HP Pavilion dv6-6033cl

The HP Pavilion dv6-6033cl ($849.99 list, at Costco) uses Intel's Sandy Bridge processor technology to deliver impressive productivity and multimedia performance, and it comes with a relatively big hard drive and a sturdy aluminum finish. While not overly expensive, this desktop replacement laptop is a bit pricy considering its mediocre feature set and the fact that there are less expensive models out there that offer similar performance and longer hp latop battery life.

Design
The dv6-6033cl's lid is wrapped in a brushed black aluminum shell and is decorated with the requisite backlit HP logo. Rounded edges and a tight, sturdy hinge mechanism provide a measure of durability not found in laptops with plastic finishes. A band of silver trim around the base compliments the black finish, which has a slight sheen that will expose smudges but not nearly as much as what you get with a high gloss finish. The dv6-6033cl weighs 5.5 pounds, making it heavier than the Acer Aspire AS5742-6811 (4.9 pounds), Samsung RV511-A01 ($599.99 list, 4 stars) (5.2 pounds), and Gateway NV50A02u ($449.99 list, 4 stars) (5 pounds).

More

The 15.6-inch display maxes out at 1,366 by 768, a common resolution for laptops of this size. The screen is bright, and image quality is crisp at 720p, but you'll have to stream your HD content as this model does not come with a Blu-ray drive. The keyboard deck has the same metallic finish as the lid and holds a full size chiclet-style keyboard (also black) with a dedicated number pad. The keyboard has just enough flex to keep it from being too stiff and is comfortable to type on. As with the dv6-6013cl ($649.99 list, 4.5 stars), this model uses a multi-touch trackpad rather than the finicky clickpad used on other Pavilion models such as the HP dm4-1265dx ($649.99 list, 4 stars), and that's an improvement; the touchpad is wide and is very responsive, as are the two mouse buttons. A thin backlit strip bordering the touchpad makes it easy to use in the dark. There isn't any media player or volume controls on the deck but there is a fingerprint reader on the lower right side and a Web browser hot key and power switch on top.

A silver speaker bar positioned between the two lid hinges is mounted at an angle to help direct sound to the user rather than straight up. It is joined by two additional speakers in the lower chassis and is part of the Beats Audio solution, a combination of hardware and software that delivers an enhanced listening experience. Audio quality was significantly more robust than what you get on a two-speaker laptop such as the Sony VAIO VPC-EA46FM/V ($799.99 list, 3.5 stars), but it doesn't give you the much needed bass response that you get with a built-in subwoofer.

Features
Port selection is fairly typical. VGA, HDMI, and Ethernet ports share space on the left side of the laptop with two USB 3.0 ports, two headphone jacks, and a microphone jack. The dual headphone jacks come in handy if you want to share a movie or music with a friend. On the right are two USB 2.0 ports and a DVD burner with LightScribe label etching capabilities. Wireless capabilities include 802.11n and Bluetooth networking but you don't get WiMAX broadband or WiDi (wireless display) like you do with the Dell Inspiron 15R-2728MRB ($749.99 list, 3.5 stars). A 2-in-1 media card reader (SD and MMC) is embedded in the front edge of the chassis, and an HP TruVision HD webcam is built-in to the screen's upper bezel.

The 640GB 5,400rpm hard drive may not be the fastest drive around but it has plenty of room for file storage. Windows 7 Home Premium is preinstalled, as is a smattering of bloatware such as eBay and LoJack adware, HP Games, and trial versions of MS Office and Norton Internet Security. Also installed are a webcam utility, Cyberlink's PowerDVD9, and HP's Cloud Drive software. Dell latitude d630 battery with a one-year warranty, but since this is a Costco exclusive you get an extra year at no additional charge. Costco members also enjoy the benefit of Costco's Concierge service, which provides toll-free technical support and a 90-day return policy.

Performance
Equipped with a 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410M (Sandy Bridge) processor, 6GB of RAM, and Intel's integrated HD Graphics 3000 GPU, the dv6-6033cl turned in an impressive PCMark Vantage score of 6,217, edging out the Samsung RF510-S01US ($939.99 list, 3.5 stars) (6,094) and Sony VAIO VPC-EB47GM/BJ ($799.99 list, 3.5 stars) (5,949). It also beat the Dell 15R-2728MRB (6,121) and Acer AS5742-6811 (6,161), but just barely. Predictably, scores from the Core i7-powered MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt) ($2,199 direct, 4 stars) (8,315) and Dell XPS 15 (Sandy Bridge) ($1,785 direct, 4 stars) (8,089) were significantly higher. Results were similar on the Handbrake, CineBench R11.5, and PhotoShop CS5 multimedia tests; the dv6-6033cl outscored the Dell 15R-2728MRB and Acer AS5742-6811, but not by much, while the Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Pro dominated.

While the new Intel HD Graphics 3000 GPU is certainly an improvement over the earlier GMA HD (Core i5), it is not adequate as a gaming solution. It does, however, handle video with aplomb. The dv6-6033cl's 3DMark06 score of 1,878 (at 1,366 by 768) was pretty much in line with that of the and Acer AS5742-6811 (1,855) and Dell 15R-2728MRB (1,816), but it did much better on the low resolution Crysis test. Still, 17.6 frames per second (fps) at low resolution is hardly what you'd call a playable frame rate. The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, scored 74.8 fps, thanks to its AMD Radeon HD 6750 graphics engine.

The dv6-6033cl's 55WH battery ( Dell inspiron 1545 ac adapter ) lasted 3 hours 57 minutes on MobileMark 2007, which is not terrible but nothing to write home about either. That score is more than an hour shy of the Acer AS5742-6811 (5:07) and MacBook Pro (4:40) and four hours shorter than the Dell XPS 15 (6:58).

If you're looking for a desktop replacement dell laptop battery that uses the latest Intel technology to deliver strong productivity performance, the Sony vaio k series battery will fit the bill. Its durable finish and ample storage are nice features, as are the speedy USB 3.0 ports and two-year warranty. Still, its graphics engine has limited potential, and it comes up short in terms of features and battery life. And while the dv6-6033cl is a good performer, the FUJITSU siemens amilo pro v2010 battery offers similar productivity performance and more features for less money (the dv6-6033cl gives you slightly better multimedia and graphics performance, though). The Acer Aspire AS5742-6811 also offers competitive performance and much better battery life for around $150 less. For the best all around performance and feature set in a 15-inch desktop replacement laptop, the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt) is still our reigning Editors' Choice.

more tags: HP pavilion dv9000 ac adapter, HP pavilion dv4 battery, Sony vaio pcg-f series battery, Dell studio 1555 battery,  hp pavilion nx9110 battery, hp pavilion tx1000 battery, Dell inspiron 1501 ac adapter, ibm thinkpad x40 battery , dell vostro 1400 battery, Dell xps m1210 battery, TOSHIBA dynabook ss mx/470ls battery, TOSHIBA pa3331u-1brs battery, Compaq presario 1625 battery

next blog: Dell XPS 15 L502x: Now with Sandy Bridge

Dell XPS 15 L502x: Now with Sandy Bridge

Dell XPS 15 L502x: Tweaking the Formula
Late last year, we finally got a laptop with very few compromises that we could look to as the king of the mainstream market. That laptop was Dell’s XPS 15 L501x; it took a balanced approach to performance, dell laptop battery life, and portability, with a great display upgrade as a bonus offering. Perhaps more important was you could get all of the important features and still pay less than $1000. It was only natural—nay, inevitable—that Dell would update the XPS line with Sandy Bridge processors, and that’s what we have for review today with the XPS 15 L502x. The graphics have also received a minor update to NVIDIA’s 500M line, though the 400M and 500M are basically fraternal twins.

We won’t spend a lot of time discussing the nuances of the build, as very little has changed relative to the original XPS 15. If you want more information on build quality, the keyboard, etc. we refer you back to our earlier write up. The short summary is that the build quality is still good, but it’s not at the level of something like a Dell Latitude. Dell uses a magnesium alloy frame in the XPS, but the top and bottom are still plastic. Perhaps the bigger issue some will have is with the curves; love it or hate it, the curves are here to stay for the time being. We’ll have a bit more to discuss in a minute, but first let’s start with our usual spec table. The following table lists the available options for the XPS 15, with our review configuration components bolded where applicable.

Dell XPS 15 L502x Specifications
Processor	Intel Core i5-2410M (dual-core 2.30-2.90GHz, 35W) Intel Core i5-2520M (dual-core 2.50-3.20GHz, 35W) Intel Core i7-2630QM (quad-core 2.00-2.90GHz, 45W)Intel Core i7-2620M (dual-core 2.70-3.40GHz, 35W) Intel Core i7-2720QM (quad-core 2.20-3.30GHz, 45W) Intel Core i7-2820QM (quad-core 2.30-3.40GHz, 45W)
Chipset	Intel HM67
Memory	2x2GB DDR3-1333 1x4GB + 1x2GB DDR3-1333 2x4GB DDR-1333 (CL9)
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M 1GB DDR3 96 SPs, 600/1200/1800MHz Core/Shader/RAM clocks NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M 2GB DDR396 SPs, 672/1344/1800MHz Core/Shader/RAM clocks
Display	15.6” WLED Glossy 16:9 768p (1366x768) 15.6" B+GR LED Glossy 16:9 1080p (1920x1080) (AU Optronics B156HW1)
Hard Drive(s)	500GB 7200RPM HDD 640GB 7200RPM HDD 750GB 7200RPM HDD (Western Digital Scorpio Black WD7500BPKT-75PK4T0) 256GB SSD
Optical Drive	8X Tray-Load DVDRW Blu-ray Reader/DVDRW Combo (HL-DT-ST CT30N) Blu-ray Writer/DVDRW
Networking	Gigabit Ethernet(Realtek RTL8168/8111) 802.11n WiFi (Intel Wireless-N 1000) 802.11n WiFi (Intel Advanced-N 6150) 802.11n WiFi + Bluetooth 3.0 (Intel Wireless-N 1030) 802.11n WiFi + Bluetooth 3.0 (Intel Advanced-N 6230)
Audio	2.1 JBL Speakers + Waves Audio (Stereo speakers and subwoofer) Microphone and two headphone jacks Capable of 5.1 digital output (HDMI/SPDIF)
Battery	6-cell, 11.1V, ~5.0Ah, 56Wh 9-cell, 11.1V, ~8.1Ah, 90Wh
Front Side	Memory Card Reader
Left Side	Exhaust vent 1 x USB 3.0
Right Side	Optical Drive 2 x Headphone Jack Microphone Jack 1 x eSATA/USB 2.0 Combo
Back Side	Mini DisplayPort HDMI 1.4 Gigabit Ethernet TV Input (Optional) AC Power Connection 1 x USB 3.0 Kensington Lock
Operating System	Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Dimensions	15.0" x 10.4" x 1.3-1.5" (WxDxH, 6-cell) 15.0" x 10.4" x 1.3-2.2" (WxDxH, 9-cell)
Weight	6.33 lbs (6-cell) 6.68 lbs (9-cell)
Extras	Waves Maxx Audio 3 2MP Skype HD Certified Webcam (H.264) 86-Key backlit keyboard (Upgrade) Flash reader (SD/IO/XC/HC, MS/Pro/XC, MMC, xD)
Warranty	1-year standard warranty (depending on variant) 2-, 3-, and 4-year warranties available
Pricing	Starting Price: $800 Price as configured: $1425

We received a moderately upgraded version of the L502x this time around. The base model starts at $800 and you can still add the nice 1080p LCD for $150, so you’re still able to get a nice display for under $1000, but outside of Quick Sync the Core i5-2410M isn’t a major upgrade from the older i5-460M and the same can be said of the GT 525M vs. GT 420M. Basically, it’s better, and it’s about the same price, but if you already have the L501x there’s no need to upgrade to dual-core Sandy Bridge. Quad-core Sandy Bridge is a different story, as we’ll see in the benchmarks; Dell shipped the cheapest of the quad-core options, the i7-2630QM.
Along with the CPU upgrade, we’ve got the GT 540M, which is a faster clocked version of the 420M/425M/435M/525M/etc. The old XPS 15 came with a GT 420M by default, which clocks in at 500/1000MHz core/shaders and 1600MHz on the RAM, so the GT 540M has 34% more theoretical computational power and 12.5% more memory bandwidth, plus twice the RAM for good measure. The base model L502x comes with the GT 525M, which is clocked at 600/1200MHz core/shaders, so the 540M is only about 12% faster on the core but has the same memory bandwidth. Depending on the bottleneck, then, the new system should be 10-35% faster than the L501x in games, and potentially more than twice as fast in CPU calculations.
Other upgrades on the test system include 8GB RAM, a 9-cell battery (we still have the smaller 6-cell around as well), and this is the first time we’ve seen a 750GB 7200RPM 2.5” hard drive. Western Digital’s Scorpio Black is king of the 2.5” HDD hill, but unfortunately it’s also a far cry from matching even moderate SSDs. What it lacks in raw performance it makes up for with capacity, and with the increase in areal density the 750GB drive should outperform older 500GB 2.5” drives. Finally, besides the backlit keyboard, Dell also included the 1080p LCD, a TV tuner, and Bluetooth 3.0. The final tally for our test configuration is a much heftier $1425 at the time of writing. Is it worth it? As with so many other things in life, the answer is a nebulous “it depends”. Let’s discuss things a bit more before we get to the benchmarks.
more tags: TOSHIBA pa3107u-1bas battery, Sony vgp-bps2 battery, Compaq presario r4000 battery, Dell inspiron 1521 battery, Dell latitude d800 battery, Dell inspiron 1501 ac adapter , Dell inspiron 1525 battery, Compaq presario 2100us battery, Acer aspire one 10.1 battery, Dell inspiron 1545 ac adapter, HP compaq presario cq72 battery, IBM thinkpad t60 2637 battery , Acer aspire 3000 battery, TOSHIBA pa3356u-1brs battery, Compaq armada 7800 battery
next blog: 20 Ways To Increase Laptop’s Battery Life

20 Ways To Increase Laptop’s Battery Life

Mobile computing has got better with lighter components, better chips and faster processors. But the Achilles heel of a laptop has remained its battery. So here are we are going to look at ways to increase laptop battery life.
Modern graphic intensive operating systems and resource hungry applications are cutting down the life of your laptop’s battery every day. The average battery life per continuous use still stands at a maximum of three to four hours. So, a fast depleting Dell vostro 1400 battery could very swiftly put the crutches on your ‘mobile’ road trip.
Falling just short of carrying an extra pack of batteries in the back-pack, are several ways to keep the juice flowing through the dell inspiron 1545 battery.

1. Ship shape with a defrag

Regular defragmentation helps to arrange data more efficiently thus making the hard drive work less to access the data. The quicker the moving hard drive works lesser is the load placed on the FUJITSU lifebook s2020 battery . Thus, your batter can last longer. The effect is minimal, but this efficiency goes hand in glove with hard drive maintenance.

2. Kill the resource gobblers

End the background processes that are not vital. Monitor the resource usage through a “˜Ctrl-Alt-Del’ which brings up the Windows Task Manager (in Windows). If you’re not on the internet, it is safe to shut down the immediate non-essential programs running in the taskbar like the antivirus and the firewall. Weed out unnecessary programs running as start-ups by launching the System Configuration Utility from Run ““ Msconfig ““ Tab: Startup. Uncheck the programs which you don’t want to launch and reboot the computer once.

3. Pause the scheduled tasks

It may be a defrag or a virus scan, but make sure it is scheduled for a time when you are near a power outlet. If not then nix them for the moment.

4. Unplug external devices

USB devices are the biggest drainers of Sony pcga-bp2nx battery power. Unplug all external devices like an external mouse, PC cards, Wi-Fi, external speakers, Bluetooth and even an attached iPod.

5. Empty the CD/DVD Drives

Even if you don’t intend to use it, don’t leave any CD/DVDs as leftovers in the drives. A spinning drive sucks dell 6y270 battery power like a sponge.

6. Go local

Desist using the DVD/external drives while running on HP pavilion zv5000 battery. Shift the content to the hard drive or run using (free) virtual drives like Pismo File Mount or even Microsoft’s Virtual CD ROM Control Panel.

7. Lower the lights

The LCD screen of a laptop is another huge power sink. Calibrate the brightness to the lowest level you can tolerate using the Function key toggles or using the Display Settings applet in the Control Panel.

8. Kill the sounds

Mute the speakers and try avoiding the use of multimedia software to maximize the FUJITSU fmv-biblo loox s80b/w battery life. Installed sound schemes also drain a Acer aspire 1410 battery perceptibly.

9. Rid the screensaver

To maximize Dell xps m1330 battery life by a little, switch off the screensaver.

10. Visit Power Options

Get familiar with power management through the “˜Power Options’ applet in the Control Panel. Both XP and Vista come with advanced power management features which shut off components like the monitor and/or the hard drive after specified intervals. This again depends on the chosen “˜Power Schemes’ (for XP) in the same applet. For instance in XP, “˜Max Battery’ under Power Schemes can be selected for maximum Dell inspiron 1545 ac adapter battery optimization.

Similar settings can be found under “˜Mobile PC’ in the Control Panel of Vista.

11. Turn off the looks

Today’s OS’s like Windows Vista come with features like “˜Aero Glass’ which are resource guzzlers. One can turn it off and go for the “˜Classic’ appearance which consumes less power. In Vista, click on Desktop – Preferences – View Colour – Appearance – Classic Appearance and Windows Basic graphical interface. In XP it’s – Display Properties – Theme – Windows Classic.
Linux and even Macintosh are better optimized for longer battery life.

12. Hibernate is better than Sleep

In the Stand By mode (or sleep mode), the computer turns of the hard drive and the display but memory remains active while the CPU slows down. This draws on the battery. In contrast, hibernation mode is better because the computer saves the current state and shuts itself down completely thus saving power.

13. Get the most…work on the least

Working on too many programs while on the sony vaio pcg-505  battery is a sure fire power drainer. Keep use of graphic intensive applications to a minimum. Working on a spreadsheet consumes much less than playing your favourite game. To increase the life of the HP omnibook 6000 ac adapter open just one or two programs concurrently.

14. Ram in more RAM

Adequate RAM reduces the load on Virtual memory which by default resides on the hard drive. Though every extra bit of RAM uses up more power, it increases overall savings by short cutting access to the power hungry hard drive.

15. Keep it clean

A laptop with blocked air vents will generate more heat thus reducing the life of the HP pavilion dv8230us battery. Clean the air vents regularly to keep operating temperatures low. Allow for open space around the vents for air to circulate freely. Keep the area around the laptop clean to avoid entry of dust.

16. Temperature is a silent killer

Undue heat kills off a Acer aspire 3000 battery slowly but surely. Avoid leaving the laptop under direct sunlight or inside a closed car.

17. Avoid the memory effect

A problem more for the older Ni-MH batteries than for Li-Ion batteries on which most modern laptops run. Memory effect relates to the loss of battery charge when they are repeatedly recharged after being only partially discharged. It can be prevented by discharging the SHIBA pa3285u-1brs battery fully and then completely recharging it. Li-Ion batteries on the other hand have no problems with partial discharges and re-charges and complete discharge is never recommended for this type.

18. Update software and drivers

This sounds a bit incongruous but then newer drivers and software are often designed to be more efficient (and hopefully less resource hungry).

19. Use the right adapter

Ensure that the adapter you use to charge the Compaq presario r4000 battery is an original one or one with the correct specifications. A mismatch in the wattage could cause an overload thus damaging the laptop and the HP pavilion dv9000 series ac adapter battery.

20. Pack it up

If you don’t plan to use the laptop on batteries for quite some time, ensure that the charge is nearly 40 percent – remove the sony vaio pcg-z505r  batteries and store it in a cool place.
A typical lithium ion battery has an overall average life of 2-3 years. With some care and caution, its mortality can be delayed.
Have you found your own way to increase Dell xps m1210 battery life of your laptop? Share the “˜life giving’ tips with us in the comments.

• Rick Beato 2 years ago

  Well, I bought a laptop in 2007 and the battery was kaput in a year. Bought a new battery and have been trying to run on the cord as much as possible when I am at home. To be honest, I wonder if it is helping -- I guess I will see by this fall if my Sony vgp-bps9 battery outlasts the previous one!

  Flag

  3 people liked this.
• Saikat 2 years ago in reply to Rick Beato

  It will help slightly going by my experience...because even if connected directly to the outlet, it is the HP pavilion zd7000 battery  which is actually running the laptop. The A.C is not bypassing the battery but merely keeping it fully charged.Do correct me if I am wrong.

  Flag

  2 people liked this.
• Locke 2 years ago in reply to Saikat

  You're wrong. When a laptop is plugged in, it runs on AC power.

  Flag
• ATV 2 years ago in reply to Saikat

  wrong the adapter is dc power for a reason

  Flag

  atomic1fire liked this
• Jon 2 years ago in reply to Rick Beato

  Yes, running on AC will of course help - but with Li-Ion batteries (modern laptop ones), the killer isn't the number of charge discharge cycles, it's the temperature. Running your laptop on mains power is great, but if the APPLE m8416g/a battery is sitting in it, getting hot, you're really wearing it out. Take out your battery while running on mains, if you can, get a charger so you can charge the Acer aspire one 10.1 battery while outside your laptop. The cooler the better, there are people who put the battery in a plastic bag in the fridge when not in use.

  Flag
• Suresh Khanal 1 year ago in reply to Jon

  Oh O!O!O! I'd never thought. Though it so funny but putting batteries in pastic inside freeze could really increase TOSHIBA pa3285u-1brs battery life! Interesting. But I wonder when shall I take out the batteries to put in freeze!

  Flag

  1 person liked this.
• ichibanjay 2 years ago

  It doesn't matter if you keep your laptop plugged in. One of the lesser known facts about Li-ion batteries is that their capacity slowly declines with age, no matter if you have the battery sitting on a shelf or if you are using it regularly. Li-ion HP pavilion dv4 battery that are kept in a hot environment (like a hot running laptop) degrade even faster.
  
  More information can be found here:
  
  
• Locke 2 years ago in reply to ichibanjay

  While that's partially true, not entirely. Yes Lithium Ion degrade over time, whether used or not. 20% a year is what I've seen as the baseline - which fits with the claim of a practical usage lifetime of 2-3 years. But heat is a huge factor. A battery that sits in your laptop on a flat poorly ventilated desk will have a much lower capacity after a year than one that sits in a refrigerator (and kept at about 40% charge). Granted it doesn't do you much good to not use it - and have it still losing it's capacity. To really maximize life while actually using it, pull the Sony pcga-bp2nx battery & keep it charged at 40% while using it for long periods at home, take it with you when you need to be mobile. BUT the inconvenience, not to mention, danger of accidentally pulling the plug while you're running without a battery in probably make this a bad idea.
  
  The other really good point that follows is to not buy an extra battery to let it sit until the first runs out. While it's often cheaper to buy when you purchase the laptop, age deterioration will more than counter the price benefit. You really are best off buying a newly manufactured battery when the old one is no longer productive enough for you.

more tags about electronic camera battery: Canon PowerShot SD800 IS Charger , Panasonic NV-GS500 Battery, Canon NB-6L battery, Canon EOS 5D battery, Sony NP-FT1 Charger, Canon EOS 5D battery , Canon BP-511 battery, Canon LP-E5 Charger, Canon EOS-1D MARK II Battery, Canon EOS 350D Charger, Canon EOS 350D Charger, Canon LP-E6 battery

next blog: Battery powered future coming   

Battery powered future coming

Duncan Alfreds

Cape Town - Success in battery innovation would be in reducing costs and weight to increase performance, an expert has said.

"The next big thing is to successfully reduce the cost in batteries and a reduction in the amount of time to charge," CSIR manager of the energy and processes and conference chair Dr Mkulu Mathe told News24 at the International  Acer aspire 3000 battery Association conference in Cape Town.

Delegates from around the world at the conference discussed ways that dell inspiron 1545 ac adapter can be improved for high-capacity applications such as electric cars. This would have knock-on effects in areas like cellphone and laptop battery packs in terms of charging time, weight and capacity.

"Knowledge is old; thinking is innovative," said Mathe. "There are concerns around cost and the variation of the chemistry. If the weight can go down, it will improve performance, but it's an area that continues to pose challenges."

The biggest modern leap in battery technology came with the introduction of the lithium-ion Dell inspiron 1521 battery. Dr Michael Thackeray, John Goodenough, and co-workers identified manganese spinel as a cathode material in 1983.

New technology

"After the introduction of the lithium-ion Dell vostro 1400 battery in 1991, it's been improved by a factor of two. There's been a lot of engineering and now it's starting to plateau," said Dr Steven Visco of PolyPlus Battery Company in California.

"We could think about silicon and package it better," said Professor M Stanley Whittingham of Binghamton University in New York. He first proposed lithium-ion HP omnibook 6000 ac adapter  in the 1970s.

They warned though, that simply introducing new technology was not a simple matter and there was a time lag before the technology was widely adopted.

"New technology will take 15 to 20 years to come to the market," Visco said.

He also cited the introduction of hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius which initially sold poorly before becoming a synonymous with environmental responsibility.

The introduction of zero emission electric vehicles has also had hiccups, as the public charging infrastructure is not yet in place to make these vehicles widely practical.

"It's hard to imagine that if the technology added to the market it would be shelved, but the market has to ready when the technology is ready," Visco said.

Infrastructure

New technologies being investigated could significantly reduce charging time by using innovative solutions.

Redox flow batteries are almost like petrol and people have demonstrated that already. You simply replace the electrolyte," said Mathe.

This would require short "refuel" periods very similar to current systems but needs the infrastructure to be in place to make it attractive for consumers.

"We're also thinking toward the use of nano materials which would have the benefit of reducing waste. There's a huge effort toward the recycling of waste," Mathe said.

Experts could not agree on whether there would be a single factor that would drive consumers from petrol- to battery-powered vehicles.

"I think it will be gradual, but it's difficult to tell," said Visco. "If the pain is hard enough, people will switch."

"Yes, the price of fuel goes up, but people in the United States keep thinking it will go down," said Whittingham.

Cutting edge

SA has, through the CSIR, demonstrated capability to be on the cutting edge of research, said Mathe, but the country needed to invest in education.

"The fact that these people have come from all over the world shows that there is awareness of the abudance of materials for Sony vaio pcg-sr series battery  in South Africa. In terms of the national government, the question is 'How do you educate people about what we have?'

"But we're moving in the right direction."

Killroy2011 - 18 hours ago

Report comment

In the 60's it used to be illegal to use water induction to save fuel because government was losing out on the tax as water was free. Perhaps there lies your answer as the Government is stealing every taxable cent, they don't want to you save fuel. It’s like the VAT portion you pay to replace your stolen goods ? Government stealing again? Good reason not to reduce crime. Remember always follow the money.

John Fox - 18 hours ago

Report comment

The basic problem with all rechargeable Acer aspire one d250-1042 battery is the efficiency. For example a NiCad or a lead-acid battery requires 140% of the stored energy to be replaced when charging. The other problem is the recharging source, people are talking about simply plugging the vehicle into the mains. For a fast recharge this is a lot of current drawn from the Eskom supply. Now although the vehicle is essentially "zero-emissions" the Eskom power generation is not. We are are losing sight of the extra pollution the power stations will produce.

Fanie - 14 hours ago

Report comment

Electric cars just move the pollution somewhere else..period
The manufacturing of those Dell latitude c510 battery are toxic beyond belief
And DON'T get me started on the Prius.... the manufacturing of that thing is absurdly polluting
The only route to follow is hydrogen fuel cells - unfortunately this is a technology for a technically sophisticated society - as Hydrogen when mistreated goes boom in a big way.
Last point in my rant - our electricity supply network is fragile and none too stable - add the recharge load of these cars onto it.......

related tags: Dell inspiron 1525 battery, hp pavilion tx2000 battery, Dell inspiron 1545 ac adapter, Sony vgp-bps3 battery, HP pavilion dv6131od battery, TOSHIBA pa3285u-1brs battery, dell 6y270 battery, Dell inspiron 1520 ac adapter, Dell vostro 1700 battery, HP pavilion zd8000 battery, HP pavilion dv6000 ac adapter, Dell inspiron 1525 ac adapter, TOSHIBA satellite a135-s2386 battery

next blog: Review: Olympus XZ-1 digital camera

Review: Olympus XZ-1 digital camera

Back in December I picked up a Canon S95 and explained my thinking in an article here Review - Canon PowerShot SX30 IS  I’m still very happy with the S95, but for the first time since buying it I’ve used a camera that has created some doubt about the purchase. That camera, the one that could possibly win my heart where the Panasonic LX-5, Canon G12, Samsung TL-500 (EX-1), and Nikon P7000 could not, is the Olympus XZ-1.
The XZ-1 is the hottest new camera in the high-end point-and-shoot category. Priced at $500 (with an MSRP of $549) it takes the place of the Panasonic LX-5 as the premier $500 compact, especially since the LX-5 has since dropped to $399 (though the S95 has actually gone up in price, to $412, on Amazon.com). The XZ-1 packs a relatively large sensor, an f/1.8-2.5 lens, 4x optical zoom, and a brilliant 3-inch OLED display. It has just about all the features of Olympus’ PEN E-PL2 camera aside from the detached lens. The XZ-1 even has a hot shot and accessory port.

Size is a crucial issue with point-and-shoot cameras, so it’s something to consider with XZ-1. It’s bigger than the S95 and the LX-5, but smaller then the E-PL2 or E-P2 PEN cameras. So it’s definitely a compact camera, but it’s not pants-pocketable and it’s dangerously close to the size of the Panasonic GF1 Micro Four Thirds camera with the pancake lens. Sure, that setup doesn’t have as versatile a lens, but it does have a great sensor and it takes excellent pictures. The XZ-1 comes with a neck strap, but I think it’s a better size for a wrist strap, which says something good about its size/weight. For people that regularly carry bags the size will be a non-issue as it’s not large or heavy enough to feel like any more of an addition in a bag than the S95 or similar camera.
As far as controls go, the XZ-1 keeps things simple. There aren’t that many buttons on the back, just like a basic consumer camera, but there is a dedicated video button. It effectively has two dials–one on the back and then a ring around the lens, which (like the S95) can act as a secondary dial. This is not very useful in basic modes (where it tends to either do nothing or control the ISO) but once you move to manual it means you can control both shutter speed and the aperture without messing with any software. All the dials are fine-tuned so they are easy to turn without ever accidentally moving.

Ergonomics are top-notch, making a compelling case for a slightly larger point-and-shoot. The metal body feels great in the hand and this camera seems to be quite solidly built. The knurled metal control ring around the lens is a really nice touch, as well is the metal door over the HDMI/USB connections. The flash is spring-loaded and can be manually popped out with the flip of a switch, making for another nice touch.
The software menus are basically what we’ve seen from Olympus before, which is to say easy to use and relatively intuitive. There are some minor issues, for example getting to macro/super macro means you have to go into the AF zone control and then hit Info, and then choose your Macro mode. Things like this are annoying but overall the camera is easy enough to control if you can deal with having DSLR-like power in a camera without that level of physical controls.
When it comes to photo quality the XZ-1 is very good. Images are sharp, colors are great, and pictures are taken without a hitch thanks to a quick, reliable auto focus. JPGs look great, RAWs look even better, and the camera takes great images up to ISO 1600. After that there is more noise but images are very usable. Macro on the camera is fine, nothing too special, and while 4x optical zoom beats some of the competition its still not great for the camera’s size.

While image quality is very good, video quality is sub-par. It’s fine that the XZ-1 can only take up to 720p but the resulting video isn’t as sharp as it could be and the autofocus isn’t great. This is a camera for taking still images. (Sample video)
As much as I love shooting with the XZ-1 I never forgot that, at $500, it’s an expensive camera. This makes minor issues seem much worse than they are. For example, for $500 I’d like to see a lens cap that will stay on the camera. The one the XZ-1 includes is miserable. I’d also like to see a battery charger, not charging using an AC adapter and the USB port. And because the camera has an accessory port all the cool extras (like an external audio input) are all paid-for accessories.
So, overall, the Olympus XZ-1 is a fantastic camera if you are looking for a serious compact. It’s fun to use and takes fantastic images. That noted, the video needs work and if you want something this size you should seriously be considering Micro Four Thirds. If you want to stick with a fixed lens I’d recommended the XZ-1 over the Canon G12 or the LX-5. The S95 has a size and price advantage so that will come down to user preference.

if you read more: FUJIFILM NP-40 battery, SONY NP-FR1 battery, SONY DSC-S75 battery, FUJIFILM NP-60 battery, SONY NP-F960 battery, SONY NP-FM50 battery, PANASONIC DMW-BCE10 battery, JVC BN-VF815 battery

next blog: Thinnest Laptop Stand In The World Launched

Thinnest Laptop Stand In The World Launched

Recently announced was the launch of the world’s thinnest, ultra-portable laptop stand, the STANDIVARIUS Aero laptop stand.
Being hailed as an innovation in the world of mobile ergonomics, the STANDIVARIUS Aero is a solution for laptop users who may be suffering from aches and pains in the wrists, neck and back regions.  The ultra thin design makes the product very easily portable and it takes precisely 2 seconds to set it up.
The stand connects to the bottom of the laptop securely and can be detached as soon as you need to access the bottom of your laptop.
The stand elevates the level of the laptop( laptop battery), bringing the screen up to a higher height and more in level with the eyes, making it unnecessary for the user to look down at the screen risking neck and shoulder strain.

This also ensures that you are able to maintain a correct ergonomic posture and reduce strain on the back and neck.
Allowing for easy portability the stand can go anywhere with you, and can be adjusted to the correct and comfortable height for your requirement – whether it is a desk you work at or a chair you have to operate your laptop from. search as Battery life comes alive .
Superior Ergonomic Features from the Lenovo Ideapad
For those who are necessarily stuck working on their laptops and notebooks for long working hours each day, there may be good news – according to the people at PC World, Lenovo’s IdeaPad S10-3 is a superior product, with business friendly features and superior ergonomics, such as –

• This 10.1 inch netbook weighs 2.76 pounds and is business oriented
• The netbook features an innovative multi touch combination touchpad/rocker button. This is a very useful feature for those of us who end up inadvertently tapping when hunting for buttons or performing drag and drop operations.
• The keyboard is another strength of this device. While others such as Asus and Fujistu can cramp up your typing and give a feeling of some of the keys being misplaced, this one makes for ease of typing; and to its credit this one feels less like a netbook than most other netbooks.
• There are some interesting software bundles added on here – such as the VeriFace facial recognition security which lets you log on to the computer by scanning your face.
• Regulation netbook features such as three USB ports, a single removable panel on the bottom of the machine to access the memory, hard drive and so on.
• Captive screws make upgrading a breeze.

more tags about battery: laptop batteries, camera batteries, camcorder battery, battery charger.
related battery: Dell Vostro 1000 Battery, Compaq Presario V3000 Battery, Dell Inspiron 6400 Battery , Hp Pavilion dv8000 Battery, Sony VGP-BPS5 Battery, Canon POWERSHOT S30 Battery, Canon POWERSHOT SD400 Battery
next blog: 10 Care Guidelines to Enhance Your Laptop’s Lifetime

HP Pavilion ZD8000 Battery

HP Pavilion ZD8000 Battery

10 Care Guidelines to Enhance Your Laptop’s Lifetime

Notebooks are costly gadgets produced for mobility. Generally, they are not very hard, and are not known to take (blank) very well to being mishandled . When you carry out end up messing your notebook, even the smallest of maintenance will set you back by a lot of money. Study on to learn how to look after your notebook. This also includes guidelines to take care of your notebook acer aspire 5601awlmi battery power and explains how to keep your dell inspiron 1545 charger well-balanced. I have also provided some important tips you should stick to before, during and after using your notebook.
10 Laptop Care Guidelines for Better life of Notebooks
1. Clean It Correct As your notebook is such an costly device be really careful while cleaning your display. Make sure the cloth is very soft, and contains no imprints or monograms on it, as these may scratch the screen. Also make sure that the cloth is lint-free, else it may leave fibres on the display, and make the screen unclear.
Make sure you don’t spray any cleaner directly on the screen. Instead, spray on to the cleaning cloth, and allow the cloth to capture the dirt and contaminants.
Choosing The Spray The screen is the most costly component of your notebook. Adequate care should be taken while choosing the cleaning spray. Harsh sprays could turn the screen yellow, and may even cause cracking. Use plain water or vinegar to clear the display.
2. Placing The Laptop Hard drives work on the property of magnetic flux, so any electrical field may damage the hard disk and the data on it. Make sure your notebook is at least 13 cm away from any electrical appliance that generates a powerful magnetic field ?¡ìC such as a microwave oven.
3. Provide It A Breather If you have just shut down your notebook, provide it 30 seconds before you start it up again. This makes sure that the hard drive has spun down, and is no subjected to sudden switching on and off.
4. Data Backup Always back up your data. Laptops are mobile gadgets, and are susceptible to breakage. Also, it’s possible that the hard disk simply crashes. Remember, you cant ever back up too often.
5. Notebook dell vostro 1400 battery Maintenance The bane of most laptop users is the lack of a really long battery life. There are three main types of laptop batteries: Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd) Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) Lithium Ion (Li-ion).
Nickel-Cadmium Such a sony vgp-bps9 battery should be fully discharged and then fully recharged every few weeks. If you don’t do this, it will quickly lose battery life due to what is known as the ‘memory effect’. The memory effect means if you don’t follow the above procedure, your battery will only charge up to the percentage of the last charge.
For instance, if you discharge it to 30 per cent, it will only charge up the remaining 70 per cent. Do this repeatedly, and the 30 per cent will become unusable, giving you an effective 70 per cent charge even though the indicator will still show a 100 per cent charge each time you charge it.
Nickel Metal Hydride Ni-MH batteries are similar to Ni-Cd batteries, although they are less susceptible to the memory effect. They also have a higher capacity.
Lithium Ion These are the latest type of batteries, and have no real problems as far as the memory effect is concerned. The problem with these is that they lose their effectiveness if overcharged or left for a long time with a full charge. Always discharge these batteries if you’re going to be storing them away.
6. Keep Your dell latitude d630 battery Healthy Before the first use, charge the batteries for 12 hours or the minimum charge time, as mentioned in the manual. For daily use, charge the battery to capacity, then run the laptop on battery power until it is completely drained (for Ni-Cd or Ni-MH batteries, this prevents the memory effect) or almost drained. (For Li-ion batteries, this can help prevent overcharging).
Don’t leave your acer aspire one d250-1165 battery unused for long periods of time. Even if you use AC power most of the time, use the battery regularly to keep it in good condition. Switch off your AC adapter when the laptop is not in use. This prevents overcharging.
To extend battery life, you can try decreasing the LCD brightness while using your notebook. You can activate the ‘Standby’ and ‘Hibernation’ power-saving modes, too, for better battery life.
7. dell inspiron 9400 battery Storage If you do not use your laptop for extended periods of time ?¡ìC a week or more ?¡ìC remove the battery pack from the laptop, but only after discharging it fully. The batteries should be stored in a cool dry place, removed from heat, humidity and dust as well as metal objects.
8. Use A Laptop Case It is advisable to spend a couple of thousand rupees and get a sturdy carry-case for your laptop. The case should ideally be hard from the outside and soft on the inside, while being a comfortable fit. It should be able to absorb shocks and carry your laptop accessories.
9. Keep Eatables Away Obviously, no eating and drinking near or around your laptop. The least bit of water could short-circuit some sensitive laptop circuits, and render it useless.
10. No Hard Booting You may sometimes be tempted to turn your laptop off by simply holding down the power button until it powers down. Although quick, this method is harmful to the laptop and could cause data loss. A hard reboot should only be used as a last resort. Sometimes this is inevitable, for instance,  when Windows hangs. But this should not be a regular practice.
These steps when followed will help your laptop in many ways as a little care in maintenance will go a long way in increasing your laptop’s life.
more battery: compaq presario x1000 battery, sony vgp-bps2 battery, acer aspire 1410 battery, hp mini 1000 battery
next blog: Flathead High-Tech Company Develops New Battery Technology
related blog: Laptop Is Better For Education

Flathead High-Tech Company Develops New Battery Technology

COLUMBIA FALLS, Mont. -- A Flathead company says it is working on a new dell inspiron 1545 battery system that could change the way the world uses energy, and add a couple hundred jobs to the Flathead Valley.

Zinc Air Inc. moved its headquarters and laboratory to Columbia Falls a few months ago. The company designs compaq presario 1200 battery, and is working on a new technology that will be capable of storing the energy produced at power plants. Directors say this ability is significant because most of the electricity currently produced at power plants is sent straight from the generator to the power grid.

“We might be able to differ building a few power plants,” says Sr. Vice President Kevin Witt. “We can overcome ingestion on the grid; we can allow companies or individuals or utilities to make better use of the alternate energy sources. If the wind is blowing at night, we can store that electricity and allow it to come back onto the grid when it's needed during the day.”

Witt says the company expects the new toshiba pa3383u-1brs battery system to be available to energy companies by the end of the year.
related battery: hp pavilion zv5000 battery
next blog: High-tech gadgets help consumers moderate energy use