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Friday, August 25, 2006

Revenge of the Killer Battery Packs

I've been making jokes for a week about the fire-prone Dell laptop batteries, which are still allowed on passenger airlines. They were made for Dell by Sony and are being recalled by the millions. Having made the switch from PC to Mac a year ago (Read my original confession) I'm a little smug when I see bad things happening to the losers still operating on the dark side. Well, my karma has once again elected to tie my shoelaces together. Yesterday Apple announced a recall of a couple million of its Sony-made batteries, and guess who owns one of them? Coming back from Chicago last week it could well have been my briefcase that exploded into flames over Cleveland and caused the plane to be escorted into Canadian airspace by three F-16's where we would all have been detained, interviewed and released but not before CNN got ahold of it and ruined my career with the headline, "Folksy Pitchman Leaves the Light on for Flight 1722, injuring three."
So anyway, I'm trading in this battery for a new one. You might want to check yours out too. And don't laugh until you do.

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tom,
I heard that other laptops that use "certain lithium-ion batteries containing cells manufactured by Sony Corporation of Japan" (not just Dell and Apple) may be fire hazards as well. It would probably be a good idea for anyone who owns a laptop of any brand to check and make sure the battery is safe.
"Folksy Pitchman Leaves the Light on"...LOL, I like it!
I wish NPR would add your name to their "Wait, Wait!" web page. I realize you're not a regular panelist but you're regular enough to be included.
Hope it's cooled off there and your sons are doing well. We just got central air a couple years ago so I feel for you having to deal with hot, muggy, miserable weather and grumpy boys :)
FloridaSuzie

3:01 AM  
Blogger Tom Bodett said...

S - NPR is allegedly working on getting my mug and bio and those of the other more recently acquired panelists onto the website. Finding someone in public broadcasting who knows an artist who can do steakhouse wall caricatures takes time.

9:10 AM  
Blogger piglet said...

I was going to have a hearty laugh at your misfortune, safe here with my enormous tower-like computer with its Microsoft brand operating system, but sometimes when I click the comment link it freez

12:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tom,
So I'm relegated to a letter of the alphabet, you wound me ;) Just because I laughed over "folksy pitchman" and "slightly famous".
That's good news that NPR will be recognizing you on their "Wait, Wait" site, the recognition is well-deserved:)
Signed,
S

Hey Piglet! Hope you thaw out soon so you can post :)

11:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am safe here too with my similarly configured tower like computer with its Windows XP operating system. No battories except the one in the UPS that the box is attached to. I am probably going to have to dispose of it as the moving van wont transport anything that can cause a chemical or electrical reaction including battories and my beautiful bride has already said "NO MORE STUFF" in the jeep... Anyone need a battory? lol.

4:20 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Three Airlines Ban Laptop Batteries -- Don't Panic

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=2474607&page=1

8:56 AM  

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