There's been a lot of talk recently about Apple's recent recall of nearly 2 million iBook and PowerBook batteries as well as frustration among the mac community with the battery failures in the MacBook and MacBook Pro models. While I don't believe there is any cause for panic, as there is a potential safety risk you do want to take this battery recall seriously.

What's Happening?
First, a few details about what happened and why all these batteries are being recalled. Many of the batteries used in the PowerBook and iBook computers were manufactured by Sony. It came to light recently that there were problems in the manufacturing process after reports of batteries overheating and catching fire, particularly with Dell computers who also used Sony battery technology, a recall was issue. Dell was the hardest hit with this recall and in the past month has recalled over 4 million batteries. Of course, when Apple recalls batteries it makes front page news and the Dell battery recall is only casually mentioned. As I write this blog post, there has only been one confirmed case of an Apple battery catching fire, this was about a month ago in Japan and thankfully there was no major property damage and only minor injuries to the person who tried to remove the battery from the computer. There have, however, been multiple reports of batteries overheating and causing damage to the computer and minor burns to people and property. Of course, the worst damage would have been done to the computer itself.

What is Recalled?
Apple has setup a webpage with information regarding the battery recall where you can check to see if your battery is one included in the recall. Apple has been expanding the serial number ranges of the batteries recalled since the information was first released so if you checked when the recall was first announced, I'd encourage you to check back occasionally to see if your computer has been included in the recall. If you have a battery that is part of the recall, you can call Apple or fill out an online form and they will ship a replacement battery to you along with packing for you to return the recalled battery. All reports I have heard indicate that this process is moving very smoothly and typical turn around time is 2-3 days. If you have a similar model computer and you are experiencing problems with your battery and it is not part of the recall, call Apple anyway and explain the situation so they can investigate, it's better to be safe than sorry.

What Should I Do?
What do you do if you have a battery that has been recalled? The safest way to proceed is to remove the battery from your computer and request a replacement from Apple. You can continue to operate your computer off AC power even with no battery in the bay. Now, you've been using your Apple laptop with no problem for years, so you ask, what are the odds of something bad happening to me now? Well, you're right chances are you can continue to use your battery while you await for your replacement and nothing at all will happen. But do you really want to take that risk? At an absolute minimum, I would make sure you have an up to date backup of your computer, and that you not leave your computer unattended while powered on. It can only take a moment for something bad to happen. Think about it for a minute...just how many stacks of paper do you have sitting on your desk next to your computer?

What About The New MacBook and MacBook Pros?
The new MacBook and MacBook Pro computers have had their own share of reports of battery issues, many believed to be directly related to the heat issues in these ultra-fast laptops. If you're a MacBook owner, you'll want to run your software update and make sure you download and apply the MacBook SMC Firmware Update. This update addresses many of the heat-related issues with the MacBook and I've noticed my MacBook is running about 10-15 degrees cooler since applying the update.

A handful of MacBook Pro batteries are being recalled for bad cells, and information regarding that recall may be found on Apple's website as well. Thankfully, there appear to be no safety issues as a result of this battery recall. Some users have however reported their battery "swelling" which can cause damage so it is strongly recommended you take advantage of the recall as quickly as possible.

Where Can I Go For More Information?
Apple iBook and PowerBook Battery Exchange Program:
https://support.apple.com/ibook_powerbook/batteryexchange/?

Apple iBook and PowerBook Battery Exchange Program (LG Batteries - May of 2005)
https://depot.info.apple.com/batteryexchange/

15" MacBook Pro Battery Exchange Program:
https://support.apple.com/macbookpro15/batteryexchange/