Exploding Batteries: Dell Blames Sony

Where's the kaboom? There was supposed to be an Earth-shattering kaboom!

http://news.com.com/Dell+Exploding+batteries+are+Sonys+fault/2100-1005_3-6115710.html?tag=nefd.top
from WinCustomize Forums

After numerous reports of laptops catching fire and batteries melting through cases, Dell and Apple issued recalls of several laptop lines that carried a Sony lithium-ion battery that was suspected to be the culprit.  While it has been well established that it was the Sony battery at fault, no one at Dell or Apple had yet taken Sony to task publicly over the issue.  That is, until this week.

Dell founder, Michael Dell, denied that the defect was in any way the fault of their laptop assembly process, and that the blame could be laid squarely at Sonys' feet for contaminating an entire batch of battery cells in manufacturing.

"The batteries were contaminated and were no good no matter what you did with them", Dell said.   He also acknowledged the chance of the battery catching fire, which was why they did the recall last month.

Sony has agreed to help cover recall costs by Dell and Apple, however they are denying that the issue is entirely their fault, citing hardware configuration as being a partial issue.

Sony uses the same batteries in their Vaio laptop line and have not experienced similar issues.

4,869 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think the "Dude, you're getting a Dell!" guy stole the stick of dynamite and zoomed off on a scooter.

Word has it that Sony is trying their best to get more quarters to make more Insta-Martians. (Just add water!)
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
2 major companies have problems with Sonys batterys yet sony is not at the fault here. Yeah... common sence please?
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Maybe Dell and Apple are buying lower end batteries instead of buying what their laptops require in order to make more profit ? After all Sonys laptops are not having this problem .
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
They said they're using the same battery.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The only weird thing is that the Vaios use the exact same battery that's blowing up for Apple and Dell, but they've had no problems.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sorry , I did not say that right . I meant to say they bought batteries that were not suited for their purpose (or there laptops requirements)in order to save money ? or something like that . My brain if failing me today .
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The batteries that are being used to replace them are Dell Branded. But the blame was put on sony for the faulty batteries, for using improper combos for their Li-Ion batteries.
~Brandon Price
Dell Inc
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well seeing as how we've got conspiracy theories flying left, right and centre around here....here's another:

Sony deliberately shipped faulty batteries to Dell, Apple and others, with the view that consumers would turn to the Sony Vaio when their Dell/Apple laptops caught fire ....or when they heard of the fire risk and were not prepared to chance it.

The second part of this elaborate scheme was to lower the prices on Sony laptops to well below those of their competitors....yet still not below an acceptable/handsome profitability level.

The Motive: to recoup lost sales and boost marketshare after the rootkit debacle...to recover lost trust/faith in Sony products, given the Sony Vaio does not suffer the same spontaneous combustion fate as Dell/Apple laptops.....

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sony deliberately shipped faulty batteries to Dell, Apple and others, with the view that consumers would turn to the Sony Vaio when their Dell/Apple laptops caught fire ....or when they heard of the fire risk and were not prepared to chance it.


I think this theory makes the most sense so far

But in the end it doesn't really matter whose fault it is as long as batteries are replaced
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Like Dude Sony is going down. Last Time it was psp's umd's not selling to much of them. Now batteries c'mon Sony has major issues.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Everyone keeps talking about Sony going down, when ? the rootkit has been and gone, the battery problems will only hurt their OEM battery sales and if anyone thinks the PS3 is going to sink then you obviously have yet to see the price difference between PS3s and HD-DVD players , in the UK its like £50 (around $100) small price for HD games as well as HD movies on your new HD-TV
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Everyone keeps talking about Sony going down, when ?


Exactly....When??? Okay, Sony has had its problems, but IT will bounce back and remain a serious competitor in the electronics industry.

Besides, Sony make some great products that are reliable performers. I have several Sony products (audio, video and gaming) and have been quite happy with them all...and no doubt there are millions of similarly satisfied consumers who will continue to support Sony products, irrespective of the rootkit debacle and more recent battery issue. When PSP3 hits the shelves, neither of these things will get a second thought and Sony will have lost very little. looking at the bigger picture.

If we were talking about Acme, the company which sold various devices to Wile Coyote in in his numerous attempts to ensnare Roadrunner, I could see a major collapse, but Sony is too big an entity to succumb to a couple of bad press issues. Nobody would genuinely think of a total demise if this were MS in the limelight....same thing with Sony, too big and well established to buckle under over what is essentially a miniscule thing in the greater scheme of things.

That's my tuppence ha'pennies worth.