What to do about that huge Dell laptop battery recall

The recall of Sony-branded laptop batteries by Dell Computer is staggering in size, affecting 4.1 million Inspiron, Latitude and Precision brand computers sold since April 2004. This is the largest computer-related recall ever recorded by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
In terms of the big picture for Dell, the company claims the recalled batteries powered only about one out of every six of the total 22 million laptops sold in the time period.
Dell claims the costs of the recall will not materially affect its earnings.
Ha.
While Sony has promised to help Dell with the massive but still unreleased costs, this has to be seen as a huge hit on Dell’s reputation for reliability. And it’s going to seriously inconvenience a lot of people who won’t be able to use their laptops while waiting for a replacement battery unless they’re plugged into an AC connector.
The recall is because of an overheating issue that has caused some batteries to catch fire or explode. Dell has confirmed six cases that caused property damages.
So, if you have a Dell notebook, what do you do?
First, go to the Dell Web site www.dellbatteryprogram.com) and look over the lists of model numbers for the laptops and the codes printed on the back of the battery packs to see if you are affected. If yours is indeed one of the recalled batteries, remove it from the computer and follow the instructons on dell’s Web site about returning it.
Now here’s the important info, direct from Dell:“Batteries subject to recall should not be used while awaiting a replacement battery pack from Dell. You may continue to use your notebook computer using the AC adapter power cord originally provided with your notebook.”
While this is certainly the largest, it isn’t the only such problem Dell - and other computer manufacturers - have had with batteries in recent years.
For besides this recall of Sony-manufactured batteries by Dell, the company recalled about 22,000 of its notebook computers in December, 2005 for the same basic overheating danger. Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced a recall of some 15,700 HP and Compaq notebook computer batteries in April this year after 20 reports of batteries overheating; and Apple Computer recalled 128,000 batteries shipped in its PowerBook G4 and iBook G4 laptops in the spring of 2005.

If you plan to pack your laptop with your luggage on airplane flights

Airline passengers are still being allowed to take carry-on laptops, iPods, cellphones and other electronic gizmos aboard planes.
But in the face of heightened security measures and long lines at airport security checkpoints around the country, some airline people are urging passengers to either leave their laptops at home or pack them in their regular baggage.
Here are some suggestions:
1. Do you really have to take your laptop? If it’s just certain files you need, think about loading them on a small flash drive and taking that with you. When you get to your destination, plug the drive into the USB port of a coworker’s computer or at the hotel business center and do your work there. Alternately, you could e-mail the files to yourself and open them on a borrowed computer at your destination.
2. If you are going to check your laptop as luggage, make sure it is carefully packed. Office supply stores and mailing centers sell sheets of bubble wrap. That will help you’re packing them in a suitcase with your other items. Wedge soft clothing around them to further cushion any shocks and keep them from bouncing around. From a security viewpoint, carrying them with clothes in a regular suitcase is probably the best idea.
3. Consider investing in a new, hard-shelled computer case. Expect to pay $100-$150 from a company like Pelican Case (www.pelican-case.com). If you have a soft computer bag that you will ship with your regular baggage, make sure there’s lots of shock-absorbing foam around the computer. The bubble wrap idea wouldn’t hurt here, either. You should know, some travelers don’t like the idea of checking your computer in any sort of bag because… well, just seeing one of these tells thieves there’s a computer inside.
4. Before shipping your computer, activate the password protection feature so that to even boot up, you need a password. Check your computer’s Help and Support service to learn how to add or change your system password.
5. Pack your chargers in the same bag with your computer and cellphone. Make sure computers and phones are completely off. IPods are not allowed on flights to England. While airplanes say they can be carried on and used on domestic flights, it might be best to stow in in the regular luggage, too, until the security procedures are better defined.

Homeland Security warns of Windows vulnerability

We’re used to warnings about worms and viruses from the computer industry. But now the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is recommending that Windows Operating Systems users apply Microsoft security patch MS06-040 as quickly as possible. This security patch is designed to protect against a vulnerability that, if exploited, could enable an attacker to remotely take control of an affected system and install programs, view, change, or delete data, and create new accounts with full user rights.

Says the DHS: “Windows Operating Systems users are encouraged to avoid delay in applying this security patch. Attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in operating systems routinely occur within 24 hours of the release of a security patch. This vulnerability could impact government systems, private industry and critical infrastructure, as well as individual and home users.”

Users can apply the Microsoft MS06-040 security patch at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms06-040.mspx. Home users may prefer to go to Windows Update at http://update.microsoft.com and select “express” to install critical security updates, including the MS06-040 security patch.

The U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team has posted a warning dated Aug. 8 on its Web site saying the vulberabilites affect Microsoft’s key applications, including Microsoft Windows, Office, Works Suite, Visual Basic for Applications, and Internet Explorer.

It’s hard for me to get very excited about such things. Finding security vulnerabilities in Microsoft products is pretty much a weekly occurance. But I don’t recall seeing such high level warnings from DHS before. So for whatever it’s worth, I pass it along to you.

Another reason I’m not excited is that I use Macs. Macs aren’t affected by these threats. And that should be a word to the wise… or those weary of the warnings about Microsoft products.

Google to warn of “dangerous” Web sites

Google is going to start flashing a warning when you click on one of those sleazy Web sites that look legitimate but are really shell sites that load your computer with malware or spyware. The sites that will get the arning have been listed by the Stop Badware coalition.
The coalition explains that there are several commonly recognized terms for specific kinds of badware - spyware, malware, and deceptive adware. Badware is malicious software that tracks your moves online and feeds that information back to shady marketing groups so that they can ambush you with targeted ads. If your every move online is checked by a pop-up ad, says the coalition, it’s highly likely that you, like 59 million Americans, have spyware or other malicious badware on your computer.
There’s some snide carping on the Net about Google acting like Big Brother here. But I think that, given the naive and overly trusting way most people still surf the net, such a warning is not only needed but long overdue. Good work Google.

Apple gets GM, Ford and Mazda to go with iPod

Apple Computer has scored big with automakers, announcing today that 70 percent of all new 2007 models sold in the US will now have iPod integration, allowing users to play them through the vehicle’s stereo system.

Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing, told me in a phone briefing that the new deals with the automakers means the iPod “is the future of audio in the car, replacing the CD, just as the CD replaced the tape player.”

Ford and General Motors will feature iPod integration in the majority of their 2007 models in the US beginning later this year, while Mazda’s entire global 2007 lineup of cars and SUVs will offer iPod
connectivity.

The in-car iPod connections work with all but the iPod Shuffle and early models. The hookups also charge the players while conveniently storing the iPod in the glove compartment.

The announcements are bound to further solidify Apple’s stunning 70%-plus market share for the iPod. More than 60 million iPods are now in use, said Joswiak. The partnership wth GM, Ford and Mazda also serve as a major hit for Microsoft, which is rushing to get an iPod-like device called the Zune to market by the fall. Also affected will be satellite and terrestrial radio broadcasters, which will likely find their already hyper-competitive markets eroded by more iPod use in the car.

Sirius projects strong sat radio growth

Looks like the the bloom hasn’t faded for satellite radio after all.

After a less-than-ethusiastic report from XM Satellite Radio last week, rival Sirius Satellite Radio is revising its revenue and subscription projections for year-end upwards.

XM revised its growth estimates downward last week, saying that instead of 8.5 million to 9 million customers the company had been predicting by year’s end, it now expects between 7.7 million and 8.2 million.

But in a report issued today, Sirius says it ended the second quarter with 4,678,207 subscribers, 158% higher than second quarter 2005 ending subscribers of 1,814,626. During the second quarter of 2006, SIRIUS added 600,460 net subscribers, a 64% increase over second quarter 2005 net subscriber additions of 365,931. For the third consecutive quarter, SIRIUS led the satellite radio industry in net subscriber additions, capturing a record 60% share of industry net additions in the second quarter.

All that led the company to predict that it will have 6.3 million subscribers at year-end, increased from previous projections of over 6.2 million

If Sirius and XM are correct, that will put the total satellite radio subscriber base between the two services to somewhere around 14 million subscribers.

I wonder how long terrestrial radio programmers will continue to pretend that they don’t have a serious erosion problem.