Newegg is giving away RX 480s with HTC Vive purchases

Why it matters to you

If you have been sitting on the VR fence because of pricing or graphics card concerns, Newegg’s deal could give you the push you need.

Spending $800 on an HTC Vive virtual reality headset might seem like a lot, but deals like the one on offer at Newegg certainly help. The retailer is giving away a brand new Gigabyte Radeon RX 480 4GB graphics card with the headset, making it a better deal and upgrading your PC to a VR-ready level in the process.

One of the most common reasons you guys have given us for not jumping on the VR bandwagon yet is price. Some of you want wireless operation, more AAA games or better hardware, but most want it to be cheaper. While Newegg’s deal doesn’t do much for the original price, it does at least get users a $180-plus graphics card for free.

The RX generation of AMD graphics cards went a long way to dropping the bar for VR-capable graphics, so it seems like an apt solution to the problem of VR pricing to provide that generation of card with the headset.

More: Digitaltrends Daily Deals

While the RX 480 isn’t the most powerful card out there, it is more than capable of handling most virtual reality games at the 90 frames per second required for smooth play. It should be capable of playing a lot of 2D games at reasonably high settings, too, though don’t expect it to hold a candle to some of the new, top-tier cards like Nvidia’s GTX 1080 Ti.

But then again, such a purchase isn’t just about the graphics card — the main focus is the HTC Vive itself. Even though it’s closing in on a year since its original release, we still consider the HTC Vive the best virtual reality headset money can buy, thanks to its motion controllers, room-scale tracking capabilities, and fantastic visuals. We’ll see if this deal attracts the kind of attention Newegg is hoping for.

LG G6 second opinion: This one’s the best

LG G6 is an exceptionally solid flagship device from South Korea’s other smartphone maker.

What makes a decent flagship smartphone? Is it the look of its hardware, the size of its bezels, or the specifications under the hood? Or is it simply that it’s a balanced merger of all these things — a conservative cornucopia of smartphone features you’d be most likely to use and capabilities you won’t realize you’ve ever lived without.

LG hasn’t exactly struck gold with this kind of flagship. The past few years have been sort of dull, what with the confusedly modular G5 and leather-heavy G4. However, things feel different with the LG G6; it’s an exceptionally good smartphone, and not once in the past two weeks of wielding it have I been frustrated by something it doesn’t do well.

Do I think the G6 could help regain momentum lost on its predecessor? Not entirely — at least not without a cohesive, competitive and exhaustive marketing campaign. But I do find myself changing my mind about what I’d suggest to a friend if she were in the market for an Android device. And with this year’s protracted launch of Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy flagship, it really feels like it’s LG’s time to show off its smartphone-making abilities.

Seriously stylin’ hardware

I’ve had the privilege of watching LG’s flagship design evolve over the years, beginning with the launch of the LG Optimus G. I really liked that phone. Its crystal and glass construction, as it were, felt truly premium against the backdrop of plasticky Android smartphones storming the seas at the time.

Obviously, we’ve come a long way since then, but I can’t help but feel like the G6 hearkens back to that particular era of smartphone design. The G6’s candy bar look and masculine metallics are seriously cool and I like that LG is finally showing some design prowess of its own. Also, while its rounded corners are definitely a gimmick, they’re cute, and I like that they add a bit of flair to the device — that’s so LG.

I found the G6 to be a tad soft, despite Gorilla Glass front and back.

Perhaps the G6’s only major design flaw is that despite its various levels of Gorilla Glass covering — Gorilla Glass 3 on the display and camera, Gorilla Glass 5 on the back — it’s a bit soft. I managed to ding up my review unit with a light drop from a few inches on a garden path.

I’m also glad to see the G6 maintain the volume button layout from the G5. Some of my peers enjoyed the volume buttons on the back of the G3 and G4, but I wasn’t a fan. I like that the G6’s configuration is usable even if I have my eyes closed; I don’t constantly confuse the power button for the volume buttons. It’s easier to take a screenshot, too.

About the screen aspect ratio

If you haven’t already heard, the G6 offers up an 18:9 aspect ratio on its 5.7-inch display. At present, the smartphone is one of the “tallest” of the Android bunch, and though its aspect ratio effectively narrows out your screen space — a 16:9 display at 5.7-inches is drastically different from an 18:9 display at the same screen size — you may find that the elongated screen makes it easier to use the interface one-handed.

I appreciated the extra space afforded for the on-screen navigation buttons. Though this is a generation where we’re often comparing screen sizes, I don’t think a massively wide smartphone for the sake of the viewing experience is particularly user-friendly, anyway. I’d rather have something that’s easier to wield.

Two cameras for the price of one

One of the more intriguing features of the LG G6 is its dual camera setup, which is similar to its cousin, the LG V20. (I compared the shooting capabilities of both devices, if you’re interested.) The hardware includes two 13-megapixel rear-facing cameras, one of which shoots at 71-degrees with an aperture of f/1.8, while the other snaps at a wide angle of 125-degrees with an aperture at f/2.4.

Unlike the regular 13-megapixel sensor, the secondary camera isn’t equipped with OIS, though that’s a non-issue unless you’re shooting in the deepest darks. The wide-angle lens is certainly useful and wonderful to have, but I don’t really see it becoming my primary shooter — at least not for most types of photos.

I usually shoot with a Pixel, but over the past few weeks I have barely picked it up.

I love anywhere there is scenery. I plan most of my day trips, extended stays, and even my morning walks based on where there are beautiful things to gawk at — the world is simply a wondrous place! Most of the time, I’m shooting with the Pixel XL, but over the past few weeks, I’ve barely picked it up. (We also compared those two.)

The LG G6 is more than capable enough, and I appreciated the ability to quickly switch camera modes, or turn on the wide-angle lens to capture a sunset. The G6 works well in low-light situations, too, and I was pleased with the amount of detail it managed to capture with simply a candle offered as the light source.

Selfies shot with the LG G6.

Overall, the G6’s camera abilities are a major improvement over its predecessors. Photos came out relatively well-balanced and easy to edit, and I didn’t feel the need to “over filter” in an attempt to hide the camera’s inabilities. My one gripe about the G6’s wide-angle camera, however, is that I can’t use it in third-party apps. I would love to utilize it in Snapchat, for instance, or inside a video messaging app.

There are too many selfie options.

Some of the G6’s extra camera abilities feel like added fluff in an attempt sell the world on a “feature-filled” camera app. Like other Android smartphones, LG offers panoramic, slow-motion, and time-lapse shooting modes, which are legitimately useful features to have baked inside the native camera application.

But as I discovered features like the ability to shoot a square-sized photo and built-in vintage filters, I started to feel a bit of interface claustrophobia. Does anyone need that many adjustments before shooting a selfie? I know the answer, but my point is that this is precisely what third-party apps are for.

The software is fine otherwise

I’m not adverse to trying out whatever a manufacturer’s idea of the Android interface is like. If anything, it gives me a bit of insight into the brand and whether there is an actual consistency to the design. And if I don’t like it, I can swap out most elements using a simple custom launcher.

LG’s theming engine is spectacular.

Thankfully, with the LG G6, I don’t feel I need to swap things out, because LG’s theming engine for its interface is spectacular. I like the preloaded themes that are offered, and if you’re crazy about an icon pack on the Play Store but you don’t want to go gaga with a theming app, you can easily change app icons from the G6’s setting menu. Having the choice is nice!

Who knew something as simple as theming could make one Android user so happy?

In the G6’s case, the best part about its software is that it comes preloaded with Google Assistant, though that’s not a reason to buy it. If anything, it’s just nice to know that Android’s best parts are being distributed among the masses, at least in minor increments for now.

The bottom line

The LG G6 is definitely the company’s return to form: It’s equipped with stellar hardware, it’s water resistant, it’s stylish, and it’s certifiably unique in its own right — this is what is looks like when LG has a hit on its hands! The only bummer is that with Samsung readying to storm onto the scene with its own flagship smartphone, it’s a wonder if the G6 will manage to compete. At the very least, it’s good to see LG get the cart back on track. And if the price is right, we could see LG officially mark its comeback.

See at B&H Photo

Electric Jaguar I-Pace hits the road for first time, production model unveiled in late-2017

This is the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace in action.

We saw the concept version of the SUV in the flesh at the end of last year, which we covered in our extensive Jaguar I-Pace preview, but this is the first time the car has taken to the roads. It was driven through London by Jaguar itself to prove it’s not just a pretty shell.

Jaguar has also revealed that the production version of the I-Pace will be fully revealed in late-2017, while consumers will finally get their hands on one in 2018.

“With the I-Pace concept we’ve torn up the rule book to create a vehicle with supercar inspired aesthetics, sports car performance and SUV space, in one electric package,” said Jaguar’s director of design, Ian Callum.

“It has surprised people and the enthusiasm for our first electric vehicle has been beyond all my expectations.”

• Jaguar’s first electric car is the I-Pace SUV
• Best of the Geneva Motor Show 2017: Concept cars, supercars and everything in-between

The Jaguar I-Pace can accelerate from 0-60mph in around four seconds. Importantly, its 90kWh lithium-ion battery can drive the car for more than 310.6 miles (500km) on a single charge.

Jaguar claims that the battery can also be charged up to 80 per cent in just 90 minutes, using 50kW DC charging.

Interested customers can pre-register their interest at jaguar.co.uk and by clicking the “I want one” button on the site.

Corporate database leak exposes millions of contact details

A 52.2GB corporate database that has leaked online compromises the contact details over 33.7 million employees in the United States. The list includes government workers, most of whom are soldiers and other military personnel from the Department of Defense. According to ZDNet, the database came from business services firm Dun & Bradstreet, which sells it to marketers that send targeted email campaigns. Dun & Bradstreet denies suffering a security breach — the company says the leaked information matches the type and format it delivers to customers. It could have come from any of its thousands of clients.

Troy Hunt, who runs breach notification website Have I Been Pwned, was the one who discovered the leak. After analyzing its contents, he found that they’re composed of millions of people’s names, their corresponding work email addresses and phone numbers, as well as their companies and job titles. Since it’s a database sold to marketers, the leaked details all came from US-based companies and government agencies. Based on Hunt’s analysis, here are the top ten entities in the list, along with the number of affected employees:

1. Department of Defense: 101,013
2. United States Postal Service: 88,153
3. AT&T: 6,7382
4. Wal-Mart: 55,421
5. CVS: 40,739
6. The Ohio State University: 38,705
7. Citigroup: 35,292
8. Wells Fargo Bank, National Association: 34,928
9. Kaiser Foundation Hospitals : 34,805
10. International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation: 33,412

While the database doesn’t contain more sensitive information, such as credit card numbers or SSNs, Hunt says it’s an “absolute goldmine for [targeted] phishing.”

He told ZDNet:

“From this data, you can piece together organizational structures and tailor messaging to create an air of authenticity and that’s something that’s attractive to crooks and nation-state actors alike.”

Hunt has already uploaded the contents of the database on Have I Been Pwned, so you can check if your details have been compromised anytime.

Source: ZDNet, Troy Hunt

How the UK plans to block illegal Kodi soccer streams

Last week, at the High Court, the Football Association Premier League (FAPL) was granted stronger powers to crack down on the illegal streaming of English football matches. Instead of chasing websites hosting live players, the League can now block the servers that provide the live feeds, cutting off Kodi boxes and similar IPTV services. But how will it enforced? Now that the order is publicly available, we can shed some light on how the FAPL intends to utilise its new powers.

It all starts with Mr Justice Arnold, who approved the FAPL’s application to introduce the first ever “live” blocks with help from the six major UK broadband providers. BT, EE, PlusNet, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media have been told that they must now block a list of IP addresses associated with “the Target Servers.”

Before the ruling was handed down, the FAPL had engaged a third-party contractor (which isn’t named) to monitor shady feeds using a “proprietary video fingerprinting technology.” This generated a “large number” of servers (that sometimes switched IP addresses to evade tracking), which could then be shared with ISPs.

The second stage in the two-part process involves the FAPL’s own three-part method for identifying infringing servers. However, the League — with support from BT, EE, Sky and Virgin — requested that the process remain confidential in order to stop the public from identifying ways to circumvent the restrictions. Five of the six providers positively supported the order, but TalkTalk didn’t back the application. It also didn’t oppose it, so an agreement was reached.

On March 18th, the order will come into effect. This delay gives providers some extra time to ready themselves. As you’d expect, a live server block works a little differently to restrictions placed on a typical website. For a start, blocks will only be in force when Premier League matches are being played. Judge Arnold states that technological advances in video fingerprinting can identify illegal streams in near real-time, allowing ISPs to be notified of new servers “nearly instantaneously.”

Justice Arnold also noted that ISPs now have malleable blocking systems that can be automatically restrict access to IP addresses while a game is being played. The order will force providers to “re-set” their block list every week, allowing new servers to be added and old servers to be removed if they no longer serve infringing content.

To assess its effectiveness, the order will run until May 22nd, which is the final day of the Premier League season. All parties will then submit feedback, including any issues they faced, before the FAPL submits a new application for the 2017/18 season.

Although the Premier League is perhaps the biggest source of illegal streams, major bodies of other sports are watching the FAPL order very closely. The BBC, German/Spanish/Scottish football leagues, ECB, PGA European Tour, Professional Darts Corporation and Rugby Football Union all supported the order. Should it be a success, we could see one of these associations apply for their own server blocks.

Justice Arnold notes:

“FAPL contends that, taking into account the considerations outlined above, the Order is proportionate. It does not impair the rights of the Defendants to carry on business. To the limited extent that it interferes with the rights of internet users to impart or receive information, the interference is justified by a legitimate aim, namely preventing infringement of FAPL’s copyrights on a large scale, and it is proportionate to that aim: it will be effective and dissuasive, no equally effective but less onerous measures are available to FAPL, it avoids creating barriers to legitimate trade, it is not unduly complicated or costly and it contains safeguards against misuse. I accept this contention.”

The order is quite specific in its focus, no two IPTV services/plugins are the same. VPNs and proxy servers, plus a rise in peer-to-peer streaming, may help users circumvent the blocks, if only for a short time. The true test will come on Saturday, when Kodi plugin administrators will go head-to-head with the UK’s biggest ISPs.

Source: High Court Ruling

Google: 4 out of 5 US homes have solar power potential

A five kilowatt rooftop solar installation now costs just $12,500 on average after tax credits, and pretty soon, installing one might soon be a matter of re-tiling your roof. Whether it’s right for you, however, depends in large part on how much sun your house gets. That’s where Google’s Project Sunroof comes in — launched just two years ago, it has now surveyed over 60 million US buildings in 50 states. That means there’s a good chance you can see the electricity production potential in your city, neighborhood and even specific house.

Google calculates the amount of sunlight on your roof based on “3D modeling of your roof and nearby trees,” weather patterns, the position of the sun in the sky during the year and shade from buildings, trees and other obstructions. That info is then converted to energy production “using industry standard models for solar installation performance,” Google says.

The results are surprising: 79 percent of all US rooftops are solar viable, meaning they have enough unshaded area for solar panels. Obviously, some regions are better than others — over 90 percent of homes in Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico are technically viable, but even northern states like Pennsylvania, Maine and Minnesota are over 60 percent. Houston, Texas has the most solar potential of any US city, with 18.9 gigawatt-hours of total power generation capability if all roofs had solar panels.

Project Sunroof can give you a lot of city-wide information (above), including the percentage of buildings (both commercial and residential) that are solar-viable, the total electrical generating capacity, average roof space and the total CO2 reduction viability — in tons, cars taken off the road and seedlings planted.

There’s a good chance you can find your own house by drilling down more. I found three at random on Google Maps in San Francisco, Kirkland and Albuquerque, and Project Sunroof had mapped them all. (I live in France and Project Sunroof only works in the USA.) For the Albuquerque home, it showed 2,011 hours of usable sunlight per year and 1,427 square feet of roof space. Google figures that solar panels will reduce the home’s electric bill if it’s more than $175 per month, and recommends a 5.25 kW installation (370 square feet) to cover about 97 percent of its electricity usage.

You can see your upfront costs, 20-year benefits, total 20-year savings and years until payback. The calculator can even drill down to a detailed estimate, as shown in the example below. Google is figuring this out based on just a satellite photo, of course, so an estimate from an actual installer will likely be different. However, it’s a fabulous tool to get an eyeball idea as to whether solar is really right for you.

Source: Google

Chrome 57 Reduces Desktop Power Consumption By Throttling Background Tabs

Version 57 of the desktop Chrome web browser includes a new CPU throttling feature that Google says will lead to 25 percent fewer busy background tabs and help reduce overall power consumption.

Charges that Chrome is a battery hog have long dogged Google’s browser, leading the company to make efficient power usage a key pillar in its long-term development strategy for the software. Throttling background tabs by limiting Javascript timers is the latest attempt by Google to improve the browser’s reputation.

Javascript timers are often used by news sites and social media networks to update web page content in tabs, which uses up valuable CPU cycles. From version 57 of the browser, Chrome will delay timers in individual background tabs if their power usage oversteps the mark. Tabs that play audio or use real-time connections won’t be affected, however.

Chrome has focused on improving the user experience by throttling tab performance for many years. Like many browsers, Chrome has limited timers in the background to only run once per second. Via the new throttling policy, Chrome 57 will delay timers to limit average CPU load to 1% of a core if an application uses too much CPU in background. Tabs playing audio or maintaining real-time connections like WebSockets or WebRTC won’t be affected.

According to Google, the new throttling mechanism leads to fewer busy background tabs, which typically consume a third of Chrome’s power usage on desktop computers. In the long term, Google aims to fully suspend timers in background tabs and instead rely on new APIs to do the work instead.

Chrome 57 is available to download for Mac users now. Existing users can update by selecting Chrome -> Preferences via the menu bar and clicking the About section. Users downloading Chrome for the first time will automatically receive the updated version from the Chrome download page. An update for the iOS browser app has also been released with a new Read Later option.

Tags: Google, Chrome
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iOS Grew to Capture 42% of U.S. Smartphone Market Over Holidays

From November 2016 through January 2017, iOS devices accounted for 42 percent of smartphone sales in the United States, growing 2.9 percentage points year-over-year thanks to iPhone sales over the holidays. According to new data released by Kantar Worldpanel, the same period saw a decline for Android smartphones, which still captured the largest share of the market at 56.4 percent in the United States, but was down 1.8 percentage points from the same three month period last year.

A similar growth for iOS and decline for Android — likely due to the Note7 — was noted by Kantar in a report focusing on OS market shares ahead of the holiday season. In today’s findings, Kantar noted that as iOS and Android continue to battle it out in every market, “no other ecosystem is challenging the two giants.” Some re-emerging brands catalyzed nostalgic spending for consumers — including the Nokia 3310 and BlackBerry KEYone — but their reliance on Android’s OS instead of their own legacy OS helped boost Android’s market shares.

Gone are the days when a BlackBerry OS, Symbian, or Windows Mobile could make a significant impact. It is clear that there will only be two smartphone ecosystems moving forward – iOS and Android. To succeed, phone manufacturers will have to play by those rulebooks.

Kantar noted that the iPhone 7 continues to be a top seller in large markets, particularly in Great Britain, France, and Germany. In total, iOS made gains across most regions excluding Japan, Spain, and China. In China specifically, iOS saw its largest year-over-year decline of 8.4 percentage points, knocking its market share down to 16.6 percent below Android’s 83.2 percent. Kantar noted that while the iPhone 7 is the top-selling smartphone in China as well, increased competition from local vendors Oppo and Vivo contribute to Apple’s continued yearly declines in the country.

iOS saw its biggest growth in the three months ending January 2017 in France, increasing 4.9 percentage points year-over-year to capture 24.2 of the smartphone OS market share in the country. In all of Europe’s five big markets — Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain — iOS had a 22.7 percent market share, an increase of 2.4 percentage points from the same period last year. Like in the U.S., Android remains dominant in Europe at 74.3 percent of the smartphone market.

A redesigned “iPhone 8” will help boost Apple’s share of the market when it launches later this year, although recent rumors suggest that the tenth anniversary iPhone might launch much later than more iterative 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch “iPhone 7s” devices in September. When it does, the all-new iPhone is predicted to include an edge-to-edge OLED display, lack a traditional Home Button, and potentially have wireless charging capabilities.

Tag: Kantar Worldpanel
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The Morning After: Wednesday, March 15 2017

Hey, good morning!

Welcome to Wednesday. Remember all those big, beautiful TVs from CES back in early January? Well, we have prices for both Sony and Samsung’s newest screens. And if you can afford a $5 OLED TV, how about a $1,650 smartwatch? Welcome to the big-spender edition of The Morning After.

Everything has a price.Sony’s first 4K OLED TV starts at $5k

After Sony unveiled the beautiful XBR-A1E during CES, our next question was how much will it cost? Now we know, the price-tags are $5,000 and $6,500 for the 55- and 65-inch models, respectively. That puts them squarely between the mid- and high-end models from OLED pioneer LG, and Sony says they’ll be in stores next month.

Are you ready Neo? There could be a ‘Matrix’ relaunch on the way

It’s early, but Hollywood news outlets are reporting that Warner Bros. is working on a plan for another movie version of The Matrix. Names tossed around in the rumors include writer Zak Penn and actor Michael B. Jordan, although there’s no word on any level of involvement from the Wachowskis. The only question now is if there’s any thing left that can recapture the magic of the original movie and its bullet-time action sequences that blew away audiences in 1999.

You can swap the smart part out for a mechanical timepiece TAG Heuer made a modular $1,650 smartwatch

When TAG Heuer released its first smartwatch two years ago, it had a price tag of $1,800 and was dubbed the most expensive Android Wear device on the market. Still, more than 56,000 people bought it, which is certainly enough reason for the Swiss watchmaker to delve into the smartwatch business once again. And so it has.

It’s artSamsung’s 2017 QLED TVs start rolling out

Samsung is also ready to deliver on its 2017 TV lineup, with LED sets ranging in price from $2,800 for a 55-inch Q7, to $6,800 for a 75-inch Q8. The top of the line Q9 series has yet to appear, however. The company also promised its second-gen Ultra HD Blu-ray player launches next month for $400, and showed off a quirky ‘The Frame’ TV that doubles as a piece of artwork when it’s not in use.

It’s not a mistake this time‘La La Land’ composer on electronica’s key role in the film

Where does a drum machine fit in with traditional jazz music? That question drives the plot of not-quite Best Picture La La Land, and provided a challenge to its composer Justin Hurwitz. That challenge paid off with an Oscar for Best Original Music Score, and in an interview at SXSW, Hurwitz explains how he pulled off being a both a revolutionary and a traditionalist.

Say hello to Orisa Your new ‘Overwatch’ hero is a four-legged robot tank with a lot to prove.

Orisa, the latest character to enter the Overwatch fray, will be widely available on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on March 21st. Orisa is an “anchor tank,” as Blizzard calls it — this means she’s the kind of massive, damage-absorbing hero that an entire team can rally behind and use as a home base, even in the middle of hectic fights. Reinhardt is another example of an “anchor tank” in Overwatch. For experienced players, Orisa is described as a mix of Reinhardt (a big, healthy character with a giant shield) and Zarya (who has a laser gun and barriers she can throw onto her allies).

But wait, there’s more…

• ‘Full Throttle Remastered’ will tear up the road this April
• This self-cleaning bag freshens up your smelly gym clothes
• Microsoft’s Slack-fighting ‘Teams’ app rolls out to all Office 365 users
• ‘Fistful of Stars’ lets you experience a stellar birth in VR
• Russia finds Apple guilty of fixing iPhone prices

A pair of headphones caught fire on a woman’s head as she slept during a flight

Why it matters to you

It’s another reminder to take extra care with your battery-powered tech gadgets and be aware if they start to overheat.

There’s never going to be a good time to have a pair of headphones explode on your head, but you certainly don’t want it to happen while you’re cooped up in coach at 38,000 feet. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to a very unlucky woman on a recent flight from Beijing to Melbourne.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has just released details of the February incident, reporting that it occurred around two hours into the flight as the woman took a nap.

It’s believed the battery inside the wireless headphones caught fire after overheating. Safety officials have declined at this stage to release details of the device’s make and model.

More: Scientists shed light on why lithium-ion batteries sometimes go boom

As you can see from the shocking images, the harrowing incident left the unnamed passenger with a blackened face and burned hair, though it’s not clear if she suffered more serious injuries.

The woman described what happened in a statement to the ATSB: “As I went to turn around I felt burning on my face. I just grabbed my face which caused the headphones to go around my neck.

“I continued to feel burning so I grabbed them off and threw them on the floor. They were sparking and had small amounts of fire.”

A quick-thinking flight attendant extinguished the fire with a bucket of water, preventing the incident from becoming even more serious. The ATSB said both the battery and  its cover melted and stuck to the floor of the plane, adding that for the rest of the flight the passengers “endured the smell of melted plastic, burned electronics, and burned hair,” while the woman at the center of the incident said people were “coughing and choking the entire way home.”

More: Lithium-ion battery inventor unveils new ultra-efficient glass battery

The frightening episode appears to be another reminder that badly or cheaply made lithium-ion batteries that power many of today’s gadgets really do have the potential to cause serious havoc. Last year hoverboards were in the spotlight after multiple reports of exploding batteries, while Samsung’s reputation took a massive hit just a few months ago when its Galaxy Note 7 shipped with faulty batteries, a number of which caught fire.

The ATSB assessed that “the batteries in the [headphones] likely caught fire,” and reminded plane passengers who carry gadgets powered by lithium-ion batteries that:

– batteries should be kept in an approved stowage, unless in use– spare batteries must be in your carry-on baggage NOT checked baggage– if a passenger’s smartphone or other device has fallen into the seat gap, locate their device before moving powered seats– if a passenger cannot locate their device, they should refrain from moving their seat and immediately contact a cabin crew member.