UPDATE: Sony-Made Laptop Batteries = EXPLOSION

[Yoon]

Just a heads up, if you've purchased a Dell laptop between April 2004 and July 18, 2006 and it is using a Sony manufactured battery, you are elegible for a replacement battery. It is likely related to the exploding Dell laptop event that occurred earlier this year. Here is more information about this over at DailyTech:


[quote]
Dell Recalls 4+ Million Batteries Due to Fire Risk

Dell and the CSPC have issued a recall for 4.1M laptop batteries manufactured by Sony and sold between April, 2004 and August 2006

Dell, along with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), has issued a recall of 4.1 million laptop batteries manufactured for the company by Sony according to a Dell representative. The recall affects batteries manufactured by Sony in Dell

[Yoon]

Now it's Apple's turn to recall batteries. Guess what the culprit is? It's the same Sony batteries that caused the explosion issue in recent Dell laptops! Number of recalls? 1.8 million:


[quote]Apple joins Dell in Sony battery recall

Dell had to perform the walk of shame for the past weekafter the announcement that it was recalling 4.1 million batteries due to a possible fire risk. At least Dell can now take comfort in knowing that some of the heat that it is receiving will be tranof the heat will no longer be on it -- Apple is now joining in with a recall of 1.8 million notebook batteries].

As is the case with the Dell batteries recalled, Apple

[Jaegar]

Wow, I can't decide whether this is funny or scary

[Yoon]

It's beginning to get a little more serious, now that two airlines have officially banned the use of Dell & Apple laptops, due to the exploding Sony battery problem:

Korean Air Joins QANTAS, Bans Dell, Apple Notebooks

All Dell and Apple models prohibited from being used in-flight, regardless of battery make

DailyTech earlier reported on the ban of Dell and Apple laptops by Australian airline QANTAS - Korean Air has joined in. Citing the risk of an onboard fire and the policy of "safety first," a spokeperson for the company confirmed that a ban was in place and did not provide any date that it might be lifted.

According to The Korea Times, the ban on the laptops has been in place since August 30th. Luggage searches are not being performed; rather, signs are posted in boarding areas and at check-in gates.

All models of Dell and Apple notebooks are prohibited -- not just the affected models -- and both companies are understandibly upset with this decision. Apple Korea spokesperson Kim Min-seok described the actions of Korean Air as "overreacting" stating that no airlines in the United States have adopted a no-laptops rule despite sales of their notebooks being much higher in America, and Dell product manager Shin Won-jun hopes to "resolve the issue with further discussion with Korean Air."

The Federal Aviation Administration is currently reviewing safety concerns of of lithium-ion batteries on aircraft. When burned, lithium creates toxic fumes and consumes oxygen rapidly. In addition, it is difficult to extinguish a lithium fire via conventional means.

Source: DailyTech - Korean Air Joins QUANTAS, Bans Dell, Apple Notebooks

Thank you Sony for making our flights "safer." ::)

[Yoon]

Yet another airline has decided to ban Dell and Apple laptops, because of the exploding battery issue (thanks Sony ::) ):


[quote]
Virgin Now Banning Dell, Apple Batteries From In-Flight Use

Virgin Atlantic says no to Dell and Apple notebooks on battery power

It appears that the ripple effects caused by the exploding battery issue that resulted in the recall of 4.1 million Dell and 1.8 million Apple notebook batteries continue to be felt. Virgin Atlantic has joined Quantas and Korea Air in banning Dell and Apple notebooks from in-flight use on battery power.

Virgin Atlantic's ban is a blanket policy that covers all Dell and Apple notebooks, not just those listed in each respective company