Sony Recalls 535,000 Vaio Laptops

Sony (SNE) announced that it is recalling 535,000 laptops that it sells under the Vaio brand. According to a number of media reports, the recall results from a temperature-control defect that could cause excessive heat and distort the laptop's shape.

The Wall Street Journalwrites that "The recall affects some F and C Series Vaio laptops sold after January 2010. The company said it will recall 259,000 units in the U.S., 103,000 in Europe, 120,000 in Asia and 52,000 in Japan." The news is bound to be a blow to a company that's trying to regain its place as one of the premier consumer-electronics firms in the world.