Allergic reactions cause Fitbit to recall wrist-worn Force fitness tracker

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 38

    I wonder when manufacturers will be forced to include allergic reaction disclaimers on the outside of the packaging. 

  • Reply 22 of 38
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post



    They were forced to voluntarily recall the Force.




    I think he was making a play on words with the word force.

    Oh. I thought he was criticizing the AI sentence saying "Apparent skin irritation issues have forced Fitbit to cease sales..." when they were clearly not forced in the legal sense. I'm guessing they were being proactive perhaps in response to some angry allergic people threatening to go ballistic on social media. Anyway it is a pretty expensive move I'd imagine.

  • Reply 23 of 38

    Amazing. Nickel is one of the most common contact dermatitis allergies out there, and somehow they failed to avoid this. I am allergic, and for things like jewelry/belt buckles  and what not, clear nail polish covering the area of contact solves the problem — but I have a feeling this might not work for biometric sensors that probably need direct skin contact. 

     

    Fail.

  • Reply 24 of 38
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    mstone wrote: »
    Oh. I thought he was criticizing the AI sentence saying "Apparent skin irritation issues have forced Fitbit to cease sales..." when they were clearly not forced in the legal sense. I'm guessing they were being proactive perhaps in response to some angry allergic people threatening to go ballistic on social media. Anyway it is a pretty expensive move I'd imagine.

    You're case sounds more plausible than mine.
  • Reply 25 of 38
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by fastasleep View Post

     

    Amazing. Nickel is one of the most common contact dermatitis allergies out there, and somehow they failed to avoid this. I am allergic, and for things like jewelry/belt buckles  and what not, clear nail polish covering the area of contact solves the problem — but I have a feeling this might not work for biometric sensors that probably need direct skin contact. 

     

    Fail.


    It's a feature, not a bug. In addition to monitoring other biometric conditions it also helps to notify you if you are allergic to nickel.  /s

  • Reply 26 of 38
    Oh... I didn't put that thing on my wrist... I thought it was an adjustable Prince Albert. It works with iBang.
  • Reply 27 of 38

    It's the traces of lead and arsenic, seriously, this likely wouldn't have happen if they used better quality materials. I wonder how many people will be affected by it though?

  • Reply 28 of 38
    This is the biggest confirmation that Apple is about to release a new product... People's wrists are somehow sensing that Apple is close to releasing a wrist-device and are having an allergic reaction from wearing what will soon be a sub-par device.

    Wonderful comment!
  • Reply 29 of 38
    mstone wrote: »
    It's a feature, not a bug. In addition to monitoring other biometric conditions it also helps to notify you if you are allergic to nickel.  /s

    Thanks for an amusing post!
  • Reply 30 of 38
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    A friend of mine went to the Apple store today in SoCal and reported that the fitbit is still on sale.

  • Reply 31 of 38

    Count me as sensitive to the adhesive and/or plasticizers used in the strap -- thanks to AppleInsider for the article, and a pox upon Fitbit for visiting a truly horrible rash on my wrist and then not doing more than providing a simple refund. Great to hear they're working on an improved unit: now with even bigger and more pustulent sores!

     

    The lack of any offer of a replacement unit speaks volumes about their inability to actually fix their rather serious manufacturing problem. They're likely just outsourcing manufacturing to some subpar hacks in China -- would have been nice to see them openly switch shops in the face of this, rather than just trumpeting their next uni, in some sort of evil attempt to turn suffering into advertising.

  • Reply 32 of 38
    aestival wrote: »
    Count me as sensitive to the adhesive and/or plasticizers used in the strap -- thanks to AppleInsider for the article, and a pox upon Fitbit for visiting a truly horrible rash on my wrist and then not doing more than providing a simple refund. Great to hear they're working on an improved unit: now with even bigger and more pustulent sores!

    The lack of any offer of a replacement unit speaks volumes about their inability to actually fix their rather serious manufacturing problem. They're likely just outsourcing manufacturing to some subpar hacks in China -- would have been nice to see them openly switch shops in the face of this, rather than just trumpeting their next uni, in some sort of evil attempt to turn suffering into advertising.

    I'm not laughing at your travails, but thanks for adding to this thread's comic mirth!
  • Reply 33 of 38
    arlorarlor Posts: 532member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mstone View Post

     

    It's a feature, not a bug. In addition to monitoring other biometric conditions it also helps to notify you if you are allergic to nickel.  /s


     

    Win.

  • Reply 34 of 38
    Funny how there's no mention of nickel in the apple products. It took awhile, and finding a group on the Internet to figure out what was going on with my hands. Now my laptop and iPads are completely covered with tape, which worked for awhile, now for extra safety I also tape my hands if I'm in for a long session. It does take a LOT of exposure - I'd been using Apple products for years with no problems. A marathon session of 12 hours a day for a week with my laptop and an iPad in one hand started it. Sensitivity seems to increase - it takes less and less exposure to start an outbreak once it begins. The troublesome part is, you have no idea what else nickel is in. Pliers? The handle on my stove? Jewelry? All metal now us suspect. I've read 5 major news stories this week about fitbit. Still waiting for Apple to come clean. Or at least assure me there's none in the track- pad, or if there is, they'll change it. Once my fingers go I'll have to give up the laptop.
    And for those who don't know what the reaction is, it doesn't start on the surface of your skin like a rash. It starts deep. With small bumps that move up to just under the surface of your skin and get bigger and quite painful and start multiplying. The area turns red and the pain intensifies and is still deep in the flesh not just topical. Soon layers of skin start to go. It's not pleasant.
  • Reply 35 of 38
    oahujean wrote: »
    Funny how there's no mention of nickel in the apple products. It took awhile, and finding a group on the Internet to figure out what was going on with my hands. Now my laptop and iPads are completely covered with tape, which worked for awhile, now for extra safety I also tape my hands if I'm in for a long session. It does take a LOT of exposure - I'd been using Apple products for years with no problems. A marathon session of 12 hours a day for a week with my laptop and an iPad in one hand started it. Sensitivity seems to increase - it takes less and less exposure to start an outbreak once it begins. The troublesome part is, you have no idea what else nickel is in. Pliers? The handle on my stove? Jewelry? All metal now us suspect. I've read 5 major news stories this week about fitbit. Still waiting for Apple to come clean. Or at least assure me there's none in the track- pad, or if there is, they'll change it. Once my fingers go I'll have to give up the laptop.
    And for those who don't know what the reaction is, it doesn't start on the surface of your skin like a rash. It starts deep. With small bumps that move up to just under the surface of your skin and get bigger and quite painful and start multiplying. The area turns red and the pain intensifies and is still deep in the flesh not just topical. Soon layers of skin start to go. It's not pleasant.

    When you say you're waiting for them to "come clean" it sounds accusatory. Do you have reason to believe their aluminum Macs or their glass trackpad are actual nickel?
  • Reply 36 of 38
    rcfarcfa Posts: 1,124member
    Allergic reaction is BS, peanut butter is also not recalled from the market because some people are allergic.

    More likely are the plastic contains real toxins, or they have a patent issue or some other reason to get the product of the market, the potential causes are endless, but I don't buy the allergy excuse.
  • Reply 37 of 38
    I'm actually allergic to their crappy software. Set the date on your tracker and it wipes out all of your historical data? Garbage. I got rid of my One. The M7 in the 5S made FitBit redundant, anyhow.
  • Reply 38 of 38
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by elmoofo View Post



    I'm actually allergic to their crappy software. Set the date on your tracker and it wipes out all of your historical data? Garbage. I got rid of my One. The M7 in the 5S made FitBit redundant, anyhow.



    Agreed! After one year I was on my third One... when that decided not to work anymore I sent it back for good. I'm happy with my Moves-App on iPhone 5s - accurate enough!

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