battery problems
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Researchers' non-flammable battery could make laptop fires a thing of the past
Even if you weren't the owner of an HP (or Acer, Dell or Samsung) laptop that went up in flames, you're likely aware that lithium-ion batteries can pose a (very small) risk of setting your gadgets on fire. And that's without mentioning larger-scale issues with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Tesla Model S. Rare though these incidents may be, no disasters are much better than some, which is why scientists at UNC Chapel Hill are developing a replacement solution. The team recently discovered that a fluoride polymer known as PFPE shows very little risk of ignition, especially compared to your standard Li-ion battery. (Interestingly, the material also prevents marine life from sticking to the bottom of ships, but that's beside the point.) Using PFPE to dissolve lithium salt, researchers discovered that the polymer is a viable, non-flammable alternative to the electrolyte. According to UNC, the electrolyte is the "only inherently flammable component" of current lithium-ion power packs, so this discovery could very well pave the way to a safer product. The next step will improving battery cycle performance, with the goal of integrating the material into the standard battery design. Check out the source link for more info.
iPhone 4 combusts on Australian flight, looks madder than a spurned Qantas employee
On an airline that's actually serving the great country of Australia these days, an iPhone 4 decided enough was enough. Shortly after Regional Express flight ZL319 landed in Sydney from Lismore, "a passenger's mobile phone started emitting a significant amount of dense smoke, accompanied by a red glow." What happened next is a bit of an Aussie mystery, but it seems at some point that the glow was "extinguished successfully." No one onboard was harmed, and the handset in question has been handed over to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau for "analysis." It suffered only mild reception issues prior to its final collapse, and if faced with a similar situation, Siri reportedly stated that it would consult a therapist before discharging hot fury. Update: Ross let us know that officials from the Australian Transport and Safety Bureau are investigating the incident.
Nokia promises software updates to fix Lumia 800 battery woes
We experienced occasional battery and charging problems when reviewing the Lumia 800, and it looks like others have had issues too. In fact, it's become a sufficiently (un)popular topic on Nokia's support forums to encourage the company to post up a reply, confirming that two software fixes are in the works. The first will target power efficiency and arrive in early December, while the second will follow in January and hopefully improve charging. Only a minority of users are affected, we're told, so it's lucky for them that they're vocal.
MacBook/MacBook Pro batteries problematic?
Sean Bonner, former TUAWer and current king of Metroblogging, thinks that something is rotten in the state of Cupertino. It seems that Jonas Luster informed Sean of a problem with his MacBook Pro's battery. He went to the Apple store to replace his fried battery and had an interesting encounter with an Apple store employee. It seems that Apple may be aware of some issues with the batteries on the MacBook/MacBook Pro's.This is purely anecdotal evidence but Sean Bonner knows his stuff. Apple, you can tell us if there is a problem (especially since I'm typing this post on a MacBook right now), we'll understand.Sean is collecting serial numbers/date codes of MacBook/MacBook Pro batteries to track this problem. Head on over there and check out the full story.
