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HP and Google halt Chromebook 11 sales following complaints of chargers overheating

HP and Google halt Chromebook 11 sales following complaints of chargers overheating

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HP Chromebook 11 1024px
HP Chromebook 11 1024px

The HP Chromebook 11 has been pulled from Best Buy store shelves, and sales halted on Amazon and HP and Google's online stores, following customer complaints of chargers overheating. Sources at Best Buy first revealed to The Verge earlier today that urgent instructions had been sent to store managers to remove existing stock of the devices. "Stores should stop selling the HP Chromebook 11 effective immediately," reads an internal memo to Best Buy managers. "Partner with Sales Support to pull the product off the sales floor to a secure location in the warehouse."

On Wednesday afternoon, HP responded to the reports, confirming to The Verge that the company and Google initiated the halt in sales for the following reason: complaints from some Chromebook 11 owners that the chargers included with the notebooks were overheating. HP also advised current Chromebook 11 owners not to continue using their chargers, instead asking them to rely on third-party chargers. As an HP spokesperson told The Verge:

Google and HP are pausing sales of the HP Chromebook 11 after receiving a small number of user reports that some chargers included with the device have been damaged due to over-heating during use. We are working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to identify the appropriate corrective action, and will provide additional information and instructions as soon as we can.

In the meantime, customers who have purchased an HP Chromebook 11 should not use the original charger provided with the product. In the interim they may continue using their HP Chromebook 11 with any other Underwriters Laboratories-listed micro-USB charger, for example one provided with a tablet or smartphone. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Best Buy has also removed a listing for the HP Chromebook 11 from its website. Earlier today the listing noted that the laptop was no longer available for delivery or collection in-store. Google and HP announced the $279 Chromebook 11 at a launch event last month, but our review of the device noted performance issues and a problematic trackpad. Google has partnered with Amazon and Best Buy to sell HP’s Chromebook 11 in the US and it’s no longer available at either store.

Chromebook 11 owners advised not to use bundled charger

Amazon’s listing notes that it’s not available directly "because customers have told us there may be something wrong with our inventory of the item, the way we are shipping it, or the way it's described here." Google and HP both sold the Chromebook 11 at their own online stores, but as of today the device is no longer available at either store. Both companies have also posted the above statement to their blogs.

Updated to add HP's statement and further information from sources.