batteries

Mon
19
Jun
John Lister's picture

Phone Batteries Must Be Replaceable

Phone manufacturers may soon have to offer replaceable batteries in handsets. The rules have been approved by European politicians but could create enough hassle for manufacturers that they follow the measures worldwide. The change, approved ... overwhelmingly by the European Parliament, is part of an overall package to reduce the environmental impact of batteries. Other measures include minimum requirements for the levels of recycled material in new batteries along with the amount of material that can be recovered when the batteries go to waste. The precise wording has yet to be finalized, but ... (view more)

Tue
03
Jan
John Lister's picture

Phones Could Get Replaceable Batteries By Law

Phone manufacturers may be forced to make batteries easily removable. The proposed European rule could have worldwide consequences. Were the rules to become law, they would affect 27 countries that are members of the European Parliament. For global ... manufacturers, most notably Apple, that could mean such a significant change to their handset design that they find it simpler to replicate it in all markets. Politicians from the European Parliament and the technology ministers from each country have agreed to the changes in principle. They'll now have to go through the lawmaking process before ... (view more)

Wed
21
Sep
John Lister's picture

New Rules May Mean Longer-Lasting Phones

Smartphone and tablet manufacturers may be forced to offer updates and security fixes for longer. It's part of a European plan to reduce the need for users to get rid of old devices so often. The proposals would also mean manufacturers making parts ... available for independent repairers and making batteries either long-lasting or replaceable. The move could bring benefits to device buyers around the world. However, analysts also fear it could mean an end to cheap handsets, even if they are a false economy. The proposals come in a draft law in the European Union. They are now out for public ... (view more)

Fri
24
Feb
Dennis Faas's picture

How to Fix: Laptop Won't Turn On - The Definitive Step-by-Step Guide

Infopackets Reader Marion L. writes: " Dear Dennis, I haven't used my laptop for a few weeks. I went to turn it on today, but it won't turn on at all. I have it plugged in to the wall power outlet, but it still doesn't work. What do I do now? " My ... response: This is a fairly common issue with laptops; oftentimes the laptop won't turn on even if it's plugged into the wall if it's been sitting for a while - in your case, a few weeks. Sometimes, however, something else has gone wrong, and parts of the laptop may be corrupt or not working, or the laptop may have died. I'll explain what you need to ... (view more)

Tue
13
Dec
John Lister's picture

Samsung Note 7 to be Disabled Remotely: No Recharge, Signal

Samsung is to remotely block the controversial Galaxy Note 7 phone from recharging. It's an attempt to persuade users who've hung on to the potentially-exploding handset to return the device for a refund. The phone was officially recalled by Samsung ... after reports of handsets overheating and causing burns, and in some cases catching fire. While Samsung is yet to release an official report into the causes of the problem, independent analysis suggests the phone's thin design put too much stress on the battery . To date, around 93 percent of the Note 7's sold to the public have ... (view more)

Tue
11
Oct
John Lister's picture

Samsung Permanently Discontinues Note 7 Amidst Exploding Smartphones

What's worse than a bunch of smartphones catching fire? A company that recalls them, reissues them, and the reissued ones also going up in flames. That's what's happened to Samsung with its Galaxy Note 7 handset, which ultimately led the company to ... permanently discontinue and abandon the model altogether. Launched in August, 2016, the Samsung Note 7 originally received great reviews and was listed by some as not only among the best Samsung phones, but also the best of any phones running the Android operating system. Like previous Samsung Note models, it has a huge screen that ... (view more)

Fri
15
May
Dennis Faas's picture

HP Battery Recall: Laptop 'Fire and Burn Hazard'

It's been some time since we had a massive laptop battery scare; breaking the stalemate is computer hardware giant Hewlett-Packard, which recently announced a recall of some 70,000 notebook battery packs for PCs across both the United States and ... Canada. The recall was issued on Thursday, May 14th, and includes lithium-ion batteries HP worries could overheat, "posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers." A Familiar Issue for HP In a report submitted by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, or CPSC, HP and Health Canada revealed that in at least two instances batteries " ... (view more)

Mon
06
Apr
Dennis Faas's picture

MIT Researchers Reveal Bacteria-Based Batteries

The solution to the age-old problem of weakening battery capacity may soon emerge thanks to tech wizzes at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT. Scientists there have discovered an efficient way of powering electronic devices using ... bacteria-infused batteries. No, this isn't a late April Fool's joke or a long-lost X-Files plot. It's true; the new batteries use a kind of bacteria that can construct an anode after being protected by a layer of cobalt oxide and gold. Once this process is complete, the bacteria batteries can be formed into a nanowire . This makes them drastically ... (view more)

Tue
17
Mar
Dennis Faas's picture

HP Next-Gen Notebook Batteries Last (Almost) Forever

Let's face it, the most infuriating part of owning a laptop computer is a dead or dying battery. It seems no matter how long a battery lasts, it's never quite long enough. Take heart, notebook users: Hewlett-Packard has now released batteries that ... it promises will never lose their capacity. Well, let me correct that: they certainly won't last forever. Instead, HP says they won't lose their capacity over the lifetime of the notebook, which it believes should be around three years. Given that many of us use our laptops much longer than three years (hey, not all tech people embrace change), HP ... (view more)

Fri
12
Dec
Dennis Faas's picture

HP Ready to Introduce Longer Lasting Battery for Notebooks

Tired of your laptop battery dying out, or worried that it might actually pose a fire threat? Notebook batteries are notoriously fickle pieces of machinery, and their unpredictable nature can threaten one's work and even his or her health. ... Boston-Power Inc, makers of "green battery power" plan to redefine how laptop owners feel about the batteries powering their computers. Dedicated to producing safe and long-lasting lithium ion batteries, Boston-Power has announced that it intends to release a new battery boasting ultra-endurance -- performance that appears brand-spanking-new even three ... (view more)

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