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 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 …

Read more »

PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita on October 14th

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita on October 14th</span></h2> <b>If you're planning to snag a PlayStation TV with game streaming in mind, you'll be glad to hear that it will be ready to go on day 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/AVvXsEglbQWQUtAnXi6veO2qqtzlREQ4H5wF6lX7ZhIfyUihavYDbg5c4KgXWxbIfGukfoZoWSwjWXABOPGWQvoxKMn5pAMM1Ruxi269VyelUh9C6JTRzxyL5R_oE_nJBEiDzcGXgxXFOf5BkrNR/s1600/PlayStation-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/AVvXsEglbQWQUtAnXi6veO2qqtzlREQ4H5wF6lX7ZhIfyUihavYDbg5c4KgXWxbIfGukfoZoWSwjWXABOPGWQvoxKMn5pAMM1Ruxi269VyelUh9C6JTRzxyL5R_oE_nJBEiDzcGXgxXFOf5BkrNR/s1600/PlayStation-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> Sony has posted an FAQ confirming that the PlayStation Now beta will be available on the PS TV (and the PS VIta) in North America on October 14th, the same day that the mini console hits store shelves. As with the Now tests on bigger PlayStations, you'll have the option of renting 150-plus PS3 games with multiplayer support and cloud-based saves. Whether or not you're bent on using Now from the start, the FAQ is a handy primer for all the less-than-obvious things the PS TV can do -- it's worth a trip to the source link if you're at all curious.</div> </div>

PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita on October 14th

PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita on October 14th If you're planning to snag a PlayStation TV with game streaming in mind, you'll be glad to hear that it will be ready to go on day one. PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita Sony has posted an FAQ confirming that …

Read more »

Microsoft's Surface mini tablet is reportedly really real, but not really

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">Microsoft's Surface mini tablet is reportedly really real, but not really</span></h2> <b>According to a report, the rumored 8-inch “Surface mini” tablet is indeed real—although Microsoft has no plans to ship it. And that’s probably because you wouldn’t be interested in buying it, anyway.</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/AVvXsEgHit-LoMNYjGTDBkdnbTOfAxxEAK2T2H8iA5u22Ad3hqu20aWSi3xN4vxBcWpo8XXlAedtSZoEyFXGrzEuxuynQKUnP7L2KlaflzHzVH1brJdyMyVCSRDJ77w2B3SeKLvoadTTPYElfPZP/s1600/Microsoft's-Surface-mini-tablet-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/AVvXsEgHit-LoMNYjGTDBkdnbTOfAxxEAK2T2H8iA5u22Ad3hqu20aWSi3xN4vxBcWpo8XXlAedtSZoEyFXGrzEuxuynQKUnP7L2KlaflzHzVH1brJdyMyVCSRDJ77w2B3SeKLvoadTTPYElfPZP/s1600/Microsoft's-Surface-mini-tablet-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Microsoft's Surface mini tablet is reportedly really real, but not really</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> Although Microsoft has marketed the Surface line of tablets as productivity devices, the Surface mini is powered by Windows RT, running on top of just 1GB of RAM. Those specs were provided by Neowin, which said it's actually held and tested as Surface mini—although Neowin's source forbade photographs.<br /> <br /> That would essentially make the Surface mini a device for consuming content—and in limited fashion, as there simply aren’t too many applications written specifically for Windows RT these days. Any available apps would have to run on that anemic 1GB of RAM, which is less than what you’ll find in some smartphones these days.<br /> <br /> The cut-down specs are also less powerful than what other tablet manufacturers announced earlier this year. At CES, for example, Asus announced the VivoTab Note 8, powered by an Atom processor, Windows 8.1, and 2GB of RAM, and costing about $250 online. Since then, however, the trend has been to use Intel’s Atom Z3735G processor on tablets like the Acer Iconia Tab 8W, which supports only 1GB of RAM. Although per-application performance may not suffer, there are sure to be limits on how many tabs or apps you can have open at any one time.<br /> <br /> The problem for hardware makers, however, is that even with Microsoft’s decision toeliminate licensing fees for sub-9-inch devices, Windows tablet makers face steep competition from Android tablet makers, who aren’t afraid to use inexpensive ARM processors to reduce prices further. <br /> <br /> Finally, there’s there the issue of demand. Lenovo recently discontinued its 8-inch Windows tablets in the U.S., noting stronger interest in larger-size models. The company emphasized it wasn't pulling out of the category permanently, so that could indicate a retrenchment. Other manufacturers, including Microsoft, could also be reassessing their options.<br /> <br /> A Surface mini wouldn’t be a single-purpose device, although Neowin approvingly mentions that a Surface mini would be an excellent OneNote machine—and it comes with a stylus, too. Netflix has written a version of its app for Windows RT machines, and web apps would make up for other deficiencies. Still, a small screen, limited memory, and the Windows RT OS would make for a tough sell. And with Microsoft’s recent efforts to trim the fat, it would seem that killing the Surface mini would be one of Microsoft’s easier decisions.<br /> <br /> Microsoft representatives declined to comment. </div>

Microsoft's Surface mini tablet is reportedly really real, but not really

Microsoft's Surface mini tablet is reportedly really real, but not really According to a report, the rumored 8-inch “Surface mini” tablet is indeed real—although Microsoft has no plans to ship it. And that’s probably because you wouldn’t be interested in buying it, anyway. Microsoft's Surface mini …

Read more »

Android L hits November 1, newest Nexus tablet coming mid-October

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">Android L hits November 1, newest Nexus tablet coming mid-October</span></h2> <b>With all the iPhone 6 hoopla, Google must be eager to get its newest Nexus devices and Android L out into the wild. If another rumor is to be believed (this time from Android Authority), we could see an HTC-built Nexus tablet by October 16 and Android L on November 1.</b><br /><br />The story behind the story: Google typically unveils its newest Nexus hardware to showcase a major Android update. Nexus phones and tablets run an unskinned version of Android, free of hardware and carrier bloat, and are free from carrier lock-ins. Google partnered with Asus on the first two generations of the Nexus 7 tablet, butall rumors indicate that this time it's HTC's turn.<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/AVvXsEgMPXvrOKTN5OEYNyM9NfvY6Sbqdqc8deaO1oCQOD9Ab4FJqpzX8H7FGQatpMNKyS2js_9-9bz_iFgK-B9kmF7XslB_7mU4G36ZrMeqt0GwJsVPlWgBJKcjJvgVWosjWsSxD9CIPr-xajDy/s1600/Android-L-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/AVvXsEgMPXvrOKTN5OEYNyM9NfvY6Sbqdqc8deaO1oCQOD9Ab4FJqpzX8H7FGQatpMNKyS2js_9-9bz_iFgK-B9kmF7XslB_7mU4G36ZrMeqt0GwJsVPlWgBJKcjJvgVWosjWsSxD9CIPr-xajDy/s1600/Android-L-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nexus tablet</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> With HTC making the newest Nexus tablet, we may soon hear more about the follow-up to the Nexus 5. Google is reportedly partnering with Motorola on a whopper of a phone, a 5.9-inch phablet codenamed Shamu. <br /><br />Google could go with an enormous device, given there are plenty of non-supersized Android phones out there, but it's hard to see something close to the Galaxy Mega held up as the latest and greatest of Android. Some rumors put the newest Nexus phone at a more modest 5.2 inches.</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/AVvXsEjxUj-9LR2_FhO3vndwiLW3tnROeagTiPFfbkE4DFsuLnyu7rvwHVPgkv2yB_QJ0tBva974VcmQlvdTZ0BaLo0nMtCOFxq9mbjoqOXGeMQvurnpWR5CCgVjtsMvqft2XZQ4CbFcBeqM5ahW/s1600/Android-L-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/AVvXsEjxUj-9LR2_FhO3vndwiLW3tnROeagTiPFfbkE4DFsuLnyu7rvwHVPgkv2yB_QJ0tBva974VcmQlvdTZ0BaLo0nMtCOFxq9mbjoqOXGeMQvurnpWR5CCgVjtsMvqft2XZQ4CbFcBeqM5ahW/s1600/Android-L-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Android L</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> Regardless of the specifics, we are definitely getting close to seeing how Google is going to step up its game in the face of record-setting iPhone sales. Though iOS 8's troubles could leave an opening in the minds of many who had thought about abandoning their larger Android-powered devices for the not-so-bendproof iPhone 6 Plus.<br /></div>

Android L hits November 1, newest Nexus tablet coming mid-October

Android L hits November 1, newest Nexus tablet coming mid-October With all the iPhone 6 hoopla, Google must be eager to get its newest Nexus devices and Android L out into the wild. If another rumor is to be believed (this time from Android Authority), we could see an HTC-built Nexus tablet by Octo…

Read more »