Fujitsu Battery Exchange Program FAQs

Why is Fujitsu replacing some batteries in certain notebook PC models?

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in a recall program announced on October 23, 2006, has announced that certain Lithium-ion batteries manufactured by Sony Energy Devices Corp. of Japan, including some supplied to Fujitsu and used in LifeBook mobile computers, have the potential to overheat, posing a fire hazard to users. Fujitsu Computer Systems Corporation has agreed to join their Sony battery recall program for customers in the United States, and its subsidiary Fujitsu Canada, Inc. has elected to extend a comparable program voluntarily to customers in Canada. By offering the Fujitsu Laptop Battery Exchange Program, both Fujitsu Computer Systems Corporation and Fujitsu Canada, Inc. wish to ensure the safety and satisfaction of our customers, and so we are urging all customers who have products that meet the criteria set forth in the guidelines to register, receive a replacement battery and return the recalled one to us as specified.

Are all Fujitsu notebook PC's affected?

No, because not all batteries used in Fujitsu notebook PC's are affected. Only those models which were sold with a battery sold to Fujitsu by Sony, and of those only a smaller group which had batteries made by Sony during particular date ranges, are affected.

If I have an affected battery, do I need to remove the battery from my Fujitsu notebook PC and run it on AC power?

Yes, if at all possible. If your LifeBook notebook has an affected battery Fujitsu advises that you use your computer with the battery pack removed. Shut down your computer, disconnect the AC adapter and then remove the battery pack. Connect the AC adapter again to use your computer.

If you choose, contrary to Fujitsu's advice, to continue to use your Sony battery while waiting for a replacement, you can reduce risk by taking the following precautions:

Do not use the LifeBook simultaneously on battery power with the AC adapter; disconnect the AC adapter from the computer if using battery power

Operate the computer only on a flat surface, and never on surfaces which retain heat (such as towels, blankets, clothing) or heated surfaces

Cease using battery power if temperature exceeds usual heat levels

Remove the battery at all other times

After you receive and install your replacement battery, you may resume normal use of your LifeBook.

I'm confused. Earlier I understood it was still OK to use my Fujitsu notebook PC on an affected Sony battery. What has changed?

Previously, we had understood that the affected Sony batteries would not result in any adverse incident when used in Fujitsu computers. However, on October 24, 2006, in Japan, an incident occurred where a Fujitsu notebook PC using a Sony battery of the type recalled in the U.S. suffered a smoking and sparking incident, resulting in minor burns to its user. Therefore, in the interests of customer safety, we now advise against continued use of the affected batteries such as Fujitsu FPCBP80 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP77 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP68 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP63 Battery and Fujitsu FPCBP95 Battery.

Where can I get more information about the use of battery power with my notebook?

For additional information on operating mobile computers on battery power, please refer to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's website article located at: http://www.batterystores.ca

How do I know if my Fujitsu notebook PC qualifies for a free replacement battery under this program?

Please refer to the automated exchange program, which can be found at: http://www.computers.us.fujitsu.com/battery/ or call us at 1-800-8FUJITSU.

When will the replacement batteries be available?

Fujitsu will send your replacement battery when available based upon the information you provide via the website. Batteries will begin to be available from Sony in early November.

My notebook PC runs hot. Should I be concerned? Do I need a new battery?

Not likely. This is normal. Notebooks will generate heat when used in different applications or when the battery is being charged. As a rule of thumb, the more demanding the application, the more heat that will be generated. If you feel your notebook is excessively hot you should contact our support hotline at 1-800-8FUJITSU for guidance.

long-lasting 'Enviro' batteries

Hewlett-Packard early next year will begin offering a new line of "Enviro" batteries for laptop users who want to upgrade to longer-lasting and more sustainably designed batteries.

HP and Boston Power have been testing the Sonata lithium-ion batteries for three years. The batteries such as Hp F2299A battery, Hp F3172A battery, Hp Pavilion ZT1000 battery, Hp Pavilion XZ200 battery, Hp Pavilion ZT1100 battery, Hp Omnibook XT1000 battery and Hp Omnibook XT1500 battery were designed specifically for laptop use. After three years of use, the batteries will be able to keep 80 percent of their initial charge.

Hp laptop battery time typically starts to drop significantly after 150 or so charges, or cycles. Boston Power says that its batteries can be charged 1,000 times and get "like new" performance.

An HP representative on Tuesday said that the Sonata batteries will cost between $20 and $30 more than traditional batteries and will be available on some consumer laptop machines. There will be a three-year warranty, and no system changes are required.

The Enviro batteries are marketed as more environmentally friendly for a number of reasons, according to Christina Lampe-Onnerud, founder and CEO of Boston Power.

The company chose not to use any PVC plastic or heavy metals--cadmium, arsenic, or mercury--in the manufacturing process. The batteries can also be recycled, said Lampe-Onnerud, adding that the battery has received a number of "green" certifications.

More simply, Lampe-Onnerud argued that purchasing one product that lasts for at least three years, rather than buying multiple batteries, is more environmentally sustainable and economical.

"Our tests found that 40 percent of consumers over three years have replaced laptop batteries up to five times. If each is $150, that's almost the cost of the whole system," she said. "I think this will change the appetite for sustainable products. Instead of purchasing something expendable, they can have something that lasts."

Boston Power is in discussions with other computer manufacturers, she added without disclosing any names.

The company also plans to release a portable lithium-ion battery for adding charge to cell phones or other gadgets and intends to enter the auto battery market, Lampe-Onnerud said.

Vehicle Battery Summit in Shanghai

Menachem Anderman, Ph.D., will serve as the International Society of Automotive Engineers of automotive batteries Summit, scheduled for 1 to 3 September 2010, Madam President. The event will bring together the world’s most respected engineers, scientists and battery, automotive, utilities and mining of lithium corporate decision makers. In China’s growing recognition of the significance of the development and implementation of all types of electric vehicles, this international summit in the Sheraton Hotel Hongqiao in Shanghai, China.

Dr. Anderman, advanced automotive batteries such as IBM FRU 08K8193 Battery, IBM 92P1060 Battery, IBM 08K8214 Battery, IBM 08K8195 Battery, IBM 08K8193 Battery, IBM 08K8192 Battery and IBM 92P1101 Battery, the United States and founder and president of Total Battery Consulting, is an outstanding industry as a broad-based battery expert who studies the material from the two lithium and nickel products through product development and market entry. He is a famous inventor, speaker and author, in the technical assessment and battery technology, recognized the authority of legal cases.

Meeting was chaired by the Chinese Society of Automotive Engineers (Society of Automotive Engineers of China), the workshop was aimed at providing an assessment of the current and recent lithium-ion battery system, an alternative approach and ability to enterprise-class engineering and business decision-makers; and as an important market and supply chain information. Dr. Anderman organized more than 20 experts, representing the world’s largest and most successful automotive batteries and related sectors excellent list.

Technological progress of the project took place more around the world, including Europe, Taiwan, South Korea, the United States, especially in China’s development, it has reviewed growth forecasts for electric vehicles / battery market, and explores the impact of the global market, thus providing the necessary insight to achieve the best business decisions. Reliability and security issues and other challenges facing the industry, including standardization, will also be addressed.

The summit will provide an exclusive opportunity to work with from the car OEM, battery components and manufacturing, mining of lithium enterprise technology peers. The event will include corporate sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, and technology-related poster session. 

They have become the International Society of Automotive Engineers to provide vehicle batteries Summit.

Summit of the Organization of the United States and advanced vehicle batteries and the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC) co-operation

International Society of Automotive Engineers of over 121,000 engineers and aerospace, automotive and commercial vehicle industry, relevant technical experts, the global association. Society of Automotive Engineers International’s core competencies are life-long learning and the development of voluntary consensus standards. International Society of Automotive Engineers charitable sector is the Society of Automotive Engineers Foundation, which supports many programs, including in sports (R) and the World University Design Series.

rechargable batteries

Many people when buying rechargeable batteries, a look at the capacity, or look the brand. However, to know that buying a good performance of the rechargeable battery is also a great Laptop batteries school of learning.

Knowledge

Batteries can be divided into two categories, one category is “one cell”, and the other is “secondary battery.” “One cell” As the name suggests is the use of no value once the battery, “secondary battery” simply means that rechargeable batteries, can charge for further use.

“One cell” includes alkaline batteries such as IBM ThinkPad T40 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T41 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T42 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T43 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R50 Battery and IBM ThinkPad R51 Battery, Meng zinc batteries, such as Chongqing, a train of gold on the market batteries are alkaline batteries. Disposable batteries are cheap, easy to use, and alternative brand names. However, its disadvantages are also more lethal, first of all can not be recycled, one-time investment was low, but the cumulative use of the high cost. Another disposable battery arbitrarily discarded after use, then, will cause environmental pollution. At present, many countries have adopted a management “a cell” of the relevant laws and regulations. I personally feel that a “one cell” is not much to purchase necessary.

“Secondary battery” includes the type of respect very much on the market are more common nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries and lithium batteries. Nickel-metal hydride batteries and nickel-cadmium batteries are the same appearance, and is divided into AA and AAA. The same as the rechargeable battery. But their works are not the same, nickel-cadmium batteries are extremely nickel oxide, the negative is extremely spongy metal cadmium, mostly electrolyte, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide alkaline solution. Ni-Cd battery compact, rugged, shock, vibration, the battery self-discharge is small, suitable for the use of high-current discharge. It is characterized by long cycle life, in theory, there are 2000-4000 times cycle life.

Nickel-metal hydride batteries are low-voltage nickel-metal hydride batteries, to Ni (OH) 2 as the cathode to hydrogen storage alloy as negative electrode, potassium hydroxide alkaline aqueous solution as electrolyte. Ni-MH battery than the energy density (that is, an equal volume of batteries, Ni-MH batteries have greater capacity than the nickel-cadmium batteries), in theory, Ni-MH battery is the energy density of nickel-cadmium batteries 1.5-2 times; there is Ni-MH battery is good environmentally friendly, Ni-MH batteries do not use metal cadmium, or use of toxic substances, does not pollute the environment; there are Ni-MH battery has largely eliminated the “memory effect.” That the memory effect and battery capacity of the increasingly high demand in the civilian grade nickel-metal hydride batteries are already replaced the nickel-cadmium batteries.

Lithium batteries can be understood as digital products, special batteries, its shape according to the design of digital products can be arbitrarily changed, lithium batteries almost no memory effect, and use a long time. However, lithium batteries are expensive, and between the different specifications of the lithium batteries can not be generic.

Optional items

In the rechargeable batteries are printed on the surface of a similar mark, indicating this product is what type of battery. NI-MH says that nickel-metal hydride batteries, is actually very simple, NI is the chemical letters Nickel, NH, said hydrogen. By the same token NI-Cd is expressed as a nickel-cadmium batteries.

Battery rated capacity refers to a certain discharge conditions, the battery discharge to the release of electricity cut-off voltage. No. 7 currently on the market capacity of the IBM Laptop Battery 400mAh-900 mAh mostly between the 5 batteries from 1000 mAh-2500 mAh range. Of course, in a sense, the capacity is of course the bigger the better, because of large capacity means longer battery life.

Marketed in some of the work packages battery capacity is also very high, but I do not recommend to buy. Because the battery in the factory hours in order to A, B, C 3, B, C-class product is mainly the product capacity, most of these products is that the battery pack work available in the market. Also noteworthy is that among the different capacities of batteries do not mix. For example, three 2300 mAh of the batteries 1300 mAh battery, which emit an effective current of only 1300 mAh, from the physics can be very simple to understand this point.

Also, when buying batteries may wish to consider under the Sanyo, Panasonic and other major brands and other products made in China is also a good source of Qi. Other unknown product is best not to buy, while the purchase rechargeable batteries, they can weigh about weight. Generally heavier weight, the better its quality. Here I teach you a trick Identification of true and false Sanyo batteries, Sanyo battery cathode is not completely round, but a little bit of a square, while Haier, Sanyo batteries agent the highest only at 1850mAh.

The rechargeable batteries are generally marked on the standard charge time and quick charge time, charging the speed with charger related.

Slow charge generally use constant current charging mode, and the battery is full and automatically converted to trickle charge state. Has the advantage of slow charge circuit design is simple and easy to implement, prices are also lower; As a result of low current constant current charging, effectively reducing the battery charging process in the heat, to extend the battery life is very good. Drawback is the charging time is too long, especially in the case of large quantity of batteries a bit powerless.

Fast charge is generally using a large pulse current charging, but because of high current battery charging process will generate polarized responses, leading to the rapid increase in battery temperature, full power on after resume a likely explosion and combustion, so fast charge also uses a special chip to control the charging process, automatically stop charging once filled so that the whole process of charging has become safe and efficient.

In the end is a standard charger or optional fast charger that can be purchased according to the needs of users. Here to remind consumers to purchase brand-name products charger must be, and if I get quick charger, be sure to understand whether the automatic power-off function.

Battery Maintenance

The use of rechargeable battery users. Bought back the battery power is low in general, the first charge must be adequate. Ni-MH battery charging time are generally more than 16 hours. To achieve best results, generally more than 3 times repeated charge-discharge can. In addition, the battery in use after three rounds, the best place to find the opportunity to make a further charge fully recharge, so as not there is residual power in the battery when the repeated charge, or will shorten battery life.

In addition, in order to avoid the loss of electricity, use nickel-metal hydride battery user, remove the battery charge after the power end, do not let the battery positive and negative poles at the same time contact with conductors. And not to frequent deep discharge of the battery, as this will affect the battery’s chemical properties. And do not mix old and new batteries.

IBM preps Windows 2000 notebooks

Big Blue will beef up three notebooks--the ThinkPad 570, 390X and 240--to support Microsoft's delayed operating system. Windows 2000 will be formally introduced Feb. 17.

Windows 2000 is aimed mainly at businesses, while the follow-on to Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, due to ship this spring, is targeted at the consumer market.

Analysts have said that many corporate customers won't make the jump to Windows 2000 until after June, when Microsoft is expected to release Windows 2000 Service Pack 1, a package of bug fixes and other software patches. Many corporate purchasers are notoriously leery of version "1.0" of any software product.

The ThinkPad 570 will be available with either a 450-MHz or 500-MHz Pentium III processor and up to a 12 GB hard drive.

The 570 model, which sells for $2,999, comes with a 450-MHz processor, 64 MB of RAM expandable to 320 MB, 6 GB hard drive, 13.3-inch TFT display, 56k modem and Windows 2000. The 4.9-pound portable is also available with Windows 98.

IBM is souping up the ThinkPad 390X with more storage and longer battery life. The base system comes with a 450-MHz processor, 64-MB of RAM, 12 GB hard drive, integrated CD-ROM drive, 14-inch TFT display, 56k modem and Windows 2000. The $2,999 portable also features a battery such as IBM ThinkPad R40 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R32 Battery, IBM 02K6928 Battery, IBM 02K7054 Battery, IBM ThinkPad A20 Battery, IBM ThinkPad A20M Battery, IBM ThinkPad A21M Battery rated at 7.3 hours.

The ultra-slim ThinkPad 240, which weighs 2.9 pounds, will come with more storage than previously available. The $2,099 portable will pack a 400-MHz Celeron processor, 64 MB of memory, 12 GB hard drive, 10.4-inch display, 56k modem and Windows 2000.

Sources close to IBM said the new ThinkPads would be available Feb. 17.

Intel speeds up low-power laptop chips

The chipmaker launched four in all: an ultra-low-voltage 1.1GHz Pentium M, an ultra-low-voltage 900MHz Celeron M, a low-voltage 1.3GHz Pentium M, and a standard 1.4GHz Celeron M. PC makers, including Motion Computing, followed with new computer models.

The chips update Intel's line of energy-efficient processors geared toward small, lightweight notebooks, such as IBM's 2.7-pound ThinkPad X40. These notebooks are sometimes called ultraportables, or mininotebooks.

Analysts say that although this market makes up a relatively small portion of overall notebook sales, the machines are sought after by companies with employees who travel a lot. Such companies are willing to pay more for the small size, which benefits Intel even if it sells fewer of the chips.

The ultra-low-voltage chips have relatively low clock speeds, but they use the least power of any of Intel's notebook chips. By operating at a hair over 1 volt, the chips consume about 7 watts of power. Manufactures typically use these chips in their thinnest, lightest models. Because the chips consume less power, they produce less heat, thus allowing companies to put them into thinner chassis and enabling them to use smaller batteries such as IBM 92P1089 Battery, IBM 92P1087 Battery, IBM 08K8196 Battery,
IBM 92P1102 Battery, IBM 92P1077 Battery, IBM 92P1073 Battery, IBM 08K8199 Battery, IBM 08K8198 Battery, IBM 08K8197 Battery and IBM 92P1075 Battery, which reduces weight.

Among the computer makers that plan to use the new chips is Motion Computing, which will put the 1.1GHz ultra-low-voltage Pentium M in its newest tablet, the M1400. The $1,999 tablet touts a number of upgrades over its predecessor, the M1300, including the ability to record audio, security functions such as a fingerprint reader, and a screen with a wider viewing angle.

Power and speed Intel's 1.3GHz low-voltage Pentium M operates at 1.18 volts and consumes about 12 watts.

Standard Pentium M and Celeron M chips, such as the 1.4GHz Celeron M that debuted Wednesday, operate at about 1.36 volts and typically consume around 25 watts, Intel said. In contrast, some of the chipmaker's desktop Pentium 4 processors can consume 100 watts or more.

Intel separates its chips by price and performance. The Pentium M offers the most performance and the greatest number of features, while the Celeron M is designed to cost less, helping PC makers to deliver lower-priced notebooks and tablets.

The new 900MHz ultra-low-voltage Celeron lists for $161, Intel said, and the 1.1GHz ultra-low-voltage Pentium M is $262. Due to their basic similarities, the two chips are likely to be offered as options in some of the same notebook models.

IBM revamps its ultraportable notebook

The new ThinkPad X30, appearing Thursday, combines a number of features found on larger notebooks and puts them into a 3.6-pound frame.

The notebook comes with built-in WiFi wireless networking and Bluetooth capabilities, software for network hopping, a security chip for hardened authentication and encryption, and a FireWire port for plugging in consumer-electronics devices such as digital cameras.

"We see a dramatic rise in wireless adoption," said Leo Suarez, vice president of worldwide product marketing at IBM. A year from now, 40 percent to 50 percent of notebooks will come with built-in wireless, he said. Two years from now the figure will climb past 70 percent.

The new ThinkPad X30 also comes with a portable docking bay that plugs into the back of the notebook, giving it an extra battery such as IBM 08K8026 battery, IBM ThinkPad T21 battery, IBM ThinkPad T20 battery, IBM ThinkPad X61 battery, IBM ThinkPad T61 battery, IBM ThinkPad X41 battery, IBM ThinkPad X40 battery and IBM ThinkPad X20 battery and an optical drive. With the bay plugged in, the ThinkPad X30 can run for more than eight hours, the company said.

Despite a slump in PC sales in general, notebook sales continue to climb. Prices have been steadily declining, and consumers and IT managers have begun to more readily see the advantages of wireless computing, said Alan Promisel, an analyst with market research firm IDC. Notebook sales will increase 16.3 percent in 2003, he predicted.

Increasing sales, combined with customer demands for performance, are prompting manufacturers to tweak and enhance their designs. Wireless connectivity, for instance, can sap battery power. To tackle this performance problem, IBM has installed power management software to improve overall energy conservation, especially during steady-state periods, when the system isn't handling taxing projects such as data transmission.

In all, more than 25 new patents are embodied in the design of the ThinkPad X30, the company said.

The new notebook also comes with many of the security features found on IBM's larger notebooks. Rapid Restore, for instance, lets consumers replicate their applications and data below a partition in the hard drive. If the computer gets infected, all of the data above the partition can be scraped away and the restored desktop can be brought up in a few clicks.

The ThinkPad X30 also features the IBM Embedded Security Subsystem 2.0, an internal chip that conforms to the standards from the Trusted Computing Platform Alliance for authentication and encryption/decryption.

Despite these features, the ThinkPad X30 could prove to be a tough sell in the United States. Ultraportables, which feature 12-inch or smaller screens and ultralow power processors from Intel or Transmeta, have enjoyed some success in Europe and Japan, but they have yet to become hugely popular in the United States, according to Promisel and others.

Be careful when shopping for a replacement laptop battery

The batteries such as IBM ThinkPad 240 battery, IBM ThinkPad 240Z battery, IBM ThinkPad A30 battery, IBM ThinkPad A31 battery, IBM ThinkPad 600 battery, IBM 02K7016 battery and IBM ThinkPad G40 batteryin laptop computers are expensive (a quick review of prices at Lenovo.com shows they range from $119 to $179), and like any battery, they have a limited lifespan. When it comes time to replace the battery inside your laptop computer, you may be tempted to save a few bucks and buy a replacement from a company other than the one that made the computer.

Don't.

In a widely reported story, someone in Ohio purchased a battery for their ThinkPad laptop from a company called Shentech rather than directly from Lenovo or IBM (in 2005, IBM sold the ThinkPad line of laptops to Lenovo). No doubt they paid less than IBM or Lenovo would have charged. When I checked today, a battery for a T40 ThinkPad that Lenovo sells for $119 is only $65 at Shentech. Was it a bargain? Not at all; the battery caught on fire.

The story made news not because of the fire but because the battery, bearing an IBM logo, was a fake (allegedly). After examining the faulty battery, IBM purchased additional batteries from Shentech, and they too were (allegedly) fakes. Needless to say, IBM is suing Shentech (that they list a Post Office box and no phone number on the Contact Us page of their Web site doesn't inspire confidence).

Unfortunately, the laptop battery igniting in flames was not, in and of itself, newsworthy. After all, last year there were a slew of battery recalls. The big story was Dell recalling 4.2 million batteries made by Sony, but overall approximately 10 million Sony batteries used in machines from Apple, Sony, Lenovo/IBM, Panasonic, Toshiba, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Sharp, and Dell were recalled. In May of 2005 Apple recalled iBooks and PowerBooks with batteries made by LG Chem of South Korea. Lenovo/IBM has also recalled Sanyo batteries. It must be hard to make a safe lithium ion battery.

The lesson here is to only buy replacement batteries from the company that made the computer. Off-brand batteries are more likely to scrimp on safety features.

And, should there be a recall of the battery in your laptop, make it easy for the manufacturer to contact you--register your computer purchase.

HP Rolls Out Matching Laptop

HP unveiled an 64-bit laptop based on a new mobile CPU from AMD that it hopes will strike a chord with small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) due to the system's price and performance.

Built around the high-end of AMD’s Turion 64 mobile CPU family, the HP Compaq nx6125 Notebook PC comes with a built-in HP Biometric Fingerprint Sensor for improved security, HP said in a statement. The unit, which starts at $999, also features wireless LAN connectivity, a 15-inch display coupled with an ATI Radeon Xpress 200M chipset, and a three-year warranty.

The nx6125 also includes HP Credential Manager, which “increases network security by providing a secured, single sign-on password solution so users do not have to remember multiple, complex passwords,” according to HP. The nx6125 is scheduled to be available almost immediately.

AMD used the occasion of the nx6125’s debut to announce it is shipping the Turion 64 ML-40, a 2.2 GHz mobile CPU with 1 MB of level 2 cache. Designed for use in lightweight notebook PCs, the ML-40 aims to provide improved Hp laptop battery life such as Hp F4098A battery, Hp F4809A battery, Hp F4812A battery, compaq 319411-001 battery, Compaq Presario 2100 battery(compaq 2100 battery), Compaq Presario 2500 battery(compaq 2500 battery), Compaq Presario NX9010 battery and Compaq Presario NX9000 battery, better security and compatibility with the latest graphics and wireless solutions, according to an AMD statement. The ML-40 costs $525 in quantities of 1,000.

While HP’s entry level nx6125 runs an ML-28 1.6 GHz Turion 64, users can order a higher-end version that features the ML-40. The laptop is available with either a 40 GB or 80 GB hard drive and from 512 MB to 2 GB of memory. It weighs just under six pounds.