[LINK] Qantas bans Dell laptop batteries

[Ivan Trundle]

On 26/08/2006, at 1:41 PM, Howard Lowndes wrote:
>
> Alan L Tyree wrote:
>> On Sat, 26 Aug 2006 10:35:10 +1000
>> Adam Todd <link at todd.inoz.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> And I'm totally confused!
>>>
>>> As far as I can tell my Apple battery is not Sony.  At least nothing
>>> to note it as Sony.
>>>
>>> It does say "Designed by Apple in California.  Assembled in China"
>> Go to www.apple.com/au. At the bottom, in fine print, there is a link
>> to a page about the recall. There are battery serial numbers listed
>> that are being recalled. Mine doesn't say "Sony" either, but the  
>> serial
>> number is one of those listed.
>
> I have nothing but utter contempt for companies that obfuscate  
> problems in such manner as the Apple small print.  This is a  
> critical problem and could have massive, though unlikely,  
> consequences.  What is wrong with them putting the recall link  
> nearer to the focal point of the page, other than the, already,  
> adverse impact that it will have on their share price.

I disagree. There is no obfuscation. It's hardly 'small print', in  
that it is clearly ON the home page, whereas the home page generally  
has few links (it's not designed to be link-heavy). Indeed, it is  
sufficiently important for them to actually have a text link on the  
page, beyond their normal regime of images and menu links.

And let's put this in perspective: a very small number of laptop  
batteries is likely to be a problem. There is, as the pundits have  
already determined, a greater risk of someone being run over by a bus  
than having a battery overheat.

Try Dell's website, too - who, incidentally, are dealing with a much  
larger recall - they have the same text link in the same (roughly)  
location, and with a home page focus that mirrors Apple's.

Both sites deliver you to a page that clearly states the extent of  
the problem (both use https:// links, interestingly), and what to do.  
What more is needed?

It's got nothing to do with share price. However, *SONY* has suffered:

http://news.com.com/Sony+shares+fall+on+battery+recall/ 
2100-1041_3-6109550.html