Dell and Apple recently announced recalls of 5 million Sony laptop batteries. The recall was prompted by safety issues caused by batteries melting, and in some cases, even catching on fire. While the incidents aren’t widespread, the very real danger posed by laptop batteries unpredictably catching on fire has consumers worried.
Here’s a look at the problem, how batteries work, and steps you can take to maximize your safety.
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Contributed by: Daniel Eran, RoughlyDrafted Magazine

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Hours after posting yesterday that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) determined that substandard batteries for Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Pro “didn’t pose any safety threat” the same organized notified the public that Apple would be recalling 1.8 million Lithium Ion batteries sold for the PowerBook G4 and iBook G4.
This is the third such recall for Apple in 15 months.
Read the rest of the story on my ZDNet Blog: The Apple Core.

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Apple is recalling certain lithium-ion, rechargable batteries that were used with various models of its portable lines sold between October 2003 and August 2006. There is a possibility that these batteries can overheat, which could cause a fire risk.

Affected machines sold in the United States include:

* Apple PowerBook G4 12-inch and PowerBook G4 15-inch

* Apple iBook/G4 12-inch

These batteries were also sold as replacement batteries for the listed models.

Apple is prepared to dispatch a replacement battery upon the receipt of the replacement order. Customers will be asked to return their old batteries to Apple to ensure proper disposal. A postage-paid envelope will be provided to do so.

No other PowerBook or iBook batteries are part of this recall and no MacBook and MacBook Pro batteries are part of this recall. The recall involves the specified batteries only, not the computers themselves.

Apple Battery Recall

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According to the Feds MacBook Pro owners concerned about the safety of their Lithium Ion battery packs can breathe a sigh of relief, but only if the battery serial number has been checked against Apple’s list of recalled cells noted in their voluntary exchange program. Recalled MacBook Pro batteries are identified by a serial number that ends with U7SA, U7SB or U7SC.
An article in Computer Reseller News indicates that The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission “has reviewed substandard batteries for Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Pro notebooks but determined they didn’t pose any safety threat.”
Read the rest of the story on my ZDNet Blog: The Apple Core.

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