Startup looks to extend battery life

Intel-backed start-up ZPower may be the first to introduce an alternative to the ubiquitous lithium-ion laptop battery, with a silver-zinc technology the company says will make its debut with a large laptop maker in 2009.

The company promises up to 40 percent more run time than current lithium-ion batteries, and says its batteries are 95 percent recyclable.

ZPower made the announcement ahead of the Batteries 2008 conference in Nice, France, which began Wednesday, and where ZPower's chief executive, Ross Dueber, will be presenting ZPower's take on silver-zinc technology, also known as silver-oxide.

Silver-zinc batteries were initially developed for aircraft, and were used to power the Apollo spacecraft, as well as finding their way into torpedoes and the U.S. Alfa class submarine.
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Spotted: MSI Wind 2

Before you pick up MSI's Wind U100 Netbook at Best Buy, you'd do well to take a look-see at purported photos of its sequel, the Wind U120.

It appears to be very similar to the U100 in size and design, keeping the 10-inch screen but going with a two-tone look with a black screen bezel and sides and a white lid, keyboard, and wrist rest. The U120 will reportedly target business users, adding 802.11n Wi-Fi and 3.5G WWAN. Other rumored specifications include a 120GB hard drive or 20GB or 40GB solid-state drives and no changes to the Intel Atom CPU or other components. The MSI Wind U120 is expected to hit in December.

Via CNET Crave

The "scientific" way to uncover the new MacBook

Only the Cupertino company can drum up this level of excitement. Since Apple is not in the habit of pre-releasing information and remains one of the most secure when it comes to protecting new product announcements, rumors and guesses are all most of us have to go with.

BoingBoing Gadgets, however, has found another way to sniff out the latest tidbit. Based on the proportion of the logo on a MacBook cover and using it on the teaser page on Apple's Web site, it suggests that the new laptop is a 13.3-inch metallic number. This, of course, have been speculated to death long ago, but it's good to know that there is yet another arrow pointing in the same direction.

Via BoingBoing Gadgets

Eee PC to get touchscreen treatment in 2009

Because of their small size and inexpensive nature, Netbooks are hot items right now. ASUS' Eee PC is one of the more recognizable lines available.

Users have wanted a touchscreen version of their favorite tiny laptops, and it's been rumored for a while that future Eee PCs would implement them. But it wasn't confirmed until the general manager of the Eee PC line for ASUS stated that they are coming--next year.

Samson Hu, the general manager, also remarked that future models would get dual-core Atom processors once they come out, and that a new lower-cost model is on the way. According to some reports, there are even more models in the works but details are scant. In all, it's a day of good news for Eee PC fans.

Via CNET Crave

It's official: Apple to talk laptops on October 14

The official invite just popped up in CNET US mailboxes for Apple's long-rumored October 14 press event in Cupertino, California. The big picture of a laptop and the headline "The spotlight turns to notebooks" leaves us with a pretty clear idea of what Steve Jobs and company will be talking about. Not mentioned here is the most persistent rumor--that at least one of the new systems will hit a meltdown-friendly price of US$800.

Here's the invite itself, for the curiosity seekers out there.




Via CNET CRAVE

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