Priority Electronics Blog

For years self dubbed tree huggers have been publicizing the world’s need to go green in order to protect the planet from harmful chemicals that could potentially impact the environment. Now it seems you can’t open a magazine or turn on the TV without seeing news about how to go green. Even celebrities have joined the cause with fundraisers and eco-friendly clothing lines. The go green movement has grown to the point that now you can go online and find laptops that are safer for the environment.

The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) has rated almost 300 laptops in an effort to give the public a place to find environmentally friendly laptops. EPEAT has a list of requirements that notebooks must meet in order to receive either their bronze, silver, or gold seal. According to their website bronze is awarded to laptops that meet all their required criteria, whereas silver means a notebook met all their criteria in addition to half the optional criteria they have for laptop computers. For gold, the product must meet all criteria as well as 75% of all their optional criteria for an eco-friendlier product.

According to the Environmental News Network (ENN) among the greener laptops reported through EPEAT, they favor the Lenovo Thinkpad X300, Toshiba Portege R500-S5007V, HP 2710p Tablet Computer, and the Apple MacBook Air.

On ENN’s news website they chose these laptops for their gold seal from EPEAT as well as for the efforts Lenovo, Toshiba, HP, and Apple went through in order to decrease hazardous chemicals in their notebooks. The Lenovo Thinkpad X300 has mecury-free LEDs in the monitor, contains an energy efficient processor, and their packaging materials are 90% recyclable. These were big pluses for ENN.

The Toshiba Portege R500-S5007V among other Toshiba notebooks has introduced alternatives to phthalates and other hazardous chemicals. The HP 2710p Tablet Computer is also energy efficient. In addition HP has said they would try to eliminate hazardous chemicals from their laptops including PVC. Finally the Apple MacBook Air contains an LCD screen that is mercury as well as arsenic-free. The laptop has an aluminum case that is recyclable and has PVC free components.

Several other laptop models including some Dell Latitudes, Toshiba Tecra’s, and HP Elitebook laptop models made the list.

It looks like going green has gone beyond media attention and into our electronics. Going green has moved beyond a trend and is turning into a lifestyle.

Add This!	Del.icio.us	Digg	Google
SlashDot	Newsvine	reddit	Ask

The goal of many laptop computer companies is to create a laptop that costs only $100. The purpose of this goal is to offer a less expensive laptop option for developing countries. Keeping the price at $100 would help developing countries expand their school curriculum and offer the opportunity to raise their status in the world. Recently, Gartner, Inc., an analyst group announced that though this dream of the $100 laptop is nice, it may not happen in the near future.

According to Gartner the cost of creating, packaging, shipping, and of maintaining permanent technical support makes it nearly impossible to achieve the goal of offering a laptop for such a low price. In their announcement analysts also mentioned other concerns.

Annett Jump on a press release on Gartner’s website stated that, “The economic benefits of IT literacy in emerging markets are currently driving the push for the $100 PC but there are many open questions that remain…These include determining the relevant hardware specifications, power availability, availability and cost of Internet connection, as well as providing adequate finance and payment options for emerging markets where funds may well be extremely limited.”

With such a great goal, it is of little wonder that the push for a cheap laptop is the top goal for many laptop companies. This goal is one that Gartner doesn’t deny is worthwhile; however, their main point is that there are more factors to consider for this cheap laptop including what specific curriculum needs are present in the different countries they will service as well as who will train teachers to incorporate this new technology into their daily routine.

So, when does Gartner believe the laptop industry will achieve this inexpensive laptop? According to their publication, it’s at least two to three years away. Although hardware has gotten cheaper and will most likely continue to get cheaper, things such as hardware and technical support are likely to stay at the same price. Until these additional factors become cheaper Gartner believes that $100 is far too low a goal. Currently laptop manufacturers have been able to reduce costs to between $150 and $250.

What Gartner believes will emerge as a more lucrative and expanding market is the mini-notebook sector. Jump was quoted as stating, “We expect to see increased product innovation in the PC market during the next few years…Mini-notebooks will create opportunities to reach many buyers across all regions, both in mature markets as additional devices, and in emerging markets as PCs.”

Maybe $100 for a laptop is just a dream, but it’s not a dream that won’t come true. This goal just needs to be refined a little more before it goes from dream/goal to reality.

For more information on the Gartner web release, you may go to their company website www.gartner.com.

�

Add This!	Del.icio.us	Digg	Google
SlashDot	Newsvine	reddit	Ask

Laptop computers are increasingly becoming more popular. There has even been data supporting the idea that laptops will eventually overtake desktops in sales. With increasing popularity comes a surge in laptop sales.

In a recent report from DisplaySearch Data, laptop companies displayed growth in sales. According to the report the top 5 laptop manufacturers are HP (Hewlett-Packard), Dell, Acer, Toshiba, and Lenovo. These companies have consistently stayed at or near the top for years.

Several of these companies showed growth; however, the most startling growth came from Apple. Apple notebook sales saw a 61% gain in sales. This gain bumped them up and into the #7 spot for leading laptop manufacturers.

Although Apple laptop sales are impressive, the big question is can they break the top 5? Apple’s sales volume is lower than those in the top 5. However, if they continue to make significant increases they may be known for more than just the iPod or iPhone.

There are many reasons why Apple laptops may be gaining popularity. One reason could be the popularity of the iPod and iPhone. Satisfying consumers with one product can convince them to purchase others from the same manufacturer.

Only time will tell whether or not Apple will gain more momentum and reach the #5 spot.

Add This!	Del.icio.us	Digg	Google
SlashDot	Newsvine	reddit	Ask

Rules for travelers change often. Effective since January 1, 2008 the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that a new rule regarding lithium based batteries would be put into effect. The new rule discusses loose batteries in checked and unchecked luggage.

According to the new flight rule, loose primary lithium or lithium-ion batteries will not be allowed in checked baggage. This rule mainly applies to people who like to pack spare batteries for either long flights or vacations. The types of batteries that this rule applies to are laptop batteries, cell phone batteries, camera and camcorder batteries, etc.

In the TSA’s statement, which can be found on their website, it states that the potential fire hazard from these batteries is considered a security risk. Although lithium batteries are not allowed in checked luggage, they are allowed in unchecked carry-on luggage.

Please note that the new rule does not apply to batteries that are installed in an electronic device. In other words, if you take an alarm clock with you or your cell phone, you can keep the battery inside your device. There is additionally a weight rule that applies to loose batteries. Spare laptop or cell phone batteries are limited to 8-25 grams of lithium content.

The following is a summary of some of the most important TSA rules and tips for traveling with lithium batteries:

1. Spare batteries must be kept in your un-checked baggage so that they can be  closely monitored.

2. Purchase your spare battery from a reputable company because the likelihood of you getting a defective battery decreases.

3. Make sure your battery has not been recalled. Often companies offer a list of recalled batteries directly on their site. If not, you can check the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s site for information.

4. Package your batteries well. They should be separated from each other and insolated so that they don’t touch any metal. Proper packing decreases fire hazards that could result from keeping your batteries near metal such as keys or coins.

5. You can easily damage a battery by applying too much pressure to it. Make sure your spares are not near any heavy objects that could trigger a short-circuit within your baggage.

6. If any of your spares have an on/off switch, make sure to put them in the “off” position.

The next time you decide to fly, remember these rules otherwise you may have your expensive replacement batteries confiscated.

Add This!	Del.icio.us	Digg	Google
SlashDot	Newsvine	reddit	Ask

One of the biggest complaints of laptop users is that their laptop battery doesn’t last long enough. The necessity to constantly charge a laptop battery can be daunting for traveling business people and college students who need to take notes for hours at a time. What makes these scenarios particularly difficult is that a power outlet isn’t always nearby.

Imagine a world in which you could use your laptop for as long as 40 hours without needing to recharge. In a study done by Stanford University researchers a new nanowire was invented that could prolong the amount of time a laptop battery will work without recharging.

Currently lithium ion batteries use graphite anodes to retain their charge. Although this method is reliable, it limits the amount of time you can use your battery. On average, a laptop user could expect to get about 3-4 hours of run-time before needing to recharge.

The nanowires invented at Stanford are made out of a new type of silicon. In previous years, other researchers had trouble overcoming the limitations that result from using silicon as an anode in batteries. Over the years, researchers have been looking into silicon due to its ability to hold large amounts of charge. The challenge for researchers was that silicon has a tendency to break down quickly when used in lithium-ion batteries. By inventing a new type of silicon this problem was quickly overcome.

Researchers at Stanford found that their silicon nanowire anode could hold more charge than graphite. Their research shows that this new type of laptop battery could last as long as 40 hours on one charge.

This new technology could revolutionize more than just the laptop battery industry. This could be marketed in many industries that rely on lithium-ion batteries. However, there was no word on how long it would take to charge these new batteries as well as how many charge-discharge cycles they would last.

Further testing is currently under way. Stanford researchers have filed a patent and expect that this new technology could be in the hand of the consumer in the next few years.

Content for this article was partially obtained from the following articles:

CNET: “A Tenfold Improvement In Battery Life,” 2008
itBusinessEdge: Blog: “On The Horizon: A 40-Hour Laptop Battery,” 2008.

Add This!	Del.icio.us	Digg	Google
SlashDot	Newsvine	reddit	Ask

It seems like only a few years ago the biggest improvement to a laptop’s entertainment value was the inclusion of DVD drives. With the advent of Blu-ray, it looks like DVD drives may be turning obsolete.

Now that the showdown between Sony’s Blu-ray and Toshiba’s HD DVD is over, laptop companies such as Dell are producing laptops equipped with Blu-ray devices. In recent news, Dell has even announced that it plans on distributing laptops with Blu-ray for under $1000.

However, even with Blue-ray becoming more affordable consumers may be skeptical about purchasing it. One of the biggest complaints that laptop users have is that their laptop battery doesn’t last long enough. For those users who, for the most part, keep their laptop stationary on a desk, plugging their laptop into an outlet for the duration of a movie is not an issue. For other users who travel and want to watch a movie while on a plane, train, or bus, saving power is extremely important.

The current issue with Blu-ray, as reported on sites like Wired.com is that the laser used in these devices as well as the amount of CPU it takes to decode data from a disc is extensive. Without a high powered laptop battery and high rated processor, consumers should expect to be close to a power outlet before playing a Blu-ray disc.

At their optimal performance value, the average laptop user can expect their laptop battery to last only a few hours. Current batteries could last as long as 4 hours if minimizing programs that require a lot of juice. Analysts have suggested that you can expect a Blu-ray device to suck up as much as half of your laptop battery life.

Currently, there are only a few laptops on the market that have the battery capacity as well as top processors to play Blu-ray discs for long periods of time. These laptops are expensive and only on higher end laptops. If Dell can truly come out with longer lasting laptop batteries and cheaper high-end processors to support Blu-ray, then it will revolutionize the Blu-ray market.

Until a change in Blu-ray or a change in the capabilities of a laptop happens expect Blu-ray to be more popular in other devices such as stand alone Blu-ray players or Blu-ray drives on desktops where portability is not an issue.

Add This!	Del.icio.us	Digg	Google
SlashDot	Newsvine	reddit	Ask

A few years ago the IDC came out with an analytical report stating that the laptop would overtake the desktop by 2011. Now that we’re getting close to that predicted date some analysts believe that time may come sooner rather than later. Last year annual shipments for desktops grew by 2% whereas portable devices grew by 26.3%.

Companies such as Dell are currently shifting their focus toward producing more laptops and fewer desktops. In April of 2008 Dell announced the closing of their Austin, Texas plant and the lay-off of numerous employees. These changes are to save the company billions. In turn Dell hopes to use that money toward expanding their line of laptops.

Other PC manufacturers are expected to turn their focus on the laptop market as well. Part of this shift is due to technological advancements. As new advancements are made in the laptop industry, the differences between a laptop and desktop are decreasing. With the closing of this gap consumers are more inclined to purchase a laptop.

Portability plays another major factor in this shift. With laptops consumers can take their work anywhere. A person is no longer limited to working in one location. Many people use laptops while on flights, trains, or to get extra work done at home. Additionally, coffee shops, hotels, and libraries have made taking your work anywhere easier by offering wireless services.

Lower prices have also made laptops more accessible. Major discount retailers such as Wal-Mart have struck deals with manufacturers like Dell to bring better deals on laptops to the consumer. In addition, stronger competition between manufacturers encourages pricing wars that benefit the consumer.

Karine Paoli from the IDC stated the “IDC expects 2008 to be another buoyant year for the EMEA PC market. Notebooks will remain a key driver across the region, with total PC sales in EMEA expected to cross the 100 million mark.”

Despite the laptop taking a larger piece of the PC market, the desktop isn’t going out of consumer hands. Currently, desktops can store larger files. On a desktop computer you can add several hard drives to your computer. Laptops lack this advantage because a person would have to carry around several large accessories in order to store large files or programs. Carrying too many items in your laptop case defeats the purpose of having a portable and compact laptop. However, with newer technologies coming to the market, it won’t be long before the laptop’s capabilities will meet that of a desktop. Once this happens, it should be little to no surprise that desktops may become obsolete.

Add This!	Del.icio.us	Digg	Google
SlashDot	Newsvine	reddit	Ask

Laptops get redesigned often. Manufactures such as Dell, Apple, HP, IBM, etc. will change more than just the hard drive and processor; they will even change the exterior color of their laptops. Some changes are specific for one company whereas others are seen throughout the industry.

A current trend seen throughout the laptop industry is the end of full-screen LCDs on laptops. Full screens still exist, but they are getting harder to come by. Many arguments exist for why this move toward wide screens is better; however, some consumers argue that you get less for your money.

Pro Wide Screens:

Those who are pro wide-screens say that a wider screen makes it easier to multitask. Having a wide-screen makes it easier to view two programs side by side versus having to switch between screens. Saving minutes off a task means better productivity and more time left to move onto other things.

If you’re into watching movies on your laptop, some argue your DVD viewing experience can be enhanced by having a wide screen. It is like having a wide screen television on your laptop. In addition, with LCD screens getting brighter, crisper, and reducing glare, your DVD will look just as good as it would on your TV.

Gamers often site the wide screen as better because it enhances the gaming experience. Their view is similar to an avid movie watcher preferring a wide screen over a full screen.

Against Wide Screens:

Some consumers argue that laptop companies are trying to save money by producing wide screens. Full screens are bigger and take up more space on laptops. By making wide screens they are not only saving money, they are also able to make laptops smaller.

Those against the wide screen trend argue that yes, you can view two programs side-by-side, but the time you save in having the two applications open you lose more time in having to do more scrolling. Programmers in particular argue this point.

Not only do you lose time scrolling, but you also get less LCD real estate. A 15″ LCD screen is not always a 15″ LCD. You get more surface area on a full screen as opposed to a wide screen.

Whether you’re for or against this new trend is a matter of preference. The bigger question is will laptop manufacturers stop making full screens? In recent news Toshiba has stopped production of their full screen laptops. Other companies have reduced the production of their full screen lines as well. With other companies following Toshiba’s example it seems like it will be only a matter of time before the full screen becomes obsolete.

Add This!	Del.icio.us	Digg	Google
SlashDot	Newsvine	reddit	Ask

Last month LG Chem, South Korea’s second largest battery manufacturer, caught fire. It is estimated that this fire will trigger a large price increase on laptop batteries.

The price increase will affect companies like Dell, HP, and Asus. These companies purchase most of their battery supplies from LG Chem. In total the shortfall of batteries that is likely to ensue could affect up to 40% of shipments from Taiwan.

Dell would not discuss how much prices will rise; however Dell’s spokesman Jess Blackburn was quoted as saying, “the industry is experiencing battery supply constraints because of these problems. Therefore, pricing is being impacted by current availability. But we are working with our partners throughout our supply chain to reduce the impact on our customers.”

Extra battery pack purchases may also be affected by the battery shortage. Larger battery retailers may be limiting the amount of batteries consumers can purchase.

Currently, LG Chem thinks it will be able to get its factory back to full production in two to three months. In the mean time, it will be up to other third-party battery manufacturing companies to increase production to meet the needs of the consumer.

At Priority Electronics, the fire will have little effect on our laptop battery prices. We do not purchase from LG Chem. We have other companies that produce quality laptop batteries for us. Our laptop battery prices are competitive and we offer a one year warranty. In this battery shortage think Priority Electronics as your fully stocked source for batteries.

Add This!	Del.icio.us	Digg	Google
SlashDot	Newsvine	reddit	Ask

One of the biggest disadvantages with using battery powered products is that batteries have a limited lifespan. Expanding a battery’s lifespan is an area in which manufacturers of laptops, hybrid cars, and cell phones are constantly working on.

The Argonne National Laboratory recently announced that they have come up with a new way to develop lithium-ion batteries. With their latest discovery, Argonne is able to increase the battery capacity in lithium-ion batteries by up to 30%

Currently these batteries have many markets cornered, among them the laptop computer industry. In contrast with its previous counterparts, these laptop batteries tend to be more reliable as well as lighter. However, they also have a downside. Lithium-ion batteries tend to overheat and last about 750 charges, (which means your battery will last about 3years).

The new material used by Argonne would allow these batteries to be charged up to 1,500 times. This is a significant increase from 750. They accomplished this increase by creating a new compound within the battery that acts as a stabilizer.

Today’s laptop batteries use cobalt oxide electrodes. Using this electrode is the main cause for excessive heating. In order to combat the overheating issues as well as increase storage capabilities Argonne used manganese oxide.

Manganese oxide acts as a stabilizing force for a laptop battery because it contains more inactive materials that help balance out the electrochemically active ones.

This technology seems to be ideal for laptops and shows promise for cell phone use, but not quite so great for the hybrid car industry. However, Argonne is looking to expand their current capabilities to create a better power source for hybrid vehicles. In Argonne’s efforts to market this new battery they have made an agreement with Japanese company Toda Kogya.

The following statement was released by Gary Henriksen, Manager of the Electrochemical Energy Storage Department at Argonne, regarding this new deal: “Our agreement with Toda Kogyo is an important step toward bringing to market key advanced lithium-ion battery technologies that are being developed here at Argonne with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.” He also continued to say, “The technologies being licensed will enhance the performance, life and inherent safety of lithium-ion cells compared to those that employ the cobalt-based cathode technology that has dominated the market since the introduction of lithium-ion batteries in 1990.”

The Toda Kogyo Company has been around since 1823. It is the world’s leading manufacturer of iron oxide particles. Their designs for using these particles as well as their ability to manufacture new technologies will help bring these new batteries to the world market.

Currently, there is no word on how long it will take them to implement this discovery in laptops.

Add This!	Del.icio.us	Digg	Google
SlashDot	Newsvine	reddit	Ask