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Hardware 2.0

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Apple kicks off worldwide iPod nano first-generation replacement program

By | November 12, 2011, 3:02am PST

Summary: Grab a free of charge replacement for your 5/6 year-old iPod nano.

Do you own a first-generation iPod nano bought between September 2005 and December 2006? If you answered ‘yes’ then you could be eligible for a free replacement thanks to a manufacturing defect that could result in the diminutive music player overheating.

Apple is recommending that owners stop using their iPod nano and check to see if they are eligible for a replacement unit, free of charge. Not all first-generation iPod nano units are affected - entering your serial number here will tell you if your device is affected.

Note: Only units with a black or white plastic front and a silver metal back are affected. Later iPod nano models with a metal front and back are not affected.

If your iPod nano is affected, you will be instructed to send it back to Apple. You will receive your replacement unit within 6 weeks.

This is a great opportunity to get that old iPod nano that’s languishing in a drawer for a few years refreshed.

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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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RE: Apple kicks off worldwide iPod nano first-generation replacement program
bobiroc 15th Nov
@Pete "athynz" Athens

It is called the Consumer Products Safety Act. Look it up. In there it describes how companies have an obligation to take care of any potential health and safety issues in products they make.
Does anyone know what you get as a replacement device? Is it a refurbished 1st generation or truly a new ipod nano? Why not just replace the battery at a local Apple Store?
@jazzmezzo Even more interesting... if the affected devices were sold between 2005-2006, shouldn't the users have noticed an overheating problem a long time ago already? That would quite possibly mean that the only people still using the device are those who have not experienced the problem, making a replacement unneccesary. happy
@jgm@...

I've had one with a broken control pad sitting around for years. I intended to use it as a memory stick but never did. So regardless of whether it is a new model, or a refurbed Gen 1, this works out great for me.
@jgm@...
Apparently the likelihood of overheating increases with the battery's age.

I received an e-mail regarding my 1st gen Nano, which still works great except for battery life (no surprise there). They don't mention what I would get for a replacement. I also have the 5th and 6th gen Nano models, so can't really complain with whatever I wind up with - even if it's just another 1st Gen.

If you used one of those vinyl decal skins, good luck - apparently they aren't so easy to remove after several years. After using Goo Gone with limited success, I found that rubbing alcohol worked best.

EDIT: I decided to try to remove the decal from the front after all, and it removed cleanly. The heat from the battery must have fused the decal to the back of the Nano. Those decals really work - my Nano looks brand new!
0 Votes
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Replacing a 5+ year old device .....
wackoae Updated - 12th Nov
Nobody can't complain about that. I don't see any other company replacing even devices that are still within warranty.

No wonder Apple has the highest rating in customer service.
@wackoae

Dude!! This is a safety and health issue. This is effectively acting like a recall which many companies do in the interest of safety. The difference is this type of device is not generally serviceable so they are just replacing it instead of fixing it.

This is good customer service yes, but it is required service which Apple is probably being told to do.
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Yes and no
use_what_works_4_U 14th Nov
@bobiroc
Battery overheating issues were prevalent throughout the industry in the early 2000s. Apple has issued several recall/replacement programs for this type of issue with products from iPods to Laptops. When I worked at the Genius Bar I participated in several of those programs and every single one of them was done on Apple's initiative, not as a requirement of any outside authority.

There was a standing guideline that any overheating product reported was to be evaluated and if found to be defective, a replacement was to be offered. Customers who damaged their products were expected to be responsible for that damage, but we made the occasional exception if we truly felt it was appropriate. I made exceptions to the rules that were a bit of a stretch occasionally, but I was always backed up by my store management.

Apple has a safety policy in place that allows the Genii to replace any Apple product found to be defective in a matter that poses health or safety risks (such as severe overheating) on a case by case basis. The problem can't be the result of product abuse - it must be a defect. Other than that, Genii are trained to evaluate and make that call on their own initiative.
@bobiroc So which Government agency is making Apple replace 5+ year old hardware? I mean since ...it is required service which Apple is probably being told to do. and the only entity Apple would answer to in this type of situation IS the government which agency is it? Where's the link to the order?

After all this could never be something Apple would do on it's own, right?
@Pete "athynz" Athens

In cases such as this where a health or safety issue the company is obligated to take care of the situation once it is made aware of it or face legal action. If the company takes the initiative to do this recall before it gets out of hand that just makes them a responsible company. So in this case it is the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the laws and regulations it has set in place.
@wackoae
hooey. Try calling Apple to get an extended warranty on your 3 year old Macbook. "Sorry, sir, that's not an option. We suggest you buy a new one".
@bigjuliefromchicago

My School District got the same thing when they tried to get information on extending the warranties on the iMacs we use.

We have had many ROM drives and Hard Drives fail in our iMacs. Of course some of that is due to that abuse the students give them. Who knew that ROM drives do not like to work so well when you stuff paper or gum into them.
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(deleted)
use_what_works_4_U Updated - 14th Nov
@bigjuliefromchicago
wrong location, sorry
Has anyone received their replacement yet? I have a speaker system my Nano slides into, will a newer version Nano fit?
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@sitver Don't complain because it is replaced with the same model with a different battery.

They are not "downgrading" the device and there is no real reason to expect a free upgrade on a device that is obviously past the warranty date.
@wackoae True. I could only hope. I didn't say they were downgrading it. I was just countering a point in the article that said "This is a great opportunity to get that old iPod nano that???s languishing in a drawer for a few years refreshed." They aren't refreshing it which is true Once again my source: http://www.appstorechronicle.net.ms/2011/11/exclusive-apple-recalls-all-ipod-nano.html )
@wackoae

Do you know what a recall is? Apple is NOT doing this out of the kindness of their heart. They are doing it because they are forced to because of a safety issue. So yes, there is a REAL reason to expect a replacement device. It is called a safety recall.
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Take a chill there, Bob
use_what_works_4_U 14th Nov
@Bobiroc
I'm not a huge fan of Wackoae, but he/she has a point. The product is being replaced, not repaired. It is being replaced with the same model, but it's not like you're getting your old one returned to you.

In this case I thing the wackoae is right. Replacing a product that is defective for a like product that is not seems reasonable. Also, where do you see that Apple is being forced to do this? So far I haven't found anything to suggest that this is other than Apple's standard policy of replacing an unsafe product on their own.
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RE: Take a Chill
bobiroc 14th Nov
@macadam

I am sorry if some of my comments got out of hand but based on the Consumer Product Safety Act companies are obligated to take care of any product that can have potential safety and health issues. An overheating battery implies that it can be dangerous to handle. That is how Apple is being forced to do this. The difference here is that it is probably easier and cheaper to replace the iPod than try and take them all in and repair them.
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Apple figured this out 5 years later ?
Madushan Siriwardena 14th Nov
Seriously... Did Apple figured this out just now ?
I don't think so....
So what's the catch ?
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RE: So what's the catch?
bobiroc 14th Nov
@Madushan Siriwardena

They are now being forced to do it because of a safety recall. Obviously there were enough complaints and/or safety issues reported that warranted the recall of the device. Since these devices are generally not serviceable they are replacing them.
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Supposition at best
use_what_works_4_U 14th Nov
@bobiroc
Have you ever worked at Apple? I doubt it.

Apple has a long history of replacement programs lie this undertaken when they verify a defective product/design/component. One commenter suggests that the issue is apparently worse after several years.

Although I agree that this is a safety issue, you imply that Apple is doing this grudgingly or under duress. Their history shows a long standing policy of doing the right thing in such circumstances on their own initiative, regardless of the age of the product. If there is anyone reporting that this is the result of someone compelling action on Apple's part,then I will grant you the argument. So far the only one making that claim is you. Do you have any evidence that this is anything other than a corporation acting in a responsible manner? Corporations do that from time to time.

You do know that recalls can be voluntary and not compulsory, don't you?
@bobiroc You keep saying this - WHERE is the proof? Come on bobrioc cough up a link or something...
@Pete "athynz" Athens

It is called the Consumer Products Safety Act. Look it up. In there it describes how companies have an obligation to take care of any potential health and safety issues in products they make.
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RE: Nook Tablet (photos)
gfhrtw 14th Nov
I've noticed something interesting as I was reading various posts about this story today. People have a genuine attachment to their 1st Gen Nanos. A great number of commenters not only DIDN'T want the current touch-based Nano, but were afraid to even send their pristine 1st gens in for fear they would get something less than perfect back, even going so far as saying they'd just accept the potential risk and keep their pristine units.

The more I think about it, the more I agree. The 1st Gen Nano was a strikingly beautiful piece of engineering and a marvel of size reduction. Mine has had a broken click wheel for ages, then I tore it apart, tried to fix it and made it worse. I never threw it away though so today I checked the serial and it's covered. I'm now kind of hoping they replace it with a 1st gen because it's a pretty neat little device all in all.

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