battery

Though not yet out, the new iPad has already won over a healthy chunk of current iPad owners.

A full 42 percent of existing iPad owners said they'll buy the iPad 3, aka iPad HD, when it's released, according to a recent PriceGrabber survey. Among all the people surveyed by the site, 22 percent already own a tablet, and out of those, 52 percent own an iPad.

Conducted between February 23 and March 2, PriceGrabber's survey reached from 1,829 online shoppers in the U.S.

Of the current iPad owners who plan to buy the new … Read more

A report from Reuters this morning claims it has the inside track on the iPad HD (or is it iPad 3?) specs, namely that 4G is going to be included in Apple's tablet update tomorrow.

Also in on the rumor act is tech blog iMore, which claims to have a source within Apple who actually knows what's going on. The source, who correctly predicted the March 7 iPad HD event, is now telling iMore that the iPad HD is "good to go" for 4G LTE.

This rumor falls in line with an earlier report by Stearn Agee's Shaw Wu who claimed the iPad HD would also include a much faster processor, a Retina Display, and Siri, Apple's voice-controlled assistant.… Read more

The iPad 3 will be a substantial upgrade over the current model with a variety of "beefed up specs," says Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu.

Based on information from supply chain sources, Wu says the new iPad will sport a much faster processor, a higher-resolution screen, 4G LTE wireless, and the addition of voice assistant Siri. The analyst believes a robust near-term refresh is due since the the iPad 2 is about to turn a year old.

This week, Apple announced an event for March 7 at which the company is expected to unveil its latest iPad.

Other … Read more

With the auto industry pining for a battery breakthrough to lower electric vehicle costs, Envia Systems has some interesting performance data to share.

The five-year-old company today is expected to disclose technical details of its batteries which executives say could lead to cutting EV battery pack prices in half in three or four years. Envia Systems' batteries are being evaluated by a number of automakers, including its largest investor General Motors, according to CEO Atul Kapadia.

The lithium ion batteries in cars, such as the Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf, provide ample power to accelerate a car, but the cost … Read more

The standard battery icon on your Android can be a little misleading. The icons for 90% and 80% battery may look the same, just like 15% and 5%. If you want a more detailed meter for your device's charge, check out ChargeBar for Android. This app puts a small bar along top or bottom of your screen that indicates the percentage charge of your device. It's easy to use and customize, read on to learn about it.

Step 1: Download and install ChargeBarChargeBar - MIUI Battery Bar.

Step 2: Run the app and examine … Read more

As implantable medical devices become smaller and less power hungry, they are taking on a variety of new roles. What began as largely stationary objects, such as pacemakers and cochlear implants, are becoming small enough to actually pass through our bodies (i.e. in the form of pills) to deliver drugs and perform diagnostics.

Now, a new class of medical devices is emerging that adds a twist to the traditional implant: the devices are so small that they can travel through our bloodstream, not to mention are powered wirelessly via electromagnetic radio waves, according to Stanford electrical engineer Ada Poon.

By moving through the bloodstream, these tiny implants will be able to perform minor surgeries such as removing blood clots, Poon told an audience at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference in San Francisco this week.… Read more

From the age of dot, we're all told not to put gadgets in our mouths.

But along came electric toothbrushes--and then electronic cigarettes. Some will wonder how safe they might be after a 57-year-old Florida man was taken to hospital Monday night when his electronic smoke exploded while he was smoking it.

He ended up in an Alabama hospital, facing burns, the loss of part of his tongue and his front teeth.

Joseph Parker, division chief for the North Bay Fire Department, offered a graphic analogy to the Associated Press: "It was trying to hold a bottle rocket in your mouth when it went off. The battery flew out of the tube and set the closet on fire."… Read more

Apple's been mum lately about iOS 5.1, but new rumors suggest the update could launch on March 9.

Digging into profiles sent by Apple to various iPhone carriers, blog site YourDailyMac found a pointer to 09Mar2012 in one of the text strings. Aimed for operators in Japan, France, Greece, Finland, and Sweden, the profile files are designed to ensure that network connections will continue to work after iOS devices are updated to the latest version. The files are also said to be compatible with iOS 5.1, according to YourDailyMac.

Of course, like most rumors, this one should … Read more

What do the iPhone, Motorola Droid Razr Maxx, and Nokia Lumia 900 have in common? The fact that their batteries can't easily be removed.

Last week, the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx wowed us with its slim physique and a long battery life that nearly doubled that of the original Droid Razr. The one component that made it possible is the unremovable--or embedded--battery.

Cell phones with batteries you can't pop out are more common than you may think. Apple has made embedded batteries a mainstay in every iPhone since its first.

In fact, add up the iPhones, both Droid Razrs, two Nokia Lumias (800 and 900), and the upcoming Motorola Droid 4 and it appears we have a trend on our hands.… Read more