Users can download activity data till the end of this year but post that even servers will be offline
Quick on the heels of the recent case of the exploding iPhone, we now have another gadget that could pose a possible fire hazard – Intel’s Basis Peak smartwatch and activity tracker.
The Basis Peak smartwatch and fitness tracker was the result of the acquisition of Basis Science – a wearable technology company based in San Francisco – by Intel back in 2014. The product line was part of Intel’s concentrated efforts to focus in the areas of wearable tech and the Internet of Things.
The recall of the Basis Peak smartwatch wasn’t totally out of the blue though. Back in June the company reported a small fraction of its smartwatches were experiencing overheating and that a software based solution for the problem was being worked upon. The advisory note in Intel's blog post was to stop wearing the Basis Peak watch right away, until a software update solving the issue was rolled out. At the time of the initial announcement 0.2 per cent of its users had reported discomfort, blistering or burns.
What about the software update? Unfortunately it never came. "Despite our best efforts, we aren’t able to develop such a solution without completely compromising the experience.” says Intel's latest blog post announcing the recall.
As a result, the company has decided to recall all Basis Peak watches, and offer full refunds for not just the Peak watches but also all authorized accessories. Customers have been given an opportunity to download their activity until December 31, 2016 after which the watch will no longer be able to sync. To ease the refund process the company has set up a dedicated microsite as well as a number of telephone helpline numbers which are listed on the blog post announcing the recall. Although there isn’t an official last date for the returns, Intel strongly urges users to stop using the watch and return it as soon as possible.
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Siddharth Parwatay
Siddharth a.k.a. staticsid is a bigger geek than he'd like to admit. Sometimes even to himself. View Full Profile
