Rechargeable

Going wireless with your keyboard and mouse might unleash you from the shackles of cables, but at the price of having to constantly shell out for batteries or swap rechargeables in and out. Inductive chargers like the Powermat have provided a convenient, cable-free way to keep mobile phones, portable games consoles and PMPs powered up, and now Mobee has launched the first inductive charger developed specifically for the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. Read More

Although HP and others are breaking new ground in notebook battery life, there are times when you might find yourself away from the grid for a bit longer than your laptop battery can last. A mobile energy storage unit like Yill, from Germany's Younicos, is said to be capable of autonomously meeting the power needs of a computer workstation for between two and three days on a single charge of its own quick-charge batteries. Deployment of the drum-like power houses throughout an office could even help save energy bills. Read More

In figuring out how a molecule called fulvalene diruthenium works to store and release heat, researchers at MIT may have paved the way for a rechargeable battery that stores heat instead of electricity. Although the molecule was discovered in 1996, ruthenium’s rarity and cost has ruled out it’s widespread use but the researchers say understanding the fundamental mechanism of how the molecule works should make it possible to find similar chemicals based on more abundant, less expensive materials. Read More

Joby’s Gorillatorch line has been removing the torches from DIYer’s mouths and underarms for a while now with its original 65-lumens Gorillatorch, which was joined earlier this year by the more powerful 100-lumens Gorillatorch Flare. For the latest addition to the line Joby has again upped the light intensity with the new Gorillatorch Blade. The Blade features the instantly recognizable flexible legs that are found on all Gorillapod tripods, along with a long-lasting CREE XLamp XP-C LED producing up to 130 lumens of light output, which can be adjusted from spot to flood. Read More

With the cold winter months approaching fast, Sanyo has announced the release of a new eneloop universe waist warmer in Japan. Taking the form of an adjustable belt, the warmth to belly and waist is provided by a thin film heater unit powered by a mobile booster. The company has also given its neck warmer an update to make it easier to use and added a new twin set of eneloop kairo hand warmers. Read More

Now here's something we've never seen before – a rechargeable lightglobe. Chinese company Magic Bulb has patented a new type of device which incorporates a battery and LED lightblobe to produce a lightglobe which uses only 4 watts but produces the equivalent light of a traditional 50W globe. If the power fails, the globe will keep running for around three hours or it can be screwed out of its socket and the handle extended to turn it into a bright torch. Read More

Rechargeable lithium ion batteries are used in everything from mobile phones to cars. Most of the batteries available today are designed with an oxide of metal such as cobalt, nickel, or manganese, which adds to their cost. Researchers looking for lower-priced alternatives to existing lithium ion-metal oxide batteries have discovered that a little wax and soap can help build electrodes and will allow battery developers to explore lower-priced alternatives to the lithium ion-metal oxide batteries currently on the market. Read More

The Sanho Corporation has announced a new iPad-specific addition to its HyperMac battery solutions. Apple's tablet computer can be placed into one of two angled slots on top of the HyperMac Stand which create the perfect angle for movie viewing or for eBook reading. The stand also serves to extend iPad enjoyment by adding another 16 hours to its battery life. Read More

We’ve covered a few underwater autonomous robots designed to make exploring the murky depths easier here on Gizmag, such as Snookie and the Talisman, but none that can generate its own power – until now. NASA, US Navy and university researchers have successfully demonstrated the first underwater vehicle to be powered entirely by natural, renewable, ocean thermal energy. Scalable for use on most robotic oceanographic vehicles, this technological breakthrough could usher in a new generation of autonomous underwater vehicles capable of virtually indefinite ocean monitoring for climate and marine animal studies, exploration and surveillance. Read More