Last month, the engineering wizards at Dyson unveiled an electric toothbrush. But it wasn’t just a toothbrush, it was every facet of oral hygiene built into one gleaming gadget! The Dyson CameraJet came equipped with a 28-image-a-second camera using an “AI machine-learning algorithm” to spot gaps in your teeth and then automatically deploy conically-shaped jets of mouthwash pulled from the built-in tank that operated at any angle thanks to anti-gravity technology and you could watch a livefeed of the whole cleansing procedure on the MyDyson app thanks to wifi & bluetooth connectivity. And it ONLY cost $500!! Turns out there was just one minor problem with the toothbrush to end all toothbrushes: it doesn’t work. I’m stunned! Mostly that people bought a $500 toothbrush to begin with! But also that after six years of work in development, the thing crapped out on users within 30 seconds. So while the CameraJet was announced with great fanfare, it was pulled from stores and Dyson’s website with silence. Not silent? Some supremely miffed customers.

Earlier this month, the company announced the launch of its Dyson CameraJet, an electric toothbrush with built-in AI. According to the company, the camera-powered device uses Gap Optical Targeting to identify gaps between teeth and floss while the user brushes.

The product was designed to analyze 28 live images per second to target gaps between teeth in real time, triggering a precision jet burst of mouth rinse where required.

“We wanted to solve three fundamental problems: how to see those gaps, remove plaque, and how to improve cleaning performance while brushing,” said James Dyson, Dyson’s founder and chief engineer, according to a press release.

However, according to a report from Wired, user complaints quickly began appearing after the product’s release, including reports of water in the battery compartment and device failures within 30 seconds of use.

On September 11, French outlet Numerama reported that Dyson’s French website and stores had stopped selling the toothbrush. Other countries, such as the U.S., the U.K., and Singapore, followed suit.

In a statement provided to Bloomberg, a Dyson spokesperson said, “One production batch of jet tubes experienced a process issue, creating a potential for water seepage which affected the performance of a small number of products.”

In a company press release, Dyson noted that the CameraJet was the result of six years of research, development, and engineering.

The toothbrush, which costs $499.99, is currently unavailable on Dyson’s website. A “notify me” button is available for users.

According to Bloomberg, shoppers said that the product died within the first 20 seconds of use.

“I received it, charged it, went to use it, and this one lasted about a minute,” a consumer told the outlet, adding that it would falter every 10 seconds or so. The user also attempted to reach Dyson customer support by email for two weeks in hopes of getting a refund. “Genuinely the worst customer service I’ve ever experienced,” they added.

Early CameraJet buyers told Bloomberg that Dyson’s customer service response was to replace the battery.

In a separate statement to Bloomberg, a Dyson spokesperson apologized to consumers who received a faulty product. “We are sorry that we have let down our loyal customers and we will do all we can to support them,” the representative said.

[From Inc.]

Taking proper accountability is a humbling, but necessary experience for true growth and progress. So in the interest of good faith and full transparency, I, Kismet, here and now apologize to you readers for an untruth I spoke. When we first discussed this toothbrush, I commented that I would not be spending $500 on one for myself, even though I had “no doubt it’s very well made.” This, clearly, was a lie, and for that I am eternally sorry!! And if I can show genuine contrition, why on earth is it so hard for Dyson?! That last statement is so lame, that they will do all they can to support their loyal customers. Not to mention it’s completely undercut by the actual reports of those customers who tried dealing with Dyson’s support service. Also, riddle me this: if it was only “one production batch of jet tubes” that had a problem, why then did Dyson pull ALL of the toothbrushes off the market, hmm?? I demand a special independent investigation into how six years of research failed to prevent water from seeping into the battery compartment! Or, as it seems, the battery from not working properly even without water contamination. Justice for brushes, NOW!