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IBM Sues Company Selling Fake, Flammable Batteries

Posted by Zonk on from the why-would-you-do-that dept.

Bergkamp10 writes "A Computerworld article is reporting that IBM is suing Shentech for selling laptop batteries that catch on fire and sport allegedly fake IBM logos. IBM apparently followed up on a claim by a customer that an 'IBM' laptop battery bought at Shentech caught on fire and damaged his laptop. The customer reported the problem to Lenovo (who license Big Blue's trademark) who subsequently ordered 12 batteries from Shentech and found them all to be fakes. IBM is asking for US$1 million in damages for each dodgy battery sold."

4 of 261 comments (clear)

  1. Re:$1,000,000 by insertwackynamehere · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yeah I wonder why they would want to ruin a company who produces counterfeit products with the potential to kill someone by abusing a brand name they have no right to?

  2. Re:Unhelpful summary by caspper69 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    All lithium-ion batteries are highly flammable, not just these. It's just that Shentech batteries are apparently more prone to spontaneous ignition than others.

    Yeah, that and they're stamping IBM's name on them and selling them to customers who think they're getting genuine IBM replacement batteries.

  3. Re:$1,000,000 by jesdynf · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's not greed. IBM doesn't want the money. They don't care who gets the money. You could burn it like leaves, right in front of them, and you couldn't get IBM legal to give less of a damn. Given their billing rates, you wouldn't WANT their legal team to put out a money fire. Cheaper to let it burn.

    They don't want money. They want *blood*. This is "holy thunder of God Himself"-level wrath, possibly because this is the first *American* seller of counterfeits they've been able to get their yellowed claws on. That I've heard about, anyways. They're going to make an example out of him worst case, and best case they're going to make an example out of him and learn more about any US assets that can be linked to overseas counterfeiters.

    --
    Yahoo! Pipes are awesome. How awesome? http://pipes.yahoo.com/jesdynf/slashdot
  4. Re:$1,000,000 by beav007 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Think about it. They have a demonstration that the fake batteries can cause harm to hardware, and most likely to wetware as well.

    I bought a battery with a genuine IBM logo on it and it exploded in my face, destroying my left eye. It then emailed my porn collection to my mother, turned my freezer down and defrosted it, and parked my car in a towaway zone. I'm suing.

    These batteries could open IBM up to litigation, or could have, had they not been discovered. IBM are protecting their name, reputation, and business.

    After all, a lawsuit from a single exploding battery could easily cost IBM more than a million dollars...