Laptops have recently become a popular choice for students choosing a computer for college. Unfortunately, many students won’t be able to enjoy the mobility of their laptops because of a worldwide Dell and Apple laptop battery recall.
According to the Dell Battery Return Program Web site, certain batteries manufactured by Sony were recalled because they could overheat and pose a fire hazard “under rare conditions.” Dell, along with the U.S. Consumer and Product Safety Commission, recalled the batteries of certain Dell Latitude, Inspiron, XPS and Dell Precision Mobile Workstation laptops sold between April 1, 2004 and July 16, 2006.
Shortly after, Apple recalled the batteries of certain iBooks and Powerbooks sold between October 2003 and August 2006, according to the Apple Battery Exchange Program Web site. Sony Corporate of Japan manufactured the Apple batteries that were recalled.
Dell recalled 4.1 million batteries worldwide, while Apple recalled 1.8 million, making this recall the largest involving electronics in the history of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, according to an article recently published in the Hartford Courant.
“If students do find that their battery is affected, we are urging them to take out the battery and plug the laptop into the wall,” said Bob Hawley, technology division manager of the Co-op. Approximately 300 Apple laptops sold from the Co-op could have faulty batteries. One is a Powerbook G4 belonging to Amy Jancewicz, a family studies and education double major.
“I like taking notes on my laptop during class, and I will continue to do so until my battery arrives in the mail whether there is a fire hazard or not,” Jancewicz said. “Although I was surprised that it was so easy to re-order my battery without any complications.”
Both Dell and Mac have help lines to assist consumers in determining whether their battery is affected and to help them order a new one. Both manufacturers also provide Web sites through which batteries can be re-ordered.
“The manufacturers are handling the problem well,” Hawley said. “They are doing a good job of communicating which batteries are recalled.” Hawley also said there is a link from the Co-op Web site to the Apple Battery Exchange Program Web site and the Co-op is directing inquiries from students to Apple.
Both the Dell Battery Return Program Web site and the Apple Battery Exchange Program Web site state they will replace all affected batteries with new, safer batteries. Although this process is free, it poses serious inconveniences for students.
According to the Apple Battery Exchange Program Web site, the replacement batteries will take four to six weeks to deliver, while the Dell battery replacements will take about three weeks to deliver.
Despite the safety hazards, Bryan Winkler, biology major, will not let the battery recall become an inconvenience for him. Winkler purchased his Apple Powerbook G4 from the Co-op last summer.
“I’ll use the old battery until I get the new one to switch it with,” Winkler said. “I’m playing my odds. I read online that nine in 1.8 million batteries had a problem. I think I’m safe.”
According to an article recently published in the Hartford Courant, there are only two reported cases of Dell laptops that caught on fire and only nine reported cases of Apple laptops that overheated.

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