Sony Corp. on Wednesday said that some of 3,000 laptop computers it shipped to the United States could pose the risk of a small electric shock to users in rare instances. The laptop affected is the Sony Vaio FRV, a mid-range model that starts at $1,500, said Mary McEvoy, a spokeswoman for Sony. The number of laptops that pose the problem is greater in Japan, but no precise figures were available, she said, adding that the problem is related to the laptop's modem.
A user can receive a static-electricity-like shock if "you have connected your PC (laptop) to external power, you have disabled your phone line, (while) simultaneously being connected to a grounded peripheral, and you are touching a metal part of the PC, and your phone rings," McEvoy said. There have been no injuries, McEvoy said, adding that fewer than 10 complaints have been made. Registered customers will be notified by e-mail and a notice will perhaps be posted on Sony's support section of its Website, McEvoy said.
News source: Reuters
