Apple recall on laptop batteries - PBX Info :: Your Free PBX, PABX and Telephone Information Resource

***JulianW*** · 08-25-2006, 04:26 AM

Computer giant Apple is recalling 1.8m batteries used in its laptop computers worldwide after overheating complaints.
The announcement affects laptop computers - the iBook G4 and Powerbook G4 - sold between October 2003 and August 2006.
It follows Dell's decision to recall more than 4m batteries from its laptops last week.
The recall does not affect the company's latest line-up of laptops - the MacBook and MacBook Pro.

Financial impact
"We discovered that some Sony batteries in previous models of PowerPC-based iBooks and PowerBooks do not meet Apple's standards for safety and performance," Apple said in a statement.
"Our number one priority is to recall and replace the affected batteries free of charge."
According to US safety officials, the batteries were made by Sony, which also supplied similar batteries to Dell.
Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said that Sony, as the manufacturer of the recalled battery packs, "is responsible".
While Apple is not expecting any "material financial impact" from the recall, Sony predicts that the recall of its Dell and Apple batteries will cost the firm between 20bn and 30bn yen ($172m to $258m).
However, the news comes at a time when Apple has been in the headlines for stock option irregularities.
After posting strong quarterly profits in July - up 48% on a year earlier - the firm warned in August that it would likely revise its financial results since 2002, after an enquiry found mistakes in the way staff were awarded shares in the firm.
The firm said that all financial statements from 29 September 2002 "should not be relied upon".

Minor burns
The latest recall was prompted after Apple received a total of nine complaints from users reporting "overheating" of the batteries.
The announcement was made by the United States government's Consumer Product Safety Commission, which said two of the nine users reported minor burns from the machines.
In the US, 1.1m machines are affected with a further 700,000 Apple laptops sold overseas also involved in the recall.
The recall is believed to be the second-biggest in US history involving electronics or computers. Apple shares closed up 0.74% at $67.91 - boosted by the news that it would not be financially affected by the recall - but Sony shares slipped 2.61% to $43.26.

***MSYoung*** · 08-25-2006, 11:56 AM

The consumer reporter on TV here said to check your battery if it meets the requirements. The battery only lasts for couple years and if your battery is on the recall list, and it's old, you get a new $100 battery for free. It's a good deal.

***JulianW*** · 09-18-2006, 06:24 AM

Apple and Dell laptop owners travelling on Virgin Atlantic international flights are being asked to remove the gadget's batteries before take-off.
This will limit laptop use as the majority of seats on Virgin jets are not fitted with power sockets.
The decision comes in the wake of reports that some laptop batteries could be a fire hazard.
It brings to three the number of airlines that have placed restrictions on Dell and Apple laptops.

Charge code
In mid-August Dell announced a recall of more than 4m laptop batteries made by Sony. A manufacturing fault had made some machines using these batteries catch fire.
In late August Apple recalled 1.8m batteries also made by Sony also thought to be a fire-risk.
Following the recalls, Virgin Atlantic has said passengers taking any Dell or Apple laptop on to its international flights can only use it during the journey with the battery removed.
The removed batteries must be wrapped up and protected and placed in carry-on baggage. Each passenger can only take on board two batteries.
All seats in Virgin's Upper Class sections are supplied with power sockets allowing travellers in these cabins to plug in their laptop. Also some seats in Premium Economy in some newer Virgin aircraft also have power supplies. In seats where there is no socket, laptop use is banned.
"Virgin is in communication with Apple and Dell. As soon as this safety issue is resolved these restrictions will be lifted," said the airline in its statement announcing the policy. The decision means that three airlines, Virgin, Qantas and Korean Air, restrict the use of these laptops.

***JulianW*** · 09-19-2006, 04:29 AM

Toshiba is to replace about 340,000 laptop computer batteries worldwide, the third recall of faulty batteries made by Sony since mid-August.
The batteries, used in Toshiba's Dynabook and Dynabook Satellite laptops made between March and May of this year, could lose all their power.
However, unlike Dell and Apple last month, Toshiba said there was no risk of the faulty batteries catching fire.
Toshiba said the recall would not affect its earnings.

'Rare cases'
A Toshiba spokesman declined to estimate the cost of the move, and would not say whether Toshiba was asking Sony to foot the bill.
Toshiba said the batteries would die "only in rare cases".
Last month, Dell recalled four million laptop batteries made by Sony, and Apple recalled 1.8 million, after both said there was an over-heating and fire risk.
Dell said it knew of six instances since December when the batteries overheated or caught fire. Sony has predicted that the recall of its Dell and Apple batteries will cost it between 20bn and 30bn yen ($172m to $258m).

***JulianW*** · 09-29-2006, 04:12 AM

Chinese computer-maker Lenovo has announced the worldwide recall of more than 500,000 laptop batteries made by Sony because of a fire risk.
The problem affects ThinkPad laptops sold from February 2005 both under its name and the IBM brand.
It follows earlier recalls of Sony batteries by Dell, Apple and Toshiba over the same fire risk.
Lenovo, which took over ThinkPad from IBM in May 2005, said a laptop had caught fire at Los Angeles airport.

'Minimal impact'
The world's third-largest laptop-maker, Lenovo said it will replace the batteries free of charge.
It estimates that between 5% and 10% of ThinkPad laptops sold between February 2005 and this month are affected.
Lenovo spokesman Ray Gorman said the company expects the financial impact of the recall to be "minimal", as Sony is "supporting us financially in this recall". Dell is recalling 4.1 million Sony batteries, Toshiba 340,000, and Apple 1.8 million.

***JulianW*** · 10-04-2006, 09:39 AM

Computer maker Fujitsu has said it is recalling 287,000 Sony laptop batteries because of a potential fire risk.
The withdrawal means that more than seven million laptops made by Toshiba, Lenovo, Dell, Sony and Apple have now been affected.
The recalls began in August with the first warnings that Sony's lithium-ion batteries could overheat or catch fire.
Analysts have said the battery exchange could affect up to 10 million computers and cost Sony as much as $500m (£265m).
This would halve the net profit of $1.1bn that the electronics giant is forecasting for the year to 31 March 2007.

Share slide
Sony's share price has been hit by both the recall and the recently-announced delay to the European launch of its new Playstation3 video games console.
The shares are down more than 10% since the laptop battery problem emerged in mid-August.
Sony Energy Device Corporation also makes batteries for laptop makers including Hewlett Packard, Sharp and Hitachi. It produces similar batteries for many other portable electronic devices, such as DVD players and games consoles, but so far there has been no sign of a recall affecting any of these products.