Earlier today, a number of outlets (including The Verge) noticed that Best Buy had suddenly pulled all stock of HP's Chromebook 11 from shelves, and further investigation showed that the laptop was no longer in stock in Google's own online store. Ars contacted Google for comment on the sudden cessation of sales and was given the following statement from Google and HP (the statement has been posted in its entirety on Google's Chrome blog).

"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 overheating 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."

The statement makes sure to note that the problem is not with the laptop itself but with the micro USB charger that serves as one of the device's selling points. The statement urges Chromebook 11 buyers not to use the charger included with the product but to use "any other Underwriters Laboratories-listed micro USB charger" to recharge the laptop's battery instead.

In the short term, this will prove disruptive for many Chromebook 11 users. As we noted in our review, you can use most smartphone and tablet micro-USB chargers to charge the Chromebook 11. However, since these chargers are made to work with much smaller batteries, most of them can't provide enough current to charge the battery as quickly as the included charger. We'll continue to follow this story as it develops.