Apple Recalls 1.8 Million Batteries for iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 Notebooks

Last week Dell, this week Apple. The recall of 1.8 million batteries for Apple is actually a larger percentage of sold computers than Dell who isthe #1 seller of notebooks in terms of overall shipments. The Cupertino California company is recalling these 1.8 million lithium-ion notebook batteries in iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 notebooks after nine overheated, causing minor burns in two users, according to U.S. safety regulators.

The recall affects 1.1 million batteries sold with notebooks in the United States and 700,000 abroad, the safety agency said. They were sold with Apple iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 computers from October 2003, through this month, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commision. The batteries are manufactured by Sony, as were the batteries included in the Dell recall.

To view the model and serial numbers labeled on the bottom of the battery, you must remove the battery from the computer. The battery serial number is printed in black or dark grey lettering beneath a barcode. See photos below.

Computer model	Battery model number	Battery serial number range
12-inch iBook G4	A1061	ZZ338 - ZZ427 3K429 - 3K611 6C519 - 6C552 ending with S9WA, S9WC or S9WD
12-inch PowerBook G4	A1079	ZZ411 - ZZ427 3K428 - 3K611
15-inch PowerBook G4	A1078 and A1148	3K425 - 3K601 6N530 - 6N551 ending with THTA, THTB, or THTC 6N601 ending with THTC

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Notebooks sold between October 2003 and August 2006 fall within this recall.

the iBook G4 is affected by the battery recall (view large image)

The Consumer Product Safety Commision did not report any explosions due to the battery fault. However, there have been reports of PowerBook notebooks exploding in the news since last year. One particular incident happened to a family in Iowa.

the PowerBook G4 is affected by the battery recall (view large image)

For any owner of an iBook G4 or PowerBook G4 you can contact Apple at (800) 275-2273 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. CT Monday through Sunday or log on to Apple's Web site at http://support.apple.com/batteryprogram to check the battery's serial number and request a replacement battery.

Here's how to retrieve the model andserial number from your Apple iBook or PowerBook G4 battery before contacting Apple to see if your battery needs to be replaced:

 

Insert humourous and witty anti-Sony remark

 

I actually feel bad for Sony, this really hurts their perception more than the bottom line.

 

we're still waiting for SONY to recall some of their own

 

About time someone else joined in the negative press bandwagon, lol

 

Somebody commented on the battery in the new A100 dSLR doubling as a handwarmer on another forum...

 

They have to sell some laptops first before they can recall...

 

http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/26/sony-calls-an-end-to-battery-recalls/

I agree with Engadget's take on this Sony announcement. Sony: stop digging...

 

Some of the comments and Sony bashing there really show how successfully Dell has use Sony as a scapegoat.

Granted, Sony made some bad battery, but guess what, Sony didn't just drop their batteries at the front door of Dell's factory and said "see ya" like an UPS guy. Sony design and manufacture the battery to Dell's specs, but Sony do not have an armada of Dell laptops in its factory ready to test out their batteries.

Being the technology integrator and the ultimate seller, Dell has full responsibility of the quality of the final product and, in this role, Dell (like any other notebook manufactures) has its own QC check that determine whether they would accept any shipment from their suppliers. So whose fault it is that the consumer gets the faulty battery? The one that make the most money out of purchase, Dell. Sony may sell expensive laptops and has some money in their pocket, but in this case, they are just like any other low-level suppliers that make meager profits.

When a Boeing airplane fall out of sky because of a failed component and kills everyone onboard, Boeing will get sued because that's their airplane. Nobody go after the lowly supplier. When hundreds of Ford Explorers had blown tires, guess what, Ford blamed it to Bridgestone, perfectly knowing that a tire doesn't just blow up itself. And now, Dell is simply using Sony as scapegoat and people are just venting on Sony, probably not because they have used a Sony laptop or computer but because they had to spend big bucks when buying PS2 and PSP. Sony is not the best company of the world (far from it), but for Dell to say these batteries are made by Sony is just what Dell does best -- being cheap.

Why can Sony say their laptops are not affected? Maybe because they actually DID QC check on the batteries to be put in their laptops?