Modern Technology is Blowing Up | Skylar Binney

Modern Technology is Blowing Up

by Skylar Binney

Between iPhones and hoverboards, our modern technology is blowing up in more ways than just popularity. It has been said that sleeping with your iPhone on your bed or on your pillow can be dangerous…but how? Likewise, hoverboards are being found as a potential safety hazard and have been banned from various public areas. Our tech-savvy society have put these items to use in their daily life, but the harmful side effects may not be worth the convenience.

Many of the iPhone 6 pluses have been catching fire during the night while resting on the bed next to their owner. This often occurs because people tend to charge their phone at night while they are sleeping. When asked about the critical damage the iPhones have inflicted, Apple responds by saying that the fire was a product of using non-apple chargers, and that they are not responsible for the damage. Many Apple users have also reported their iPhones catching fire in their pocket, coming close to burning them. The most common iPhones to catch fire have been the 5c, 6, and 6 plus. Although it is unlikely that most iPhones will spark, certain precautions such as not charging your phone on your bed at night may save you from a potentially harmful situation.

Similarly, hoverboards have taken a downward spiral in popularity as they have been discovered as being capable of exploding. Hoverboards have been banned from certain public areas including some college campuses and schools due to their dangerous tendencies to catch fire. Despite the recent popularity and reality of the “Back to the Future II” idea, there have been over 52 reports of hover boards catching fire. The damage as a result of these malfunctioning modes of transportation has totaled at a cost of $2 million. The shipping of hover boards has been temporarily suspended, as the selling companies fear the damage that could be caused from another explosion. Many airlines including American, Alaska, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest and United Airlines have banned the hover boards from being present on an passing flights, as a safety precaution for their flyers. Unlike the iPhones catching fire while charging, hover boards have been found to explode at any given time whether they are being ridden, charged, or are laying idle.

These explosive and sparking tendencies are rare, however, users must take precaution when handling their technology. With innovations in technology, it is necessary that we take the time to discover the possible dangers that are presented as side effects along with the use of this technology. Both iPhones and hoverboards have been discovered to be dangerous at times, which must be accounted for when purchasing and using the devices.

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