Priority Electronics Blog

When a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the country of Haiti on January 12^th, 2010 it left an estimated 300,000 injured and another 230,000 people dead according to Haitian Government reports. By January 24^th an estimated 54 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater were recorded affecting an estimated 3 million Haitians.

In the midst of this deadly quake and its ensuing aftershocks organizations like the United Nations, the American Red Cross, UNICEF, and the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund rushed to support the devastated nation and care for those in need. These organizations helped provide and distribute supplies like water, food, blankets, hand-held radios, and built tent cities as temporary shelters.

But after the makeshift tent cities were built, food was dispersed, medical care provided to the injured and sick, the difficult work of repairing a country with an infrastructure in shambles had just begun. One organization helping to rebuild this fragile infrastructure is little-known non-profit One Laptop per Child (OLPC).

Unlike other non-profits providing essentials like food and water, the OLPC fills a slightly different niche of need.

The OLPC develops low-cost laptops and then distributes them to children. Their mission is to provide educational opportunities for the world’s poorest children by giving each child a sturdy laptop with pre-installed software allowing them to connect to the internet. The goal is to encourage learning and a better understanding of technology among children who would not otherwise have access to a computer.

These laptops are a life line to Haitian residents trying to correspond with distant family members now living in other countries like the United States. OLPC also served by using their laptops to help to translate instructions on where to find aid from English to Creole, which is spoken by 9 out of 10 of the Haitian population.

Currently, the OLPC is still looking for contributions to donate to the Haiti relief program. The OLPC plans to continue distributing laptops and spare parts for the foreseeable future. If you’d like to learn more about contributing to this cause, visit OLPC’s official website at Laptop.org.

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If the US Department of Transportation gets their way, tougher restrictions on battery-powered devices may ensue. A full copy of the proposal can be found here.

The Department of Transportation’s recent proposals have already drawn the ire of frequent business travelers and officials alike.

George Kerchner, the executive director of Portable Rechargeable Battery Association, is one official critical of the recommendations. In a recent interview, Kercher said “It (Department of Transportation proposal) would be a nightmare for passengers.”

The Department of Transportation says lithium batteries and mobile devices were involved 40 air transport incidents since 1991. A need for improved security due to recent terrorist attempts were also acknowledged.

No one’s arguing with the Department of Transportation’s numbers or need for improved security, but many wonder why stricter regulations are being placed on batteries. It’s estimated that 3.3 million batteries were safely transported by air in 2008.

Changes in the proposal that prevent passengers from shipping spare lithium-ion batteries in checked-in luggage would be extended to alkaline and nickel-metal hybrid batteries.

The proposed amendments would affect common consumer products like digital cameras and iPods. Even grandpa’s battery-powered hearing aids could be impacted by the change.

There are considerations of cost which are also being taken into account. Tougher regulations on battery transport shipped in the air would requiring manufacturer’s to change the packaging and provide additional paper work with shipments. This increased cost would likely be passed on to consumers.

This debate is far from over as the proposed bill is not expected to be decided on for months. Until then  add your voice to the discussion and democratic process by visiting Regulations.gov.

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Longer battery life, less bugs, and an improved user experience were core concepts behind the new Windows 7 operating system—“Hey, that was my idea!” While Windows 7 made significant progress toward this goal, Microsoft is now investigating reports around the blogosphere and within its own tech forum that suggest the operating system may reduce battery life for laptop models.

Less battery life for laptops? It’s safe to say that wasn’t anyone’s idea.

Even more alarming is that many of the grumbles about Windows 7 are coming from within Microsoft’s TechNet forum. The Microsoft TechNet forum is a community intended to support users of Microsoft products. Some users on this forum report batteries that fail to fully charge after Windows 7 installation. Another forum member cited a drop in battery life from two hours to a mere 30 minutes after the upgrade.

But with the anonymity of online message boards and some blogs, it can be difficult to judge the validity of reports made by users with handles like “SlyGuy69.” Therefore, we looked into Microsoft’s official response to the claims.

Currently, Microsoft is “investigating” reports of this issue with a number of partners and laptop manufactures. Although battery problems during Windows 7 beta testing were mentioned by those using less powerful Netbooks, there’s been no official statement to determine whether or not the operating system hampers performance of these laptops.

To date, Microsoft has sold over 60 million copies of Windows 7. It’s unclear what percentage of users have been negatively affected by the new operating system. Microsoft has pledged to alert members of the TechNet forum after the causes of this problem have been identified.

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Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Are laptop fires resulting from overheating lithium batteries a thing of the past? If STOBA gets their way, they might be.

One of the largest research and development in institutes in Taiwan recently unveiled STOBA, the first product of its kind to improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries.

Here’s how STOBA works: A tiny electronic component sits between the positive and negative poles of the lithium-ion battery. When the temperature reaches 130 degrees Celsius, STOBA transforms from a porous material to a solid film to shut down the battery and prevent fire.

Researchers who led the development of STOBA say lithium-ion batteries develop internal shorts that can quickly raise the temperature over 500 degrees. The result is usually a laptop that explodes or ignites into flames unexpectedly.

STOBA-equipped cells are not yet available for order United States. Battery manufacturers in Taiwan are still testing the full-scale production capacity of these units and expect them to start shipping STOBA to stores in the first quarter of 2010.

Experts are hopeful STOBA technology will be taken advantage of with more than just laptop batteries in the future. Lithium-ion batteries are used to power many consumer electronic devices like MP3 players, cameras, cell phones, and hybrid cars. The lithium-ion battery has long been considered the most unstable component within these popular devices.

In addition to safety, researchers claim STOBA can also improve battery life by about 20% and only costs about 3% more to produce than traditional batteries. This makes the innovative product commercially viable as it improves safety and doesn’t pass the bill on to consumers.

PriorityElectronics.com will keep you posted on STOBA news and let you know when the product is available for order word wide.

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On the outskirts of Graz University of Technology, located in Austria, a team of scientists are quietly developing the next generation of battery technology. Stefan Koller, one of the researchers involved with the project, wears protective gloves to operate on a Lithium-ion battery behind a protective plexiglass window. He hopes the work completed today will be used to improve the performance of automotive, cellphone, and laptop batteries of the near future.

According to Koller, the research and development of batteries has been ignored for too long. “A real revolution is needed for the development of the next generation. We need new storage materials for lithium-ion batteries”, says Koller. This is also the subject of his upcoming doctoral thesis.

Koller and other researchers at University of Technology believe the answer to improved battery power could be in a new storage material that improves the energy density of existing lithium-ion batteries. What makes Koller’s solution even more realistic from a commercial standpoint is that its also affordable.

The secret is silicon gel on graphite. Koller explains how it works, “In this way the graphite works as a buffer, cushioning the big changes in volume of the silicon during the uptake and transfer of lithium ions.”

Koller’s project is still in research stage, but he is hopeful of the affects it could have on the industry. Initial testing shows that storage capacity could be improved by ten times. With results like this laptop users could no longer resent long airplane flights or extended cross-country trips.

A patent on this innovation has already been submitted, although its unlikely you’ll be able to take advantage of this research for quite some time. PriorityElectronics.com will continue to keep you updated with news about this developing technology.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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