A pervasive shortage of batteries is affecting notebook manufacturers worldwide. Dell is reportedly being forced to raise prices due to the shortage and points to a fire at a major Korean battery supplier as the cause. The LC Chem plant was hit by a fire March 3 and isn't expected to resume production for another two or three months. Other makers, such as HP, are remaining tight lipped about the situation and its affect on production. Asustek says up to 40% of its second quarter shipments could be affected by the shortage. In related news, Asustek is reported to be having difficulty sourcing batteries for its wildly popular Eec PCs with 70% of orders going unfulfilled due to shortages.