The new iPad guts are nice, at last with 1GB of much-needed RAM to accelerate all that web browsing. But the most impressive thing is the new battery, which takes most of the space. It’s a gigantic 70 per cent larger!
NEC has been dabbling in ultra-thin flexible batteries for a while now, but the latest version of its ORB, or organic radical battery, measures in at a mere 0.3mm thick. Making it thin enough to be used even in a credit card.
Devices that use standard AA or AAA batteries are handy; the batteries are widely available, relatively inexpensive and for most peripherals they’ll last for absolutely ages. That can lead to an associated problem, though. If you don’t check those batteries every once in a while, bad things can happen.
Well, this is an exciting bit of news for green drivers. Envia Systems has come up with a new battery technology that could give a $US20,000 electric car a range of 480km to a charge. Yes, please?
Inductive charging means you’ll never have to plug your phone in again, and to avoid clunky add-on solutions if your device doesn’t have it built in, Duracell has created this wafer thin adaptor card that slips in alongside its battery.
Rechargeable batteries make sense, and Eneloop gear has a sound reputation for retaining its charge over long periods (plus, shiny colours). Dick Smith online has a one-day deal with an eight-pack of AAs for $19.99, including postage; that’s half the regular price. Charge! [Dick Smith via OzBargain]
I lack the patience to wait around for the sun to charge my gadgets, but for $US14 Nokero’s single AA solar charger looks like the easiest way to ensure you’ve always got a backup battery ready for remotes and flashlights.
Not too long ago, Samsung launched a bigger battery for the Galaxy Nexus, bumping its capacity to 2100mAh. But why stop there? This hulking great 3800mAh beast might even see your handset last two full days.
Li-on batteries feature in most of the mobile electronics we use because they pack far higher energy density than their competitors. But until now there have been a whole heap of problems with those same batteries overheating, and even catching on fire.
There aren’t enough letters in the alphabet to classify this monstrous battery China’s built. D x 1000? Not even close. With arrays larger than a football field, it can store a whopping 36 megawatt hours of power.
