“Apple Japan Inc. and Sony Corp. have agreed to jointly pay about ¥1.3 million (US$12,875) to settle a damages suit filed by a Japanese couple who argued that the husband had suffered burns after their Apple personal computer caught fire due to its Sony-made battery, judicial sources said, according to Kyodo News Agency,” Dow Jones reports.
“The fire burnt part of the floor and carpet, and the husband suffered burns to his fingers as he tried to take the computer out of the house. The wife’s health was affected due to the shock of the incident, they said,” Dow Jones reports.
“During the trial, Apple Japan accepted liability but insisted it could not settle the dispute out of court because the couple had demanded excessive compensation. Sony argued a link between the fire and the battery has not been determined,” Dow Jones reports.
“Sony has recalled 9.6 million lithium ion batteries with the help of personal computer makers since a number of fires linked with Sony-made batteries were reported in 2006,” Dow Jones reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Sony should pay the lion’s share, if not all, of that ¥1.3 million (US$12,875), not Apple. And then Sony and Apple ought to sue the guy for morbid stupidity. Seriously, McDonald’s coffee drinkers, grabbing a burning object with your bare hands will cause, uh, burns. Do you need that printed on every object in the world that’s capable of catching fire? Exactly how hard would it have been to throw wet towel on the thing or, God forbid, spray it with a fire extinguisher first?