Earlier this year I began receiving emails from Intel about an issue with some of the Basis watches. apparently some .2% of the users wearing one of the watches sold had reported mild burns on their wrists and potentially a hazard with the watch charger. 

The email stated that Intel was working on a software solution to the issue and would keep its customers posted. By July those emails started coming again, but this time to say that Intel was recalling all Basis watches ever sold and giving customers a full refund. Bully for Intel some might say. I say for shame.

Coupled with that notice was another notice that they would be shutting down the servers through which users sync, update and view their activity. The shutdown is scheduled to occur this year. There are two issues I see here. 

Intel has not stated what it found causes the issue. This leads my suspicious mind to ask what are they hiding and is it the watch or some insidious plan to shutdown the Basis company in favor of some as yet unannounced Intel product down the road? Intel purchased Basis a little more than a year ago. If there was an issue with the Basis line, would we not have known back then and why then would Intel buy into the liability.

Here’s the thing. This is hands down the best fitness watch I have ever owned. It tracks my cycling, my running, my walking and my sleep. It consistently has received the highest ratings in its heart rate and sleep tracking features. Plus it keeps time, tells me the date, and ever so politely vibrates on my wrist when the phone is receiving a call or text.

I think I am owed a better explanation than we decided we are not going to fix it and we’re not going to tell you exactly why we cannot do so.

The second issue I feel is the heavy handed shutting off of the servers. If Intel were concerned about its customers who love the watch as so many do, it should open source the software and data to the developer community. Individuals or entities could then run the software themselves instead of forcibly complying with the recall.

I am miffed by it all because I have spent hundreds of dollars on devices in the past that had a brief moment in the sun before they became obsolete. Most of the time I didn’t care that much because of those devices limitations. But this watch does exactly what it is supposed to do and surprisingly well.

Finally it takes a couple of weeks to actually participate in the recall. After notifying Intel by visiting their website and completing the recall form information, one receives an email stating that the package for returning the product would arrive in the mail in two weeks. Thank you for understanding. I never said I understand. No amount of polite meaningless verbiage in an email is going to make me ever want to purchase any follow on product that Intel produces – ever.

When the mailer arrives, there is no enclosure that identifies it is from Intel or that the package is being returned to Intel. It arrives via USPS … A brown envelope and a shipping label inside a brown envelope. No words Intel. No words Basis Peak. Not even a simple here’s the mailer you requested for returning your Peak. Now I remember, I have to find the email to print the accompanying packaging information. Will someone please tell Intel that most technology savvy companies send the return address label and packing slip in an email on the day of the initial contact?

This has not been an impressive contact with the company whose chips drove the personal computer revolution. There is one servers of comfort though. At least without my watch I’ll be able to complete the tan on my left wrist where once the watch was worn.