Li Polymer batteries for the notebooks?

[arnette]

Does anyone know how expensive the Li-Polymer batteries are? The iPod uses one, and I know that a lot of development dollars are going into battery technology... that would be a great addition to the notebook lines if battery life was increased due to the newer materials used. I understand that li-poly batteries are also more convenient to shape and produce.
And another battery I've heard a little about is a nickel-zinc variety. I don't suppose there are any battery gurus in here?

 

[Mr. Anderson]

A little google search turned up this good article on the batteries

http://www.buchmann.ca/Article6-Page1.asp

Seems this is a step to a room temp Li-Polymer battery we'll see in a few years - and its in the iPod because its power requirements are low.

D

 

[arnette]

thanks

Cool, I'll have to check that out. My mistake putting this on the wrong board.

 

[idkew]

humm... less pomising and further away than i had hoped.

maybe apple could put fuel cells in its 'books?

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally posted by idkew
humm... less pomising and further away than i had hoped.

maybe apple could put fuel cells in its 'books?

That's even farther away than the Li-Polymer batteries. Besides, at the current level of technology you'd have to refill them regularly or replace them - not cheap.

D

 

[MacBandit]

Micro Fuel Cells are the answer and they should be here next year.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally posted by MacBandit
Micro Fuel Cells are the answer and they should be here next year.

Yes but liquid fuel cells aren't the best solution for computer equipment - one leak and you're computer could fry. That's why the Li-Polymer battery could be a really good solution once it moves on from the gell stage to a dry stage.

D

 

[MacBandit]

Originally posted by dukestreet


Yes but liquid fuel cells aren't the best solution for computer equipment - one leak and you're computer could fry. That's why the Li-Polymer battery could be a really good solution once it moves on from the gell stage to a dry stage.

D

I don't think there is much chance of leaking. Even the FAA has approved them even after 9/11.

I don't have to worry about plastic lighters leaking much and they are built cheap. A fuel cell built to good quality out of metal should be damn near indestructable and leak proof.

 

[arnette]

que?

Can someone explain to me how micro- or fuel cells work? I've heard of fuel cells but I always assumed they put off gobs of heat and were only effective and efficient in larger sizes.

 

[jefhatfield]

hopefully, the G4 will get to .13 micron and reduce the heat issue with the tibook

some sahara G3s are already at .13 micron but i don't know if they are employed in the new ibook

 

[MacBandit]

Re: que?

Originally posted by arnette
Can someone explain to me how micro- or fuel cells work? I've heard of fuel cells but I always assumed they put off gobs of heat and were only effective and efficient in larger sizes.

Here are a few links related to Micro Fuel Cells.

http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/18696.html

http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/voss1101.asp

http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/voss1101.asp

http://www.atp.nist.gov/awards/00005290.htm

Also here is a link to a google search for the same.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=micro+fuel+cell

 

[GeeYouEye]

Re: Li Polymer batteries for the notebooks?

Originally posted by arnette
Does anyone know how expensive the Li-Polymer batteries are? The iPod uses one, and I know that a lot of development dollars are going into battery technology... that would be a great addition to the notebook lines if battery life was increased due to the newer materials used. I understand that li-poly batteries are also more convenient to shape and produce.
And another battery I've heard a little about is a nickel-zinc variety. I don't suppose there are any battery gurus in here?

I don't know much about the rest of it, but I do know about the NiZn 'batteries'. It is by far the oldest battery technology, and NiZn battery piles are what Volta made his first battery mostly out of (the rest being salt water and leather) The problem with NiZn battery piles is that they are non-rechargeable, very heavy, and don't provide enough power to be used as a standard battery. However, some specialty batteries, sizes N, NN, and K, IIRC, are essentially NiZn piles. A few others are too, and you can tell by looking at the quantity label on the package; any that say 'X battery piles' instead of 'X batteries' are usually NiZn or something similar.