Sony
is recalling more than 500,000 Vaio laptops, citing a defect related to the
laptops' ability to regulate their temperature.
Reportedly, Vaio laptops may overheat to the point of becoming physically distorted
and potentially burning users—though Sony has said no incidents of burns have
yet been reported. However, 39 customers abroad have already reported instances
of devices overheating to the point of becoming distorted.
According to the Wall Street Journal,
the recall applies to 259,000 laptops in the United
States, 103,000 in Europe,
120,000 in Asia and 52,000 in Japan.
Affected laptop models include the Vaio VPCF11 and VPCCW2 series.
Sony introduced its F Series Vaio—which
features a 16.4-inch display, an optional Blu-ray Disc drive, dedicated Nvidia
GeForce graphics and an HDMI out port—at the Consumer Electronics Show in
January.
Owners of faulty Vaios can reportedly perform a fix themselves by downloading a
BIOS firmware update from the laptop's update system or the Sony Website.
Alternatively, users feeling iffy about the fix—in light of Sony's burn notice—can
contact the company, which the Journal says will pick up the affected device
and perform the repair work.
This hardly the first overheating problem Sony has faced in its Vaio line. In
2006 Sony recalled
the battery packs used in some Vaio notebooks, again citing overheating as
a problem. The lithium ion batteries were also sold with, or sold separately for
use with, notebooks
from Fujitsu, Gateway, Sony and Toshiba, which also had to be sent back.
In 2008, five models in Sony's Vaio TZ Series were recalled due to an issue involving,
Sony said, a "small number of units, which may overheat due to a wiring
problem." And in 2009, the manufacturer recalled Vaio AC
adapters due to a potential shock risk.
A Sony spokesperson told the Journal that the company
doesn't expect the most recent recall to have a significant impact on its
earnings—which, after two years of struggles, are back in the black.
To check whether a PC is one of the affected models, consumers can visit
the
Sony site and plug in the device's serial number.
Enterprise Mobility News & Reviews 
