theSun | FRIDAY AUGUST 28 2009
news without borders
Uproar over
exploding iPhones
PARIS: Half a dozen new cases
of “exploding iPhones” emerged
in France on Wednesday, as Ap-
ple faced an official inquiry and
calls to come clean over possible
risks linked to its wildly popular
smartphone.
An 80-year-old pensioner
from the Paris suburbs said on
Wednesday his iPhone screen
cracked up in his hands, a day
after a supermarket watchman
claimed he was hurt in the eye
when his screen suddenly shat-
tered this week.
Ten French consumers have
now come forward saying their
iPhone screens exploded or
cracked without explanation,
according to an AFP tally, includ-
ing a first case in mid-August in
which a teenager suffered an eye
injury. Apple is accused of trying
to hush up 15 cases of iPod music
players heating up and bursting
into flames in the United States
and in one similar British case,
all apparently due to overheated
lithium ion batteries.
None of the incidents has
caused a serious injury but Apple
was forced to defend the safety of
its flagship smartphone before the
European Union this month, in-
briefs
Missing toddlers
found on train track
LOS ANGELES: State regulators
were investigating on Wednesday
how two two-year-old infants man-
aged to escape from a daycare
centre and make their way to a train
track, where they were discovered
by a passerby.
The two boys had been playing
outdoors at a YMCA day care centre
in Anaheim, near Los Angeles, last
Thursday and were discovered
missing when supervisors at the
day-care centre conducted a head
count, the centre said.
The wandering pair were then
spotted playing alongside train
tracks near the daycare centre by
a passerby, who moved the two
boys away from the area and called
police, Anaheim Police Sergeant
Rick Martinez told the Los Angeles
Times. California’s Department of
Social Services said it would investi-
gate the incident, and the day-care
centre said it also would carry out
an inquiry. – AFP
Cambodia pulls back
troops from temple
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia began a
partial withdrawal of troops from
its disputed border with Thailand
yesterday, a move likely to ease
tensions between the two over a
900-year-old Hindu temple.
“This shows the positive
position of Cambodia, that we
want to live in peace, and is
something the two nations will
benefit from,” said Gen Chea
Dara, deputy commander in chief
of Cambodia’s armed forces.
“At the same time, we still
have enough troops to defend our
own territory,” he told Reuters by
telephone from the border.
9
sisting the exploding screen cases
were “isolated incidents”.
The US technology giant,
which has sold 26 million iPhones
and 200 million iPods to date, said
it been informed of the French
cases, but would not comment
until it had examined the dam-
aged phones.
“We are aware of these reports
and we are waiting to receive the
iPhones from the customers. Until
we have the full details, we don’t
have anything further to add,”
said Alan Hely, head of commu-
nications at Apple Europe.
But France’s official competi-
tion, consumer affairs and fraud
watchdog has launched an inves-
tigation to find out whether the
Apple smartphone could pose a
threat to consumers.
Maxis Communications Bhd
(Maxis), the distributor of iPhones
in Malaysia, has declined to com-
ment on the matter. “We cannot
comment on the product as there
are guidelines regarding this,”
said Maxis head of public relations
Catherine Leong. Meanwhile
the public relations manager of
Apple Malini Mitra said that the
company does not have any com-
ments for now. – Agencies
The regional commander on
the Thai side of the border said
there were no plans to follow
suit.
“There will be no withdrawal
from this side,” Maj-Gen Chawalit
Chunprasan said. – Reuters
Taiwan approves
Dalai Lama visit
TAIPEI: Taiwan President Ma
Ying-jeou yesterday approved a
visit next week by the Dalai Lama
to the typhoon-hit island in a
move analysts say could damage
Taipei’s efforts to improve ties
with China.
“We have decided to the Dalai
Lama’s visit to pray for the souls of
the deceased and seek blessings
for the survivors of the typhoon,”
Ma told reporters in central Nan-
tou county.
The Dalai Lama, whom Beijing
has accused of trying to split Tibet
from China and reacts angrily to
any country or territory hosting
him, said last year that he wanted
to visit Taiwan but Ma said then that
the timing was not right. - AFP
Pee in the shower,
Brazilians told
SAO PAULO: The environmental
organisation SOS Mata Atlantica
is running a campaign to get
Brazilians to pee in the shower to
reduce water consumption and
protect the environment.
Xixi no Banho or “Pee in the
shower” is the name of the
campaign which is making its
point with funny videos and its
own website www.xixinobanho.
CRITERIA. Miriam Yeung demands the best of herself in every performance, which is why she wears
org.br. SEIKO Criteria, from the pioneer of the quartz chronograph. It times up to 12 hours in 1/20 second
“The environment is happy
about the amount of water increments. It is water resistant to 10 bar (100 m). With a dial that sparkles with brilliance, it captures
saved. Every flush of the loo uses every precious moment. seikowatches.com
around 12 litres of water. Flush-
ing just once a day makes a total THONG SIA SDN BHD
of 4,380 litres per year,” said the CP27, Suite 2601-04, 26th Floor, Central Plaza, 34, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: (603) 2141 5163
organisation which is trying to Website: www.thongsia.com.my Insist on Seiko’s International Warranty.
protect the Mata Atlantica, the
Atlantic rainforest. – dpa