Apple have announced that they’re recalling 1.8 million laptop batteries including 1.1m in the US. This follows a similar action by Dell, which saw them recalling 4 million batteries ten days ago.
The manufacturer of both of these batteries was the same company – Sony Corp, who are the world’s second-largest maker of rechargeable batteries.
Sony explained that the batteries, made in China by Sony workers, can, very occasionally, have loose metal particles in them, causing a short circuit. They say this is what’s caused them to catch fire.
The combined 6m battery recall is thought to be the largest in the consumer-electronics industry and it’s anticipated that it will cost Sony as much as $257m (30 million yen).
It’s cost their Japanese stock holders a lot more than that with 2.4% of their stock price being lost when the announcement arrived. They also lost value in the US as you can see from the Yahoo Chart plotting Sony against the NASDAQ.
Late last year, other parts of Sony, SonyBMG, suffered bad publicity over their use of EULA of their audio CDs.
There is an upside for most Apple laptop owners – they get a fresh battery when the likelihood is that they’re current one is starting to lose the capacity to hold charge. That includes us – yippee!
Dell has announced that it is to recall millions of laptop batteries over fears that they could overheat and pose a fire hazard. 
A battery of battery recalls
Gadget fans dreading the prospect of long Transatlantic flights without the comforting flicker of LCD screens or the in-ear thump of iPods will be pleased by a relaxing of the restrictions brought about by last week’s ‘critical’ terrorist security alert. 
Cabin baggage must not exceed a maximum length of 45cm, width of 35cm and depth of 16cm (17.7″ × 13.7″ × 6.2″ approximately), including wheels, handles and side pockets. This is smaller than the previous limits on hand luggage. 
Liquids not allowed include gels, pastes, lotions, liquid/solid mixtures and the contents of pressurised containers, for example toothpaste, hair gel, drinks, soups, syrups, perfume, deodorant, shaving foam and aerosols. No cosmetics, toiletries or sharp objects. 
LG has announced their new multimedia-tastic 12-inch notebook PC, the LW25 EXPRESS DUAL, which is, apparently, “a portable multimedia powerhouse.” 
The built in optical drive (or Super Multi ODD as LG likes to call it) supports playback and recording of all existing optical media formats inluding dual-layer DVD burning, allowing you to cram up to 8.5GB data on a single DVD. 
As for pricing and availability, your guess is as good as ours at the moment as LG seem to be keeping mum. 
Sony has whipped out its first laptop equipped with a next-generation Blu-ray optical disk drive, saying that it will be available in Japan next month. 
The AR-Series will also come with a HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) output for hooking up the lappie to a HD-ready TV or Full HD desktop display. 
Powered by Intel Core Solo U1400 (1.2 Ghz)/U1300 (1.06 Ghz) the pint-sized PC will sport an Intel 945GMS Express chipset, 512MB RAM, 20/30 GB hard drive and 69 key QWERTY keyboard. 
Dell has released a beast of a notebook, with its dual-core processor, groovy glowing lights and ramped-up video RAM aiming the XPS M1710 squarely at mobile gamers. 
The Metallic Black M1710 weighs in at a wallet-draining $2,600 and comes with Intel’s Core Duo T2400 processor, 1GB of DDR2 memory, 256MB GeForce Go 7900 GS graphics and a 60GB hard drive. 
Both notebooks feature Microsoft’s Windows Media Center Edition operating system, and system upgrades can expand storage to 120 of GB hard drive space and up to 4 GB of 667MHz DDR2 memory. 
There’s also built in Wi-Fi, high definition integrated stereo with two 2 watt per channel main speakers and a 5 watt, class D subwoofer with bass reflex port. 
The XPS M1710 is estimated to ship in the second week of May. EK/EU delivery and prices to be announced. 
A new report by analyst firm Current Analysis claims that consumers are warming to Media Center PCs, with the entertainment-focused PCs grabbing eight per cent of the US retail market in January 2005, soaring 48 per cent in December. 
However, tuner-toting Media PCs are already making a comeback, with the market share for TV tuner-equipped systems climbing from 8.7 per cent in October to 12.8 per cent last month. 
“The upward TV tuner-clad trend is a small victory for Media Center with regard to the digital home,” she said, adding that the TV arena is a “pivotal turf in the war for the digital home because it offers the most opportunities for lucrative infrastructure and broadcast content.” 
Microsoft first rolled out their Media Center Edition back in October 2002, but consumers have been sniffy because users weren’t inclined to buy the more expensive hardware needed to run the software – neither did the idea of watching TV on a clunky computer monitor seem particularly thrilling. 
Toshiba is rolling out its first Satellite models with Intel Core Duo and Core Solo processors. 
The notebooks include Intel’s 945 Express chipset employing Intel Centrino Mobile Technology to reduce power consumption while and give a kick up the backside of the laptop’s graphics to wireless performance. 
The Qosmio G30 is part is of Toshiba’s multimedia PC line and will come with a TV tuner and Dolby Home Theatre support.
Backed by Toshiba and NEC, it faces heavy competition from the Blu-Ray corner, whose hard-hitting supporters include Sony, Matsushita, Panasonic and Samsung.
Sony has announced the new VAIO VA1 Series, a wireless home entertainment desktop computer.
High definition audio is provided by Sony’s Direct Stream Digital (DSD), a technology developed by Sony in conjunction with Philips.
Interestingly, after 
Mr Gates, speaking in the keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, evangelised the “arrival of the much-trailed ‘digital lifestyle'” (which of course, we here at Digital Lifestyles just loved when