Apple Confesses First-Gen iPod Nanos Smoking and Sparking, Will Replace Them

Thanks largely to those meddling kids at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry–who were investigating cases of people burned by too-hot-to-handle nanos–Cnet says Apple admitted today that some first-gen iPod nanos were overheating and said that it will replace any first-gen iPod nano that smokes or sparks (or blows up).

Apple says the issue has been traced back to a single battery supplier, and affects less than 0.001 percent of first-gen nanos. So if yours is bubbling or you’re using it as a space heater for your pet mouse, hit up AppleCare for a replacement. There’s a big question here though: If Japanese officials hadn’t gotten involved, would they have made this announcement? I don’t think so, even though it’s not like exploding iPod nanos are an undocumented phenomenon. [Cnet]