lithium polymer
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Apple gets patent for universal batteries, edges closer to long-lasting wireless peripherals
These days, just about every Apple product is defined by a non-removable battery. It's with no small hint of irony, then, that Apple just received a US patent for a universal removable battery system. As proposed, the technique would let Apple cut batteries from lithium-polymer or similar materials into commonly sized packs that could then be swapped between devices, providing all the benefits of removable, rechargeable batteries with a longer lifespan than an old set of AAs. Batteries could have serviceable cores for when they finally give up the ghost, and computers could even alternate between charging the batteries (when plugged in) or using them to extend the runtime of MacBooks. We'd recommend against basing any purchasing strategy around Apple's filing, though. The Cupertino team originally applied for the patent in 2010, and in turn broke out the technology from a patent it had filed in 2007 -- there's no guarantees Apple is still interested in replacing those disposables, let alone any sealed-in batteries. That won't stop us from yearning for the day when a Magic Mouse lasts for more than a week of heavy use.
Apple reportedly moves iPad battery orders from Simplo to Dynapack
Digitimes is reporting that due to defective Lithium-polymer battery packs in some iPad 2s, Apple has shifted some orders for the battery packs from Simplo Technology to another producer, Dynapack International Technology. The defective batteries may have leakage problems. Digitimes notes that these problems can cause short circuits in the batteries, which can cause problems with recharging. Lithium-polymer batteries use very stable chemical materials, so the leakage cannot cause explosion or fire hazards. Simplo has been supplying Apple with batteries for a number of devices for years, including the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. It is believed that the problem with defective batteries has now made Dynapack the predominant supplier for the iPad 2 batteries.
Apple's lithium-polymer battery purchases hindering other manufacturers
Apple supposedly has a lock on the touch panel market, and now it seems the Cupertino company is doing the same thing in the Lithium-polymer battery market. According to Digitimes, Apple has bought up most of the available supply of Lithium-polymer batteries used in notebook computers and mobile devices. This is causing other manufacturers, like HP and Acer, to scramble to find new suppliers. Apple's stronghold on the market should have a limited effect on the bottom line of other hardware manufacturers as only a few models use this battery technology.The lithium-polymer battery is more expensive than traditional Lithium-ion batteries, and Apple is the only manufacturer that has adopted it throughout its product line.
Apple patent application points to denser batteries, improved charging technique
Some might think a ten-hour Macbook battery mighty fine, but we're happy to say that Cupertino's not quite satisfied. AppleInsider spotted a pair of Apple patent applications detailing a improved way of juicing up those lithium-polymer cells, which should greatly increase the number of recharge cycles they can endure -- or, optionally, allow Apple to use denser batteries that last longer on a charge. We'll break it down for you: the graph in the upper-left shows how Li-ion batteries currently charge, first very rapidly (constant current, increasing voltage) and then more slowly (constant voltage, decreasing current) to top the cells off. What Apple's proposing is the multi-step method depicted on the right, where current and voltage trade off, to charge the battery while being far less harsh on the physical chemistry of the electrodes inside. As you can see in the bottom graph, the multi-step CC-CV cells lose much less of their potential after 300 recharge cycles, but that's not all Apple's cooking up -- the company figures that it can increase the thickness of the electrodes to improve battery life (by as much as 28Wh/L, according to one chart) without negative effect thanks to the softer charge. Sure, we'd rather have plant-eating graphene supercapcitors, but this sounds like a plan for now.
Kia Pop recharges in 6 hours with 87mph top speed and 100-mile range
After an August tease the all-electric Kia Pop concept car is now getting a proper reveal at the Paris Motor Show. Pop is a three-meter long three seater featuring a number of futuristic touches like rear-view cameras in each door, a full length glass roof, and an otherwise transparent OLED panel that displays all your instrument readouts only when the car is running. A second touch panel to the right of the steering wheel controls the vehicle's other functions including audio, sat-nav, and climate. Under the hood you'll find a 60-ps, 190-Nm motor powered by lithium polymer gel batteries capable of charging in just six hours. Combined we're looking at an 87mph (140kph) top speed and 100-mile (160-km) max range. Of course, knowing the auto industry, by the time it hits the assembly lines it'll likely resemble an unimaginative shoebox using whatever off-the-shelf parts Kia can find. But a boy can dream can't he?%Gallery-103731%
Laptop Battery Express' external battery works with 10,000 laptop models, just not yours
If you're toting a new laptop with non-removable battery then you've got an obvious problem: it will run out of juice, likely at the moment you need it most. That's Murphy's law. Fortunately, a number of vendors have started to introduce these external battery packs designed exclusively for laptops. The practically named Universal External Laptop Battery from Laptop Battery Express ships with enough interchangeable tips to provide an extra 4 hours (rated at 66Wh) of power to thousands of laptops from just about any of the big-boy brands you can think of. There's even a USB port for topping-off your cellphone or portable media player. Unfortunately, the most notorious fixed-battery laptop, the MacBook Pro, is not supported. Ah well, that's just more business for Hypermac, eh? One more glamor-shot after the break.[Via SlashGear]
Video: ViewSonic VNB101 gets handled in the wilderness of Taipei
The new ViewSonic VNB101 may be rightly accused of aping the EeePC S101 a little too closely, but if you're going to copy something, it might as well be something sexy. Netbooks News have gone hands-on with an early model, noting a multicard reader, space for a 3G SIM card, and a 3400mAh Lithium-Polymer battery, which should deliver about 5 hours of juice and degrade more slowly over time than its Li-Ion counterparts. Pricing in Taiwan is set for around $485, and for that you'll get your standard dosage of Atom N280, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD inside and a red, black or champagne paintjob on the outside. Europeans can look for these later this year, but with no word of a US release, you'll have to make do with the video past the break.
Engadget cruises with the Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle (with videos!)
Little more than a month after getting our sweaty, gloveless mitts on the Zero Motorcycles Zero S we received an offer to ride yet another high-tech wunderbike: the Brammo Enertia. Naturally our first reaction was excitement -- excitement only slightly dampened by news that we'd again be using the gridlocked NYC streets as our test track. But, we risked life, limb, and the ire of many a taxi driver to get some impressions of the latest electric motorcycle to hit the streets, and grabbed some video action of it all too. Read on for the lot.%Gallery-65555%
Sony Ericsson's BST-33 Li-Polymer batteries swelling into a lawsuit?
We've seen plenty of swollen and exploding batteries 'round here, but this is the first Li-Polymer battery (a technology generally assumed to be more stable and less prone to swelling and fire than Li-Ion) that we can recall ballooning into such a possible danger. Reader Christian sent us these pics of what's normally a 4-mm thick battery (pictured right) inside his W880i handset now swollen to a full 7-mm. The BST-33 sits at the heart of a long list of SE phones, a list we've included after the break along with one more picture. Do let us know if you're seeing similar issues.
Hyundai readies Elantra LPI Hybrid for 2009 Korean launch
'Tis a shame we North Americans, Europeans, Australians, et al. won't be seeing the Elantra LPI Hybrid in 2009, but those in South Korea have a reason to celebrate. Hyundai is gearing up to launch the company's first LPG-electric hybrid vehicle next July, which also happens to be the planet's first hybrid vehicle to be "powered by liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and adopt advanced Lithium Polymer (Li–Poly) batteries." Said automobile will pack a 1.6-liter Liquefied Petroleum Injected (LPI) Gamma engine, a 15kW electric motor and a continuously variable transmission, and while the outfit isn't releasing hard mileage numbers just yet, the car should prove to be around 50% cheaper to operate than a gas-only Elantra (pictured). C'mon Hyundai, we know you've got plans to take this thing worldwide -- just let it out of the bag already.[Via FarEastGizmos, image courtesy of Autoblog]
Sonex unveils electric-powered sport plane
Aircraft maker Sonex and partner AeroConversions recently unveiled a slick little electric-powered, two-person sport aircraft called, um, the Sonex. The small yellow prototype was announced at a press conference held by the company on Tuesday. Sonex president John Monnett told the crowd that the plane was part of its E-Flight Initiative, and that the lightweight craft took flight using proprietary electric engine technology powered by ten "safe boxes," which contain eight Lithium-Polymer batteries each. The company hopes to extend the current flight time of 45 minutes to an hour by using more efficient versions of the batteries, and says it's exploring ethanol options as part of the initiative. There was no indication as to when the plane would be ready for sale, but Sonex did say that the final product will be "vastly less expensive than other things out there." Which we're pretty sure means Paul Moller better watch his back.[Via The Raw Feed]
