Cue the complaints: 17-inch MacBook Pro without a removable battery?
One of the biggest complaints about Apple’s iPhone is that you cannot remove and replace the battery yourself. On the eve of its final Macworld Expo, it appears Apple is willing to live with that complaint for the newest version of its MacBook Pro line of computers as well.
Apple will reportedly use the Macworld event to unveil a new 17-inch MacBook Pro built using the same unibody process as the other entries in the MacBook… Continue Reading
PowerGenix hopes to overtake NiMH dominance with alt-chemistry rechargeable batteries
With the market for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) finally starting to heat up in earnest, several companies are making big bets on advanced rechargeable battery technologies. One of these is PowerGenix, a San Diego, Calif.-based startup that makes nickel-zinc (NiZn) batteries.
Another is ZPower, a startup that hopes to oust lithium ion as the dominant technology by developing advanced silver-zinc (AgZn) batteries. While they offer greater power density, AgZn batteries haven’t been used much because they… Continue Reading
Will lithium ion get replaced? Longer lasting, recyclable batteries due in laptops this summer
Lithium ion technology batteries have been on the market for over 16 years now, and like a human of the same age, the technology’s growth appears to be slowing. Improvements in the battery technology are lessening each year, and the power demand from electronics, fueled by chip advances, makes it feel as if time is standing still for lithium ions — phones and laptops don’t stay charged much longer than they ever did.
We’ve reported on… Continue Reading