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2012/05/08

A funny thing happened on my way to everywhere

Summary: Mobile gadget users are greatly impacted by the battery life of those devices, and that’s not going to change anytime soon.
This past weekend it hit me that even when not actively thinking about gadget battery life I am constantly letting it affect how I go about my business. What gadgets I carry and how I use them is a function of how long each lasts away from the charger. I don’t like to even think about battery life when using a gadget, and that impacts what I use and how I use it.
Battery technology has been largely stuck in place for a while. The dream of a tiny battery that runs forever is still there, but not going to happen for a long time based on reality. Battery life is still dependent on the physical size of the installed battery, and that makes miniaturization of gadgets a tough thing to do.
See also: Incipio offGRID battery case for the iPhone 4S (review)
This epiphany of how I work around battery life hit me first when I got the Incipio offGRID battery case for the iPhone 4S. While the battery life of the iPhone wasn’t bad out of the box, I had to keep an eye on it toward the end of long days of heavy use. A phone with a dead battery is a brick and cuts me off from required communications.
Once I got the Incipio, I was able to use the iPhone all day and into the next no matter what happened. The concern about lasting all day was a thing of the past, and that was liberating. Now I take it off the charger at 6 AM each day and never think about battery.
See also: iPad 2 as a serious writing machine (how-to)
Battery life is a big reason behind my using the iPad for ‘real’ work. The 10 - 12 hours of solid HP ProBook 4510s laptop battery life lets me use it on even the heaviest of days without ever thinking about a charger. Like with the iPhone, I don’t adjust my usage in any way to make the battery stretch.
Even with decent battery life on today’s laptops, I find I have to be watching the battery gauge to make sure I don’t run out on long days. With the iPad that concern is not there, and all of my attention is focused on where it should be, getting work done.
See also: ASUS Transformer Prime: Perfect for business trips (review) | Transformer Prime: Benefits of extremely long battery life
The Transformer Prime tablet with the laptop dock is even better, with its 18 - 20 hours of real-world battery life. That’s a good 2 - 3 days of use away from a power outlet, and that is totally liberating. Forgetting the power adapter on short business trips is no longer a killer with the Prime.
Last week the power went out in my home office due to road construction nearby, and it was off for over four hours. When it was apparent it was going to stay off for a while, the Transformer Prime was what I grabbed. I knew it would keep going and going, and it clearly demonstrated how important good battery life can be no matter what happens.
I used the Transformer Prime without power for the entire time, and when my 4G LTE mobile hotspot I was using started blinking to indicate its battery was dying, I didn’t worry. I activated the mobile hotspot feature on my iPhone 4S with the Incipio and kept going without worry.
Hopefully one day the experts will solve the battery problem and come up with that magical tiny battery that can run gadgets for days. That will be a wonderful thing, but until then my gadget purchases will be greatly affected by the battery life.
Batteries keep improving, just not as fast as the demand
dern@... 18 hrs ago
Re your comment, "Battery technology has been largely stuck in place for a while."

I don't have stats or charts to prove it, but if nothing else, based on the max capacity of AA cells -- now up to like 2500mAh, up from like 1200 from a few years ago, that's not true. I recall reading somewhere that batteries in general are improving at maybe 10%/year.

And components do keep getting more power efficient, in a mix of intrinsic efficiency, and the software control to reduce consumption.
The problem is that device demands keep growing. Color, brighter displays. GPUs. WiFi. Bluetooth. And we're trying to keep total weight down.

Mmmm, proof: (some) ebooks, which last for days/weeks on a charge. By not doing as much as a tablet or a notebook.
That tiled ZDNet wallpaper
votshtoy Updated - 18 hrs ago
What possessed you?!

Back on topic: I'd love a device where charging wasn't such an issue, perhaps I just show my ignorance when I say this but could solar power play it's part? I don't expect a solar panel could completely negate the need to charge by wire but perhaps a small, cheap, unobtrusive* panel could help hold the fort before another charge is needed?

*iPad with a secret solar panel, I'd love to see how Ives would tackle that

(just found out about Lilypad, an iPad case with a large solar panel. It looks like the tech itself is very effective but the product is incredibly bulky at first glance, could be just because the guy loaded it with several other features.)
 
Solar power is limited
redking44 13 hrs ago
It's a fine dream and you can indeed get solar chargers which do work but at best they produce a percentage of the solar energy falling on the solar cell. Something the size of a cellphone can't possibly produce the 2.5w needed for a reasonably rapid charge, and nothing at all if hidden in a pocket or covered by your hand while making a call.

I'd suggest a solar sombrero or greatcoat.
Not sure I'd want an ordinary "battery" of a chemical kind.
RyuDarragh 14 hrs ago
You also have to remember that the tiny magical battery would be dangerous. We've already had faulty Lithium HP Probook 4515S Battery modules go pyro on us. Such a magical battery would likely be banned on aircraft as potential terrorist weapons. Can you say "kaBOOM!"? Maybe a nuclear isomer battery?
Not sure I'd want an ordinary "battery" of a chemical kind.
RyuDarragh 14 hrs ago
You also have to remember that the tiny magical battery would be dangerous. We've already had faulty Lithium battery modules go pyro on us. Such a magical battery would likely be banned on aircraft as potential terrorist weapons. Can you say "kaBOOM!"? Maybe a nuclear isomer battery?

2012/04/18

Sweden made ​​of paper waste battery cathode

Physicist organizational network recently reported that according to Science and Technology Daily, the Swedish scientists used paper industry waste to produce solar cells, the cathode, to adopt a more intelligent cheaper way to store solar energy, people can continue from the solar cells and windturbines, access to cheap electricity. Research papers published in Science magazine.
    Traditional HP Pavilion dv8000 battery conductive metal oxides, but these metallic materials are very scarce; organic solar cells made ​​of conductive plastic, although the lower-cost, high performance, sufficient for commercial production, highly competitive, however, solar energy must be generated electrical store from morning to night, the wind turbines to generate electricity must be stored up and wait until no wind days, a result, scientists have been in use inexpensive and renewable materials to manufacture hp compaq business notebook 6715b battery cathode. The principal author of the latest research, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Linköping University, Sweden biomolecular and organic electronics professor Euler India Jia Nasi said: "In fact, nature has long provides us with a solution."
    India Jia Nasi was inspired from the plants during photosynthesis. In photosynthesis, solar charged electrons by the electrochemical performance of the very active quinone class transport, the quinone is composed of molecules of the benzene ring contains six carbon atoms. In this inspiration, inspired, Indian Jia Nasi select a byproduct of brown liquid in the process of manufacturing paper pulp as the raw materials for the manufacture of toshiba pa3331u-1brs battery cathode. The brown liquid from the lignin composition, lignin is located within the plant cell wall biopolymers.

read more: 3.5 inch TFT LCD Wireless Video Doorphone Intercom with Three Monitors & One Camera
iPad 2 Foldable Leather Case Built-in Bluetooth Keyboard + Battery

2012/04/15

The BATTERY Run longer solutions to the mobile phone standby

With everyone endless variety of interesting applications of the smart phone to impress, more and more smartphone users find the phone number of days from the original charge and power development to a charge a day. To tell the truth, we use mobile phones with increasing frequency, the phone screen, mobile Internet is more and more frequently, resulting in a  call phone battery capacity and then how to increase it is difficult to support. Let us not discuss highly technical issues, we first teach you how to make their phones as much as possible to extend the number of standby time.

Program to prepare a larger battery capacity

For the crowd: microblogging control, mobile games and mobile video enthusiasts

This program is mainly for users who often need mobile Internet, play games, and these users pay more attention to the rendering of video and audio, so they will not reduce the phone screen brightness and a variety of ways to extend the standby time. A large capacity Canon Bp-511 Battery of the phone, or mobile phone with a mobile charging device, to ensure the phone for a long time.

Charging equipment

For a cell phone is too much trouble with a cell phone charging equipment is relatively simple. Such peripherals can be ready to help charge the phone and allow the phone to extend the use of time. In addition, from a cost perspective, the price of these plug-in battery is also cheaper, more cost-effective to replace. Recommended peripheral equipment, according to different mobile phones can be targeted to select different charging products.
BATTERY快跑让手机待机更长的解决办法
Battery Pack 2000

This is a mobile charging cell phone charging solution. Containing capacity of 2000 mA lithium Sony Dsc-p5 Battery, charging via USB cable and charge the phone via the Micro USB port. The machine with a length of 6 inches Micro USB to USB cable, you can be charged by the charger and the computer. Battery the upper LED indicator lights to indicate charge status.
BATTERY快跑让手机待机更长的解决办法
The juice pack Air offers a full range of protection and built-in rechargeable battery fitting to protect the iPhone 4; all in a slim, lightweight, low-profile design. Rechargeable 1500mAh lithium-ion polymer Acer Aspire 5920 Battery, double the actual call and listen to music longer.




BATTERY快跑让手机待机更长的解决办法
MiLi the Power the Spring 4
This machine is the world's first iPhone4 external battery, although it is more convenient to use, but only service the iPhone 4 mobile, easier to use. The plug-in battery with 2000mAh large capacity range of iPhone power. Flip the all-inclusive design, and effective maintenance of signal stability.

BATTERY快跑让手机待机更长的解决办法
Momax the iPower Pro
Portable power supply, specifically designed for mobile digital products to support the market, the majority of mobile phones, PDAs, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad, tablet PCs and the PlayStation Portable. The aircraft has a super capacity up to 8000mAh for the iPad able to add more than 80% of electricity, to add four more than the complete cycle of power for the iPhone.BATTERY快跑让手机待机更长的解决办法

Large-capacity battery phone
3300mAh MOTO
Edge XT910 MAXX
The phone battery expansion, supports talk time 21 hours. The RAZR MAXX directly to the Canon Lp-e6 Battery capacity has almost doubled to reach a 3300mAh. The aircraft through a comprehensive upgrade of the hardware and software systems, to effectively enhance the performance of the mobile phone standby time. Moreover, in the talk time, web browsing, video playback time and game time has improved significantly. However, enhancement of the battery capacity becomes 8.99 mm, the thickness (the RAZR XT910 thinnest 7.1 mm).
In addition, it has a 4.3 inch screen, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and an 8 megapixel camera, and powered by Android 2.3.5 Intelligent Systems, have the opportunity to upgrade to the Android 4.0. Motorola RAZR MAXX also offers Wi-Fi wireless Internet access, DLNA transmission, Wi-Fi hotspots, Bluetooth 4.0 technology such as wireless connectivity. For this phone, Motorola also offers a Smart Actions Chi-setting function, users can customize different scenes by the pre-set trigger conditions and the corresponding operation,. With the built-private cloud capabilities MotoCast friction transmission intelligent, and can guarantee user privacy under the premise to provide data synchronization, backup, remote wipe the phone service. The machine can become a lot like the slim phone a good choice for the distressed users of standby time.
Link
Where to buy
The equipment in the professional mobile phone stores, Apple stores can be found. In addition, you can also go to the purchase of Jingdong Mall shop.
Scenario 2 everyone can soft power saving
For the crowd: every smart phone users
In the case of replacement of hardware and equipment, through to install a phone software to reduce the loss of the Apple a1181 Battery, through the constraints of mobile phone software to change some of the normal phone usage habits, thereby reducing cell phone power consumption, extend mobile phone usage time.
Principle is from the charging process through the software prompts to ensure that the battery every time a complete charge and discharge; do not need running in the background in the course of software will be turned off to reduce power consumption, screen brightness will not stay high brightness, GPS, etc. The network search function will also shut down.
Energy saving experts


Charges: free software web page: as.baidu.com support terminal: Android
The power-saving expert is a professional power-saving tools, can greatly extend the battery usage time. It can be estimated based on the current Acer Aspire 5551-2013 Battery remaining capacity of the use of time! The index set the power-saving expert, when the power is less than the power index, energy saving experts to help you stop the consumption of services. When greater than the power index, restore the state before the power-saving expert.
Power-saving wizard


Rates: the web pages of free software: a.sdo.com / support terminal: Android
Andrews phone power-saving software necessary for the weak battery life and standby time is short, often tossing the phone but have the power consumption is too fast, not fun to play Andrews mobile phone users. The application by the power-saving mode to convenient control of some power-hungry hardware and settings, and smart to remind the current consumption of the program, background malicious startup services, in order to maximize the standby time, which can effectively save up to 50% of electricity .
GP Batteries doctor


Tariff: the freeware pages: www.ijinshan.com / dcys, support terminal: The iPhone and the iPad, Android
GP Batteries doctors through the charging process is optimized to achieve extended Sony NP-BN1 Charger battery life. When the cell phone battery is less than 20%, start GP Batteries doctor, and then connected to the charger on it. Software in accordance with the fast charging cycle charge and trickle charge the order to complete the process of charging, after charging is completed, a tone sounds and pop-up message.
GP Batteries doctors to provide a key power-saving optimization features, and system software by adjusting the settings, turn off the background redundant process, improve the standby time. Users can choose a common power-saving mode and super power-saving mode to achieve the best balance between the use of time and function.
Tips
Mobile power-saving tips
The process of regular mobile phone use, some of our habits will reduce the power consumption of the mobile phone.
Turn off Bluetooth: as a last resort to use, be sure to keep off, or sustained little by little, eat power, may also have the potential danger of the virus in
2.Wi-Fi to avoid anywhere Open: always open Wi-Fi will continue to search for signal, power consumption, to your dismay, when not necessary to decisively turn it off.
Turn off the key tone and tactile feedback.
. Close vibration.
Reduce the brightness of the screen.
6 Turn off the GPS.
7 reduce the number of switch machines.
Try to avoid calls in weak signal areas.
The flexibility to use the flight mode.
Try not to use the dynamic desktop.

2012/04/12

One seriously injured in GM battery lab blast

(Reuters) - One person was seriously injured Wednesday morning by an explosion at a General Motors Co laboratory near Detroit during a test of lithium-ion batteries for electric cars not yet in production, city and company sources said.
Five people received medical attention after the incident at the GM Technical Center in Warren, Michigan and one person was taken to a local hospital, GM said.
Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said he was told by Warren Fire Department officials that fumes from hydrogen sulfide caused an explosion inside a toshiba satellite pro a60 battery laboratory.
A man who suffered a concussion and chemical damage to his skin was apparently outside a containment area where tests were being conducted on a prototype battery, Fouts said.
"It was a major explosion," Fouts told Reuters. "At least one 8-inch (thick) door was blown out. What could have been a major catastrophic event was not so because of the quick work of the Warren Fire Department and GM officials."
The explosion, which occurred about 8:45 a.m. EDT (1245 GMT), also blew out at least three windows and, according to Fouts, about 80 people in the building had to be evacuated.
GM said in a Wednesday afternoon statement the incident occurred "inside a test chamber at the General Motors Alternative Energy Center during extreme testing of an experimental battery for Dell Studio 14z.
"Chemical gases from the battery cells were released and ignited in the enclosed chamber. The battery itself was intact. The battery tested and the incident have no connection with the Chevrolet Volt or any other GM production vehicle," GM said.
The Volt has been highlighted as a centerpiece in GM's push for more fuel-efficient cars and trucks.
Fouts said he was told that at no time was hazardous waste a threat to GM workers or the community near the GM Tech Center.
People familiar with the matter said the Dell Vostro 1400 battery was being developed for future electric vehicles.
"Our efforts are focused on the well-being of our employees and we're happy that they are all accounted for," said GM spokesman Greg Martin. "One required treatment. We are working closely with on-scene authorities to investigate the incident."
"It's entirely premature to speculate on the cause or characterize the nature of the incident," said Martin.
NEAR-NORMAL OPERATION
GM said all areas of the Alternative Energy Center except for the battery lab and nearby offices will operate normally on Thursday.
The explosion follows another high-profile battery failure last month when Fisker Automotive's luxury sedan, the Karma, failed during testing by Consumer Reports. The Karma's hp pavilion tx1000 battery, which was produced by A123 Systems, failed due to a manufacturing defect and A123 said it would send replacements.
An A123 spokesman declined to comment on whether the company's battery was involved in the explosion. He referred questions to a GM spokesman, who also declined to comment.
A123 makes the battery for the upcoming Chevrolet Spark all-electric car, which will debut in 2013.
American consumers have been slow to embrace electric and rechargeable vehicles, in part because of their additional cost. Battery safety concerns could slow their adoption further, although industry analysts said problems are not unusual when trying to develop new technologies.
Last year, U.S. federal regulators opened an investigation into the safety of the Volt's battery pack after its own tests uncovered fire risks. By January, NHTSA closed its probe without finding any defects and said it was satisfied with GM's fix to better protect its lithium-ion HP mini 1000 battery pack.
"Some critics will use this story to bring back to life the investigation into Chevy Volt fires from earlier this year," said Michelle Krebs, auto analyst with Edmunds.com.
"While this incident deserves some scrutiny - especially since workers were hurt - the fact is that this is the reason why new car technology undergoes rigorous testing, to try to ensure that episodes like this don't happen on the road."
GM suspended Volt and Opel Ampera production, due to weaker demand than anticipated, on March 19 and will resume production on April 16, a week earlier than previously announced, GM said on Wednesday. The Opel Ampera, which is basically the same car as the Volt, is sold in Europe.
The company continues to work to adjust Volt production to market demand, GM has said, and its production suspension is not related to quality issues on the Volt or Ampera.
Two years ago, GM said it was nearly doubling the size of its hp compaq business notebook 6910p battery labs at the GM Tech Center, to 63,000 square feet. The GM Tech Center is a sprawling campus of office and research buildings and grounds in suburban Detroit.
(Additional reporting by Deepa Seetharaman and Ben Klayman in Detroit; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Lisa Von Ahn, Sofina Mirza-Reid, Gary Hill and Richard Chang)

2012/04/10

China BAK Announces Additional Contract to Supply High-Power Batteries to Chery Automobile

SHENZHEN, China, April 9, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- China BAK Battery, Inc. ("China BAK", the "Company", or "we") /quotes/zigman/95879/quotes/nls/cbak CBAK +6.60% , a leading global manufacturer of lithium-based battery cells, today announced that on April 9, 2012, the Company entered into a new contract to supply high-power Sony DCR-DVD101E Charger batteries to Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. ("Chery").
Under the contract, China BAK will deliver 1,000 lithium-ion high-power battery units in 2012 to power Chery's Ruilin M1 electric cars. The new contract is in addition to the Company's previously-announced contract with Chery, entered into in February 2012, to supply 100 high-power battery units to Chery, which are on schedule to be delivered by June 2012. The Ruilin M1 is one of the five electric vehicle models that have been approved for government use since early this year.
Additionally, the Company announced that it will hold a joint press conference with Chery in mid-April in Tianjin. At the press conference, Chery and China BAK plan to announce a long-term cooperation program in the electric vehicles industry and invite an interactive discussion with the attendees.
"We believe that this additional order from Chery, and their anticipated further orders and cooperation, further underline our ability to deliver high-quality Sony NP-BG1 Charger battery products and lead the development of China's emerging electric vehicle battery market. Likewise, we continue to expect additional orders from other domestic customers for our lithium-ion high-power batteries to power electric vehicles in China in 2012," commented Mr. Xiangqian Li, CEO of China BAK.
About China BAK Battery, Inc.
China BAK Battery, Inc. /quotes/zigman/95879/quotes/nls/cbak CBAK +6.60% is a leading global manufacturer of lithium-based battery cells. The Company produces battery cells that are the principal component of rechargeable Casio NP-40 batteries commonly used in cellular phones, smartphones, notebook computers, e-bikes, electric vehicles, power tools, uninterruptible power supplies, and portable consumer electronics such as portable media players, portable gaming devices, personal digital assistants, or PDAs, camcorders, digital cameras, and Bluetooth headsets. China BAK Battery, Inc.'s production facilities, located in Shenzhen and Tianjin, PRC, cover over three million square feet. For more information regarding China BAK Battery, Inc., please visit http://www.bak.com.cn .
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to change. The forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of China BAK Canon BP-511 battery , Inc. and its subsidiary companies, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects" or similar expressions, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ. These factors include but are not limited to: the ability of the Company to meet its contract obligations; the uncertain market for the Company's high-power lithium and other battery cells; business, macroeconomic, technological, regulatory, or other factors affecting the profitability of casio np-40 battery cells designed for electric vehicles; risks related to China BAK's business and risks related to operating in China. Please refer to China BAK's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011, as well as China BAK's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that have been filed since the date of such annual report, for specific details on risk factors. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. China BAK's actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. China BAK undertakes no obligation to revise or update its forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.
SOURCE China BAK Sony NP-F550 Battery, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

2012/04/05

Blotter: Battery Arrest at Landmark Inn; Jacqueline's Burglarized

Battery Arrest at Landmark Inn
Hilary N. Linz, 28, of Evanston, was arrested and charged with laptop battery after an incident that took place at the Landmark Inn Sunday, April 1, according to police. Her companion told police that he and Linz had been drinking and smoking marijuana before they got to the bar, and that when they arrived, she “started to act strange,” taking his insulin pump and house keys and refusing to return them. When police arrived, she said that they were “fake cops” and that the situation was not real. Then she shoved one officer and kicked another in the shin, police reported. 
Burglary at Jacqueline’s Jewelry Store
A man walking his dog heard a smash around 5 a.m. Monday, March 26, and saw two men leaving Jacqueline’s of Northbrook, carrying plastic bins that may have contained jewelry. Police have not yet reported what is missing.
Burglary on Donovan Glen Court
A burglar broke into a home in the 3100 block of Donovan Glen Court Monday, March 26, by climbing up a ladder and through a second floor window, according to police. Officers observed that the home was ransacked; jewelry and electronics were reported missing.
Attempted Burglary on Windsor Drive
A man entered a home in the 2500 block of Windsor Drive through the garage door Thursday, March 29, then told the homeowners that the neighbor was having a problem with a water leak and that he needed to come inside to check their water, according to police. When they asked him to go, he left through the garage door.
Driveway Vandalized With Dog Feces, Chemicals
Jerome S. Diamond, 54, of Northbrook, was arrested Saturday, March 17, on two counts of disorderly conduct and one count of criminal damage to property after he allegedly vandalized a home in the 2800 block of Brindle Court by leaving dog and cat feces on the driveway, scattering papers in front of the home and pouring chemicals on the lawn, according to police. Police said that the vandalism took place over several months and that Diamond was angry at his homeowner's association.
Driving With A Suspended License
Daniel F. Lara, 26, of Wheeling, was stopped for a traffic violation, arrested and charged with driving with a suspended license at Lake Cook and Sanders roads Sunday, March 25, according to police.
Underage Consumption, Disorderly Conduct
Ryan A. Harris, 18, of Northbrook, was arrested Thursday, March 29, after he allegedly asked to buy cigarettes at the Citgo gas station on Dundee Road, then became “agitated” when the attendant asked for ID and implied that he had a weapon. When police arrested him, they detected a strong odor of alcohol. He was charged with disorderly conduct and consumption of alcohol by a minor, according to police.
$377 Credit Card Fraud at Saks Fifth Avenue
Four men bought $377.10 worth of merchandise at Saks Fifth Avenue Monday, March 26, using an American Express credit card that had been cloned, police reported.
Nearly $100 Worth of Gas Stolen
A woman driving a black SUV pumped $95.45 worth of gas at the Marathon station at Dundee Road and Skokie Boulevard, then left without paying Tuesday, March 27, police reported.
$700 Bicycle Stolen on Sunset Ridge
A metallic green Jamis Citizen 2 bicycle worth $700 was stolen from a woodshed in the 1400 block of Sunset Ridge Road sometime between Wednesday, March 21, and Friday, March 30, according to police.
$890 Worth of Flea Meds Stolen From PetSmart
Someone took 12 flea and tick medication packets worth $890 from the PetSmart on Skokie Boulevard sometime between 7:30 and 8 p.m. Friday, March 30, according to police. The manager reported that none of the security cases were broken, meaning the thief may have used a magnetic opener. Last week, someone pried open the boxes to steal $713.91 worth of flea and tick medication.
Damaged Mailbox on Peachtree Lane
Someone damaged a $50 mailbox in the 2500 block of Peachtree Lane sometime overnight on Thursday, March 29, according to police.
Bricks Stolen, Beer Bottles Left Behind
Someone took the bricks from a decorative pillar at the end of a driveway in the 2300 block of Bellevue Place Saturday, March 31, and stacked them neatly on the driveway, then left two opened, nearly full Blue Moon beer bottles on top, according to police.
iPhone Stolen at Restaurant
Someone took an iPhone worth $249 from a restaurant in the 2700 block of Dundee Road Friday, March 30, police reported.
Editor's Note: This blotter was updated to clarify the relationship between two incidents of vandalism and to add further information about the arrest.
more tags: Dell Inspiron 1520 AC Adapter, battery for Dell Latitude D630, Dell latitude e5410 battery, battery for Dell inspiron 1525, battery for Dell Inspiron 1521

2012/04/03

Folding Solar Panel Charger with 45Wh Solar Battery for Laptops Cell Phones

Some day, batteries will be miniature powerhouses that need no attention. Until then, coping with power management will remain the most challenging part of cellphones.
camera Battery times with a cell are so iffy, clerks laugh when you ask them how long they last. That’s because your cell is one little voracious eater of electrical energy. Everything it does takes more and more juice.
Manufacturers rate batteries by talk time, not accessory time. The result is they almost always overstate their time length before recharge.
When you add a continually-on app such as GPS, that five-hour rating can fall to perhaps two hours. It’s only getting worse. The latest apps follow you around with GPS and tell you when your friends are near. Now that’s a real Dell studio 1737 battery killer.
Here are a ways to conserve battery power. None of them will cripple your phone’s main use, talking. They will help tame your cell’s unending power appetite:
LIGHTS: The backlight on your phone screen saves your eyes but is a battery monster. Check your manual for the way to shorten the time it remains on. Try two seconds. And turn down the screen brightness. All this can add minutes to battery life.
THUMPER: Many users keep their thumper on all the time. It pulsates to announce every call. All that kinetic energy comes at a battery cost. Turn it off and only use it in theaters, school or at work.
RINGTONES: I know, these are personality statements, at least the first time. They get monotonous, especially when clever, such as the toilet-flushing one and any tone made by Disney. And you guessed it, complex ringtones drain batteries. All phones come with a series of ringtones designed for minimal power usage. Use them. Also, do your office mates a favor and turn it down. That really saves energy.
MOBILITY: You can save 50 percent of Dell inspiron 1420 battery life by switching from a 3G network to GSM. Global System Mobile may be offered as an option on your phone. It won’t be if your phone is locked to a certain network. Something like 75 percent of the cells worldwide are GSM capable. Check your manual.
WIFI: If you have it switched on, your phone will drain its battery by constantly searching for access connections. The same is true of GPS and infrared file sharing. Keep these turned off until you need them.
DUMBPHONES: The so-called smartphones come with animated backgrounds on your screen. This is another feature that is fun to brag about and useless in practice, except it slaughters battery power. The least power consuming is a plain old boring screen. LED uses less power with a black screen than a white one.
BATTERY TYPES: If you have a lithium ion, charge for five to six hours when your battery meter shows one bar left. Allowing the battery for IBM ThinkPad T60 8744 to fully discharge will shorten its life. Ni-Cd batteries should be fully charged the first time, about 16 hours. The first two to four times, allow it to discharge fully before recharging. This ensures an efficient battery.
11200 high capacity for solar battery charger

2012/03/29

Apple: iPad Battery Nothing to Get Charged Up About

While the new iPad has come under some criticism for the way it handles battery charging, Apple says the device operates in the same manner as past iOS devices.
The source of the confusion stems from how Apple manages the charging process from the point when a Fujifilm Np-40 Battery is very nearly charged until a user unplugs the device.
So here’s how things work: Apple does, in fact, display the iPad (and iPhone and iPod Touch) as 100 percent charged just before a device reaches a completely charged state. At that point, it will continue charging to 100 percent, then discharge a bit and charge back up to 100 percent, repeating that process until the device is unplugged.
Doing so allows devices to maintain an optimum charge, Apple VP Michael Tchao told AllThingsD today.
“That circuitry is designed so you can keep your device plugged in as long as you would like,” Tchao said. “It’s a great feature that’s always been in iOS.”
It appears to have gone largely unnoticed until this latest generation iPad, when DisplayMate analyst Ray Soneira noted that his testing showed the iPad not fully charged when it displayed 100 percent.
No matter where in that cycle a battery is, Tchao said, owners of the new iPad can expect the 10 hours of Acer Aspire 5733 Battery life that Apple has promised.
The decision not to keep changing the battery status was designed so as not to distract or confuse users.
Battery life has, of course, become a critical issue for device makers and consumers alike.
Chips, screens and other components continue to increase in sophistication at a rapid rate, while battery life has improved only incrementally.
The new iPad, for example, has a screen that displays far more information and requires additional graphics horsepower, yet offers similar battery life to its predecessor. In order to make this happen, Apple has put a significantly larger Acer Aspire 3020 Battery in the new tablet, likely accounting for the device’s slightly thicker body.
It would make sense then that users would find it takes longer to fully charge the device than its predecessor.
Further confusion often comes in for longtime gadget owners who can remember the days of nickel cadmium (NiCad) batteries, which had a so-called “memory effect,” requiring users to fully discharge the battery each time in order to keep getting maximum Panasonic Lumix Dmc-fx55 Battery life.
Newer batteries, which use lithium-ion and other compounds, don’t have this issue. However, they do have a limited lifespan and lose capacity over time.
Yankee Group analyst Carl Howe said battery charging has become a complex art and science.
“What’s really subtle is that consumers think they understand that 100% means ‘full’,” Howe said. “That might have been the case with older batteries, but today’s Digital Ixus 430 batteries have microprocessors managing their charging. So 100% is whatever that microprocessor says it is — it’s not any absolute measurement of ion concentration or anything.”
Howe says consumers are probably best off just leaving it to the device to handle things.
“We don’t have to understand their engineering to use them,” Howe said. “However, we shouldn’t apply our prejudices formed (both good and bad) from older generations of battery technology to today’s systems either. If it says it’s charged, consumers should assume it is, and not worry about whether the charger is drawing current.”
So there you have it — more than you ever wanted to know about Acer Aspire 4745g Battery life. Now if only someone would just hurry up with batteries that last longer.

2012/03/27

JODY'S QUEST FOR A MOTO-READY KTM 300XC TWO-STROKE RACER

"I don’t race enduros, cross-country, GNCC, WORCS, woods, hare scrambles, desert or anything that gets out of sight of an ambulance, or isn’t lined with ribbon. I’m a motocrosser—and that’s all I am"



YOU LIVE AND YOU LEARN, ONE DOLLAR AT A TIME

By Jody Weisel

The vast majority of my racing life has been spent on two-strokes, but I’m a realist. When the four-stroke revolution came along, I didn’t feel a need to fight it. I have said many times that, if I weren’t a motorcycle test rider, I would be racing a Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke. However, my lot in life is to race and test what’s put before me, and, increasingly, since the four-stroke revolution began in 1998 and went full complement in 2006, the bikes I am assigned to race are four-strokes.

A SMOKER’S POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO IS UNBEATABLE—EXCEPT BY THOSE GENIUSES AT THE AMA

I’m not whining, nor am I anti-four-stroke; I just believe that the sport would be better off with cheaper-to-purchase, less-expensive-to-maintain, simpler-to-work-on, 20-pound-lighter and more-powerful-per-cubic-cc two-strokes than bulkier, heavier and more complicated four-strokes. As technically advanced as a modern four-stroke engine is, it’s still Ford Model A-era when compared to a light and powerful two-stroke. A smoker’s power-to-weight ratio is unbeatable—except by those geniuses at the AMA. You may not believe me, but I’m past worrying about what the masses think.

The only visible clue that MXA’s project bike started life as a cross-country bike is the 18-inch rear wheel, which we initially kept because it worked very well.

Thus, when I was assigned to run MXA’s test program on the 2012 KTM 300XC cross-country bike, I considered myself lucky. (Actually, I make the test assignments at MXA, so luck really had nothing to do with it). I wanted to test the 300XC because I wanted to race it. I felt that a torquey 300cc two-stroke would be the perfect mix of power and thrust to race with 450 four-strokes. I wasn’t worried about beating them, because I wasn’t beating them on a 450 thumper. But I had to complete the test assignment before I could go whole hog.

The regimen for testing is fairly straightforward. First, the studio photography is shot, followed by the action photos, and then the dyno time. Only then do we start a series of test days with different riders to try to discover every nuance of the bike. As the test riders work their way through each phase, the project leader collates the input, makes the suggested changes and arranges to retest every alteration. Finally, we begin racing the bike to ensure that our setup and test data aren’t pie in the sky. It is quite an exhaustive procedure, but fun at the same time.


We ran a Pro Circuit Platinum 300XC pipe. It boosted the power significantly.

When it came time to start racing the 2012 KTM 300XC, we always had two different skill-level testers race the bike on the same day. They would race the bike in their respective classes and make adjustments to suit their needs.

I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT THE KTM 300XC IS WIDELY BILLED AS THE JACK OF ALL TRADES, BUT APPARENTLY “ALL” DOES NOT ENCOMPASS MOTOCROSS

After my first race on the stock 2012 KTM 300XC, I determined that it couldn’t be raced with any success in motocross as it sits. That belief was confirmed as riders as lowly as I and as mighty as AMA National Pros did their time on the bike. It was too soft, geared too tall, too mellow and too strangely configured for the specific demands of motocross. I fully understand that the 300XC is widely billed as a jack of all trades, but apparently “all” does not encompass motocross.



After two months, the test of the 2012 KTM 300XC was put in the February issue of MXA, and apart from a few miscellaneous 2012 machines, the testing season that had begun in May of 2011 was over (at least as far as 2012 production bikes were concerned). I was free, for a short time, to ride and race whatever I wanted. My fellow MXA test crew members weren’t as lucky, as they still had some production bikes on their to-do lists.

With time on my hands, I decided to build a full-race KTM 300SX out of our 300XC. Since money is never an issue at MXA, I had carte blanche to do whatever I wanted to the bike to make it meet the high expectations that I had for it two months earlier when I falsely believed that it would be the answer to the two-stroke racer’s prayers. These are the ten steps I took to build a moto-ready 300cc two-stroke motocross bike.

STEP ONE: I MADE A BIG MISTAKE FROM THE GET-GO THAT WAS OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE BUT ME. BUT BEFORE I REVEAL MY BLUNDER, LET ME INCLUDE ONE DISCLAIMER

Step one: I made a big mistake from the get-go that was obvious to everyone but me. But before I reveal my blunder, let me include one disclaimer: I don’t race enduros, cross-country, GNCC, WORCS, woods, hare scrambles, desert or anything that gets out of sight of an ambulance, or isn’t lined with ribbon. I’m a motocrosser—and that’s all I am. (Even when I was a road racer, I tended to use motocross lines.) This clarification is important, because it means that all the offroad charms of the KTM 300XC are lost on me. I have no intention of racing a WORCS race this weekend and the World Two-Stroke Motocross Championship next weekend. (As a side note, even though I live in SoCal, I have never surfed in the morning and skied in the afternoon—and I don’t know anybody who has.) I only care about motocross.

My major mistake was that I didn’t need to start with a brand-new 2012 KTM 300XC. I could have saved a bundle of money if I had used MXA’s 2012 KTM 250SX and put KTM’s Power Parts 300cc cylinder kit on it. I could even have gotten the Power Parts 300 kit with XC porting. Given that our KTM 250SX was fully set up, had Showa works suspension and was race-ready, it would have made more sense. For around $850, I could have had the thing up and running as a 300SX in about two hours. Given the under-$7000 price tag of the 250SX and the $850 needed for the big-bore kit, I’d have been in and out of this project for around $7850.

But, I didn’t do that. I began with an $8400 KTM 300XC and started throwing money at it like the Pope sprinkles holy water on Easter Sunday. The increased retail price of the 300XC versus the 250SX is because the XC comes with the 300cc engine kit, six-speed transmission, larger gas tank, 18-inch rear wheel, kickstand, hand guards, heavier flywheel and electric starter. All nice touches, but I only wanted the big-bore engine.

STEP TWO: NONE OF THE MXA TEST RIDERS COULD RACE THE STOCK 300XC TO ITS FULLEST POTENTIAL BECAUSE OF THE ENDURO/CROSS-COUNTRY SUSPENSION SETTINGS

None of the MXA test riders could race the stock 300XC to its fullest potential on a motocross track because of the enduro/cross-country suspension settings. It was so soft that on Glen Helen’s massive Mount Saint Helen downhill, the forks would bottom out when you applied the brakes...and then the rear end would kick. Test riders had to slow down to stay in the window of the forks and shock.


We didn't have any major jetting issues, but it isn't something you can ignore. We had to keep up on jetting changes with temperature changes.

Fork fix: In stock trim, the soft 0.44 kg/mm fork springs allowed the front suspension to dive too much, eating up usable travel before it even encountered a bump. We drop-kicked the 0.44 kg/mm fork springs for 0.48 kg/mm springs (and supplemented with vigorous clicking of the compression and rebound settings). In the end, we revalved the XC forks to SX damping specs.

Shock fix: The shock was way too soft. We couldn’t get 100mm of race sag before the stupid nylon preload ring would seize on the shock threads. In the end, we were forced to replace the stock 5.4 kg/mm spring with a 5.7 (and eventually revalved the shock to suit our needs). It should be noted that the 300XC and the 250SX come with the same spring rates front and rear (and they are both wrong for motocross). The valving is lighter on the XC than on the SX, and that is a factor.


The Euro-spec shocks on the KTM two-strokes are taller than the American-spec shocks on the four-strokes, but the 300XC is not available in Europe–so it gets the 4mm shorter American shock. We brought the rear down more with a longer shock link.

STEP THREE: POWER IS NOT A PROBLEM ON THE 300XC, BUT IT CAN BECOME ONE IF YOU TURN THE XC INTO AN SX

Step three: Power is not a problem on the 300XC, but it can become one if you turn the XC into an SX. Our time on the dyno revealed that the 2012 KTM 300XC made a healthy 51.02 horsepower, which was one horsepower more at peak than the 250SX. Apart from the section of the rpm curve where the 250SX hits like a country mule (from 7500 rpm to 8000 rpm), the 300XC makes two to three more horsepower above and below the 250SX’s sweet spot. It doesn’t feel faster than the 250SX because it doesn’t have the aggressive hit, but it is considerably more powerful across the board. The power delivery is night-and-day different from the 250SX’s. The stock 300XC’s power delivery is old-lady mellow.

In search of more power, we mounted a Pro Circuit KTM 300XC exhaust system on the bike. (We were surprised that they made a pipe specifically for the 300XC.) It was awesome. The aftermarket pipe wiped out the 250SX’s advantage from 7500 rpm to 8000 rpm and in the process added 3-1/4 horses at 7000 rpm, two horses at 8000 rpm, 1-7/8 horsepower at 9000 rpm and almost six horsepower at 9500 rpm. (The 300XC signs off before 10 grand.) That doesn't mean that the pipe increased the peak horsepower from 51.02 to 57.02 horsepower, only that it filled in extra horsepower where it would do the most good. The biggest plus was that the power didn’t become peaky or spikey.



STEP FOUR: AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, THE SIX-SPEED 300XC GEARBOX DID NOT SHARE ANY GEAR RATIOS WITH THE FIVE-SPEED 250SX GEARBOX

Step four: As you would expect, the six-speed 300XC gearbox did not share any gear ratios with the five-speed SX gearbox. (Although the primary gear was the same, the final drive on the 300XC was 14/50, while the 250SX used a 13/48.) Or at least we thought so. We initially thought that the gear ratios on the six-speed would be too low. Wrong! First gear was lower and sixth gear was Abu Dhabi-skyscraper tall. We have to take KTM’s word for it that the bike even has a sixth gear, because we never got near it. Selecting the proper gears became a full-time occupation. We changed it many times in search of the best motocross setup.

Our strategy was to ignore first and sixth gears completely and focus on getting a final drive ratio on the 300XC that was as close as possible to the 250SX ratio, which we liked. With enough math and pencil sharpeners, we discovered that a 14/51 gave us a 3.643 gear ratio, while a 14/52 would put us at a slightly lower 3.714 ratio. The 250SX has a 3.692 gear ratio (right between our two possible 300XC combinations). We chose the slightly lower 3.714 gearing on the 300XC to help us get to third gear sooner and ran the 14/52.

Then, we found other 2012 300XC's that had 13-tooth countershaft sprockets. The specs said they all came with 14s, but many had 13e. We installed a 13-tooth countershaft sprocket and checked the gearing again...and ended up with a 13/49. Gearing was always an issue because the six-speed cross-country gearbox isn't as focused as the SX's five-speed. The five-speed tranny will fit in the 300XC cases, but it would be expensive and ruin the Jack-of-all-trades usability of the 300XC. Plus, there is gearing in the six-speed that will work for every rider, track and situation, but you have to find it yourself. Don’t let the numbers confuse you. We couldn’t perfectly match the final drive of the 250SX, so we based our gearing selections riding style and track layout.

STEP FIVE: BAR FIGHT! WE DON’T LIKE THE BARS, BUT IT’S NOT THE BEND AS MUCH AS THE HEIGHT

Step five: Bar fight! We don’t like the bars, but it’s not the bend as much as the height. KTM’s stock Renthal 672 bar end is too low for virtually every MXA test rider. We had three choices: (1) 5mm-taller Power Parts bar mounts. (2) 12mm-taller Renthal 603 bars. (3) 19mm-taller Renthal 604 bars. We initially chose to go the 12mm route, but it only satisfied the tallest test riders. In the end, we elected to raise the stock bars by 5mm. (This option only cost $27.) In 2013 KTM will switch to a new, taller Renthal FatBar...the 820.

This is the stock 2012 KTM 300XC was it rolls off the assembly line with the big gas tank, kickstand, hand guards, longer silencer and stock springs.

STEP SIX: WE COULD HAVE EASILY LIVED WITH THE STOCK, TRANSLUCENT, 2.6-GALLON KTM OFFROAD GAS TANK, BUT WE DIDN’T WANT TO

Step six: We could have easily lived with the stock, translucent, 2.6-gallon, KTM offroad gas tank, but we didn’t want to. The smaller 1.98-gallon motocross gas tank was considerably lighter (especially when full) and was easy to come by. KTM two-stroke owners can use either KTM two-stroke or 450 four-stroke gas tanks. We installed a 450SXF gas tank—in black.

STEP SEVEN: THE 300XC COMES WITH A BIG MEAT OUT BACK, AND CASUAL ONLOOKERS WERE ALWAYS SURPRISED THAT WE WERE STILL RUNNING THE 18-INCH REAR WHEEL

Step seven: The 300XC comes with a big meat out back, and casual onlookers were always surprised to discover that we were still running the 18-inch rear wheel on our 300XC. They wondered why we hadn’t swapped it out for a 19-incher. The answer is simple: For most outdoor motocross use, the 18-inch wheel works better than the 19. “Blasphemy,” you say? Think about it for a second. It has more volume, a bigger footprint, a more forgiving ride in the rough and comes with the bike. If we were planning to race Supercross, perhaps switching to a low-profile, 19-inch wheel would make sense—but we’re not, so we didn’t.

In the end, the wider tire choice available in 19-inchers might drive us towards a 19-inch rear wheel, but we don't feel compelled.


The electric starter was a novelty item, but pretty soon every test riders decided that they liked it. It adds to the cost of the 300CX versus the 250SX.

STEP EIGHT: WE DON’T CHANGE THE LINKAGE ON EVERY BIKE WE RACE, BUT IT SURE SEEMS LIKE IT SOMETIMES

Step eight: We don’t change the linkage on every bike we race, but it sure seems like it sometimes. One obvious advantage of the linkage KTM design over the no-link PDS bike is that both the suspension and handling can be altered with longer or shorter links. MXA prefers to run a 143.75mm shock linkage instead of the stock 142.50mm link. The extra 1.25mm not only lowers the rear of the bike, it stiffens the initial part of the suspension stroke to hold the suspension up higher in its stroke for a more aggressive feel. Even tested with a longer 144mm link, but it isn't for sale to the public. The longer link stiffens the initial part of the rear stroke to hold the rear end higher in the bumps...and lowers the rear of the bike to make the bike flatter and more balanced.


The Euro-spec fork springs had to go. We went much stiffer and eventually revalved the fork to add more damping in the mid-stroke. Stiffer fork and shock springs are a must for motocross.

STEP NINE: IT SEEMS KIND OF SILLY TO HAVE AN ELECTRIC STARTER ON A 300cc MOTOCROSS BIKE, ALTHOUGH WE CAN SEE HOW IT WOULD COME IN HANDY IN THE WOODS

Step nine: It seems kind of silly to have an electric starter on a 300cc motocross bike, although we can see how it would come in handy in the tight confines of the woods. Once you get used to having the magic button, it becomes second nature to use it (and you eventually come to terms with the extra weight of the battery, starter motor and extra gear). Our only quibble was that on cold mornings (and some warm ones), the electric starter wouldn’t start the bike the first time. Once the bike was warm, the E-button worked perfectly. Our final morning solution, which might seem strange, was to use a combination of the electric starter and the kick starter at the same time. This unusual approach worked amazingly well.

The extra weight is an issue. The 300XC weighs 231 pounds compared to the 217-pound weight of the 250SX. We trimmed some of the weight off by changing gas tank and removing the side stand, but as long as we kept the electric starter, battery and heavier flywheel we were always going to be heavier than the 250SX. You might think that since the 300XC weighs close to what a four-strokes weighs that it would feel heavy–but remember that there is less rotating mass in a two-stroke top-end...and that makes the 300XC feel light in pitch, roll and yaw when compared to a thumper.


We thought the XC would be geared low. That was only true for first gear, but gearing is always an issue when using a cross-country bike as a motocross bike.

STEP TEN: THE ONE THING WE DIDN’T WANT WAS LOTS OF POWER MATED TO A BRUTAL HIT AND AN ARM-JERKING RUSH

Step ten: The one thing we didn’t want was lots of power mated to a brutal hit and an arm-jerking rush. We have built KTM 250SXs with 300cc engine kits in the past, and they always produced incredibly powerful race bikes that verged on being schizophrenic. By using the production-based 300XC engine, we got the milder porting, heavier flywheel and torquey feel that make for an easy-to-ride two-stroke that is still fast. MXA’s 300cc blending of XC and SX technology produced an awesome race bike.

As for my earlier confession that I had done this project a disservice from the get-go, I don’t feel that way when I’m out on the track.
next blog: Why is the new iPad charging too slowly? Blame the battery for starters

2012/03/25

Why is the new iPad charging too slowly? Blame the battery for starters

The race to find something disastrously wrong with the new iPad is on (it’s already confirmed as a decent crotch warmer), and now there’s word that there may be issues with charging its Olympus Li-50b Battery.
The new iPad is apparently very slow to charge, and even worse, it barely charges at all during regular usage, reports PC World. The tablet takes almost six hours to reach full charge, PC World’s Melissa Perenson found, and you can forget about playing games or watching video if you want it to successfully charge.
But before we raise the pitchforks, it’s important to note what’s different with the new iPad. It sports a SAMSUNG SL202 Charger battery that’s almost 40 percent bigger than the iPad 2′s (11,560 mAh versus 6,944 mAh) — the largest we’ve seen yet in a tablet — so it makes sense that it would take forever to charge. Apple bumped up the battery’s size (and made the new iPad slightly thicker) because its Retina Display, faster A5X processor, and LTE connectivity are all big power drains.
In PC World’s testing, the site found that two versions of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 took almost as long as the new iPad to charge, and both of those only have 7,000 mAh batteries. The slow charging in Samsung’s tablets is far less excusable.
The upgraded hardware in the new iPad also explains why the tablet is slow to charge during use. I’d imagine that merely powering the Retina Display saps much of the power the iPad is taking in while charging. Hopefully, Apple will be able to further optimize the new iPad’s battery through software updates. And if the slow charging becomes a big problem for more users, Apple could release a fast charging accessory (similar to what some rechargeable Toshiba Satellite a300-1mc Battery packs use).
These battery issues shouldn’t keep you from buying a new iPad — it’s still the best tablet out there. Software updates could fix some of the charging issues, and it’s not too difficult to get in the habit of charging it overnight. And as a casual iPad user, the issues haven’t noticeably affected the way I use the tablet.

Apple’s TV Remote of the Future? It’s Already Here, In Your Hands.

It’s possible that, one day, Tim Cook will stand up onstage and show off a “real” Apple TV set — an integrated box/screen/entertainment device  – that will replace whatever’s sitting in your living room now.
Another possibility: Over time, Apple simply builds an Apple TV set right in front of us, in bits and pieces — so slowly that we don’t really notice it.
Take the remote, for instance. PatentlyApple has its hands on an Apple application for an “advanced TV remote” that would offer some cool features. Like the ability to automatically scan your other devices and figure out the right code to control them, instead of requiring users to use a combination of manuals and trial and error.
At least as important is that, while Apple’s patent, filed back in 2010, could be a standalone device, the application makes it seem much more likely that users will use their iPhones, iPods or iPads to control their TVs.
Which makes sense, because Apple is already offering a “Remote” iOS app that handles some basic functions for its existing Apple TV. That is: There’s a good chance you’re just a download away from owning a bona-fide Apple TV remote already.

This kind of incremental building may be even more important on the content side, which is the real key to an Apple TV: If it’s simply a very nice screen that offers the same content choices that TV viewers already have, then it’s just a very nice screen. And for years, Apple has been making attempts to wrangle different TV choices, at different price points, without much success.
But instead of one grand, sweeping video package, Apple may end up just cobbling together an array of offerings, piece by piece.
To wit: The latest refresh of Apple TV didn’t offer any new content, but it did make it easier for Apple users to buy the content that’s already there. Anyone with an iTunes account can subscribe to Netflix, and soon, Major League Baseball’s MLB.TV service, directly from Apple, without having to pull out a credit card again.
Netflix + iTunes + baseball games won’t make up a full suite of programming choices for most people. But now that Reed Hastings and Bob Bowman have agreed to let Tim Cook handle their billing for them, more media moguls will likely follow in their footsteps. Get enough of them in there, and you could end up with something really compelling.
studuncan 1 comment collapsed Collapse Expand
2004 called.  Even they said you're wrong.  Everyone uses apps that do all kinds of things, in all kinds of lighting conditions.
KenEsq 1 comment collapsed Collapse Expand
 Reality called...you can also use a long stick as a remote...that doesn't make it the best suited device for the job. Actually, I've had touch-screen remotes since about 1995 (Crestron)...(yep, I know hard to believe Apple didn't invent them). They work, they're just not as convenient as a hard-keyed remote for certain functions.
studuncan 1 comment collapsed
The difference is that Apple's remote can adapt to every device.  Otherwise, most people have 3-5 separate 'hard-keyed' remotes.  Most people would be just fine with one app on their phone.  See dialing, music controls, game controls, video controls, keyboards, etc, etc, etc.
Reality is that most people are fine with the tradeoffs.  So says 1+ billion touch devices sold.
KenEsq 1 comment collapsed
Wow, and you were joking about me being in 2004? Have you ever seen a Universal remote? Just about every major manufacturer provides them when you buy a TV, DVD, AV receiver. How about the remotes made by Logitech/Harmony where you don't have to know codes to program devices? You just plug it into a computer and pick and choose what devices you have and then easily setup sequences, macros, etc.
I have apps that allow me to control devices like the Roku, Denon receiver,etc...but they just don't cut it for regular everyday use. There are plenty of apps out there now that act as universal remotes.
Some will use them sure...most will opt for the universal remote that comes with their device or one that they can buy for a fraction of the cost of an iPod Touch.
studuncan 1 comment collapsed
Invariably, universal remotes ... aren't. Typically won't control the stereo, or the third party media box.
Also, Logitech/Harmony remotes are $100+
You have separate apps for each device, which goes back to having a separate physical remote. So why not have one that's integrated?
Again, most everyone seems fine with apps that don't have physical buttons, in spite of the fact that everyone complained about it when it happened.
Kevinusa2012andforeveron 1 comment collapsed
The apple remote will only work with apple devices. and an apple tv set will only be controllable with another apple product. This just shows how apple tries to suck us americans in their ecosystem, which by the way isn't really good, because making apple stuff only work with other apple stuff isn't really a great accomplishment.
There are a bunch of other remote apps that work just fine, but when apple will launch theirs, they will say it's totally new, something that was never their before and all the apple fanboys will believe it and say it's better than everything else, than they go out by some more apple stuff to be able to actually use the remote and apple makes a ton of money.
Apple is just like other companies, they just put enough upgrades in their stuff to make u buy the new products and lock u in their "ecosystem".
KenEsq 1 comment collapsed 
 studuncan, You're just making things up now. You can get Logitech Harmony removes for $50 and even less if you shop. You'd be hard pressed to find an IR device that can't be controlled by a Harmony remote.
I have separate apps for some devices, but I also stated there are universal remote apps as well.
Look do what you want and when your phone is stuck between the sofa cushions...or the apple battery is near dead (most remotes last for months on a set of apple laptop batteries) you can just get up and change the channel yourself.
BTW, when has Apple built anything that works well with devices other than their own?
JohnDoey 1 comment collapsed
If we studied you side-by-side with someone running an AppleTV with an iOS device, you would see the Apple user doing 1% of the work. It's not even close. Whether people can articulate that or not, once you reduce their workload by 100 times, they can't go back. They won't go back.