RSSApple Recalls 1.8 Million Batteries
By Nate Mook | Published August 24, 2006, 2:06 PM
Following in the footsteps of Dell, which recalled 4.1 million batteries earlier this month, Apple has announced its own recall of 1.8 million batteries made by Sony. The company says the batteries could overheat in "rare circumstances."
The Sony batteries have been the subject of increased scrutiny after media reports caught footage of at least two laptops catching fire due to the batteries overheating. The most notable of these was a laptop in Japan that exploded on video during a conference, prompting the company to launch an investigation into the matter.
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has even asked Dell and Sony to investigate the matter and offer some explanation by the end of August, or face possible fines under the country's consumer safety laws.
Apple says affected batteries were shipped in 12-inch iBook G4, and 12-inch and 15-inch PowerBook G4 notebook computers between October 2003 and August 2006. The decision to recall the units was made in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and other international safety authorities.
After they submit their details, customers will receive a new battery in the mail. Apple says it may take up to 4 to 6 weeks for the battery to arrive due to the extensive nature of the recall.
"If you participated in a previous battery recall for any of these computer models or recently purchased or received from Apple an extra battery for an iBook G3, please check your battery serial number in case you received a replacement battery that is affected by this program," the company noted.
This isn't the first time Apple has recalled its laptop batteries. In May 2005, 128,000 batteries made by LG Chem of South Korea were replaced due to possible overheating issues. That recall followed an earlier warning covering approximately 28,000 Apple Powerbook G4s.
Apple also recalled batteries from its new 15-inch MacBook Pro notebooks just last month, but due to performance problems and not any safety concern.
IEL = Improvised Explosive Laptops... the latest diabolical plan from Al Queada.
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|Why is it happening?
I believe this is the same info (from Engadget):
http://www.prnewswire.co...06/0004421458&EDATE=
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|So how many of the millions of batteries that Sony produced actually caught on fire?!
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|A handful.
This recall is PR, nothing more.
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|Since these are Sony batteries, I cant wait to see how many NEW pS3's are recalled. It should be fun. They have been really getting hammered on all fronts this summer.
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|Yes... an unreleased product will experience a recall related to a part it won't have.
No wonder Sony continues to get dumped on. Its detractors are idiots.
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|Yes... an unreleased product will experience a recall related to a part it won't have.
No wonder Sony continues to get dumped on. Its detractors are idiots.
She didn't technically say recalled for batteries. And these batteries aren't the only thing Sony has been having to recall lately.
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|This is really bad for Sony. I feel sorry for them.
At the same time, this is a reminder of the poor quality control we always knew of China. I know that China is a "can of worms" that CEOs don't like to criticize because of end of year bonuses.
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|Apple and Dell. Who's next?
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|Sony themselves, probably/hopefully.
I'd love to see the smug faces of all those Viao owners as they suddenly panic.
*naughty me*
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|I was just reading the other artical about the Dell one and I think your right. I wouldn't be surprised if some Sony products have batteries recalled.
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|Poor Sony.
Not.
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|As much as that type of statement usually bugs me, I could not help but chuckle at that statement. I hate having double standards though (e.g., if you'd made that about dell, it may have upset me :D)
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|It really depends on which company was at fault. If the batteries are within spec, and the Dell laptops are drawing more than the deisgned current, then it's Dell's problem. If it's a manufacturing fault with the cells, then it's Sony's
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|Since they're recalling the batteries and not the laptops, it would seem the defective part is the battery.
No?
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|Sony already admitted it's the batteries. There's a built in feature to power them down if an emergency develops (IE if the battery starts to overheat). The resistors etc. are faulty within the batteries however, and this is where the fires start.
Edit: Sorry if I wrote that like an idiot - i'm tired.
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