Archive for the 'battery news' Category

Jan 21 2010

Exploding batteries are Sony’s fault

Published by admin under battery news

“We know exactly why there was a problem. Sony had contaminated its cells in the manufacturing process,” Dell told ZDNet UK at the company’s Technology Day event here on Tuesday.

Dell refuted reports by Sony that the way his company integrates the battery cells into its PC designs made its machines more susceptible to problems than devices from other computer makers.

“The batteries were contaminated and were no good no matter what you did with them,” Dell said. “We know the batteries, under rare circumstances, catch fire, (which is why we recalled them).”

Dell recalled the batteries last month after several of its laptops overheated and caught fire. Other manufacturers are known to use Sony battery cells, but only Dell and Apple Computer have been affected by any problems.

Sony has agreed to help financially with the Dell recall and another by Apple resulting from faults with Sony batteries. However, a Sony representative denied that the blame for Dell’s battery cell problems lay completely with the Japanese manufacturer.

“It is the configuration. We use the same batteries  dell XPS M1210 battery , dell XPS M140 battery in our Vaios, and have our own safeguards against potential overheating. Other manufacturers which use the same cells haven’t come forward with any issues. On rare occasions, a short circuit can occur, but this is affected by systems configurations found in different laptops,” the representative said.

Extra problems for small manufacturers?
But Dell has maintained that other laptop manufacturers may face the same battery problems that forced it to recall 4.1 million cells. The computer giant claimed that it preempted the rest of the market in recalling the batteries.

“We were out in front on this issue, we see this stuff faster. Maybe there are products out on the (reseller) channel that could (have problems). I don’t see anything to preclude that,” Alex Gruzen, general manager of the Dell product group, told ZDNet UK. “Maybe we’re seeing problems ahead of the smaller-volume producers.”

Dell said this may be more difficult to rectify for smaller manufacturers that sell through reseller channels, as those manufacturers, because they had not sold directly to customers, would have to take extra steps to trace and recall faulty batteries.

“We can identify who has the faulty batteries  dell FK890 battery , dell FP282 battery , dell FT080 battery in a way our competitors cannot, because they sell through the channel,” added Gruzen.

Gruzen added that the recall was progressing well but admitted the company had little control over any damage to its reputation following the battery problems.

“It’s really up to you (the consumer), to be honest. Customers will have to decide for themselves. We’re going to worry about what’s under our control. We are executing the recall extraordinarily well,” Gruzen said.

Jeff Kimble, European marketing manager for Dell, said that the faulty batteries were a problem Dell wasn’t proud of, but that it was “proud of its response.”

Sony said the recalls had arisen because of microscopic metal particles in the recalled battery cells coming into contact with other parts of the battery cell, leading to a short circuit within the cell.

“The potential for this to occur can be affected by variations in the system configurations found in different notebook computers,” Sony said.

Sony currently estimates that the overall cost of supporting the recall programs of Apple and Dell will amount to between 20 billion and 30 billion yen ($170 million and $255 million). The estimate is based on the cost of replacement battery packs and any related costs to be incurred by Sony.

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Jan 04 2010

China in the first block of super-large-volume solar cell

Published by admin under battery news, battery tips

By the new Austrian Solar Energy Co., Ltd. developed China’s first super-large blocks of 5.7 m silicon-based thin-film solar cells has recently begun to mass production, and exported to the U.S., the European Union and other countries and regions. The size of solar cells at the forefront in the international arena.

Family, mainly by the solar cells of crystalline silicon cells and amorphous silicon cells composed of two categories. Compared with the crystalline silicon solar cells, including the silicon-based thin-film solar cells, including amorphous silicon solar cell with a large area lighting, production  PA3285U-2BRS , PA3285U-3BRS , low cost, low-light power generation and good outstanding advantages.

According to the New Austrian Solar Energy Co., Ltd. Hong-Wen Li, general manager of toshiba battery manufacturing centers introduced them to produce a very large silicon-based thin-film solar cells for large area lighting, conversion efficiency has reached 8%; the same time, the use of glass products are mainly raw materials, the use of crystal-per-watt the amount of silicon is only equivalent to 1% of crystalline silicon cells, dramatically reducing the battery production cost per watt.

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Jan 04 2010

Battery swept through low-end market at a low price strategy

Published by admin under battery news, battery tips

   The same price, best quality Chinese too; the same quality, Chinese prices are too low. China is too rely on such a philosophy, laptop battery  a step by step to win consumer acceptance

   China too is a Tang Town, Linyi City, the township enterprises. In 1993, the Linyi Huatai Battery Co., Ltd. Chairman and General Manager Wang built up by 560,000 yuan Linyi Huatai Battery Co., Ltd., mainly for the rural market production of low-end battery products.

“The battery industry, survive is victory.” Looking back on the brutality of the battery industry competition, Wang l very well. 10 years ago, only have 17 of Shandong battery production enterprises, the country there are thousands of businesses large and small batteries 53977 , 66912 , 6H410 . With the Energizer, super, Panasonic and other international battery companies drive straight, small and scattered domestic battery companies either closed down or linger in the cracks.

Wang Sheng, a native of Shandong, he Shi-cheng benefits, for both rural and urban low-end consumer groups, at every step, moving steadily. The same price, best quality Chinese too; the same quality, Chinese prices are too low. China too is relying on to do business in the initial concept, a step by step to win recognition of rural consumers. Cheap, power foot, the consumer the impression that China is too batteries. A money 4 of 5 batteries in urban China are too small shops, family-run shop and the rural market is selling well.

To open up domestic and international markets, to establish a scientific and efficient marketing network. China too in the domestic market taken by scientific marketing strategies and establish a mature marketing network, so that China is too rapid increase in the battery market share, the market transition from north to south covering the development of the market transition from low-end to high-end development products to enter the country more than 20000 and medium-sized supermarkets, the majority of provinces and cities nationwide coverage. Just a few years time, in the domestic low-end market share of China too become the largest battery manufacturers. At the same time China is too active part in Canton Fair, the Hong Kong Electronics Show, Electronics Show in Las Vegas and other key inside and outside the exhibition, and energetically develop the international market. China too has invested several million dollars in Europe and America, Africa, Brazil and other countries and regions registered the “hu-atai”, “lightning”, “Double Tiger” and other brand-related products greatly enhanced the visibility and reputation in foreign countries, in order to products to international markets has laid a solid foundation.

In 2004, 2007, the Chinese too much battery for two consecutive years by the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine recognized as “National Inspection-free Product”; in 2005, China has been too much battery Provincial Quality and Technical Supervision, Provincial Famous Brand Strategy Promotion Committee as “Shandong brand-name “; in 2006, the company won the” China Patent - Shandong Province Star Enterprise “certificate; in 2008, the company won the” Technology Center of Shandong Province “,” focus on fostering and developing of Shandong Province’s export brand “,” Customer Satisfaction Unit in Shandong Province “and other honorary titles, Wang Sheng, Shandong Province, also elected to the Eleventh People’s Congress.

To independent innovation into high-end market

In high-end market to survive, we must continue to innovate, develop new products, improve the technological content of products  BDM01 , C1295 , C5331 

In the low-end market, the accumulation of sufficient strength, China is too began to coveted high-end market. “We have taken the road encircling the cities from rural areas.” In Wang described China too l development blueprint, the Chinese too will use the two-year period occupation of the domestic high-end battery market, five years to become an international high-end battery top brands.

From 2004 onwards, China too started to adjust product structure to maintain its current production of normal cells have also begun to produce high value-added, high-tech products. The establishment of branch offices in Tianjin, China too, as its new product research and development center and marketing window. China too has two international advanced level in Canada Hoi Pa mercury-free alkaline battery production line, production of alkaline batteries of high capacity, high power, has reached the world advanced level.

“To survive in the high-end market, we must continue to innovate and develop new products, improve the technological content of products.” Wang l think that this is his with the masters must have the basic quality. China too in science and technology are primary productive forces under the guidance of the theory, adhere to the path of technology development, actively promote science and technology enterprise strategy, increase scientific and technological input. At present, the company has a provincial technical center, built a sound technical development center and battery testing center, the existing quality control center, design and planning center, science and technology information center, laboratories, Technology Development Department alkaline batteries, Ni-MH battery technology development Department, high-power battery technology development department and other functional departments. Company R6p developed mercury-free high-power batteries to fill the gaps in the province, identified by experts, the products reach the domestic advanced level of similar products, was awarded third prize Provincial Science and Technology Spark Award. China is too dominant products LR6, LR03 alkaline batteries environmentally-friendly, with a long discharge time, discharge performance, about 7 times more than the normal battery excellent quality, was rated as high-tech products in Shandong Province. Research and development of the AA2000 Ni-MH rechargeable batteries won the State Torch Program projects, the success of the product research and development to fill gaps in the province. Invested nearly one million new green on the type of 6F229v battery production line, filling gaps in northern China. Equipment using the most advanced fully automatic battery production line, relying on the power of Suzhou Institute of Chemistry of scientific research efforts to improve formulation, production process, to further improve the energy density of batteries and integrated electrochemical performance, the battery through the discharge detection, to reach the domestic advanced level. Continuously strengthen cooperation with China is too large and medium institutions, research institutes co-operation efforts, greatly improving the R & D, innovation, for the production of high-quality batteries provided a strong guarantee. In 2003, the company’s Science and Technology Department of Shandong Province has been identified as “high-tech enterprises.”

Wang Sheng said that China too plans to invest 110 million yuan building construction area of 1.5 million square meters of Chinese R & D Building, so that the new battery production base. The new green on the 9v battery and coin cell battery production line and they are being newly R20 high-power battery, R14 high-power batteries, lithium-ion rechargeable battery research and development. And the National Institute of Light Industry chemical power, relying on its technical superiority and China into the production of too much capacity, and gradually form a chemical power Institute incubator of new products, and thus make China too will not only have the scale advantages, brand advantage, but also have the advantage of new products, .

China is too concerned over the development of new products and more challenging is the brand image enhancement. In the low-end consumer market, low-cost strategies or promotions are effective stepping-stone, but in high-end market, consumers have high brand loyalty, Chinese people are too how to make high-end consumer awareness and acceptance of, is on its ability to enter the high-end market, the key.

“We have a large number of low-end consumer people, they can not always low-end consumer.” Wang l believe that these low-end market, consumer groups, if income increases, they will choose high-end products, pre-empt the Chinese too will be deeply affect them, which is supported by China’s consumption of too much access to high-end market basis. For example students at school may be on the campus store to buy China too, after graduation with the increase in the consumption level may be too much at the supermarket selection of Chinese high-end products. In order to change the image of low-end products, China is too In addition to adopting a Duracell, the same Nanfu exquisite packaging and other products, but also has invested tens of millions in the CCTV, Shandong Satellite TV to do image advertising, in order to enhance corporate image.

China is too digital Wang, Jinhua and other high-end products too, with its stable performance, good price, consumers and the community has won the unanimous approval.

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Dec 21 2009

Battery production equipment and the environment

Published by admin under battery news, battery tips

Production equipment

    In addition, because crystalline silicon cells a longer time in China’s development, toshiba battery manufacturing equipment, mature technology, the entire industry, 80% of the equipment from domestic purchases, so a lower invested capital. The thin-film batteries due to the short development time, production equipment, there are still a lot of core technology still has to import, for example, PA3191U-1BRS battery , PA3191U-2BRS battery large-scale general-purpose production equipment capable of manufacturing the world is only three, namely the United States, Applied Materials (AMAT), the Swiss Oerlikon (Oerlikon) and Japan’s ULVAC (ULVAC), while thin-film batteries the entire production line is generally the price of crystalline silicon cell production line three times more than the price of a single device a number of crystalline silicon cells and even 10 times the production equipment, coupled with thin-film battery technology, fast updates, equipment out of the high rate of capital investment too.

    The impact on the environment

    In addition to these advantages, the natural elements of high-purity polycrystalline silicon as raw material for crystalline silicon cells have the advantages of human non-toxic harmless, while the thin-film batteries  PA3383U-1BRS battery , PA3384U-1BRS battery in the production process is released to the environment pollution caused by nitrogen trifluoride. That might also be characterized as crystalline silicon cells to further enhance the market share has laid a solid foundation.

    Generally speaking, the past is in the snatch silicon thin-film batteries battery market, is now the situation is reversed, the original thin-film batteries on the small living space would be further robbed crystalline silicon cells. Crystalline silicon cells is still the mainstream market, can not be replaced.

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Oct 23 2009

Several of common battery charging method

Published by admin under battery news

1. Ni-Cd and Ni-MH battery charging method:
a. Constant current charge: The entire process of charging a certain value of charge current, this method the most common.
b. Constant Charging: Charging at both ends of the process of charging power supply to maintain a constant value, the circuit current as the Inspiron E1405 battery voltage increases and decreases.
c. constant current constant voltage charging: constant current charging the battery first by CC, when the battery voltage increases to a certain value, the voltage remains the same CV, the circuit current is reduced to a very small and eventually tends to 0.
2. Lithium Inspiron E1505 battery charging method: constant current constant voltage charging: constant current charging the battery first by CC, when the battery voltage increases to a certain value, the voltage remains the same CV, the circuit current is reduced to a very small and eventually tend to 0

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Oct 22 2009

HP’s new conference was held, plans to promote new products in Europe and Asia

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Sharp, by the end of April for “Mebius Series” held a conference new laptop.

  Because of the rapid expansion of the Internet in this market, PC industry, especially the laptop battery  market is facing an unprecedented price shocks, firms make profits shrinking, the situation is not optimistic. Some people questioned at the press conference, Sharp continued to carry out whether there are significant personal computers. However, Representative Director is responsible for commodity business Masafumi Matsumoto, vice president, said hp battery  personal computer business in the future will follow the route will not waver, saying hope for an early personal computer business to reach 1 million units worldwide supplier goals.

  He believes that personal computers are the core of information equipment, so power will remain committed to personal computer business, and expressed determination to continue to be carried out. At the press conference, his speech reflects HP’s wish to participate in cutting Internet access in this market, the intention of cake. Matsumoto said that in 2009 the size of the global notebook PC market will reach 100 million 50 million units, of which the Internet will reach 20 million units of this, they also hope to get a certain share of them.

  Hewlett-Packard for participants to demonstrate their development blueprint - start with Japan began gradually to Europe and the United States, China and the Middle East. Hewlett-Packard hopes the Chinese and Arabic Circle area to promote new products, in particular, there is a handwriting advantage of optical sensors LCD panel products.

   Introduce new products at the optical sensor using liquid crystal panels, and other self-developed components. This distinctive ability to access the Internet in a price war with harsh win in this market is itself uncertain. Such a differentiation strategy in a configuration identical, the price to win access to the Internet alone be regarded as testing the waters in this market, but its effectiveness remains to be seen.

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Oct 22 2009

Wang Peng Chinese scientists develop high-performance dye-sensitized solar cells

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Chinese scientists Peng and colleagues modified dye ingredients, develop a more inexpensive and highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC).

     Dye-sensitized solar cells make solar energy more affordable, this battery than conventional silicon solar cells cheaper and more easily printed on a soft surface, but there is a problem, manufacturing of these highly efficient cells need for the precious metal made of electrolyte and volatile ruthenium dye. Not long ago, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun Institute of Wang Peng and colleagues have developed with the other two kinds of raw materials of a new class of dye-sensitized solar cells, a new battery is not only more efficient but also cheaper and more durable.

     The key to progress is a new organic dye molecules, organic dyes is more abundant than ruthenium compounds to be less expensive, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing the dell Inspiron 6000 battery . The researchers also used this difference of ionic liquid electrolyte, has been more powerful solar cells, the current use of electrolyte containing organic solvents, these organic solvents at high temperatures can evaporate. Ionic liquids can also be used in conjunction with the plastic, it is possible to create a soft solar cells. Wang Peng said: “The first time we have proved that the composition of an all-organic dye can be used to create a stable solvent-free battery, its performance compared favorably with the ruthenium dye.”

     Researchers with an organic dye molecules in solar cell set a new record of energy efficiency, in order to compete with conventional solar cells that, in the process of converting light to electricity, the dye-sensitized solar cell efficiency to reach at least 10%, Wang and his colleagues developed the dell battery  performance of 9.8%. Dye-sensitized solar cells, the inventor, Lausanne, Switzerland Federal Institute of Technology chemistry professor Michael glat.zile, said: “10 years ago, we believe that we will not get more than 1% of the results. Now get 9.8% of the energy-efficient. “

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Sep 14 2009

Hands on With Toshiba’s JournE

Published by admin under battery news

Perhaps one of the most interesting products to come out of the first day of this year’s IFA electronics fair in Berlin is Toshiba’s JournE Internet and multimedia tablet.
The lightweight device sports a 7-inch touch screen and Wi-Fi connection for quick access to the Web and popular social networking and sharing applications like Facebook, Flickr, MSN Messenger and Picasa. It also has a media player for viewing pictures, listening to music and watching videos. But the best thing about it might be the price: €249 (US$356), which is considerably less than many competing products.

But what’s it like to use? Toshiba has several demonstration models on its IFA booth and I took it for a test drive.
When the device is first switched on it takes a few seconds for the Windows Embedded OS to boot up and a Windows desktop momentarily appears before being replaced by a much smarter looking page that was developed by Toshiba. It has 15 icons per page in three rows of five with each providing a shortcut to an application or service.

Performance was unfortunately difficult to evaluate because of the slow wireless connection at the Toshiba booth. The device is supposed to provide a gateway to Internet services so a slow connection gives an appearance of sluggishness but a few times the connection appeared to speed up and at those points the device felt faster.

It’s relatively light at 450 grams so doesn’t really become tiring to hold. It’s 14 millimeters thick, which is about the same as a cell phone.
The prototype offered access to several sites including The Weather Channel. Accessing that site required input of a city name and provided a chance to use the on-screen keyboard, which takes up about a third of the screen when it appears and is big enough to finger type without hitting neighboring keys.

Toshiba is playing down the detailed specifications of the device and its operating system saying they’re not the point. It’s supposed to be orientated around Internet services so the underlying hardware shouldn’t really matter, be it Windows Embedded or another OS. Toshiba chose Windows Embedded because it has a wide range of applications available. However, future models might be based on other software, hinted Marco Perino, general manager of EMEA digital products and services at Toshiba.

One of the desktop buttons has direct access to a Toshiba Store where the company is planning to offer free and pay content and widgets for the device, Perino said. There’s already a wide range of Windows Embedded software available so the store should fill up fast with applications, he said.

Perino is keen to get services like the BBC’s iPlayer streaming and on-demand TV service on the device. It’s starting out as a gadget to provide Internet access in the living room perhaps while people are watching TV, but with access to iPlayer or other national equivalents it would also become a gateway to on-demand and live TV entertainment.

Like many smartphone makers, Toshiba has done much to disguise the old-fashioned Windows user interface but Windows dialog boxes do pop up a few times. They’ll be gone when it ships in Europe later this year, Perino said.
And that probably is going to be the key to the success of the JournE touch. The price is right but if the user interface is slick and smooth enough then it will satisfy the needs of most people for casual Internet access and multimedia and could become a hit. If the interface is excessively difficult to use or bogged-down in Windows dialog boxes and other quirks then users might stay away.

After it launches in Europe it will be rolled out to other markets, he said

No responses yet

Sep 13 2009

Hands on With Toshiba’s JournE

Published by admin under battery news

Perhaps one of the most interesting products to come out of the first day of this year’s IFA electronics fair in Berlin is Toshiba’s JournE Internet and multimedia tablet.
The lightweight device sports a 7-inch touch screen and Wi-Fi connection for quick access to the Web and popular social networking and sharing applications like Facebook, Flickr, MSN Messenger and Picasa. It also has a media player for viewing pictures, listening to music and watching videos. But the best thing about it might be the price: €249 (US$356), which is considerably less than many competing products.

But what’s it like to use? Toshiba has several demonstration models on its IFA booth and I took it for a test drive.
When the device is first switched on it takes a few seconds for the Windows Embedded OS to boot up and a Windows desktop momentarily appears before being replaced by a much smarter looking page that was developed by Toshiba. It has 15 icons per page in three rows of five with each providing a shortcut to an application or service.

Performance was unfortunately difficult to evaluate because of the slow wireless connection at the Toshiba booth. The device is supposed to provide a gateway to Internet services so a slow connection gives an appearance of sluggishness but a few times the connection appeared to speed up and at those points the device felt faster.

It’s relatively light at 450 grams so doesn’t really become tiring to hold. It’s 14 millimeters thick, which is about the same as a cell phone.
The prototype offered access to several sites including The Weather Channel. Accessing that site required input of a city name and provided a chance to use the on-screen keyboard, which takes up about a third of the screen when it appears and is big enough to finger type without hitting neighboring keys.

Toshiba is playing down the detailed specifications of the device and its operating system saying they’re not the point. It’s supposed to be orientated around Internet services so the underlying hardware shouldn’t really matter, be it Windows Embedded or another OS. Toshiba chose Windows Embedded because it has a wide range of applications available. However, future models might be based on other software, hinted Marco Perino, general manager of EMEA digital products and services at Toshiba.

One of the desktop buttons has direct access to a Toshiba Store where the company is planning to offer free and pay content and widgets for the device, Perino said. There’s already a wide range of Windows Embedded software available so the store should fill up fast with applications, he said.

Perino is keen to get services like the BBC’s iPlayer streaming and on-demand TV service on the device. It’s starting out as a gadget to provide Internet access in the living room perhaps while people are watching TV, but with access to iPlayer or other national equivalents it would also become a gateway to on-demand and live TV entertainment.

Like many smartphone makers, Toshiba has done much to disguise the old-fashioned Windows user interface but Windows dialog boxes do pop up a few times. They’ll be gone when it ships in Europe later this year, Perino said.
And that probably is going to be the key to the success of the JournE touch. The price is right but if the user interface is slick and smooth enough then it will satisfy the needs of most people for casual Internet access and multimedia and could become a hit. If the interface is excessively difficult to use or bogged-down in Windows dialog boxes and other quirks then users might stay away.

After it launches in Europe it will be rolled out to other markets, he said

No responses yet

Sep 10 2009

Digital Demolition: Three Laptops Take a Beating

Published by admin under battery news

In the first episode of Digital Demolition, Chris and Sarah test “rugged” laptops from Dell and Panasonic. Can these PCs survive being frozen, dropped, getting dirty, and taking a shower with a member of our staff? You’ll have to watch to find out

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