Testers of the Mini E have been finding that at 23 degrees F, the car only managed to eke out 55 miles to a charge, nearly half the advertised 100 miles. Even in more mild winters, like Washington, DC, the car gets 20% less range than in warmer climes. Disappointing, to say the least—we hope BMW works out this kink before the official rollout. [Crunchgear]

Part of the secret is to use nickel instead of carbon for the positive terminal in each cell. The previous record at Panasonic for type cells were 2.9 amp hours, and a quick search shows that most are in the 2.2 amp range.

Battery tech still remains one of the slowest developing sectors in technology, which is why Obama put billions of dollars in grant money towards its research. And why this is great news for all. [Panasonic]

Writing to Consumerist, Hannah describes what happened:

"Hi, last night I unplugged my laptop from its charger, carried it downstairs, and placed it on the wood floor of my living room.

I heard a loud popping sound and the room immediately filled with smoke while the laptop hissed and sizzled. It died down, I pushed it with my foot, and it stared hissing again. There is a large scorch mark on my floor.

It goes without saying, I am glad the laptop was not on my couch ...or in an airplane."

Consumerist put Hannah in touch with Dell, and they supplied her with a free upgraded replacement. They are also examining the crispy netbook itself, but have yet to release any details. Generally, when incidents like this occur, the battery is to blame. If Dell is at fault, I would hope that Hannah can get them to spring for repairs to her floor. [Consumerist]

As demonstrated in the video above, the fix shouldn't take more than a minute, or a few minutes, if you're being very careful. It's basically just pushing in a bit on a small metal piece that, when too far out, makes it easy for your battery to slide right off. You'll want to be careful, of course, and especially with your SIM card so close by, but if you've had the unpleasant experience of a falling battery cover, this fix might just be what the (DIY) doctor ordered.

Found another fix for your Droid's battery cover slippage? Tell us about it in the comments.

The downside of these batteries is that they're not rechargeable, but they're still smaller than other standard batteries and will be great for newer, tinier gadgets. [Tech On via Engadget]

It also gets a native PDF reader, previously only found in the Kindle DX. The total battery life for the international version measures at seven days with wireless on (up from four days), and two weeks with wireless off (same as before).

It looks like Amazon just improved the wireless usage, which might have come as a result from switching from using Sprint as the provider to AT&T as a provider? Probably not, seeing as previous Kindle users also get the 85% battery life from a firmware upgrade delivered automatically. PDF support comes over OTA upgrade as well, but no timeframe was announced for either. [Press Release]

The questions were thrown at me by our dear Brian Lam with a disclaimer of "I may have been under narcotic substances when I came up with this idea." But, despite that disclaimer, he's onto something. After all, we've looked at concept models of gadgets intended to be powered in that precise manner, by converting blood glucose into electrical current. There's also been some success in recent bio-battery research with yeast fuel cells. So, why aren't we sating both gadget lust and hunger in the same bite yet?

It turns out that the bio-batteries closest to reality at this time, the yeast cell ones, have a major problem with waste products. That waste is created as those particular batteries involve microbial yeast-based fuel cells that steal "some of the electrons produced when the yeast metabolizes glucose" in order to create a small current. While the entire process works just fine, the yeast cells are at risk unless the waste products are removed. We can't exactly let the waste be dumped into the blood stream, so until there's a some kind of cleaning process, the batteries are trouble as they either they die off or poison your bloodstream while trying to survive.

That trouble aside though, the research is quite encouraging and a huge first step. It may be many years until we can use bio-batteries, but I'll wait patiently with some Häagen-Dazs until the day that fat bottomed girls really make the rockin' world go 'round. [New Scientist]

Photo by Bare Conductive

It varies from netbook to netbook—Toshiba's NB205 hardier withstood Windows 7's power greediness better than HP's Mini 311, but you definitely lose juice quicker. It's somewhat expected, though, with features like the fancier Aero user interface to name one probable cause. Personally, I'll take Windows 7 and the dead battery. [Laptop]

The way you'd use the reNEW charger is simple. You toss your batteries in the top portion and they'll be ready at the bottom once they're fully-charged. Cool idea, but I'm not entirely sure that I'd want to plaster my windows with it.

Updated: Now we've got some official pictures from the original designer rather than the previous "work in progress" shots. [Yanko Design]

According to the manufacturer "it's not bulky either as it just extends a little at the bottom"—yeah right, and Steve Ballmer is just a little intense. The Super Charger is positively ginormous, but if you have a sherpa (or intern) to help you schlep it around, the battery pack can be picked up for $60. It won't void any warranties, but it should. [USB Fever via Crunch Gear]

Designed by Qian Jiang, the concept is actually rather brilliant since it wouldn't require an additional gadget to recharge your batteries and depending on how many recharges it would allow for, it might be a rather good deal too. Since this battery is still a concept, we're a bit skeptical about the claim that it could be fully charged in 20 minutes, but that would be fast enough for most of us. Those of us who haven't got the arm muscles of a noodle that is. [Yanko Design]

The project wants to make this happen by using a lithium-air battery, which...

couple to atmospheric oxygen-essentially harnessing the oxygen in the air as the cathode of the battery. Since oxygen enters the battery on-demand, it offers an essentially unlimited amount of reactant, metered only by the surface area of its electrodes. IBM believes its nanoscale semiconductor fabrication techniques can increase the surface area of the lithium-air battery's electrodes by at least 100 times, enabling them to meet the goals of the project.

If you think the consortium will deliver a fantastic car by the time you need to trade in your current vehicle, you should hold off on getting so excited. IBM says it's going to be another two years to even see if the lithium-air batteries can be used to make the goal happen. [Smarter Technology via Slashdot]

The 2000mAh battery should be good enough to for 1.5-2 charges and the whole thing folds up for easy transport. The basic P-Flip retails for $55 so don't be fooled by the ridiculous "Brookstone exclusive" that goes for $70—it appears to be the same dock. Alternatively, you could always bring along your own cord and make this DIY cardboard dock for nothing. [Dexim via Slashgear via CrunchGear]

On Twitter we noticed that everybody seemed to get back more space from Snow Leopard than the guy before him: "I got back 9GB, wow!" "Hey, I got back 12GB, jeez." "Holy mother, I got back 20 gigs, whoooooa!" So by now, some of you should've gotten back like a terabyte—on your 250GB hard drive. We got back around 6GB, what Apple advertised.

Battery-wise haven't noticed much of a difference compared to Leopard, but if you have, let us know and what kind of machine you're using.

[Giz's Snow Leopard Coverage]

According to the author of the hack, the iPhone 3G took 2 hours and 22 minutes to fully recharge, leaving 50% of the power in the MSI Wind battery. The hack also includes a normal jack to provide with 12v power to any other device.

[Prusadjs]

The benefit of the X-Power 1 is that it's both a backup battery and a charger all in one and you don't have to deal with carrying around an extra gadget. The built-in rechargeable battery backup unit will be charged very time you connect your iPod or iPhone to your computer using the X-Power 1 and you'll get more quality time with your gadget:

• Additional talk time of 4.5 hours on 3G and 9 hours on 2G. Up to 5.4 hours additional on Wi-Fi.
• Standby time of up to 270 hours. Audio Playback up to 20 hours and Video Playback 6 hours.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for extra time with my iPhone and less junk in my bag, but how the hell did that innocent USB cable result this:

[X-Power 1 via GadgetReview]

This DSLR battery clip charges via a special USB source (like Energizer's own portable battery pack, which has a higher voltage than standard USB) and clamps on to "any" digital camera or camcorder battery. The compatibility list is probably high, but we're unsure if any actually means any, so check out the site before buying. The entire Energi To Go line will be available next month. [Gearlog via Oh Gizmo]

Panasonic claims that they did this for safety reasons, and from the horror stories of batteries exploding in phones that have really cheap third-party batteries, we're apt to believe them. But you have to ask yourself, do you want to save $30 or do you want shards of plastic in your eye? The choice is yours. (And if you choose $30, don't update your firmware.) [Panasonic via Slashdot]

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.

A bit of steel wool held to a battery's contacts will create a short and start to spark, and if you're careful, you can direct that spark onto some pre-arranged tinder, starting a fire. Of course, this also works with a 9-volt battery, which I'm almost positive Les Stroud has used on Survivorman, but it's a nice idea to show it can be done with something we've all got in our pockets. [via MAKE]

Just by looking at the 13 and 15-inch models together, you can tell that Apple was pretty much right when they said that they belong in the same family. The construction is almost identical. The only difference is that the 13-inch has one fewer audio jack and no side-board speakers, as been the case for the 13 for years now.

The different atomic structure of the battery and knowledge of nanotechnology are what make this battery different. They used "mesoporous carbon, a material that presents a highly uniform pore structure at nanoscale level," to allow for a more efficient design:

The team assembled a nanostructure of carbon rods separated by empty channels, sulfur was then melted to fill the tiny voids thanks to capillary forces. All the spaces were uniformly filled with sulfur, thus maximizing the surface area in direct contact with carbon and boosting battery efficiency.

We've been needing a new battery technology for awhile now, especially for electric cars, so here's hoping they can get these lithium-sulfur batteries into production as soon as possible and that they deliver on the possibilities we see here. If it really is capable of three times the batter life, we're talking about something like a 730-mile range on a Tesla, 20 hours on a MacBook, or half a week on an iPod, all without added bulk or expense! [Gizmag via DVICE]

The Price: $200 for 60Wh, $300 for 100Wh, $400 for 150Wh and $500 for 222Wh

The Verdict: Enormous battery life. While we tested the 222Wh version, the only difference is the capacity, and you can do the math to figure out how much life each version has. In our test, the 222Wh was able to sustain a MacBook Pro at full charge for eight straight hours. Couple that with the internal battery that the Pro already has, and you're into double digit work time if you buy one of these.

Unlike the Powergorilla, the HyperMac actually is capable of charging the Pro (there's a MacBook Air style charger as well). That means you can use this as a portable charging station as well as a constantly-tethered power supply. But you pay for that in terms of lugging around a heavy ass block of aluminum.

The 222Wh battery itself weighs 4.7 pounds, and measures 10.1 x 5.91 x 1.34 inches. It's not small, but it's still slim enough to be shoved into a bag and carried around with you everywhere. It takes 3.7 hours to charge the HyperMac to full, and you can even continue powering your laptop while this charges, giving you an extra MagSafe charger at home.

One very sneaky use for this is taking the battery to work and filling it up with your company's power, then taking it home and powering your laptop(s) and USB devices off of this. Free power!

We passed one around yesterday at the liveblog and it was able to keep multiple MacBook Pros alive the entire time. And with the new built-in battery for the MacBook Pros, we're going to be stocking up on these instead of extra internal batteries.

So it's up to you: how much power do you need? $500 and 222Wh may be too much for most people unless they work in the field a lot, but the cheaper versions are worth it just to have a backup for emergencies. [Hypermac]

Apple promises the battery will last 5 years or 1,000 recharges in the same body we've come to know and love, which is pretty important since it's non-removable. Along with the battery come upgrades across the board.

The base model features a 3.06 GHz Dual Core Intel processor, 4GB of memory, a 250GB 5400rpm HDD, and an upgraded display (Apple claims it has 60% more color gamut) all at $1,699—$300 less than the current model. If you want to upgrade to a 2.66GHz proc with a 320GB hard drive, that'll run you $1,999, while the 2.8GHz model with a 500GB hard drive will hit at $2,299. The latter two models will be packing Apple's dual Nvidia graphics chips, the 9400M and 9600M (256MB and 512MB, respectively), while the cheapest model has merely one 9400M. All the MacBook Pros can be upgraded to 8GB of memory and a 500GB 7200rpm hard drive or a 256GB SSD.

The 15-inch Pro still won't have an ExpressCard slot—you'll have to bump up to the 17-inch model if you want that. On the plus side, Apple just dropped the price of the 17-inch model (which is otherwise unchanged) to $2,499, a $200 cut. The SD card should stick out a bit from the Pro's body, but that's absolutely a sacrifice we're willing to make.

The 15-incher isn't the only one updated: Check out the Air and the new 13-inch MacBook Pro for more new kit. Press release:

Apple Updates MacBook Pro Family with New Models & Innovative Built-in Battery for Up to 40 Percent Longer Battery Life

SAN FRANCISCO, June 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple® today updated the aluminum unibody MacBook® Pro line to include 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch models featuring Apple's innovative built-in battery for up to 40 percent longer battery life. Each MacBook Pro includes an LED-backlit display with greater color intensity, the innovative glass Multi-Touch™ trackpad, an illuminated keyboard, an SD card or ExpressCard slot, a FireWire® 800 port and state of the art NVIDIA graphics. Starting at just $1,199, the MacBook Pro line is more affordable than ever, with some models up to $300 less than the previous generation. The industry's greenest notebook lineup, every Mac® notebook achieves EPEAT* Gold status and meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements, setting a new standard for environmentally friendly notebook design.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090608/SF28883)

"Across the line, all of our new MacBook Pro models now include Apple's innovative built-in battery for up to seven hours of battery life, while staying just as thin and light as before," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "Starting at just $1,199, the aluminum unibody MacBook Pro is more affordable than ever and sets a new standard for environmentally friendly notebook design."

The new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models include Apple's innovative built-in notebook battery for up to seven hours of wireless productivity on a single charge without adding thickness, weight or cost. Using Adaptive Charging and advanced chemistry first introduced with the 17-inch MacBook Pro earlier this year, the built-in battery delivers up to 1,000 recharges before it reaches 80 percent of its original capacity-nearly three times the lifespan of conventional batteries.** The longer battery lifespan equals fewer depleted batteries and less waste.

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro is a significant upgrade at a lower price than the original aluminum MacBook it replaces. With the same sleek and durable design popular with consumers, students and professionals, all 13-inch MacBook Pro models now include a seven hour built-in battery, an SD card slot, a FireWire 800 port, an illuminated keyboard and an improved LED-backlit display with 60 percent greater color gamut. Featuring the powerful NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is available in two models: one with a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive priced at $1,199, and another with a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive priced at $1,499.

The perfect balance of performance and portability, the 15-inch MacBook Pro now features a seven hour built-in battery, an SD card slot, an improved LED-backlit display with 60 percent greater color gamut and 4GB of RAM across the line at an entry price $300 less than before. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro is available in three models: a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 250GB hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics for a new entry price of $1,699; a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 320GB hard drive, and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and 9600M GT graphics for $1,999; and a 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 500GB hard drive, and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and 9600M GT graphics for $2,299.

The 17-inch MacBook Pro, which includes an eight hour built-in battery, an ExpressCard slot, a brilliant LED-backlit display, 4GB of RAM and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and 9600M GT graphics, has been updated to include a faster 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and a larger 500GB hard drive for $2,499, which is $300 less than before.

All MacBook Pro systems feature Apple's revolutionary aluminum unibody design and for the first time can be upgraded with up to 8GB of RAM, and up to a 500GB hard drive or up to a 256GB solid state drive. The 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models can also be upgraded to a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. All MacBook Pro systems include a next generation, industry-standard Mini DisplayPort to connect with the 24-inch Apple LED Cinema Display.

Apple today also updated the incredibly thin and light MacBook Air®, making it more powerful and more affordable. Measuring just 0.16 to 0.76-inches thin and weighing just three pounds, the MacBook Air is available in two models starting with the new entry price of $1,499 for a 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 120GB hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics, and a 2.13 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 128GB solid state drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics for $1,799.

Every Mac notebook achieves EPEAT Gold status and meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements, setting a new standard for environmentally friendly notebook design. Each unibody enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. All MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models contain no brominated flame retardants and use internal cables and components that are PVC-free. The built-in battery design results in less waste and depleted batteries can be replaced for $129 or $179, which includes installation and disposal of your old battery in an environmentally responsible manner.

Every MacBook Pro comes with Apple's innovative iLife® '09 featuring iPhoto® for managing photos, iMovie® for making movies and GarageBand® for creating and learning to play music. Every Mac also runs Leopard®, the world's most advanced operating system, featuring Time Machine®, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac; Spaces®, an intuitive feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; Mail with easy setup and elegant, personalized stationery; and iChat®, the most advanced video chat.

Pricing & Availability

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro, 15-inch MacBook Pro, 17-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air are now available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Mac OS® X Snow Leopard™ will be shipping in September 2009, and any new Mac system purchased without Snow Leopard from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller between June 8, 2009 and the end of the program on December 26, 2009, is eligible for the Mac OS X Snow Leopard Up-To-Date upgrade package available for a product plus shipping and handling fee of $9.95 (US). Users must request their Up-To-Date upgrade within 90 days of purchase or by December 26, 2009, or whichever comes first. For more information please visit www.apple.com/macosx/uptodate.

The 2.26 GHz, 13-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US), includes:

· 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;

· 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

· 1066 MHz front-side bus;

· 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

· NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

· 160GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

· a slot-load 8X SuperDrive® with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

· Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

· built-in AirPort Extreme® 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

· Gigabit Ethernet port;

· built-in iSight® video camera;

· two USB 2.0 ports;

· one FireWire 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);

· SD card slot;

· one audio line in/out port, supporting both optical digital and analog;

· glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

· built-in, 58WHr lithium polymer battery; and

· 60 Watt MagSafe® Power Adapter.

The 2.53 GHz, 13-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:

· 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;

· 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

· 1066 MHz front-side bus;

· 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

· NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

· 250GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

· a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

· Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

· built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

· Gigabit Ethernet port;

· built-in iSight video camera;

· two USB 2.0 ports;

· one FireWire 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);

· SD card slot;

· one audio line in/out port, supporting both optical digital and analog;

· glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

· built-in, 58WHr lithium polymer battery; and

· 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options for the MacBook Pro include the ability to upgrade to 8GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, a 250GB 5400 rpm, 320GB 5400 rpm or 500GB 5400 rpm hard drive, a 128GB or 256GB solid state drive, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare® Protection Plan.

The 2.53 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,699 (US), includes:

· 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;

· 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

· 1066 MHz front-side bus;

· 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

· NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

· 250GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

· a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

· Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

· built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

· Gigabit Ethernet port;

· built-in iSight video camera;

· two USB 2.0 ports;

· one FireWire 800 port;

· SD card slot;

· one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;

· glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

· built-in, 73WHr lithium polymer battery; and

· 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.66 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US), includes:

· 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;

· 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

· 1066 MHz front-side bus;

· 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

· NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

· NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics with 256MB GDDR3 video memory;

· 320GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

· a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

· Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

· built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

· Gigabit Ethernet port;

· built-in iSight video camera;

· two USB 2.0 ports;

· one FireWire 800 port;

· SD card slot;

· one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;

· glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

· built-in, 73WHr lithium polymer battery; and

· 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.8 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,299 (US), includes:

· 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;

· 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 6MB shared L2 cache;

· 1066 MHz front-side bus;

· 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

· NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

· NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3 video memory;

· 500GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

· a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

· Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

· built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

· Gigabit Ethernet port;

· built-in iSight video camera;

· two USB 2.0 ports;

· one FireWire 800 port;

· SD card slot;

· one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;

· glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

· built-in, 73WHr lithium polymer battery; and

· 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options for the 15-inch MacBook Pro include a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, the ability to upgrade to 8GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, a 320GB 5400 rpm, 320GB 7200 rpm, 500GB 5400 rpm, or 500GB 7200 rpm hard drive, a 128GB or 256GB solid state drive, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

The 2.8 GHz, 17-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,499 (US), includes:

· 17-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1920 x 1200, glossy display;

· 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 6MB shared L2 cache;

· 1066 MHz front-side bus;

· 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

· NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

· NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3 video memory;

· 500GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

· a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

· Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

· built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

· Gigabit Ethernet port;

· built-in iSight video camera;

· three USB 2.0 ports;

· one FireWire 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);

· ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;

· one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;

· glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

· built-in, 95WHr lithium polymer battery; and

· 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options for the 17-inch MacBook Pro include a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 8GB 1066 MHz DDR 3 memory, 500GB 7200 rpm hard drive, a 128GB or 256GB solid state drive, anti-glare display for $50 (US), Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

I've reviewed a few iPhone battery packs and a few laptop battery packs, and the common conclusion is that these are fantastic for the person who needs to work from the field.

The current battery I'm looking at—the HyperMac External Battery—actually delivers an extra eight hours of power to the MacBook Pro. If we had a MacBook Air, it might even deliver up to their claimed 32 extra hours.

So why do I love these so much when it's another thing to carry around? There aren't always outlets to plug into when blogging from the field, and Apple Liveblogs are a perfect example where you have to keep going while sustaining an EVDO connection and transferring images every few sections to your laptop. That's not a time for your equipment to die. Eight extra hours of power? Yes please.

As for phones, there's always a need for extra power for smartphones. I welcome the extra heft if it means that many more songs, or movies, or emails or tweets. Until batteries get good enough that we can either charge them in a few seconds (capacitors), or dump a few ounces of liquid inside (fuel cells), I'm going to stock up on external battery packs.

This bests the already respectable 13-hour life of an MSI Wind armed with a 6-cell battery.

For his unofficial test, Johannes used Battery Eater set to its lowest setting. This is obviously as bare bones as you're going to get, so it's not unsurprising that he was able to achieve 25 hours, 4 minutes. However, even when you factor in what the time would have been if the netbook was being used for web surfing or other netbook-related tasks, you'd have to think the 9-cell would get 18 hours or so, as Liliputing suggests. [EeePC.de via Liliputing]

If you hate the look of a huge bezel around your screen (and have elf hands), you'll probably be better off with the N110, but it's not a bad idea to just stretch the chassis a bit to accommodate at 12" laptop's keyboard; anything to make typing on a tiny, tiny netbook easier, I'm down with. Crammed into the bezel you'll also find an enhanced 2.1 SRS speaker set, with a tiny dedicated subwoofer buried somewhere within.

And on top of that, the N120 is packing the jumbo 6-cell battery thus far only touted on the NC310 in Asia, building on the N110's 8 hours with a promised 10.5 hours of runtime. That's a lot.

Are you confused yet? Good. So far the only one with confirmed pricing and availability for the US is the N110 ($469, next month), so we'll see what happens with the others and keep you posted. [via T3 and Netbooknews.de (translated)]

South Korea, March 24, 2009. Samsung Electronics, a market leader in consumer electronics and world leader in IT technology, today launched the innovative Samsung N120 mini notebook. Samsung Electronics, a market leader in consumer electronics and world leader in IT technology, today launched the innovative Samsung N120 mini notebook. Although slim at just 10.1″, the N120 is designed for optimum usability and performance, with its full-size 12" notebook style keyboard, larger touchpad and an ultra-lightweight and robust slim line casing. Although slim at just 10.1 ", the N120 is designed for optimum usability and performance, with its full-size 12" notebook style keyboard, touchpad larger and an ultra-lightweight and durable slim line casing. What's more, its enhanced sound system means you can experience a rich multimedia experience when you are on the go. What's more, its enhanced sound system means you can experience a rich multimedia experience when you are on the go.

With the N120 you can enjoy high-quality sound anywhere using its integrated SRS 2.1ch system, featuring 2 x 1.5 Watt stereo speakers with a dedicated sub-woofer. With the N120 you can enjoy high-quality sound anywhere using its integrated SRS 2.1ch system, featuring 2 x 1.5 watt stereo speakers with a dedicated sub-woofer. It also features a larger touchpad and a full-size 12" notebook style keyboard with optimized key spacing, so you can type faster and make fewer mistakes. It also features a larger touchpad and a full-size 12 "notebook style keyboard with optimized key spacing, so you can type faster and make fewer mistakes. Its ergonomic design places less stain on your wrists, which all adds up to a more enjoyable and productive experience. Its ergonomic design places less stain on your Wrists, which all adds up to a more enjoyable and productive experience.

Shielded by the robust Samsung Duracase, this mini notebook is more than capable of rolling with the punches. Shielded by the rugged Samsung Duracase, this mini notebook is more than capable of rolling with the punch. Having passed a grueling series of quality assurance tests, ranging from rapid temperature change to electrical surges, it sets new standards for survivability and resilience, giving you much less to worry about when you're traveling. Having passed a grueling series of quality assurance tests, ranging from rapid temperature change to electrical Surge, it sets new standards for Survivability and resilience, giving you much less to worry about when you're traveling.

As well a being extremely portable, the N120 also delivers a significantly longer battery-powered performance of up to 10.5 hours* with a long-life 6 cell battery, independent of any power supply, for maximum freedom and mobility. As well a being extremely portable, so the N120 delivers a significantly longer battery-powered performance of up to 10.5 hours * with a long-life 6 Cell Battery, independent of any power supply, for maximum freedom and mobility. The unique combination of its power efficient LED display and optimized processing performance coupled with Samsung's class-leading engineering ensures that you're always ready to go anywhere and do anything thanks to the N120's vastly improved battery life. The unique combination of its power efficient LED display and optimized processing performance coupled with Samsung's class leading engineering ensures that you're always ready to go anywhere and do anything thanks to the N120's vastly improved battery life.

To help you get the most out of life when you're out and about the N110's small form is packed with comprehensive array of the latest technology for maximum performance on the move, including advanced connectivity tools to help you stay in touch. To help you get the most out of life when you're out and about the N110's small form is packed with comprehensive array of the latest technology for maximum performance on the move, including advanced connectivity tools to help you stay in touch.

An integrated 1.3 megapixel digital motion camera combines the resolution and image quality of a still camera with the sustained high frame rates of a video camera, so it's much easier to keep in touch with friends and family, using video-conferencing or live messaging. An integrated 1.3 megapixel digital motion camera combines the resolution and image quality of a still camera with the sustained high frame rates of a video camera, so it's much easier to keep in touch with friends and family, using video-conferencing or live messaging .

To make it as simple as possible to exchange data, including documents, pictures and music, between almost any modern camera, peripheral or audio-visual device, the N120 incorporates a range of advanced connectivity tools, including a 3-in-1 memory card reader, 3 built-in USB ports and optional Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate). To make it as simple as possible to exchange data, including documents, pictures and music, between almost any modern camera, peripheral or audio-visual device, the N120 incorporates a range of advanced connectivity tools, including a 3-in-1 memory card reader, 3 built-in USB ports and optional Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate).

As well as safeguarding your data, the N120 also uses the latest medical technology to protect your health by providing a more hygienic computing environment. As well as Safeguarding your data, so the N120 uses the latest medical technology to protect your health by providing a more hygienic computing environment. Its anti-bacterial keyboard is coated with a special finish that successfully eliminates virtually all bacteria by making it almost impossible for them to live and breed. Its anti-bacterial keyboard is coated with a special finish that successfully eliminate virtually all bacteria by making it almost impossible for them to live and breed.

"Now everyone can afford to experience exceptional portability and usability with the full sized keyboard and advanced communications tools of the ultra-light Samsung N120 mini notebook. "Now everyone can afford to experience exceptional portability and usability with the full sized keyboard and advanced communications tools of the ultra-light mini Samsung N120 notebook. It's the perfect choice for anyone who needs to stay in touch on the go," said Seong Woo Nam, Senior Vice President of Samsung Computer Systems Division. It's the perfect choice for anyone who needs to stay in touch on the go, "said Woo Seong Nam, Senior Vice President of Samsung Computer Systems Division.
The Samsung N120 will be available from April in European, CIS, Asian, and also in the US country. The Samsung N120 will be available from April in the European, CIS, Asian, and also in the U.S. country.

FEATURES: FEATURES:

Intel® Atom™ processor Intel ® Atom ™ processor
Incorporating Intel's smallest and lowest power processor, the Intel® Atom™ processor, which is specifically designed to deliver an amazing Internet experience using mini notebooks. Incorporating Intel's smallest and lowest power processor, the Intel ® Atom ™ processor, which is specifically designed to deliver an amazing Internet experience using mini notebooks. Based on an entirely new microarchitecture, the Intel® Atom™ processor increases energy efficiency to extend battery life, while delivering enhanced mobile performance and increased system responsiveness. Based on an entirely new micro architecture, the Intel ® Atom ™ processor increases energy efficiency to extend battery life, while delivering enhanced mobile performance and increased system responsiveness.

Genuine Microsoft Windows® XP Home Genuine Microsoft Windows ® XP Home
Packed with multimedia features, Windows XP Home Edition aims to unlock the full potential of your mini notebook. Packed with multimedia features, Windows XP Home Edition aims to unlock the full potential of your mini notebook. Designed exclusively for home computing, Windows XP Home Edition puts the exciting experiences of the digital age at your fingertips. Designed exclusively for home computing, Windows XP Home Edition puts the exciting experiences of the digital age at your fingertips. From digital photos, music, and video to building a home network, Windows XP Home Edition brings you into the digital age with ease. From digital photos, music, and video to building a home network, Windows XP Home Edition brings you into the digital age with ease.

Richer sound Richer sound
Enjoy a full and rich multimedia experience on the go with high-quality sound thanks to the integrated SRS 2.1ch system, featuring 2 x 1.5 Watt stereo speakers with a dedicated sub-woofer. Enjoy a full and rich multimedia experience on the go with high-quality sound thanks to the integrated SRS 2.1ch system, featuring 2 x 1.5 watt stereo speakers with a dedicated sub-woofer.

Large size keyboard Large size keyboard
Makes typing easier and faster with a full-size 12" keyboard packed into a 10.1″ mini notebook. Makes typing easier and faster with a full-size 12 "keyboard packed into a 10.1" mini notebook. Despite its small form, the ergonomic design, with optimized key spacing and larger touchpad, provides a more pleasurable and productive experience, with less strain on your wrists, fewer errors and faster typing speeds. Despite its small shape, the ergonomic design, with optimized key spacing and larger touchpad, provides a more pleasurable and productive experience, with less strain on your Wrists, fewer errors and faster typing speeds.

Slim line design Slim line design
The class-leading slim line design lets you do more on the move – and still look good! The class-leading slim line design lets you do more on the move - and still look good! As well as premium ergonomics and haptic styling, the elegant, durable casing ensures maximum portability and reliability – making it easy to carry in a handbag, briefcase or luggage. As well as premium ergonomics and styling Haptic, the elegant, durable casing ensures maximum portability and reliability - making it easy to carry in a handbag, briefcase or luggage.

Long-lasting battery life Long-lasting battery life
Delivers longer battery-powered performance of up to 10.5 hours* with a long-life 6 cell battery, independent of any power supply, for maximum freedom and mobility. Delivers longer battery powered performance of up to 10.5 hours * with a long-life 6 Cell Battery, independent of any power supply, for maximum freedom and mobility. This vastly improved battery life is guaranteed by the power efficient LED display and optimized processing performance coupled with Samsung's class-leading engineering. This vastly improved battery life is guaranteed by the power efficient LED display and optimized processing performance coupled with Samsung's class leading engineering. So you're always ready to go anywhere and do anything. So you're always ready to go anywhere and do anything.

Light weight Light weight
Experience optimum mobility with this ultra-light mini notebook, which weighs just 1.28 kg (including a 6 cell battery) – allowing you to carry less, but do more. Experience optimum mobility with this ultra-light mini notebook, which weighs just 1:28 kg (including a 6 cell battery) - allowing you to carry less, but do more. Despite its compact size, it still incorporates comprehensive functionality for maximum performance on the move, including advanced connectivity tools and an ergonomic keyboard. Despite its compact size, it still incorporates comprehensive functionality for maximum performance on the move, including advanced connectivity tools and an ergonomic keyboard.

Durable casing Durable casing
Shielded by the robust Samsung Duracase to ensure reliability and durability, this mini notebook is more than capable of rolling with the punches, giving you less to worry about when traveling. Shielded by the rugged Samsung Duracase to ensure reliability and durability, this mini notebook is more than capable of rolling with the Punch, giving you less to worry about when traveling. A grueling series of 54 quality assurance tests, ranging from rapid temperature change to electrical surges, set new standards for survivability and resilience. A grueling series of 54 quality assurance tests, ranging from rapid temperature change to electrical Surg, set new standards for Survivability and resilience.

Always stay in touch Always stay in touch
An integrated 1.3 megapixel digital motion camera makes it easier than ever to keep in touch with friends and family, using video-conferencing or live messaging. An integrated 1.3 megapixel digital motion camera makes it easier than ever to keep in touch with friends and family, using video-conferencing or live messaging. The camera combines the resolution and image quality of a still camera with the sustained high frame rates of a video camera. The camera combines the resolution and image quality of a still camera with the sustained high frame rates of a video camera.

Simple data sharing Simple data sharing
Enables simple data sharing with a host of advanced connectivity tools, including a 3-in-1 memory card reader, 3 built-in USB ports and optional Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate). Enables simple data sharing with a host of advanced connectivity tools, including a 3-in-1 memory card reader, 3 built-in USB ports and optional Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate). That means you can easily transfer pictures, movies and data to and from virtually any modern camera, peripheral or audio-visual device. That means you can easily transfer pictures, movies and data to and from virtually any modern camera, peripheral or audio-visual device.

Healthy working environment Healthy working environment
Using the latest medical technology, the Samsung anti-bacterial keyboard is coated with a special finish that makes it almost impossible for bacteria to live and breed. Using the latest medical technology, the Samsung anti-bacterial keyboard is coated with a special finish that makes it almost impossible for bacteria to live and breed. So, virtually all bacteria are successfully eliminated and the notebook remains clean, creating a more hygienic computing environment. Thus, virtually all bacteria are successfully eliminated and the notebook remains clean, creating a more hygienic computing environment.

ECO friendly Eco friendly
Samsung's own certification mark (ECO), which guarantees Eco-friendly features, including removal of hazardous substances and material, optimized energy efficiency and effective material usage for a more environmentally friendly product. Samsung's own certification mark (ECO), which guarantees Eco-friendly features, including removal of hazardous substances and material, optimized energy efficiency and effective material usage for a more environmentally friendly product.

Warranty, On Time – and On Us Warranty, On Time - and On Us
All this is backed up with the peace of mind that your notebook is protected by Samsung's class leading warranty service. All this is backed up with the peace of mind that your notebook is protected by Samsung's class leading warranty service. In the unlikely event that something goes wrong with your notebook, the Samsung international warranty infrastructure will provide you with a fast track collection repair and return service for your notebook in order to minimize disruption and get you back working as quickly as possible. In the unlikely event that something goes wrong with your notebook, the Samsung International warranty infrastructure will provide you with a fast track collection repair and return service for your notebook in order to minimize disruption and get you back working as quickly as possible.

The NYT quotes the editor of Battery University as saying cellphone batteries last longer if they're kept cooler. Cooler, as in not at your body temperature. So, if you're really running low on juice during the day, get a holster or a purse. Plus, you should probably keep your junk cool and away from your cellphone if you ever want to have kids either. It's win/win.

There are other tips such as shoving a wet phone in rice, putting a car alarm fob up to your chin and freezing a broken hard drive we've seen before, but head on over if you need a refresher. [NYT]

Image credit

The Price:$120-150

The Verdict: As a portable power source, the Powerpack 450 is outstanding. It cranks out 340W continuous (450W peak) of AC juice, which is enough to power laptops, lamps, radios, cellphones and other small appliances. It would be an ideal supplement to a generator in the event of a power outage.

As far as a vehicles are concerned, the 150 psi air compressor works, but don't expect to be back up an running in a short amount of time. I actually have a slow leak on my front passenger side, and it can take over 10 minutes to pump up a flat (depending on the situation). I never ran into a situation where a jump start was necessary, but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. Duracell even supplies the cables with the battery. The 5W flashlight is fairly standard, but given the fact that the entire battery weighs around 20 pounds, its no substitute for even a cheap handheld version. However, if you are stuck on the side of the road in the dark, it could come in handy.

On the downside, the Powerpack 450 takes nearly 40 hours to charge completely and the voice feature can be extremely annoying at times. I can tell you that my laptop maintained a full charge for nearly 8 hours while plugged into the device, but I couldn't tell you precisely how long it would have lasted because the constant battery status updates towards the end proved too much to bear. Still, voice directions that notify you of battery status and guide you through a jump start / tire inflation can still be useful—although not particularly necessary.

In the end, if you live in an area prone to power outages, you have a beater car, you enjoy camping or you work in remote areas, spending $120 or so on the Powerpack 450 is worth the money. If you need more juice, you can always step up to the 600 model. [Duracell]

The Energizer AA batteries are rated at 2200 mAh and the Duracells at 2000 mAh (that's milliampere-hours, a measurement of energy charge). But the Duracells last a lot longer.

I tested using an ICON LED flashlight, this solid aluminum model with high and low settings—the high setting killing a standard battery in about 3 hours. Through several trials using different cells, the Energizer lasted 2 to 3.5 hours, while the Duracells took anywhere from 5 to 6.5 hours to drain. Not an insignificant discrepancy, and contrary to the respective charge ratings on each.

The Duracell family of rechargeable batteries also come precharged out of the package, so that's very convenient. They've also got USB ports for charging USB gadgets. Both companies offer car and 15 minute chargers. The Duracell Mobile charger is my favorite simply because it has a car adapter and a wall adapter, and can charge 4 AA batteries or any USB device from those sources. (It does not do 15 minute charges, however, but I'd rather buy extras and have them ready to go.) The only real drawback is that it can't charge D cells and 9V batteries like the giant sized Energizer family charger can. Both kinds of batteries are NiMH. Duracell claims their batteries will hold their charge for a year in storage, while Energizer claims only 6 months.

Frills aside, the bottom line here is battery life, and Duracell has a lot more of it than Energizer.

The Mophie Juicepack Air is slated to be the sveltest iPhone battery boosting case yet. (Exactly how thin that means, we are honestly not sure.) Packed with a 1200 mAH lithium polymer battery, the Juicepack Air can function as a regular iPhone case, or it can be switched out of "standby" to add 4.5 hours of talk/surf time to the handset.

Priced at $80 and available this Spring, it might be alright, but now we're really craving a Capri Sun. That'll put the price up to $82.50 at least. [Mophie]

The police have told newspapers that the man was carrying some sort of homemade firing device and nine bullets stashed in a separate bag. They believe that the man accidentally dropped it, causing the gun to discharge or explode—severing his carotid artery and destroying the cellphone he had stashed in his shirt pocket.

That explanation creates more questions than it solves, but for now the authorities have not revealed any further details on the incident or the device he may have been carrying. Is this some sort of cover-up to prevent widespread panic over potentially dangerous cellphone knockoffs or was it simply an unfortunate incident involving a man trying to protect himself in an area where crime rates are skyrocketing? [Telegraph]

The cellphone of this victim—a man in a Lenovo shop in Guangzhou, China—exploded without warning in his shirt pocket, slicing an artery in his neck, causing him bleed to death. The battery was recently recharged and, according to a fellow employee, it was completely new. The origin of the battery is still unknown.

Just in case, I'm not putting my iPhone in my jacket's inner chest pocket ever again. Or in my pants, for that matter. [Tech Ticker]

To create his deformed battery contraption, he got the Lithium Ion cells from his old laptop, sticking them together with wire and electrical tape, and then dispossessed himself from any sense of aesthetics or shame. [Eee User via Portable Monkey]

We here at Gizmodo HQ are trying to decide if this is real or not. One the one hand, that spark looks relatively real, and the dude certainly reacts like it's real, but the battery terminal looks like its hooked up to the foil in a short, which should cause HEAT, not shocks...Oh wait. There are two separate pieces of foil going on there! But anyhow, what kind of person would actually do this? Good god. What say you, commenters? [Break via The Daily What]

This new cell utilizes only four components—a water reservoir and a chamber containing metal hydride separated by a thin membrane with an assembly of electrodes that conduct electricity underneath. Because of the small size of the cell, the team was able to eliminate the pump, pressure sensor, and controlling electronics that create such a power drain in typical fuel cells.

The first designs of the cell were capable of generating 0.7 volts and a current of 0.1 milliamps for 30 hours—but they claim that new versions can deliver 1 milliamp at a similar voltage. [New Scientist via Cleantech via DVICE]