Once considered a mark of desperation, external batteries or power banks have become a fact of mobile life. They now come in all capacities and sizes but not all of them offer the same capabilities or support all charging cases. With its new line of powerstation "universal battery" packs, mophie is providing a USB-C port that can charge the battery itself as well as other devices.
While the Galaxy S10 seems to be off on a good start, Samsung's next flagship is already drawing criticism even before it has the chance to debut. Just based on leaks, the Galaxy Note 10 is dividing fans on the direction that Samsung might be taking the phablet whose future is already being put into question. One of the latest tidbits to become public might not help improve that perception either.
Today we've done something a little bit different to judge battery life in the OnePlus 7 Pro. This device was part of a full review here on SlashGear, so that's where we've begun. To make certain our device wasn't significantly different from the other review units out in the wild, we've done some comparing. As with all battery tests, this one's subjective.
LG's phones are good, sometimes even great, but often get swept aside by more sensational phones from Samsung, Apple, Google, and even OnePlus. That doesn't mean they don't get a lot of things right, as JerryRigEverthing's Zack Nelson remarked in his durability test. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean it doesn't get something wrong, too, as Nelson also discovered in a follow-up teardown. Long story short, the LG G8 ThinQ is not the phone you'd want if longevity is your long-term goal.
2019 could be remembered as the year Samsung pulled out all the stops in an attempt to innovate, even when that meant taking very big risks. The Galaxy Fold has turned into a PR nightmare and the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and 5G features on the Galaxy S10 line are proving to be a bit problematic. While it seems that the Galaxy Note 10 will be less controversial, or less exciting if you see it that way, one rumored feature could call back memories and traumas of the 2016 fiasco that almost ruined the company.
Tesla's Gigafactory 1 is too much of a risk for further investment, Panasonic has reportedly concluded, with the EV company's battery partner freezing its plans to expand the facility while Tesla looks to squeeze more out of existing capacity. The hiccup in the relationship comes on the heels of Elon Musk suggesting Tesla would look to multiple battery suppliers for its Shanghai factory, along with the automaker missing its Q1 2019 production goals.
It seems that Apple continues to have battery headaches but this time it isn't about iPhones. You'd think that considering their size, Apple Watch batteries would have very little problems other than having to be recharged every day. It turns out, however, that some have experienced potential safety hazards due to swollen Apple Watch batteries and they are now taking Apple to court for allegedly knowing about the problem and still pushing through with sales of the wearable device.
The European Space Agency has conducted a series of tests that involve blowing up batteries as part of research into preventing space debris. The work took place in bunkers and involved engineers using a variety of methods to destroy lithium-ion space batteries, including short-circuiting them, shooting them, and causing them to overcharge and overheat.
Back in January 2018, HP recalled thousands of laptop batteries due to the risk of potentially overheating. The recall was expanded a year later with HP voluntarily recalling a number of additional batteries back in January 2019. The news was slow to reach the public, however, due to the government shutdown, which delayed the Consumer Product Safety Commission's announcement until March.
Lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous and, unfortunately, quite volatile when they overheat. The explosive nature of these batteries has previously raised safety concerns among US transportation officials who worry an explosion in an airplane's cargo hold could have catastrophic consequences. Following a past study highlighting the potential danger of lithium-ion batteries in aircraft cargo holds, the FAA and DOT have announced a major new rule impacting checked baggage.
Energizer is a battery-centric company, so it only made sense to go all-out for a smartphone with enough power capacity to choke a mule. This Energizer Power Max P18K Pop isn't the sort of phone that everyone is going to want. It's also not the sort of phone that most people are going to want. In fact I'm not entirely sure there are enough people that want this phone that Energizer should really go ahead with a full production run, to be entirely honest - but we shall see!
Nissan and OPUS Campers have taken the wraps off a new camper concept that taps used electric vehicle batteries to offer power while on the go. Called the Nissan x OPUS concept, this camper features ROAM, a portable and weather-resistant power pack from Nissan Energy. Unlike the gas generators used by some campers, ROAM is silent and free of emissions.