Priority Electronics Blog

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.

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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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