Sony batteries being recalled… again.

Here we go again, folks. Some of Sony’s batteries are being blamed for more than 40 incidents worldwide of laptops overheating. This comes just two years after the largest battery recall in electronics history, in which Sony’s batteries were determined to be the problem.

Some of the reports include minor burns to users and minor property damage, while other incidents resulted in dramatic smoke or flames.

Unlike the last battery defect claim in 2006, which caused more than 8 million notebook batteries to be recalled, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says this time only a total of 35,150 notebooks are affected. So relax, Sony shareholders, this time isn’t as bad as last time.

The following laptop manufacturers are affected: HP, Compaq, Toshiba, and Dell. Toshiba, Dell, and HP have all established their own Web sites where customers affected by the recall can submit a form and get a free replacement battery pack by mail.

People who opt not to send in their battery for replacement are encouraged by this author to at least use it as a supplemental heat source for the upcoming winter.