What good is a notebook that dies two hours after it’s unplugged from the wall? Not much. We’ve created a list of the clamshells that ran the distance on the LAPTOP Battery Test (continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi). Each machine lasts (at least) to the 7-hour marker, but some systems use larger, sold-separately batteries to stay active up to 20 hours. See for your yourself below. More »
We’ve already deconstructed Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 on a metaphorical level, and now it’s iFixit’s turn to go the literal route. The DIY repair outlet found the pen-friendly tablet to be one of its easier tablet teardowns in recent memory: just about everything inside that frame can be swapped out individually. It’s even possible to replace the relatively cheap glass that sits on top of the considerably pricier LCD, just in case the slate plummets face-first but leaves some chance at salvaging its screen. While largely coming back with good news, the investigation also explains Samsung’s decision to go with a modest 7,000mAh battery — stuffing all those components into a 0.35-inch thick frame doesn’t leave much room for the lithium-ion pack that gives them life. Still, if you’re itching to understand what defines a truly repairable tablet, or just want to get a peek at those Galaxy S III-derived roots, the full surgical procedure is available at the source.
Filed under: Tablet PCs
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 teardown shows easy fixes, skimpy battery originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 10:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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One of the last times we saw the concept of a self-recharging battery, it was part of a high-minded Nokia patent whose ideas still haven’t seen the light of day. Researchers at Georgia Tech are more inclined to put theory into practice. Starting from a regular lithium-ion coin battery, the team has replaced the usual divider between electrodes with a polyvinylidene difluoride film whose piezoelectric nature produces a charging action inside that gap through just a little pressure, with no outside voltage required to make the magic happen. The developers have even thumbed their noses at skeptics by very literally walking the walk — slipping the test battery under a shoe sole gives it a proper dose of energy with every footstep. At this stage, the challenge mostly involves ramping up the maximum power through upgrades such as more squeezable piezoelectrics. Georgia Tech hasn’t progressed so far as to have production plans in mind; it’s nonetheless close enough that we could see future forms of wearable computing that rarely need an electrical pick-me-up.
Filed under: Wearables, Science
Georgia Tech develops self-charging battery that marches to the owner’s beat originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Aug 2012 04:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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I wonder then – if future batteries were to be made out of wood of sorts, then isn’t it more flammable than today’s lithium ion batteries which are used in a myriad of devices? Well, researchers are currently working on a battery that is made from lignin, which is actually a waste product derived from the paper-making process. According to Grzegorz Milczarek from the Poznan University of Technology in Poland, working hand in hand with Olle Inganäs from Linkoping University in Sweden, they claimed to have figured out a way to merge lignin with the conductive polymer polypyrrole, where the end result would be a battery cathode which will see action when the right time arrives.
Lignin doubles up as an insulator, while polypyrrole functions as a conductor which is capable of holding its own electric charge. Since the utilization of lignin would mean one is able to make use of waste product from wood, this might very well be the ticket to a future of renewable energy.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: New car battery charges in “minutes”, Nissan unveils new battery capacity estimators ,
In the battery circles, some have argued for years that carbon batteries could eventually steal the show to lithium-ion ones, but so far it hasn’t been the case. A new battery for electric cars which being developed in Korea may change this as it would charge within minutes, according to theregister, making it much more convenient for drivers to “fill up” and move on. Researchers say that the cost of the battery itself could be twice as low, when compared to Li-ion batteries.
The secret they say, is that the chemical process to recharge the battery happens on all energy-storage particles at once. In traditional batteries, only a fraction of the energy storage can be replenished at once, which is why charging time grows linearly with capacity.
Obviously, we love it that electric cars could be charged in minutes, but we also want to see laptop, tablets and smartphones charged in… seconds? The thing is: industrial and car batteries probably generate higher margins, so they will end up being served first. In any case, the technology isn’t quite ready for prime time yet, but the mere prospect will have gadget enthusiasts salivating. If you feel like reading the whitepaper… (requires a subscription)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Electric car battery replacements do not come cheap, Leyden Energy announces high energy density, high-performance cylindrical battery cells for electric vehicles,
Anyone who’s had to recharge an EV — or, for that matter, any mobile device with a very big battery — knows the pain of waiting for hours while a lithium-ion pack tops up. South Korea’s Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology has developed a conduction technique that could cut that charging time down to less than a minute. By dousing the nanoparticle materials of the battery in a graphite solution that’s then carbonized, the researchers make a web of conductors that all start charging at once; current batteries have to charge towards the center slowly, like a not-very-edible Tootsie Pop. The immediate goal is to develop a secondary battery for an EV that could provide extra mileage in a matter of seconds. Here’s hoping that the Ulsan team’s fast-charging battery is more viable than others and spreads to just about everything — we’d love to have EVs and laptops alike that power up in as much time as it takes to fill a traditional car at the pump.
[Image credit: iFixit]
Filed under: Transportation, Science
Korean carbon-coated lithium-ion battery could cut recharge times down to minutes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 19:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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9to5mac has reported images of the next iPhone’s battery, and if they’re to be believed, the battery’s relatively small size could spell problems for battery life if the new iPhone has LTE. More »
In the blogosphere’s continuing quest to assemble a virtual iPhone 5 before Apple unveils a real one in September, 9to5Mac has published images of what appears to be the next iPhone’s battery. Juicy stuff!
As expected, the battery is a bit larger than the last iPhone, but not by much. It jumps from 1430mAh in the iPhone 4S (up from 1420mAh in the iPhone 4) to a 1440 mAh battery. With the expected inclusion of LTE, plus Apple’s turn-by-turn mapping (which is a huge battery drain, at least in iOS 6 beta), we must simply hope that Apple’s dual-core SoC will use this relatively limited power source efficiently.
According to the label on the battery pack, it was created in June of this year, which is right in line with Apple’s iPhone 5 timing.
So what else can we expect in Apple’s next-gen iPhone? For one, a larger 4-inch display at a resolution of 1,136 x 640, along with a new two-tone back panel. You’ll also see a much smaller connector dock along the bottom, as Apple is allegedly replacing the worn out 30-pin dock Apple’s used for so long in its iThings with a 19-pin mini dock.
Of course, iOS 6 will ship with the device.
Yesterday we saw the internal sensors and parts of the next iPhone laid out for all to see, and now 9to5Mac has its hands on what it believes to be a battery for Apple’s next smartphone. The capacity of the battery has been increased to 1,440mAh, up from the 1,430mAh rating used for the iPhone 4S. The voltage of the battery is also up from previous Apple smartphones, jumping to 3.8, up from 3.7.
The watt-per-hour measurement also increases a result to 5.45wHr, up from 5.3wHr on the iPhone 4S. The battery is definitely a recent creation too, with labelling indicating it was manufactured in June 2012. The small capacity bump is curious considering rumors that the next handset will feature power intensive features such as LTE.
Not only that, but the screen will also reportedly see an increase to 4-inches, with a resolution bump to 1136×640. A larger screen inevitably draws more power, and while LTE chips are becoming more efficient, 4G data transfer still drains batteries faster than 3G. The part might not be destined for the next iPhone, and could simply be an updated battery to be used in the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.
9to5Mac believes, however, that Apple will be using a more efficient dual-core chip that would negate the need for a significantly larger battery. Not only that, but the company could make use of Qualcomm’s new Gobi LTE chip, which requires much less power than existing LTE solutions. There’s not long until we find out either way, with the company allegedly penciling in a September 12th reveal and September 21st ship date.
Alleged battery for next iPhone surfaces is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
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It’s all about power when you’re on the go. Depending on your usage, it doesn’t take long for the battery of your tablet or smartphone to run out. It’s happened to everyone, stranded with no way to juice up your gear. The Exovolt Plus stackable batteries might help you out in these situations.
Exogear’s Exovolt Plus is different from most external batteries, because you can simply stack up modules to add more battery power. The main unit, which sells for $89.95(USD), has got a 5,200 mAh battery. You can add as many subunits as you want at $49.95 a pop. Each of these also has a 5,200 mAh capacity. The batteries have double circuit protection, overheating protection, and short-circuit protection so they won’t explode in your face.
I guess these batteries would be good for camping and outdoor trips. The batteries aren’t that big, about twice the size of an iPhone, so they should be pretty easy to carry around in your pack. Exogear hasn’t yet confirmed a release date for the Exovolt Plus, but they should be coming soon.
[via DVice]
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