Exploding batteries all over again? That's the word with an iPod in Japan, with the battery being targeted as the culprit behind an overheating and sparking iPod. This is certainly not something heard of often, and Apple itself isn't making any comment on whether or not they think the iPod chargers might have an issue. While the story is light on information, they are citing that the iPod classic, nano and shuffle all could generate “excess” heat when being charged in certain cases – not mentioning what cases those might be.

Apple tends to pride itself on quality-made goods, but has a bad habit of letting defects get out of hand. For instance, the excessively-scratchable screens on the nano a few years back that led people to sue. That is probably not the case here, but with years of exploding batteries and a host of other off the shelf products coming with factory defects, one can wonder if products are getting less safe, even if they are brand-name.