batteries

Samsung cell phone battery explodes in man's pocket

Lithium-ion batteries are notorious for overheating, catching on fire, or exploding. Yet, they're in most electronics that people use daily.

One such battery set ablaze over the weekend while in a man's pants pocket, according to the Associated Press. The man was walking around with his Samsung mobile phone in his pocket when the battery caught on fire, giving him second-degree burns and a one-inch wound on his thigh. Officials said the battery was not inside the phone when it exploded.

The incident took place in South Korea, which is where Samsung is based. According to the local … Read more

Microsoft hits Reddit to address Surface Pro concerns

Microsoft addressed Surface Pro issues with disk space and battery life, among other topics, in a Reddit AMA today.

The discussion was led by Panos Panay, head of the Surface team at Microsoft. He provided relatively lengthy responses to two issues that have emerged as shortcomings with the company's newest tablet-laptop hybrid that runs Windows 8 Pro (and is scheduled to go on sale Saturday).

What follows are some excerpts from Panay's as well as other team members' responses.

Battery life: "If you compare it to say a MacBook Air, you will quickly see that pound for … Read more

MacBook EFI updates fix battery problems

Apple has released a set of EFI firmware updates to address a rare problem where some systems might unexpectedly shut down or stop functioning after the battery has been used extensively.

Apple's determines battery health in part by the number of charge cycles it has been through (one charge cycle being a sum of partial charges that equates to one full charge), and depending on the system claims that batteries should last between 300 and 1,000 charge cycles. However, a rare problem in some systems might result in a nonfunctional computer if the system detects that 1,000 … Read more

Beware of Battery Booster's false claims

Every smartphone user would love an app that could actually increase the life of their battery. This isn't the case with the Battery Booster app; it actually exploits your device instead of doing what it claims. Users are advised to read the developer's disclaimer before deciding to download this app.

Once we downloaded the Battery Booster app, it started installing a mild form of malware. It automatically downloads a separate program that gives you pop-ups in your notification bar. It also downloads links on your homepage without your consent. The biggest disappointment, though, is that this app doesn'… Read more

Boeing battery solution may keep 787 grounded until 2014

A battery expert and chemistry professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has some suggestions for how Boeing can solve its airplane battery woes, one of which could keep the fleet grounded until 2014.

The problems with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, which was grounded earlier this month by Federal Aviation Administration order, could be solved by switching from the current lithium-ion batteries to nickel metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries, Donald Sadoway told Forbes. However, switching to NiMH batteries, which have a better safety track record, could result in a lengthy certification process that could take up to a year to complete, Forbes … Read more

How I replaced my iPhone 4S battery for $8

Talk about an inconvenient truth: right around the 12-month mark, your iPhone battery will start to wear out. You'll notice that it doesn't last quite so long between charges, a problem that just gets worse as more time passes. By 18 months or two years, you'll be lucky to get half a day of run time.

Apple famously (make that infamously) engineers iPhones without a battery door, so you can't just swap in a new power pack. However, you can indeed replace your iPhone's battery, and it's cheaper and easier than you might think.… Read more

MetAir mobile charger has power of 115 D-cell batteries

The next superstorm could strike anytime. If you're concerned about having electricity, the MetAir Solstice packs a whopping 55,000 mAh of power.

This portable charger from QuantumSphere has power equivalent to 115 D-cell batteries under a 2 amp load.

It's being billed on a Kickstarter campaign as the world's most powerful portable device charger. … Read more

Tethercell magically turns AA batteries into Bluetooth devices

LAS VEGAS--What happens when you put a couple of SpaceX engineers together with some old-school batteries? You get a new-school approach to battery power. Tetherboard calls the Tethercell "the world's first app-enabled smart battery." Wait, don't fall asleep, this is actually pretty cool.

A Tethercell battery is the size of a regular AA battery, but it holds an AAA battery inside its little case. It also holds a Bluetooth chip inside the case. Think of it as a battery turducken. This means you can use your smartphone to control the battery. Oh the power. You can turn off little Billy's toy guitar when you want to take a nap. You can disable your spouse's remote control when you can't stand another second of mindless channel-flipping. You can even set hours when a device can be used.… Read more

Eton BoostSolar battery pack keeps you outdoor longer

LAS VEGAS--Off all the things Eton showed off today at CES 2013, I am most impressed with the BoostSolar charger. It seems to be something that comes in handy when I go on a picnic or do anything under the sun, literally.

The BoostSolar is basically a solar charger on one side and a battery bay on the other side. It comes with one removable 4,000mAh lithium battery. The device's 5-inch solar panel can charge the battery in 10 hours. The battery itself then has enough juice to charge an iPhone twice from empty to full.

The cool … Read more

Build a bamboo battery pack with stackable JuiceCan

If you've been hit by a natural disaster recently, you know you can't put too high a price on mobile power supplies.

If your phone is dead and the grid is unreliable, JuiceCans are one way to keep communicating with loved ones.

This Indiegogo fundraising project centers on a stackable USB power pack called a JuiceCan. Add more packs to form a JuiceCane and you get more power. … Read more