Lithium-ion is, by far, the most common form of rechargeable battery found in today’s mobile devices. However, a shift towards silver zinc may be looming on the horizon thanks to a new product in development by ZPower, Inc. Ross E. Dueber, president and CEO of the company is scheduled to address attendees at the Batteries 2008 conference in Nice, France starting tomorrow, where he will tout the advantages of his silver-zinc technology scheduled to launch in “a major notebook computer in 2009.” Whether we will find out the identity of this “major notebook” in the coming days remains to be seen, but the impending release does offer some hope for consumers frustrated by the battery life of their precious portable gadgets.
First and foremost, silver-zinc can offer up to 40 percent more battery life than traditional lithium-ion batteries and 200 + cycles at 100% discharge. ZPower claims that their product contains no toxic chemicals and is up to 95% recyclable—which I would assume means that they have addressed the problem of mercury leakage that plagues silver-zinc batteries at the end of their life-cycle. They also noted that the batteries feature a water-based chemistry that is completely non-flammable (unlike lithium-ion that has a reputation for the occasional explosion). The one major drawback of silver-zinc is the cost of the silver itself, but word is that ZPower is planning on a trade-in recycle policy that will help to offset costs. Sounds good, but we will have to wait and see if the notebook coming out next year will be important enough and affordable enough to drive sales.
Dr. Ross Dueber to Discuss First Silver-Zinc Battery for Mobile Consumer Devices at Batteries 2008 in Nice
CAMARILLO, October 7, 2008 – Dr. Ross E. Dueber, president and CEO of ZPower, Inc., will discuss the industry’s first silver-zinc battery technology for consumer electronics at the Batteries 2008 conference in Nice, France, starting October 8th. His presentation will address the performance, environmental, and safety advantages inherent within ZPowerTM silver-zinc batteries, scheduled to launch in a major notebook computer in 2009. The annual event will be held at the Acropolis Convention Centre on October 8, 9, and 10. Batteries 2008 is a worldwide exhibition focused on power supply, with more than 400 attendees. Dr. Dueber will discuss the next replacement for lithium-ion rechargeable batteries and what power source can take mobility into the future. “At the heart of the $55 billion global battery market is the chemical conundrum of power supply,” said Dueber. “Today’s consumer has the ability to watch an entire movie on a palm-sized device—but portable power technology has not kept up. Engineers admit that they are hitting the wall on lithium polymer and lithium-ion performance. Unstable lithium-ion batteries have resulted in a high number of product recalls by manufacturers of notebook computers. These market trends are creating a pressing need for a better battery.”
Silver-zinc battery chemistry is currently poised to move into the commercial marketplace for use in consumer electronics. This new silver-zinc battery chemistry uses the latest in advanced polymers, nano-technology, power electronics and processing methods to create a battery that surpasses other rechargeable batteries for notebook computers, mobile phone and consumer electronics applications.
The advantages of silver-zinc batteries can be summed up as follows:
High Performance – Up to 40% more run time than traditional lithium-ion batteries. And with recent improvements in battery cycle life, silver-zinc batteries achieve 200 + cycles at 100% discharge and thousands of cycles at intermediate discharge.
Clean Technology – Over 95% of key battery elements can be recycled and reused. The raw materials recovered in the recycling process of silver-zinc batteries are the same quality as those that went into the creation of the battery. Environmental impact is lessened since the need to mine for new materials is minimized.
Safe – Silver-zinc batteries contain no lithium and are inherently safe. They are not subject to the recent FAA air travel restrictions now placed on lithium-ion batteries. Silver-zinc batteries feature a water-based chemistry that is not flammable. The battery is therefore free from the problems of thermal runaway and fire.
For when cords limit your artistic freedom (or screeching Rock Band karaoke), Logitech has announced a wireless version of their Vantage microphone (old model pictured here). Syncing via 2.4GHz frequencies, the Vantage can connect to PC, Xbox 360, Wii and PS3 through a USB dongle that holds (but doesn’t charge) the mic when not in use. Operating for 20 hours from distances of 30 feet, the wireless Vantage will be available this December for $80. But until someone releases a decent wireless mic that transmodulates my voice to Seal’s, I’m not buying.
Logitech – To give gamers greater freedom and high-quality voice reproduction, Logitech today announced the Logitech® Cordless Vantage™ Microphone – featuring an authentic, professional design.
With more than 20 hours of battery life, gamers can perform encore after encore while minimizing the hassle of changing batteries.
Offering a range of up to 30 feet, the microphone uses 2.4 GHz wireless technology and can be easily set up with its convenient USB receiver. The USB receiver also holds the mic when not in use.
The wireless microphone is compatible with PLAYSTATION®3, PlayStation®2 and Xbox 360™.
The Logitech Cordless Vantage Microphone is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in December for a suggested retail price of $79.99 (U.S.).
While games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero require huge peripherals to play, the AirG for the upcoming Wii title PopStar Guitar fits in your hand. Just slip the Wiimote into the AirG case and you can rock out wirelessly with four fret buttons (sans strum bar). The game will run $60 but include two AirGs right out of the box. The PS2 version of the game will settle with using existing toy guitars to play. Available this November, it’s a simple peripheral, but we have to appreciate the easy storage as we trip over these fancy Rock Band 2 drums. [PopStar Guitar]
Nintendo has confirmed that both downloadable games and DSi-exclusive software will be region-locked, meaning Japanese games won’t play on an American DSi and vice versa. Regular DS games, on the other hand, will continue to be universal, and you’ll still be able to play Japanense imports of regular DS games on say, an American DSi. That sucks, because it means if you import a DSi from Japan to skip the longass wait for the US version, you’re going to be stuck buying Japanese DSi games forever, not to mention killing the import market. Maybe there’s hope yet lurking in that SD card slot though. [CVG]
WowWee goes out of its way to make one thing very clear about the Rovio: “this is not a toy.” That being said, it doesn’t make the patrolling sentry any less fantastic, as critics over at Robots-Dreams proclaimed that it was “intuitive and a pleasure to use from the moment you first open the box.” From the painless setup process to the unparalleled mobility, reviewers sounded like they were grinning from ear-to-ear during the entire writeup process. It performed its robotic sentry duties with vigor and valor, and the review crew couldn’t help but note that this bugger was “positioned to be the hottest robot for the upcoming holiday season, and for a long time to come.” In other words, if you’ve been on the fence about dropping three bills on this thing, all your worries about it potentially sucking just got thrashed.
WowWee goes out of its way to make one thing very clear about the Rovio: “this is not a toy.” That being said, it doesn’t make the patrolling sentry any less fantastic, as critics over at Robots-Dreams proclaimed that it was “intuitive and a pleasure to use from the moment you first open the box.” From the painless setup process to the unparalleled mobility, reviewers sounded like they were grinning from ear-to-ear during the entire writeup process. It performed its robotic sentry duties with vigor and valor, and the review crew couldn’t help but note that this bugger was “positioned to be the hottest robot for the upcoming holiday season, and for a long time to come.” In other words, if you’ve been on the fence about dropping three bills on this thing, all your worries about it potentially sucking just got thrashed.
The Apple rumor mill has really cooked up a doozy this time. According to 9to5mac — a site with a fairly goodtrack record — Apple’s next big thing isn’t just a laptop or an iPod… it’s an entirely new manufacturing process. If you believe the site’s sources, an as-yet-unannounced event on October 14th will herald in a new iteration of the MacBook dubbed the “Brick,” but the big news won’t actually be about the laptop. Apparently, Apple has created a brand-new process to sculpt casings for products out of aircraft-grade aluminum, using a system that carves the pieces out of a single block of metal using “3D lasers” and water-jet cutting. The new technique will supposedly allow for seamless components which require no bending or folding, won’t use screws to join together, are ultra-light but also “super strong,” and will enable the company to rapidly prototype and produce new designs. Of course, not a single word of this is confirmed or even acknowledged by Apple, though we have been hearing whispers of the “Brick” for a few weeks now. Ultimately, everyone should approach this news with extreme skepticism, but if these rumors get magically transmuted into reality, there’s no telling what kind of new gear Apple might have up its sleeve.
I’ve been on a big Worms kick lately on my Xbox 360. It’s the perfect game for four semi-sober dudes to play together, as its full of dicking each other over and explosions while being slow paced enough for even those with the most dulled reaction times to still participate. But when I’ve tried it with friends via Xbox Live, it just hasn’t been as fun.
I don’t play on Xbox Live too often just because when I’m playing games, it’s almost always in the company of my roommates and friends, and it’s always more fun when you can slug someone for killing you in person. It’s fun to play online when your friends are far away, but the game just doesn’t feel as immediate when you’re talking into a headset.
What do you think? Do you prefer gaming online via a service such as Xbox Live, or would you rather sit on the couch next to your opponent?
Pioneer showed off their new Floating Vision technology at CEATEC this year. It’s a system of layers: first, an LCD with built-in computer, then an array of 3D lenses, and finally the “space sensor,” or virtual screen, where you can wave your fingers around and watch the 3D animations react accordingly. But the space sensor can also distinguish between and interact with different objects, like the Microsoft Surface: hold your phone under a falling object, say, and it’ll appear on your phone’s screen with a coupon for that item. Second video after the jump.
Lithium-ion is, by far, the most common form of rechargeable battery found in today’s mobile devices. However, a shift towards silver zinc may be looming on the horizon thanks to a new product in development by ZPower, Inc. Ross E. Dueber, president and CEO of the company is scheduled to address attendees at the Batteries 2008 conference in Nice, France starting tomorrow, where he will tout the advantages of his silver-zinc technology scheduled to launch in “a major notebook computer in 2009.” Whether we will find out the identity of this “major notebook” in the coming days remains to be seen, but the impending release does offer some hope for consumers frustrated by the battery life of their precious portable gadgets.
For when cords limit your artistic freedom (or screeching Rock Band karaoke), Logitech has announced a wireless version of their Vantage microphone (old model pictured here). Syncing via 2.4GHz frequencies, the Vantage can connect to PC, Xbox 360, Wii and PS3 through a USB dongle that holds (but doesn’t charge) the mic when not in use. Operating for 20 hours from distances of 30 feet, the wireless Vantage will be available this December for $80. But until someone releases a decent wireless mic that transmodulates my voice to Seal’s, I’m not buying.
While games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero require huge peripherals to play, the AirG for the upcoming Wii title PopStar Guitar fits in your hand. Just slip the Wiimote into the AirG case and you can rock out wirelessly with four fret buttons (sans strum bar). The game will run $60 but include two AirGs right out of the box. The PS2 version of the game will settle with using existing toy guitars to play. Available this November, it’s a simple peripheral, but we have to appreciate the easy storage as we trip over these fancy Rock Band 2 drums. [
Nintendo has confirmed that both downloadable games and DSi-exclusive software will be region-locked, meaning Japanese games won’t play on an American DSi and vice versa. Regular DS games, on the other hand, will continue to be universal, and you’ll still be able to play Japanense imports of regular DS games on say, an American DSi. That sucks, because it means if you import a DSi from Japan to skip 
I’ve been on a big 
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