About notebook-use batteries, including the reports about the battery recalls.
I tested last week computing performance and battery life under Windows 8 Beta (Consumer Preview) versus Windows 7 on a laptop PC. The notebook used for this purpose is a 15.6″ HP 630 with the Intel Pentium B950 CPU, Intel’s HD integrated graphics, 4GB RAM, a 320GB 5,400rpm hard drive, and 6-cell battery. It’s a typical full-size notebook with widely used processor and GPU.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with Hewlett-Packard, yesterday announced a voluntary recall of Lithium-Ion batteries used in select HP and Compaq laptops.
The recall includes around 70,000 units that can potentially overheat, “posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers”.
New laptop batteries, based on the latest Boston Power’s Sonata technology, are available now as accessories for 18 existing Hewlett-Packard notebook models.
Sonata Li-ion cells in the HP Enviro Series batteries are claimed to deliver sustainable performance for three years, which is “three times longer than most other notebook computer batteries”. HP is providing a three-year warranty on the batteries. In addition, the batteries are Ecolabel-certified.
The extended 6-cell battery for the HP Mini 1000 netbook is now available for purchase.
The Lithium-Polymer battery (FZ332AA#ABB) is priced at $95.99, when sold separately.
Betavoltaic batteries, which could enable notebook computers to operate for 30 years without a single recharge, are planed to hit the market in about 2 to 3 years, Next Energy News reports.
“The breakthrough betavoltaic power cells are constructed from semiconductors and use radioisotopes as the energy source. As the radioactive material decays it emits beta particles that transform into electric power capable of fueling an electrical device like a laptop for years,” the report says.
Toshiba recalled today about 5,100 laptop batteries, sold with its Dynabook, Dynabook Satellite, Satellite, and Tecra notebooks in Japan, the U.S., Europe, Australia, and China.
According to Toshiba’s representative, there were three cases in which these batteries caught fire – two in Japan and one in Australia. However, there were no injuries.
Toshiba Corporation today unveiled that one of its notebook computers with a Sony battery pack recently caught fire, and announced the additional measures to encourage customer participation in the global Sony battery packs replacement program, which started last year.
“On May 24, 2007, a Toshiba portable computer with a Sony battery pack caught fire. Toshiba immediately asked Sony to investigate. The investigation confirmed that the cause of the fire was the battery pack, as in other incidents reported earlier,†the Company’s press release says.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today announced a recall of the notebook batteries used in some of Gateway 400VTX and 450ROG series notebooks, because of overheating problems.
These batteries could pose a fire hazard to consumers, which are advised to stop using recalled products immediately and contact Gateway regarding battery replacement. Gateway has received four reports of battery packs overheating, including minor property damage, but no injuries have been reported.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Acer America Corporation, today announced a voluntary program for the replacement of certain notebook computer lithium-ion batteries containing Sony-made cells.
“As announced previously by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there have been 16 reports of notebook batteries overheating. These reports were associated with earlier recalls by other notebook computer manufacturers of batteries containing these Sony cells. These previous reports involved only minor property damage and two minor burns. None of these reports involved batteries in Acer notebook computers,” Acer published.
Gigabyte Technologies has announced that it will introduce the notebooks with dual graphics system, the eight-hour laptop batteries and Santa Rosa platform-based notebooks at forthcoming CeBIT 2007 show.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in cooperation with Lenovo today announced a voluntary recall of the nine-cell extended batteries for laptops sold between November 2005 and February 2007 with ThinkPad R series, T series and Z series, because of accidents caused by battery overheating.
“If the battery in the laptop is struck forcefully on the corner, such as from a direct fall to the ground, the battery pack can overheat and pose a fire hazard to users,” CPSC says.
A portable power solutions provider Boston-Power today announced its next-generation Sonata lithium-ion batteries for laptops, enhancing “both performance and safety”.
Sonata’s proprietary safety features include slower chemical kinetics, novel current interrupt devices, new thermal fuses, unique pressure relief vents and safer pack configuration.
Samsung has demonstrated a docking station incorporating a 1,200-watt-hour fuel cell for laptop computers. When powered by presented fuel cell, Samsung Sense Q35 notebook can work without recharging up to one month, assuming it runs for eight hours a day five days a week.
Fuel cells use state-of-the-art energy-generating technology that sparks a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen won through the electrolyzation of water to produce electricity, according to the reports.
Samsung also developed a smaller fuel cell, which can operate a laptop for 15 hours with around 100 cc of fuel, “less than the size of a paper cup”.
The company’s reporesentatives say Samsung will spearhead efforts to introduce fuel cells into the market by the end of next year, when all safety standards are established.
Besides the advantage of much longer battery life, fuel cells are claimed to have other advantages, such as very short recharging time by simply adding more fuel.
http://www.sec.co.kr/
Laptop makers will “likely” soon choose to incorporate lithium polymer batteries over the current commonly used lithium ion batteries, Sony Electronics President Stan Glasgow said during a meeting with reporters Wednesday.
Notebook battery manufacturers have pushed the energy density (or capacity) of lithium ion batteries, with lithium packed into cells. When an internal short occurs, it can set off a chain reaction and start a fire. This was a cause of massive notebook-use lithium ion batteries recalls recently. On the other side, lithium in lithium polymer batteries is contained in a polymer gel.
Among six tested notebooks which were not affected by massive Sony laptop battery recall, Panasonic Toughbook CF-51 is the best choice for all around value in a notebook computer, and one that runs a lot cooler than most, delivering incredible battery life. But for those users who prefer a cool-running notebook with a more powerful processor and a widescreen display, the Jetbook 9700P delivers the best value, says CRN Test Center.
Along with Panasonic Toughbook CF-51 and Jetta International’s Jetbook 9700P, the tested notebooks were HP Compaq nw8440, Velocity NoteMagix L80, Asus F3Jv and Twinhead Durabook D13RI. Those notebooks were evaluated everything from battery and air vent temperatures, AC power draw and battery life to performance and price. Test Center engineers then set out to determine which of them runs the coolest and draws the least amount of power, the reports says.
Six Notebooks That Don’t Burn – Panasonic, Jetta, Velocity, HP Compaq, Asus, Twinhead – CRN
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