I’ve been following the situation with Dell and Apple Laptops and the Sony battery issue since the beginning.¬† For one thing I’ve a personal interest in that I have an Apple Laptop but luckily do no have one of the Sony batteries in question. I feel that both Dell and Apple have done a good job of handling this situation and have responded properly to the serious issue.

However, I’m left wondering if Sony isn’t more concerned about the bottom line then doing the right thing. After the Dell recall was announced I read that a Sony representative stated that only Dell was affected by these bad batteries. Only a few days latter Apple announces that it was recalling almost 2 million of the same suspect batteries made by Sony.¬† Now Sony’s statements is that only Dell and Apple will affected. Can we believe Sony this time?

In Shel Israel’s post Burning Batteries: Dell and Apple do right, but what about Sony, Shel expresses the same sentiments concerning Sony on this issue:

I have not always had the kindest words for Dell and Apple Computer companies, but in the case of the serious issue of laptop batteries bursting into flames, the two companies have behaved in first-rate fashion.¬† They responded to customer complaints. They listened and responded.¬† They explained the source of the problem–Sony in both cases. They warned customers. They are exchanging potentially dangerous batteries for safer ones.

Sony, however has me feeling a bit dubiously. As far as I can tell, they have not issues a press release on the subject.  Their is an inconsistency to the statements they have issued through Dell and Apple.

I can certainly understand Sony wanting to limit the monetary damages from these batteries.¬† We’re talking huge.¬† Just with the Dell and Apple recalls Sony will be out some major bucks.¬† They no doubt also want to limit any panic that might cause other users of sony batteries to request replacements out of fright without there being proof of defect.¬† However, Sony stepping to the front on this and giving the image of being on top of the situation would go a long ways at putting these doubts to rest for me.

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