Batteries

Every so often, we hear about software updates that bring their own set of bugs even as they fix others. Most of the time, these bugs only affect software features but there are rare times that they may affect even a device's hardware. The past few days have been a stressful one for MacBook Pro owners exactly because of that rare case of bad luck over battery issues and Apple is now offering free battery replacements for those affected by a highly inconvenient bug.

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When it comes to batteries, you almost always have to make a compromise between power and size. That's more true with portable batteries where mobility plays a more critical role. There are times, however, when the reverse is true and charging power becomes the deciding factor. The latter is true for Maxoak's newest portable power station, the 2000Wh Bluetti AC200P, which uses the term "portable" very loosely, at least in comparison to other portable power stations. In exchange, however, you won't have to make that many compromises in what or how many you can juice up with it.

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Everyone could do with a little more power, whether it's staying off the grid for a bit or trying to survive an unexpected power outage. Power banks for smartphones and even for laptops have become commonplace these days but those can't really handle large and essential appliances, not to mention charge phones, tablets, and laptops repeatedly. That's where this new breed of portable power stations come in, pretty much gigantic, multi-functional power banks, and WattFun's latest 298Wh package promises to be the only power source you'll need for trips and emergencies.

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The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has published a new safety advisory warning consumers to avoid loose 18650 lithium-ion batteries, stating that these loose cells are at risk of thermal runaway and explosion -- something that could cause fires, injuries, and possibly even death. Among other things, these batteries are often used in certain kinds of vapes.

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Apple has pretty much dipped its hands in almost every cookie jar of modern life and technology but there is still one thing it has long been rumored to be working on. Recently, however, rumors about Apple's own-made car have resurfaced again, one of which even claimed a 2021 launch date for the mysterious vehicle. Famed analyst Ming-chi Kuo, however, cautions against such an unreliable report meant to hype up stocks, saying that any Apple Car launch would probably take place sometime between 2025 and 2027 at the earliest.

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Tesla Powerwall is getting more competition, with LG Energy Solution unveiling a new home battery system designed to keep the lights on even if the power goes out. The new LG RESU Prime and LG RESU Flex ranges package up lithium-ion batteries for off-grid, solar, and backup use, with the company claiming it has the largest residential energy storage system so far.

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Apple is not one to divulge too many technical details or engage in tech babble, preferring to paint features and numbers in ways consumers can more easily understand. That also makes it a bit harder to make comparisons between different device models and some rely on teardowns to confirm what Apple has really packed inside. That's what makes this initial and brief iPhone 12 Pro Max inside scoop interesting, revealing the changes Apple has made, most of them in the name of 5G.

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Goal Zero has unveiled its latest - and largest - power bank, with the Yeti 6000X packing a vast battery that's up to the challenge of keeping a cabin or campsite running off the grid or in a power outage. Aiming to sweep up big battery buyers who might otherwise be swayed by a Tesla Powerwall or other fixed backup power supply, it's capable of being charged via solar panels or a regular wall outlet.

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mophie has pretty much flooded the accessory market with an abundance of choices to keep smartphones from dying while away from a power outlet. The usual power banks require dangling cables or that you place your phone down on a wireless block. mophie's juice pack cases offer more portability and no downtime at the expense of having a battery always stuck to your phone. Its latest trick is to combine the best of both worlds with the juice pack connect, letting slide a wireless power bank on or off as you need it.

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You probably don't have the uncontrollable urge to put a battery in your mouth every time you see it, but then you're probably not a tiny child. Still, if you're the parent or caregiver of one offspring, the news that Duracell has made its smallest coin cell batteries less likely to be swallowed is worth paying attention to.

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General Motors' upcoming electric vehicles will use a new wireless battery management system, the automaker has announced, promising safer and simpler power management as well as an easier roadmap for second-life repurposing after their time in cars and SUVs is done. Part of the GM Ultium platform, which will feature in models like Cadillac's Lyriq luxury crossover and GMC's Hummer EV, the system replaces the traditional flurry of cabling that runs through other automakers' batteries.

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We live in an electricity-powered world, which shouldn't really be news, but we will always find a time when electricity isn't always readily available. Be it a power outage at home, going off the grid in the wilderness, or simply being meters away from a power outlet, there will come a time when we wished we had a power source we can carry around that is more powerful than a smartphone power bank. The Jackery Explorer 1000 definitely fits the bill when it comes to raw power but is that all that it can offer? We take the company's newest and biggest portable power station to see if size is all that it has.

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