According to Khare, she’s been contacted by Google with interest of some type or another – she’s not being too open at the moment with the specific details. As Google is primarily a services group at the moment, they’re pushing in with hardware with such devices as the Chromebook Pixel and collaborating with groups like ASUS for the Nexus 7. It could be that this interest shows additional faith in their own ability to create without 3rd-party manufacturers.

Imagine if Google introduced the first smartphone with a battery able to be charged in less than a minute? Certainly such an impact on the mobile industry would want to be accessed by whichever group had first dibs.

You’ll find that Khare’s project: “Design and Synthesis of Hydrogenated TiO2-Polyaniline Nanorods for Flexible High-Performance Supercapacitors”, also won more than a few categories at this year’s event. Have a peek at the full winners list to see category after category dominated by Khare.

Khare is currently preparing to evolve the technology and continue research into the future, and has not yet announced any plan to sell her work to any group. As the technology she’s working with right this minute already works to hold 10,000 charge-recharge cycles, it wouldn’t be surprising for her to continue to show up in the news as a sort of Tony Stark-like name as she continues to kick the technology universe to its knees: a conventional rechargeable battery lasts for around 1,000 cycles.

This technology Khare is working on has been used to power an LED thus far, and is flexible – it’ll be able to be used in fabric and in bendable displays in the future as well. Khare’s solution is also solid-state, this meaning great things for the future in environmentally-friendly states – no worries about battery juice spilling all over your hands and face any more!

BELOW: B-Roll footage of the event, specifically surrounding Khare and her presentation of her battery technology.

However, before airlines can get the planes back up in the air, Boeing first needs to replace all the batteries in the fleet of around 50 planes, something that probably should’ve been done before the FAA lifted the official ban, but either way, the aircraft manufacturer says the project will be done in a couple of weeks.

The FAA says that repairs to just United Airlines’ six 787 Dreamliners will cost around $2.8 million, which means that fixing the entire Boeing 787 fleet could cost as much as $23.5 million. However, it seems Boeing will be footing the bill, as it’s technically their problem and not the airlines’ per se.

Plans for a new battery design for the 787 began in February shortly after the defunct ones were discovered, and the first test flights following the incident occurred later that month. It was later announced that Airbus would go back to using the traditional nickel-cadmium batteries found in most planes after they heard about Boeing’s fiasco with the new lithuim-ion batteries. In short, we’re not surprised by Airbus’s decision.

[via Reuters]

However, Airbus says that the reason for not using these unpredictable lithium-ion batteries has nothing to do with safety concerns, but rather scheduling and the possible delay of the A350 aircrafts, which are expected to ship to airlines sometime during the summer next year. Airbus says that they don’t want the ongoing battery investigation to interfere with their production schedule.

Airbus will switch back to traditional nickel-cadmium batteries in the A350, mostly because the technology has been proven solid over the years, and they believe in the safety of the tried-and-true batteries. Of course, Boeing’s bold step toward lithium-ion technology was unprecedented and an ultimate game-changer, but it was a risk that ended up turning sour for the airplane manufacturer.

Airbus expects its new A350 to make its first test flight sometime this summer, and it will then undergo further test flights over the year. The manufacturer plans to seek certification from European aviation authorities by early 2014, with an expected launch date of summer 2014, where the new plane will finally be ferrying passengers around the world.

[via WSJ]

According to Reuters, Boeing said that the test flight was “uneventful,” meaning that the two-hour flight didn’t experience any problems, and the lithium-ion batteries seemed to hold up. The plane took off from and landed at Boeing Field in Seattle, WA, and the test crew on board were there to collect detailed information on the batteries while in-flight.

In the meantime, Boeing is redesigning the batteries as a temporary fix until a permanent solution is thought up. While a “temporary fix” might make some flyers queazy, Boeing notes that numerous tests will be run to make sure the redesigned batteries are in 100% working order before they put the planes back up in the air.

It doesn’t look like Boeing will be doing any test flights today, but it’s guaranteed that the company will be conducting numerous test flights over the next few weeks to get to the bottom of the issue. The battery problem has cost airlines tens of millions of dollars, and that number may continue to increase as long as the birds are left on the ground.

[via Reuters]

Panos Panay, Microsoft’s corporate vice president working on the Surface tablet, recently hosted an AMA session (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit about the new Surface Pro. When asked if the company had any plans for an external battery of some kind, Panay said that this “would require extending the design of the accessory spine to include some way to transfer higher current between the peripheral and the main battery.”

Luckily, that’s exactly what Microsoft did. The company added new connector plates to the bottom of the Surface Pro, which aren’t being utilized yet, but Panay hinted at the fact that the company may introduce some new accessories down the line that would take advantage of these new connector plates, which may even include an external battery/keyboard hybrid.

Of course, nothing is set in stone, but it sounds like we should be looking forward to some Surface accessories at some point in the future, whether or not that includes an external battery of some kind. It sounds like a battery-equipped keyboard can be done, though, so it doesn’t sound completely farfetched, but we’ll have to wait and see what Redmond has in store for us later this year.

[via PC World]

The battery redesign would minimize the risk of a meltdown happening, thus reducing the risk of a fire on board, which is what was suspected of happening in the past on the new planes. Again, it’s not Boeing’s permanent solution, but they say it’s the quickest way to get the planes back up in the air the safest way.

The redesigned batteries will have more space and separation between cells, and Boeing is also planning to add enhanced heat sensors. Plus, the company also plans to make the battery cells more rigid to keep them from moving around. We’re not sure if the cells were prone to moving around beforehand, but either way, it looks like Boeing is fully committed to using lithium-ion batteries in the 787, rather than nickel-cadmium batteries found in most other planes.

Boeing has hundreds of engineers and other experts working around the clock to resolve this issue, but there’s no word one when the new planes will be ready to fly again. The last we heard, investigations were going smoothly, but there was no rush to get the aircrafts back in service, so it could be a while before we see them in the air again.

[via WSJ]

The extended battery compares to Samsung’s Galaxy Note II, which has a monstrous 3,100 mAh battery to power that large 5.5-inch display. With the Galaxy S III getting a 3,000 mAh option, users will certainly see a longer run time with the device before having to plug it into the wall, compared to the stock 2,100 mAh battery.

The battery will ship with a modified back cover to accomodate the larger battery, so you’ll have to make sure to choose the same color as your phone — either white or pebble blue. It’s also a good idea to keep in mind that the bigger battery will add a little bit of weight and size to the Galaxy S III, so be prepared to carry around a larger device.

There’s no word on whether or not the extended battery will make its way stateside. We’re guessing that it has a good chance, but we don’t recommend anticipating its arrival just yet. It could be a couple of months before Americans can get a hold of it, and maybe even longer. In either case, if you live in the UK, the extended battery us available now for pre-order.

[via Android Community]

A prototype of the bus, called the Aggie Bus (named after the school’s nickname) is already on the road being tested as we speak. The folks behind the project plain to have a commercial vehicle on the market soon, but no specific timeline was given. The bus uses the same wireless charging principle as an electric toothbrush or a wireless smartphone charger. The only difference is that it’s optimized for a vehicle.

Induction charging, in this specific instance, allows for smaller batteries on the electric bus, which frees up room for more interior space, as well as reduces downtime and allows for lower battery costs. Utah State University will be the first college campus in the US to debut such a bus sometime in 2013.

Of course, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard of wireless charging used in vehicles. Last month, Qualcomm kicked off a new wireless charging trial called “Halo” that’s all about testing different ways to bring inductive charging to everyday driving. Unlike current electric vehicles, which have to sit overnight to recharge, Qualcomm’s initiative plans to have the highway itself be the charging pad. Of course, we won’t see this kind of technology for a few more years, and it’ll still be in the slow rollout phase by then.

In order to achieve that goal, researchers essentially plan to reproduce development environments that were used during the Manhattan Project, the one where we saw the first atomic bomb being used for warfare for the first time ever during World War II. Of course, it won’t actually be anything like the Manhattan Project, but researchers are working at a similarly quick pace in order to see results in record time.

To do this, the Department of Energy will create the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, and will fund $120 million over the five years. Then, the department will round up some of the best researchers at six national labs, five universities, and four private firms. The DOE says that this kind of collaboration will “deliver the goods very, very quickly.”

The goal is to have more powerful batteries that are also cheaper than what they cost today so that they can quickly can widespread adoption without much fuss. The DOE plans to work on all sorts of batteries as well, including batteries in phones, electric cars, and even batteries for solar and wind power.

[via Computerworld]

NiMH is a popular type of rechargeable battery that can be used in everything from computer mice all the way to hybrid automobiles. Ovshinsky never attended college and was a self-taught inventor. He held over 1,000 patents, around 800 of those being foreign patents relating to a wide variety of technologies.

Rewritable CDs, DVDs, LCD displays, and even phase change memory are just some of the other technologies that Ovshinsky helped to develop. Just last year, at the age of 88, he was working on improving photovoltaic thin-film production. This would allow factories to speed up production of solar panels while keeping the cost extremely low.

There was never a time when Ovshinsky thought he would retire. Last year he said he still had 15 patents pending and he planned on getting more in the future. “As long as I know I can do it, it is my civic responsibility to do it because of the character of the problems.” he said. “Somebody has got to do it.”

[via PhysOrg]

Image via Flickr

The new algorithms that researchers have discovered simply track exactly where lithium ions are within the battery cells to allow for a more accurate battery reading. The way that batteries charge now is less efficient, meaning that it takes no time at all to charge your phone to 80%, but the last 20% usually takes forever. Once the battery hits an 80% charge, it will start to slowly allow small sips of electricity into the battery until it thinks that it’s completely full, based upon software calculations.

However, these new algorithms with completely get rid of the slowness that occurs during that last 20%, and then some. By simply knowing exactly how full a battery is at all times in its charging process, it will no longer have to slow down and guess how full it is. It sounds like a simple idea that makes us wonder why this wasn’t the plan in the first place.

This new technology actually isn’t so advanced and so expensive that it would be a long way off, and the researchers say that the new charging technology will easily be in devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops. In other words, you won’t be hard-pressed to find it in most consumer electronics in a few years.

[via Engadget]

The external batteries use Sony’s thin “laminate” technology, which involves laminating battery components together in order to cut down on weight and materials. It also results in super-thin batteries. The company’s 7000 mAh model will be just a half-inch thick, and will measure 2.8-inches by 5.1-inches, making it a perfect device to easily slip in and out of a pocket.

Sony is marketing these new external batteries as being roughly the same size as smartphones and tablets, making the two easier to store together. They’ll even have a smaller model that will hold 3500 mAh, as well as small cylinder-shaped 2000 mAh batteries. We’re not sure exactly what size the cylinder batteries will be, but you can be sure that they’ll be pretty small.

If you’re wondering how much juice these batteries will supply to your mobile devices, the iPhone 5 is said to have a 1440 mAh battery and Samsung’s Galaxy S3 has a 2100 mAh battery, so expect to get at least a full charge and then some out of the cheapest external battery models. Sony says the 3500 mAh version can be reused around 500 times and can charge a typical smartphone in about 130 minutes. The batteries can be recharged in 8 hours by USB and 4 hours by a wall outlet.

These external batteries will be available in Japan first starting October 13, with more models to arrive on November 14. Prices will range from 2,300 yen ($30) to 7,000 yen ($90) depending on the capacity. Sony will launch the batteries globally, but launch dates and prices have yet to be determined.

[via TechHive]

The watt-per-hour measurement also increases a result to 5.45wHr, up from 5.3wHr on the iPhone 4S. The battery is definitely a recent creation too, with labelling indicating it was manufactured in June 2012. The small capacity bump is curious considering rumors that the next handset will feature power intensive features such as LTE.

Not only that, but the screen will also reportedly see an increase to 4-inches, with a resolution bump to 1136×640. A larger screen inevitably draws more power, and while LTE chips are becoming more efficient, 4G data transfer still drains batteries faster than 3G. The part might not be destined for the next iPhone, and could simply be an updated battery to be used in the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.

9to5Mac believes, however, that Apple will be using a more efficient dual-core chip that would negate the need for a significantly larger battery. Not only that, but the company could make use of Qualcomm’s new Gobi LTE chip, which requires much less power than existing LTE solutions. There’s not long until we find out either way, with the company allegedly penciling in a September 12th reveal and September 21st ship date.

Start your journey down accessories way with none other than the folks who brought you the PowerBag with the myCharge extended battery lineup 2012 refresh in full hands-on fashion. A brand new company you’re going to want to keep your eyes on is NEXGEN Skins for their dimensional gadget coverings of all kinds – a completely new solution! During the second of two big keynote presentations, VISA President John Partridge brought on the accessories talk as he announced that they’d “moved beyond” NFC for their mobile payments across the earth – they’ll still use NFC of course, but it’s bigger than all that!

One device that sort of bridges the gap between device and accessory is the Jabra Supreme UC Bluetooth headset with its flip-up microphone and noise cancellation in droves. Energizer brought on some multi-power chargers with clamps and lights. On the truly thin side, Digipower ChargeCard mini powerpacks stole the mini side of the show.

In what was easily the most impressive display of the show, Tech21 and their “Impactology” brought on a hammer to the goo – and tossed an iPhone against a wall to boot! The fashion forward folks at Moshi brought the Moshi iGlaze Versacover to the show to show everyone what it means to take an Apple design to the next level – believe it or not!

Otterbox brought their A-game with a collection of new cases for the HTC One series and DROID Incredible 4G the same day it was announced! AT&T brought us to a house where they had a whole array of accessories brought together to form the Voltron of home automation systems: AT&T Digital Life in person! SuperTooth came on strong with some brand new SuperTooth Bluetooth Melody Headphones in a lovely shade of purple.

We saw a cool new in-car Clarion Next Gate iPhone dashboard controller with tap-tastic features onboard a 7-inch display. The folks at HzO Waterblock Hydrophobic smartphone coatings showed us what it really means to be waterproof. And the hits just kept on coming! Have a peek at our [CTIA 2012 portal] for our entire collection of on-site adventures as well!

The battery is an IF Concept Design entrant for 2011.

[via Yanko Design]

On the back there are twin 9V DC outputs, and you can daisy-chain multiple effects units together and power them all from a single Pedal Juice box. Sanyo claims that, unlike 9V batteries which lose voltage quickly, the Pedal Juice provides stable voltage across its full charge, making it more cost-effective in the long-run.

You’re not just limited to pedals, either; the Pedal Juice will also power synths and even external speakers, though you’ll get a lot less than 50hrs runtime from them. It’s available now, priced at $149.99.

The EVOLTA robot from Panasonic is a design that’s meant to showcase the power of AA batteries. Indeed, the little robot managed to go quite the distance on only 12-AA batteries. The robot didn’t make the trip from Tokyo to Kyoto by itself, though. No, the ‘bot brought along its team of EVOLTA Sisters for the ride. However, thanks to the infrared signal on board a vehicle in front of EVOLTA, it was perfectly capable of finding its own way.

The robot was also allowed to be carried up stairs, when it came across them. Also, it was decided upon that the robot wouldn’t do any traveling if it were raining out. EVOLTA spent two months on the road, traveling 500-kilometers in total, and made it to Kyoto ahead of schedule, which Panasonic was pretty happy about. You can check out the little robot in the video below.

[via CRAVE]

Balsillie tells Hollister that inside you’ll end up finding 5300mAh lithium ion cells and glass, nothing but “battery and glass” inside this mama. Then Basillie takes back the device, showing off the QNX and the Air-based OS himself, showing off the photo gallery, a video that continues to run even upon pushing it back, and a spreadsheet – all of these running at the same time. Sounds completely rockin for under $500. Plus, take a look at it head-to-head with an iPad. Race!

[Via Engadget]

While the type of batteries we have now work because lithium ions move back and forth from a negative to a positive electrode, UCLA professor Jane Chang is designing an electrolyte that allows a charge to flow between electrodes. Tiny stuff. “We’re trying to achieve the same power densities, the same energy densities as traditional lithium ion batteries, but we need to make the footprint much smaller,” says Chang.

[Via PR Newswire]

Hardware specifications of the batteries themselves are in short supply, but Nissan has said that the Leaf will be capable of a roughly 100 mile range with top speeds of around 94mph (obviously range will decrease sharply if you travel at that speed).  Recharging is either via a regular North American 110V power point or an optional 220V outlet, the former taking up to 20 hours to fill the Leaf from empty to 100-percent, while the latter takes less than half that time.

Microsoft is currently in the process of licensing a new technology that will allow people to put batteries into any device, in any direction, and get that device to start working. As the title suggests, these batteries wouldn’t depend on the polarity of positive and negative. And InstaLoad, what Microsoft is calling this new technology, is able to function in any cylindrical battery, whether they are disposable or recharcheable. That includes AA, AAA, C, and D. So, the bases have been covered.

As of right now, the technology is currently available for other companies to license. And, just to sweeten the deal, Microsoft has announced that they will allow to license royalty-free if companies agree to create products that benefit the hearing, vision, or learning impaired. As of right now, Duracell and AE Light are some of the first companies to jump on board the licensing of the new technology, so hopefully it won’t be long before we start seeing the fruit of those licenses.

[via CNET]

The MiniPak from Horizon isn’t the only fuel cell charger out there, but it may be the best looking, and it’s certainly the cheapest. It comes with two refillable cartridges, which should mean you’re covered for awhile while on the go. Why? Because each cartridge has a life expectancy equal to about 1,000 AA-batteries. Using Hydrogen to power the cartridges, and therefore your nifty gadgets, means it will last awhile, and each recharge shouldn’t actually bleed you dry, either.

The best part of it all, besides the powering options, is the fact that you will be able to purchase it for only $100. And, we’re hearing that recharges are only going to cost about the same as buying a new pack of batteries. So, you should be saving quite a bit of money here, while still keeping all your toys fully charged. So, if you’re interested, head on over to Horizon’s website, and get one of for yourself. And of course, let us know in the comments if you take the plunge.

[via GizMag]

Micfrosoft claims that their new method, which reports when a battery is down to 40% of its designed capacity and suggests replacement, hasn’t reported a single false positive.  The blog post reports: “To the very best of the collective ecosystem knowledge, Windows 7 is correctly warning batteries that are in fact failing and Windows 7 is neither incorrectly reporting on battery status nor in any way whatsoever causing batteries to reach this state. In every case we have been able to identify the battery being reported on was in fact in need of recommended replacement.”

Microsoft’s word to be taken at heart, or not?  Well, at least they’ve at least afforded an explanation to this issue.  Plus, the OS maker assures that it will continue to look into this issue.

[ via CNet]

“The main idea is to stabilize the electrodes and prevent the deterioration of tin, making the batteries withstand repeated charges. The batteries have a negative electrode that incorporates a tin-coated resin and accumulates lithium ions coming from the positive electrode. The positive electrode is made of silicon and tin and swells while generating the ions.”

Eamex says that they have plans to push out a lithium-ion battery within the year, possibly used to charge electric scooters with.  Hopefully your next Prius rolls off the line with one of these soon.

[via Crunchgear]

Update: Commenter huskyboy1978 points out that’s not an AA battery, but a production-sized sub-C cell.

In fact the Energizer ‘D’ battery has less than a third of the power, at 2,500mAh, of some rival rechargeables, despite being priced at around 400-percent of the cost of the AA they’re based on.  What you’re paying for, seemingly, is the plastic shell the company wraps the AA in.

Now you can go into conspiracy mode and accuse Energizer of offering poorly performing rechargeables so that they can continue to sell more powerful (but obviously only single use) disposable batteries, or you can say “it’s just the same as food packaging” which so often is far bigger than the contents in the hope that buyers will pay more attention to physical bulk than the actual weight of the goods contained.  What makes it slightly more dubious is the fact that few mainstream consumers understand mAh, and merely assume that a bigger battery means a more powerful one; yes, Energizer clearly mark the battery with its capacity, but it’s hard enough explaining fat percentages on cookies, never mind what “mAh” are.

The issue has been precipitated following a number of fires in cargo bays that have been the result of li-ion battery problems; a single power pack catches fire and then sets off a chain reaction in the batteries it is being shipped with.  However the FCC has said it is “not prepared to take emergency action”, though it continues to monitor the situation.

[via Cellular-News]

“Duracell Smart Power is an evolution of Duracell’s heritage that builds upon the reliability and performance that our batteries have and will always deliver. This initiative will serve as an important lens for future product innovation as we expand the breadth of our offerings to address the evolution of personal power,” said Rick June, Duracell Vice President and General Manager, North America. “Our new personal power solutions allow consumers the freedom to live their lives without the limits of staying tethered to today’s power grid.  It is charging made simple.”

The Duracell MyGrid charging pad — Consumers can enjoy a better daily charging experience with this device that eliminates the mess of multiple cords by simultaneously charging multiple devices, such as cell phones, MP3 music players or other mobile devices. Once the charging pad is plugged in, your devices can go cordless. By simply fitting a device with a Power Sleeve™ or Power Clip™, you can drop your device on myGrid™ and go.

The Duracell Instant Charger — This compact Lithium Ion Rechargeable charger provides reserve power for popular mobile devices, such as BlackBerrys, iPods and cellphones that come with USB power cords. A USB-to-mini-USB cord is included. Mobile users can now enjoy up to 35 hours of additional power that is efficiently managed with an on/off switch.

The Duracell Powerhouse Charger — Provides reserve power for consumers’ most critical devices, including any cell phone, PDA or MP3 player that comes with a USB power cord or can connect to the Powerhouse’s mini-USB arm. Powerhouse also comes with a USB-to-mini-USB cord and features an on/off switch for power conservation, making it a must for today’s frequent travelers.

The Duracell Pocket Charger — A pocket-sized, supplemental Lithium Ion Rechargeable power source works with all USB-powered cell phones. Pocket Charger provides convenient power when a cell phone battery dies and the owner is away from the traditional outlet for recharging. The Pocket Charger offers cell phone users up to 60 percent more talk time and includes a mini-USB charging arm as well as a USB-to-mini-USB cord

The Duracell GoMobile — The Energy Star-certified GoMobile delivers a charge to AA or AAA NiMH batteries in just one hour. Designed to fit in a car’s cup holder, it also is designed to fit with home décor and comes with four Duracell Pre-Charged Rechargeable batteries that can be recharged hundreds of times while holding their charge for up to one year when not in use.

The Duracell GoEasy — The Energy Star-certified GoEasy is compact enough to go where you go and charges up to two AA or AAA NiMH batteries. It comes with two rechargeable batteries that can be recharged hundreds of times.

The Duracell Daylite LED Flashlight — Captures up to 100 percent of light to focus a brighter, whiter beam, while providing 5 times the battery life of everyday “incandescent bulb” flashlights. The Daylite series, initially introduced in fall 2008, now includes five new models with Daylite Tough flashlights, spotlights and headlamps.

Pricing and Availability

The new Duracell myGrid™ will be available in the U.S. in fall 2009 for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $79.99. Packages will include a myGrid™ charging pad, Power Clip adapter and Power Clip tips for BlackBerry, Motorola and Nokia phones. Power Sleeves are also available for purchase separately for the BlackBerry Curve 8300 series and the Blackberry Pearl 8100 series. Additional Power Sleeves, Power Clips and Power Clip adapters have a suggested retail price of $34.99.

The three Duracell Lithium-Ion Rechargeables (Instant, Powerhouse and Pocket Charger) are available now at mass merchandisers, drug and hardware stores nationwide. Suggested retail prices are $19.99 for the Duracell Pocket Charger, $29.99 for the Duracell Instant Charger, and $49.99 for the Duracell Powerhouse Charger.

The Duracell GoEasy and GoMobile chargers can be purchased currently at major retailers, including drug, grocery and hardware stores nationwide and have a suggested retail price of $12.99 and $29.99 respectively.

The complete Duracell Daylite LED flashlight series is currently available at major retailers, including drug, grocery and hardware stores nationwide. Flashlights range from $14.99 to $34.99 SRP.

So, from what we can tell, Duracell is pretty much covering every base available to them, and banking on their copper-top name brand. If these devices can work as well as Duracell is hoping (and planning) on them to, then we’ll be the first in line to pick these gadgets up. The ease of use provided by Duracell’s upcoming line is almost too good to pass up, don’t you agree?