By B.N. Frank

As James Colon was listening to a dance mix at an LA Fitness Tampa Bay, the right earbud of his Apple AirPods started to smoke.

He took it out of his ear, placed it on some workout equipment, and went for help. When he came back, it was charred and blown to bits.

This seems to be the first time AirPods have been reported as exploding.  Apple is conducting an investigation.

Regardless, over the last few years, many wireless, digital, and/or “smart” products have been reported as malfunctioning, catching fire, and/or exploding.  There have been highly publicized reports about recalls on phones and washing machines.  Reports about hundreds of thousands of wireless or digital “Smart” utility meters being recalled or replaced have received much less publicity. Fires and explosions have been documented all over North America. 

Recently, California utility customers and their insurance companies filed a class action lawsuit alleging that their PG&E wireless “Smart” meters caught fire.  One of the plaintiffs is the former mayor of San Francisco.

When we buy personal wireless and “smart” devices and products, we receive instructions on how to use them safely.

Utility companies do not provide customers with instructions or manuals when they install wireless or digital “Smart” meters on our homes.  Dutch scientists conducted a study of the 9 most commonly installed utility “smart” meters and it yielded many unfortunate results.

This free 30-minute video also reveals unfortunate issues associated with utility “Smart” Meters especially in regard to fires and explosions:

Unfortunately, many of us aren’t offered a choice when it comes to wireless or digital “Smart” utility meters being installed in our communities.  Despite all the reported problems, many utility companies will not honor customers’ request to keep their original analog meters on their homes and businesses.  When customers refuse “Smart” Meters, utility companies disconnect their services. 

Besides malfunctioning, fires and explosions, these “Smart” meters have proven to have such a short life span that they all need to be replaced on average every 3-7 years.  This was actually predicted.

Even if you didn’t experience any wacky stuff from your wireless or digital “Smart” Meters, it is worth noting that:

1. In the United States, $3.4B in federal stimulus was offered to utility companies to install these original “Smart” meters in 2009. Hence U.S. tax dollars were spent for these meters.


2. Many customers also received rate increases for these new wireless or digital “Smart” meters.


3. Utility companies are now proposing rate increases to replace all these “Smart” Meters with new wireless or digital “Smart” Meters.


4. Similar scenarios are happening in outside the U.S. as well.

Unless you’re a utility company, these meters have taken a big chunk out of your wallet.

Many are saying “enough already” with “Smart” Meters.  Original analog meters lasted on average 40 years and didn’t have all these problems.

In fact, many are saying “enough already” with all these expensive wireless or digital “Smart” products.  Technology is supposed to make life easier – not harder.  After everybody started buying and using all these new wireless and digital “Smart” products 24/7, life became very complicated, expensive – and incendiary.

All of this “Smart” nonsense makes me nostalgic for the ‘90s.  We had computers, cell phones, the Internet.  Then marketing campaigns were created to sell us all on the idea of living like The Jetsons.

The Jetsons are cartoon characters.  Their theme song isn’t all that inspiring and the teenage daughter has white hair.  There’s nothing wrong with NOT wanting to live like them.  In fact, Silicon Valley parents seem to have already taken this approach within their own families.  Go figure.

For more information:

Additional related articles: