As the temperature continues to rise, more and more people have been buying products to help themselves stay cool in the oppressive Hong Kong heat.
These rechargeable portable fans were hugely popular last summer. Screenshot: Youtube
While rechargeable portable fans were all the rage last year, this summer’s seen the advent of a new, smaller fan, which is powered by smartphones.
The colourful gadgets have been nicknamed “dragonflies” in Hong Kong based on their resemblance to the “bamboo dragonfly” propeller hat worn by beloved anime character Doraemon, and cost between HKD8 to HKD20 from shops in Wan Chai and Sham Shui Po.
Doraemon and friends escaping dinosaurs with their “bamboo propeller” hats. Screenshot: Youtube
The cheap and cheerful devices have even won fans for their ability to make long hair look windswept, according to HK01.
However, multiple Hongkongers have taken to the internet to air their displeasure that the dragonflies have apparently damaged their precious phones, and dubbed the diminutive fans “smartphone killers”. Oriental Daily reports that some people complained of unresponsive touchscreens, while others said their phones would no longer charge.
HK01 reports that a phone shop which specialises in Apple repairs recently posted a warning on Facebook, saying they and other repair shops had received an influx of customers complaining their phones had been slowed down, or became prone to freezing after using the miniature fans.
Dr. Karl Leung, Head of the Department of Information & Communications Technology at the Institute of Vocational Education in Tuen Mun, told Oriental Daily that smartphones are not equipped to provide the power needed by the mini fans, and would short circuit.
Instead, Leung recommended powering the fans with external batteries, such as portable phone chargers, to avoid causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.
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