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Information Technology News HP issues battery fire hazard recall number 3
Information Technology News HP issues battery fire hazard recall number 3 | HP issues battery fire hazard recall number 3 |
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| by Stan Beer | |
| Wednesday, 07 June 2006 | |
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In its latest recall, the largest to date, HP has issued a public recall notice for 679,000 model R707 digital cameras sold between August 2004 and April 2006. According to HP, it has received a report of at least one camera catching fire. The problem appears to be one of consumers using the camera's charging unit when the camera is loaded with non-rechargeable batteries. According to HP: "When the R707 camera is used with a non-rechargeable battery, such as a Duracell CP-1, the camera can cause the battery to overheat resulting in a burn and fire hazard while the camera is connected to the ac adapter or camera docking station. The R707 camera contains firmware that controls the battery charging functions. The firmware provided with all R707 cameras is affected by this recall." HP has issued a downloadable firware update from its www.hp.com site that prevents the system from trying to recharge non-rechargeable batteries. However, the company has not given prominence to the recall on the home page. Camera owners have to scroll down to the bottom of the page where there is a link titled replacement programs and product recalls. The latest recall is the third in a series which involve batteries overheating. The most recent was just 7 weeks ago, when on April 20 HP issued a worldwide recall for 15,700 laptop Chinese made batteries which posed a potential fire hazard because of overheating. In October 2005, HP issued a similar recall for over 130,000 batteries used in similar model laptops. It is not clear why HP is having so many problems with its batteries and battery charging systems. However, no doubt the company is hoping that its string of bad news has come to an end with the third occurrence. {moscomment}
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