Amazon is now offering full refunds on any hoverboards sold on the site, including in the U.S. and Canada. The refunds are a response to the rash of fires and falls that have plagued the popular two-wheeled balance boards. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission praised Amazon's decision on Wednesday and said it expects other retailers and manufacturers to do the same. The CPSC has been investigating hoverboard safety issues since December. Because of "the increasing number of serious injuries and emergency room visits associated with these products," the commission announced that it is expanding its investigation into hoverboard falls and injuries, which may be caused by design flaws in the boards. Related: Hoverboard related falls spike for the holidays"At first glance, it is easy to believe the risk of falling off a hoverboard is an obvious one and to dismiss those injuries as user inexperience or error," said CPSC chairman Elliot F. Kaye in a statement. "However, I am concerned, for example, that the current designs of these products might not take fully into consideration the different weights of different users, potentially leading to the units speeding up or lurching." Videos of kids, parents and celebrities falling off hoverboards filled social media after the holidays. Though most injuries seemed mild, the CPSC warns that some falls can be serious and life-altering, and recommends all users wear safety equipment. Related: It's just the beginning for hoverboard lawsuitsADVERTISING The CPSC is already investigating at least 39 reports of hoverboards smoking or bursting into flames, often while charging. The agency believes the fires may be related to lithium ion batteries overheating. So far, CPSC is investigating hoverboards made by 13 manufacturers. While they wait for a definitive finding from the CPSC, more than 30 colleges have temporarily banned the kitchy transportation devices. A pair of industry groups announced they are working on creating safety standards for hoverboards. In December, Amazon started offering refunds on some hoverboard models sold in the UK. It also stopped selling certain hoverboard models around the world. Most recently, the online retailer has emailed some customers in the U.S. who purchased the boards and offered refunds. Anyone interested in returning their hoverboard can contact Amazon customer service. Even though it's offering refunds, Amazon still sells a number of hoverboards on its site
The GoodThe upscale Samsung Galaxy S6's smooth glass-and-matte-metal body, improved fingerprint reader, and convenient new camera shortcut key make the phone a stunner. Samsung's decluttered take on Android 5.0 brings the beauty inside, too.
The Bad Longtime fans will bristle at the Galaxy S6's nonremovable battery and absent expandable storage. The phone has an intensely reflective backing and looks embarrassingly like the iPhone 6. Battery life, while good, falls short of last year's Galaxy.
The Bottom LineWorldly looks and top-notch specs make the impressive, metal Samsung Galaxy S6 the Android phone to beat for 2015.
Anna Lee has been in the adult entertainment business for about 18 years, working in everything from the webcam business to a fantasy role-play site. Her most ambitious project yet: virtual reality. Beginning last year, Lee's company, Holo Films Productions of Vancouver, British Columbia, started using specialized cameras that can capture 360-degrees of action so viewers who strap on a pair of goggles and a screen to their face feel like they've actually stepped onto the set. "It's the next progression of everything entertainment," says Lee, speaking in a convention hall crowded with other porn studios and sex toy companies at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, where the AVN Expo is taking place. "And, of course, with porn, now you're with your favorite porn star, sitting in the room with her. She's looking at you, she's talking to you." The website featuring Lee's initial 60 VR porn scenes, HoloGirlsVR.com, launched Tuesday and features actresses like Cherie DeVille, who are doing a lot more than talking.
