Toshiba Introduces Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Battery

[MacRumors]

Today, Toshiba announced a "breakthrough" in lithium-ion battery technology. The new technology reportedly allows a battery to recharge to 80% of the battery's capacity in one minute -- approximately 60 times faster than typical lithium ion batteries.

Other advantages listed include losing only 1% of capacity after 1000 charging cycles and the ability to function at low temperatures.

The battery will be available in commercial products starting in 2006. While initially available in automotive and industrial sectors, they list mobile phones as a possibility.

 

[arn]

obviously iPods would be an nice use as well...

arn

 

[zimtheinvader]

so when do the ipods start shipping w/ this? Convieniently in time for the Powerbook G5!

How do cars use this?

 

[jimsowden]

the current iPod battery I find quite lame. My cell phone charges in about an hour and I leave it on for a week. I know the iPod has to spin a HD, but the phone has to wireless transmit my voice to a tower miles away. That seems harder. Whats the deal here?

 

[Daveway]

Toshiba obviously has some amazing technology there. I can see these batteries exploding in peoples' hands. Charging a battery to 80% in seconds is not safe in my book.

 

[JRM PowerPod]

That's some fair kick ass technology

 

[gekko513]

Will be included in new iPods announced at MWSF'06, is my guess.

 

[pdpfilms]

holy cow! do you think it affects battery life or overall lifespan? Is it like "Charge 80% in 60 minutes- lasts a whopping 12.3 minutes!" or something like that? i wonder if the technology is super expensive...

 

[powerbook911]

This sounds fantastic. Developments like these will truly change our lives. I can't wait. Good stuff.

 

[MichaelLatta]

Next PowerBook?

This would be great in a PowerBook. I could recharge between flights! Was there any mention of size limits or other reasons it would not support large laptops? Was phone use proposed because of the lower demands?

 

[zach]

OMG... that in a PowerBook would be the leetest.

 

[Analog Kid]

Wow-- this is huge if they match their claims... Airports are going to hate it though-- travelers are going to be plugging in on connections and pulling a whole lot more current than the current chargers do...

 

[Analog Kid]

the current iPod battery I find quite lame. My cell phone charges in about an hour and I leave it on for a week. I know the iPod has to spin a HD, but the phone has to wireless transmit my voice to a tower miles away. That seems harder. Whats the deal here?

Huge difference between idle power and active power in a cell phone. Can you get 8 hours of talk time on your phone?

When it's just sitting on your hip, it's no longer transmitting your voice to a tower miles away (and the towers are getting more closely spaced every year)...

 

[Analog Kid]

Toshiba obviously has some amazing technology there. I can see these batteries exploding in peoples' hands. Charging a battery to 80% in seconds is not safe in my book.

It's a 600mAh cell-- so we're looking at something like 600*60*.8=28A at 3.6V, or about 103W per cell at 100% efficiency.

What's a Pentium draw these days?

 

[bluebomberman]

It's a 600mAh cell-- so we're looking at something like 600*60*.8=28A at 3.6V, or about 103W per cell at 100% efficiency.

What's a Pentium draw these days?

Any physics/EE people out there? How does this battery compare with current batteries in laptops, cell phones, and iPods?

 

[d.perel]

The battery will be available in commercial products starting in 2006. While initially available in automotive and industrial sectors, they list mobile phones as a possibility.

This is awesome for all battery-powered devices, including iPods and Laptops, BUT 2006...I can't wait!
As a side note, this would probably be great for a new gen of plug-in hybrid cars.

 

[OwenMan]

so when do the ipods start shipping w/ this? Convieniently in time for the Powerbook G5!

How do cars use this?

Perhaps electric and hybrid cars such as the toyota Prius?

 

[Dr. Dastardly]

80% in 60 seconds!!

My mind, she is blown!

 

[runninmac]

That sounds awsome but i wonder what the price tag is on it?

 

[MrSugar]

Sounds amazing...

 

[hob]

Is MacRumors turning into MacBytes?

 

[swissmann]

If this technology is sound I see it finding its way into everything that has a battery.

 

[DrNeroCF]

Yeah, that sounds gravy and whatnot, but how much power does this thing suck up to get charged that quickly?

Not much good if I plug the thing in and all the circuits in my house blow out...

 

[Darwin]

Wow

Image what it will be like in the next few years

 

[HAViK]

Wow, this is quite an impressive feat. I am eager to see it's application into laptops and the like to small media management devices. Geeze, imagine how great it will be when something similar to the PSP catches a drift of this new technology. Amazing. This actually goes up there alongside the cell processor in my opinion. This is wonderful news.