Breakthrough batteries last 20 years, charge 70 percent in two minutes

<b>Over the years, consumer electronics have improved in almost every way, becoming thinner, lighter, and more pixel-packed, all while increasing exponentially in performance. But beating at the heart of many mobile devices and even electric cars is a technology that hasn’t kept up with the rapid pace of innovation: batteries. Specifically, lithium-ion batteries.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKvsbeDZsWwmnzs-hcZvK2Kw4S2fpKW3EaHVh05f7S0yww2I_CGRiMTvdM51JHqUrQTM7PFWt_xRJMl4gR8F1onDfeultJDwIK1_2g_n3UHwdtuJO9c40t3Tcimm8V_fe3oZcoQKfDo0w/s1600/Breakthrough-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKvsbeDZsWwmnzs-hcZvK2Kw4S2fpKW3EaHVh05f7S0yww2I_CGRiMTvdM51JHqUrQTM7PFWt_xRJMl4gR8F1onDfeultJDwIK1_2g_n3UHwdtuJO9c40t3Tcimm8V_fe3oZcoQKfDo0w/s1600/Breakthrough-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Breakthrough batteries last 20 years, charge 70 percent in two minutes" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakthrough batteries last 20 years</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> Battery tech is a limiting factor in the design of many of today’s technologies.Researchers at Nanyang Technology University say they’ve discovered a way to build a better battery, however—a battery that charges in mere minutes and lasts an amazing 20 years.<br /> <br /> Why this matters: If these batteries begin trickling into mass production, they could kill two of the biggest irritants in today’s mobile electronics: Long charging times and forced obsolescence.<br /> <br /> The benefits of fast charging need no explanation, but many of today’s smartphones and tablets won’t let you remove their batteries, essentially forcing you to buy a new device when the lithium-ion battery inside starts to fade after 500 or so charges. A battery that lasts 20 years could dramatically change how long people hang on to their smartphones, especially with the mobile industry’s recent trend of decoupling hardware fees from services subscriptions. Together, the combo could further reduce the two-year upgrade cycle so common in the mobile industry.</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcSXgFa-VGWYi_hAnMsGPFH81kmaNhAQoS7HZPTI4iyDaAR3Zugp4UFtqWkSVbb27h-wvqQXkrpOTfuwFQ9olL7crVz2CViTdmfhbuDAEH2ucBeLbOLmn9X8uK-P_Uzt5DLOv949TBaBc/s1600/Breakthrough-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcSXgFa-VGWYi_hAnMsGPFH81kmaNhAQoS7HZPTI4iyDaAR3Zugp4UFtqWkSVbb27h-wvqQXkrpOTfuwFQ9olL7crVz2CViTdmfhbuDAEH2ucBeLbOLmn9X8uK-P_Uzt5DLOv949TBaBc/s1600/Breakthrough-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="NTA associate professor Chen Xiaodong with research fellow Tang Yuxin and PHD student Deng Jiyang." /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NTA associate professor Chen Xiaodong with research fellow Tang Yuxin and PHD student Deng Jiyang.</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> Enabling the nifty new tricks doesn’t require a full reimagining of how we design batteries, either. The researchers replaced the graphite used in the anode of lithium-ion batteries with a gel made from titanium dioxide nanotubes "a thousand times thinner than the diameter of a human hair."<br /> <br /> Using tiny titanium dioxide nanotubes rather than graphite also speeds how quickly electrons and ions flow in and out of the battery, by ditching an energy-slowing additive needed in today’s batteries. The NTU researchers say their battery charges far faster than traditional lithium-ion batteries, going from empty to a 70 percent charge in just two minutes. Two minutes!<br /> <br /> NTU associate professor Chen Xiaodong, the inventor of the titanium dioxide gel, says batteries built with it could hit the market within two years, with an unnamed company already licensing the technology. The Nanyang Technology University press release has more detail about the technical aspects of the discovery if you’re interested.<br /> <br /> <br /></div>

Breakthrough batteries last 20 years, charge 70 percent in two minutes

Over the years, consumer electronics have improved in almost every way, becoming thinner, lighter, and more pixel-packed, all while increasi...

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A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope</span></h2> <b>There are many, many people who've always wanted a powerful space telescope in their backyards but can't exactly afford one. </b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AjCC2YDkJ58L5T7zci-i8GsajRqwSXF886CNUCgykj9XuijRuI1gHrzMNatgqR5Zrdzj-ZRAq1W6RmR-qu4yi4EO7HDC5tZlz4vJ9-_xg_fukx2Lk6IUYdGkFYocCWwRKdC2NGvBpgff/s1600/Nokia-Lumia-1020-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AjCC2YDkJ58L5T7zci-i8GsajRqwSXF886CNUCgykj9XuijRuI1gHrzMNatgqR5Zrdzj-ZRAq1W6RmR-qu4yi4EO7HDC5tZlz4vJ9-_xg_fukx2Lk6IUYdGkFYocCWwRKdC2NGvBpgff/s1600/Nokia-Lumia-1020-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> For avid makers and DIY enthusiasts, at least, that's not such an absurd dream anymore -- not when someone has designed an automated 3D-printed telescope that's powered by a commercially available phone: theNokia Lumia 1020. The device is called Ultrascope, and it stands one meter tall when assembled, with a base that measures 65 centimeters wide. It was created by Open Space Agency founder James Parr, who promised to upload the current design and future iterations to his organization's website once the ongoing beta testing's done.<br /> <br /> Here's how the robotic telescope works: first, your Windows laptop locates the ISS and forwards its location to Ultrascope's Arduino shield to move its motors. After the telescope positions itself, the 1020 starts snapping images and sends them to the cloud for post-processing. Parr hasn't revealed how powerful Ultrascope is exactly, but it's worth noting that the 1020's 41-megapixel camera blew us away when we tested it. It'll sadly take a while before you can find out for yourself, though, as OSA's busy working with Microsoft at the moment, developing an app that connects Lumia phones to the device.</div> </div>

A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope

A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope There are many, many people who've always wanted a powerful space telesc...

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Nokia's Here Maps for Android

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">Nokia's Here Maps for Android</span></h2> <b>When Microsoft finally completed its €3.79 billion acquisition of Nokia earlier this year, the company took control of its smartphone business, but left behind a number of Nokia's other powerful and profitable properties.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjspCmGsIsrcJO9TujGNpJiZYMMWwcH_nteKDc6LAEyDx8XIYMWfQRSsuooOCtDUt47vrjnaUmRvUVSbdKZgoOxjREOJTbl_D93kYbMzN15vZslfPDtYTKn8xz1BhmLO7lJSbBsxK3I5mK/s1600/Nokia-Here-Maps-for-Android-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjspCmGsIsrcJO9TujGNpJiZYMMWwcH_nteKDc6LAEyDx8XIYMWfQRSsuooOCtDUt47vrjnaUmRvUVSbdKZgoOxjREOJTbl_D93kYbMzN15vZslfPDtYTKn8xz1BhmLO7lJSbBsxK3I5mK/s1600/Nokia-Here-Maps-for-Android-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nokia's Here Maps for Android</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> One such property was the company's mapping division, now called Here, which has become the de facto maps app for Windows Phone users the world over. Nokia tried to replicate the experience on iOS, but after poor reviews and the admission that things "went horribly wrong," the companypulled its iPhone app and went back to the drawing board. As for Android, it looked like Nokia would never deliver a real Google Maps alternative.<br /> <br /> Luckily, that's all about to change. Thanks to some marketing muscle from Korea, Nokia will soon give Samsung Galaxy smartphone owners advanced access to its maps app. While Nokia readies Here Maps for Samsung's Galaxy Apps store, which is expected to drop in the coming weeks, the company gave us an early preview of its new app, and it's good.</div> </div>

Nokia's Here Maps for Android

Nokia's Here Maps for Android When Microsoft finally completed its €3.79 billion acquisition of Nokia earlier this year, the company t...

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Apple iPad Air 2: What we expect for the release date, specs and price of the next iPad

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">Apple iPad Air 2: What we expect for the release date, specs and price of the next iPad</span></h2> <b>Now that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are real products, speculation about Apple's other overdue devices are getting more traction in the rumor mill.</b><div> <b><br /></b>A refresh to the Apple iPad is expected before the arrival of the gift-giving holiday seasons, along with some new Mac computers, and an updated iPad Air and iPad Mini are on the short list of predictions.</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGD9HktZZtyA6gLSoQ3inFgD74tl1rik38_FnvTYSeVF_THp2gwy51ADlcQhR_QsVl4v1gbzEikSq5mdn-7VuQJCbcpxzuwgwidsuQwLnAJT-TRsCD8JKx2FK7ECumYfOScvmUZRkGapz/s1600/ipad-2-air-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGD9HktZZtyA6gLSoQ3inFgD74tl1rik38_FnvTYSeVF_THp2gwy51ADlcQhR_QsVl4v1gbzEikSq5mdn-7VuQJCbcpxzuwgwidsuQwLnAJT-TRsCD8JKx2FK7ECumYfOScvmUZRkGapz/s1600/ipad-2-air-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple iPad Air 2</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> The Cupertino, Calif., company hasn't revealed details of when an announcement for the next generation of iPads will happen, but lately there have been hints at an October release date. Apple has a consistent history of refreshing its tablet line-up during the fall, so the presumption of an October date falls in line with the company's MO.</div> <div> <br />At this point, nothing is for certain, but there are a few safe bets on what we can expect to see. The upcoming iPads will run iOS 8 and Apple is expected to add a Touch ID sensor, an A8 processor, and possibly NFC capabilities, all of which can be found on the new iPhones. However, more details on new features remain purely speculative.</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycbAKhyphenhyphen6iupzMhl34GJdGKzLRyHSjGpjXPDYY7pjS5iDUYjgXpqLCzJeMFQoC6Xl9PNicUYc37lRfNJjia328o8CGIaDlkh9TxFMk7NNa0SOL_vZOg8aL8hf4Z6saHbd94N6oJrfez21S/s1600/ipad-2-air-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycbAKhyphenhyphen6iupzMhl34GJdGKzLRyHSjGpjXPDYY7pjS5iDUYjgXpqLCzJeMFQoC6Xl9PNicUYc37lRfNJjia328o8CGIaDlkh9TxFMk7NNa0SOL_vZOg8aL8hf4Z6saHbd94N6oJrfez21S/s1600/ipad-2-air-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are rumors about a 12.9-inch iPad</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> On the iPhones, Apple doubled the available capacity at the top two price points (64GB and 128GB for the price of last year's 32GB and 64GB models, respectively). Currently, for the 64GB and 128GB models, the Apple iPad Air is priced at $699 and $799, respectively. If Apple replicates its game plan, that would make those prices could drop to $599 and $699. It would be a welcome sight, since anexpandable storage option is highly unlikely, but it's unclear if we'll get that.<br /><br />There are dubious rumors surrounding the announcement of a super-sized 12.9-inch Apple iPad, however, the gossip points towards a 2015 release. Extra large tablets haven't exactly caught on, with Toshiba and Samsung being two of the most recent manufacturers to attempt to tackle the task, but Apple's strong following might catch on to the flailing trend.</div>

Apple iPad Air 2: What we expect for the release date, specs and price of the next iPad

Apple iPad Air 2: What we expect for the release date, specs and price of the next iPad Now that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are real products...

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