Apple laptop computers recall 28,000 batteries

Apple Computer Inc. has agreed to recall about 28,000 batteries used in its 15-inch PowerBook G4 laptop computers, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Thursday. The batteries, made by LG Chem Ltd. of South Korea, could overheat and pose a fire hazard, the CPSC said.

Apple has received four reports of overheating though no injuries have been reported, the consumer protection agency said.

The recall affects laptops sold since January which contain batteries made during the last week of December 2003 only.

The batteries have the model number A1045 and serial numbers that begin with HQ404, HQ405, HQ406, HQ407 or HQ408, informs Reuters.

No other batteries for Powerbook or iBook laptops are affected by the recall. Consumers that find they have one of the faulty power packs are been told to stop using it straight away and contact Apple.

If customers must continue using the faulty battery, Apple recommends that users do not leave the computer unattended and check regularly to ensure it is not overheating.

The computer maker has set up a free exchange programme to let consumers swap the faulty hardware for a fully working alternative. So far Apple has received four reports of the batteries overheating, though none of these incidents have resulted in harm to Apple users. Notebooks have become increasingly important to Apple.

In the first three months of year, it sold some 358,000 laptops, making up just under 50% of all its computer sales, reports BBC News.

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