The battery recall was bad, but at least people could still use their laptops without the batteries. Non 'tech' people who bought these laptops will probably return them without backing up their data, and lose it for good. Even those who are 'tech minded' may rely on these laptops as their sole laptop.

Don't people test anything these days???

I mean did anyone take note of the wiring layout and "Hmm thats awful close to the hinge" as for the burns thats like "Don't bother to run it for a bit, I designed it and I know it works...just ship it already!".

I see loads of job adverts for testers, what are they all up to? Or maybe they need more, thats a good bet for the BSc guys!

Paris, because she is both silly and hot. Two references in the article pow pow POW!

Exclusive here, El Reg. My laptop (typing this) is 'eligible' - oh happy day! :( Signed up to programme, we'll see how it goes... Anon in case anyone from Sony is reading this etc. Of course if you guys want proof you have my email - feel free to get in touch.

Yes. The customer. We're cheaper.

Sony is trying its best *NOT* to alert the nasty terrorists that their laptops work wonders as trigger-units for their bombs !! Especially since their last exploding battery episode.

Maybe they should instigate an internal witch-hunt amongst its R&D staff to see if they have been infiltrated by those terrorists !! They might find one or more olive-complected persons who speak with American accents and grill them; preferably by tying them to a chair and leaving one of their laptops on their lap running over a long period. Threatening their crown jewels might loosen their tongues !!

The link in the article takes you to a place to check for US/Canada/Latin America etc.

Cant find where to check my laptop (Purchased in Tokyo brought back to UK)

Just stop buying their overpriced non standard tat...

Easy.

I've seen this sort of thing from Sony for many years. They design some clever stuff, then try to put it into the small possible chassis they can think of. They're (in)famous for it.

The big problem lies in the fact that this stuff is so damn flimsy that it breaks/falls apart/catches fire as soon as you look at it. Take a good look at the PSP. Beautiful design, works brilliantly, but it's about as robust as Gordon Brown's credibility. It might actually be stronger if it were made of glass.

Sony seem hellbent on putting so many components into such a small frame, that I'd swear blind that they are using some form multi-dimensional PCB technology to create a handheld games console that can play games, videos, microwave small meals, save small children from wild animals, make phone calls, deliver emergency medical aid to 3rd world countries, etc., but none of it is worth shit if it breaks when the wind changes direction.

Sony - read this: We don't care about small. Our western obesity means our fingers our too bloody big and clumsy to handle the small crap you build. Try building gear that we can drop on occasions, that can survive a bit of rainwater, perhaps even (hold on... steady now...) make it past the warranty with all the dullness and uneventfulness of a housebrick.

Paris - she knows when she's holding something big, hard and longlasting.

Ok, you troll'd me into posting. What utter BS are you talking? My launch PSP, which survived coming from Japan via eBay no less, is still gong strong. (I still have original PS1 and PS2s as well!)

I nearly bought a TZ, but went for the SZ instead (via eBay from the US this time). Okay, so I shelled out for the carbon fibre version, but you could hardly call it flimsy. It's been going over a year now, I've taken it with me all over the place (planes, trains and automobiles), and managed to drop it a couple of times.

I like small, and I trust Sony enough to import their stuff and it not break on me.

I was considering a Vaio for a while. However, I have this strange habit of wanting to use things when I buy them, not have them sitting on a shelf in the service department because the manufacturer is too incompetent to set up a decent QA.

As far as I'm concerned, Sony is incapable of building laptops, and there's not a chance in hell of me ever spending a single quid on one.

Surely this doesn't surprise anyone?

Flame, because Sony batteries are just that.

Given what we know about Sony's record on batteries and power leads, would YOU volunteer to do the testing...?

Flame, because, well...what else?

The "Select" button on my Sony Vaio laptop wore out after only 6 months of use. (Fixed under warranty.)

I was also p*ssed that I couldnt enable the CPU Virtualisation extensions that the chipset supports but Sony disable in the BIOS so I could run HyperV under Windows 2008.

Paris 'cus I've not used her icon before..