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Fujitsu Siemens recalls risky batteries

Leslie Katz Former Culture Editor
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Leslie Katz

Fujitsu Siemens Computers is recalling potentially flammable batteries from 250,000 laptops, the company announced on Wednesday.

The rechargable lithium ion batteries, found in the company's Amilo notebooks, can overheat and catch fire, according to the company's Web site.

On its site, Fujitsu Siemens recommends that customers stop using the batteries immediately and operate their notebook on AC power only. The company said it will replace the batteries for free.

To date, the company has received four reports of batteries overheating out of a possible 250,000 units, according to the Fujitsu Siemens site. The company did not say whether any injuries had resulted.

To identify whether a battery needs to be replaced, customers can remove the battery from their computer and view the battery label. If it has a number ending with G1L1, the battery should be exchanged.

Fujitsu Siemens Computers is a joint venture between Siemens AG and Fujitsu.

In May, Apple Computer recalled 128,000 batteries shipped in its PowerBook G4 and iBook G4 laptops because of the potential to overheat.