Public service announcement

Last spring, I bought myself a laptop. Knowing from experience that a 7- or 8- pound computer was much more than I wanted to lug around, especially with a bag full of other books, I ended up with one of the lighter Dells. It was a bit of an investment, but it will hopefully last through my PhD. Plus, it's great for taking on family trips as the screen is incredibly crisp, making "Mighty Machines" an even grander spectacle to behold.

I was a little concerned when Dell issued its initial battery recall. While both my computer model and the battery model were on the list, their website promised me that my specific battery was not affected, based on the full serial number.

Since Dell's recall, there has been a flood of battery recalls--all for Sony batteries--from nearly all of the laptop manufacturers.

So yesterday I clicked onto a story about Sony's continuing woes and discovered that Dell had expanded their recall by another 100,000 batteries. I dutifully returned to their site, re-entered my information, and was informed that yes, my battery does need to be replaced. It has been ordered and will be here in about 20 business days. In the meantime, I am advised to run the computer only when it is plugged in, with the battery removed.

Not a huge inconvenience. And I know that the likelihood of fire is small, but I suggest that anyone with a laptop less than a couple years old recheck the recall status of their brand. Just in case.