years. By 2030, almost one out of every five Americans (72 million people) will be 65 years or older.

Manufacturers Panasonic, Uniden, VTech, Motorola, ClearSounds and Clarity are getting involved not merely in raising the amplification but in isolating the frequencies that the hearing-impaired usually miss.