Apple, Dell, Lenovo, HP working on battery manufacturing standards

If there's one thing this summer's taught us, it's that pleather is never a good idea during a heat wave. But if there's two things this summer's taught us, it's that batteries are extremely combustible, and one company with a recent history of naughty mishaps can spoil a lot of peoples' fun with some lithium-ion charged explosions. This is probably why Apple, Dell, Lenovo, HP, and other laptop manufacturers are planning to hold a summit in San Jose, California with the intent to tackle some of the issues associated with li-ion cells powering today's portables, and to come to some agreement about standards for manufacturing processes and quality control. They and the rest of the OEM Critical Components Committee of the IPC-Association Connecting Electronics Industries are expected to lay the groundwork for such battery manufacturing standards with the hopes that no man or woman or child's box shall ever again unexpectedly explode on their table, in their car, in their home, plane, pocket, or anywhere else for that matter. Gee golly, we are so stoked at the idea of our laptops not, like, totally burning down our home that you guys soo don't even know.

[Via AppleInsider]

[TC @ Aug 24th 2006 9:24AM]

I'm actually quite fond of pleather myself.

[TLS502 @ Aug 24th 2006 9:49AM]

I wish they could somehow make a standard for each battery shape, connection, etc, based on the screen size of the machine, or some from some other detail (such as cpu speed, number of CPU's, etc.

What I am getting at is that rather than around 25 different types of laptop batteries, it would be a one-size-fits-all type of thing.

[Tim UF @ Aug 24th 2006 11:11AM]

A one size fits all battery (or at least shrinking the number of battery form factors from hundreds to a dozen or so) could also have the effect of lowering overall costs of the machines; as well as costs of replacement/extra batteries.

[Eric Zarowny @ Aug 24th 2006 11:19AM]

I see Sony isn't on that list, wasn't it them who manufactured the flaming batteries?

[georget @ Aug 24th 2006 11:29AM]

"I wish they could somehow make a standard for each battery..."

Actually they did. It was developed by Duracell and Compaq and used in the Compaq Aero laptops. Unfortunately, its universality never got beyond that series.

[[e-mail] @ Aug 24th 2006 11:33AM]

All these battery 'explosions' occur only while they are plugged in, correct? Does this mean that leaving my notebook plugged in unattended results in a potential loss of my belongings do to fire?
If I do decide to charge my notebook whilst I am not home, should I do so in a cinder block enclosure?
[I am half-serious]

[catherine girardeau @ Aug 25th 2006 10:29AM]

Do you know when that battery summit will be? I'd love to get in there to cover it. Thanks.