Google and HP stop Chromebook 11 sales due to faulty chargers

Chromebook 11
The Chromebook 11 may have just become a collector's item

Update: An HP spokesperson sent TechRadar the following statement:

"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 microUSB charger, for example one provided with a tablet or smartphone. We apologize for the inconvenience."

Original story below…

Bad luck if you were hoping to pick up the HP Chromebook 11 after the laptop was announced last month, but you hadn't gotten around to it yet - it might be too late.

The Chromebook 11 was taken off shelves at Best Buy and is no longer available in online stores.

Best Buy store managers have reportedly received rather urgent instructions to halt sales of the Chromebook and move all remaining stock "to a secure location in the warehouse," according to The Verge.

The laptop's listings on Best Buy, Google, HP and Amazon's websites have also been removed, though before being taken down Amazon's Chromebook 11 listing reportedly noted that there may be problems with the device.

What's going on?

Besides Google's and HP's own online stores, the Chromebook 11 is being sold exclusively at Best Buy and Amazon, so it seems for now the device is not available at any retailers.

Based on what's going on it seems there may be an official recall underway, though it's unclear exactly what might be wrong with the laptop.

TechRadar's own Chromebook 11 review noted some minor issues with Chrome OS performance and battery life, but overall we liked it, awarding it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

We've asked Google, HP, Best Buy, and Amazon to clarify what's going on with the Chromebook 11, and we'll update this article when we hear more.

For now, consider framing your Chromebook 11 if you have one; it may have just become a collector's item.

Michael Rougeau

Michael Rougeau is a former freelance news writer for TechRadar. Studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Northeastern University, Michael has bylines at Kotaku, 1UP, G4, Complex Magazine, Digital Trends, GamesRadar, GameSpot, IFC, Animal New York, @Gamer, Inside the Magic, Comic Book Resources, Zap2It, TabTimes, GameZone, Cheat Code Central, Gameshark, Gameranx, The Industry, Debonair Mag, Kombo, and others.


Micheal also spent time as the Games Editor for Playboy.com, and was the managing editor at GameSpot before becoming an Animal Care Manager for Wags and Walks.