Sony recalls over 500,000 Vaio laptops

Sony issued a voluntary recall of 535,000 Vaio laptops on Wednesday, citing overheating issues. Unlike some recalls, however, the remedy for this one is simple: Update your laptop's firmware.

The worldwide recall, reported by the Wall Street Journal, applies to F and C-Series Vaio laptops sold since January 2010. This includes between 230,000 and 260,000 laptops sold inside the United States.

If your laptop fits the description, don't freak out. A release from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today said, "Sony has received 30 reports of units overheating resulting in deformed keyboards and casings. No injuries have been reported."

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The recommended action is to visit this Sony support page, in order to update the computer's firmware, aka BIOS. Those who aren't comfortable doing this by themselves can call Sony or visit a Sony Style retail store for help.

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According to the CPSC, "This firmware will prevent the computer from overheating. The firmware update will also be available through the VAIO Update software program installed on the recalled computers. A prompt will appear when users log on."

Even though the brouhaha has already brought some nice jokes — "What's Sony's latest computer accessory? Oven mitts" — it's best to keep your wits and update your software.