Posted 05/15/09 at 10:08:15 AM by Paul Lilly

Hewlett-Packard this week announced a voluntary recall of roughly 70,000 Chinese made lithium ion batteries. The potentially defective batteries can be found on a number of both HP and Compaq branded notebooks. These include the following:

• HP dv2000, dv2500, dv2700, dv6000, dv6500, dv6700, dv9000, dv9500, dv9700
• Compaq A900, C700, F700, V3000, V3500, V3700, V6000, V6500, V6700
• HP G6000, G7000
• Compaq 6720s

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says the recalled batteries can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers. So far there have been two reports of overheating and ruptured batteries, which resulted in flames and property damage, but no injuries.

If you own one of the above models, it's not automatic that your battery has been recalled. Specific serial numbers apply, which you can view here. If your notebook is on the list, the CPSC advises that you remove the battery immediately and contact HP for a replacement.

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Posted 03/18/09 at 02:30:05 PM by Paul Lilly

Boston Power says the battery cells in its Enviro-branded notebook batteries can "deliver sustainable performance for three years -- three times longer than most other notebook computer batteries," a claim HP notebook owners can start putting to the test. That's because Boston Power has partnered with the OEM to offer its batteries as accessories for 18 existing HP notebook models.

"HP delivers customers innovative products that respect our planet," said Jonathan Kaye, director of consumer notebooks marketing at HP. "The Enviro Series program gives PC users longer lasting batteries that improve their computing experience while reducing the number of batteries that need to be recycled. That's a win for everyone."

HP feels confident enough in Boston Power's Sonata technology that it's offering an unprecedented three year warranty on the batteries, something that hasn't been done by any other notebook manufacturer we're aware of.

The new batteries are available now from www.hpshopping.com for $150, and will later be added as a point-of-sale option when buying an HP notebook.

Compatible models include the HP Pavilion dv4, dv5, and DV6, HP HDX 16, HP G50, G60, G61, G70, and G71, and Compaq Presario CQ40, CQ45, CQ50, CQ60, CQ61, CQ71, and CQ71.

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