Powerbooks new lithium prysmatic battery technology

[moav]

Can anyone please explain this new adage in laymans terms? Is there any difference from ion or whatever we had in the past? And can someon give us a quick timeline on what the first battery technology was in the Apple through the years of powerbook updates even earlier then the 100 series and what do the next 3-5 years hold?

It seems that the 17" is the only model to incorporate this new battery technology. Where as the 12 and 15 uses ion and has 47 and 61 watt rating respectively and the 17 has 55 with the prismatic battery.

 

[ekramer]

who knows but they put this new special battery into the 17 inch notebook and it gets less useage time than any of their other notebooks...

that SUX

 

[LordOphidian]

From my google searching, it seems to be a new way of manufacturing Lithium Ion batteries. Im not sure on the relative merits of the new process, but I would assume it produces a battery with a longer lifetime.

Here is a graphic showing the process, according to NEC-TOKIN.

 

[chevy]

Originally posted by ekramer
who knows but they put this new special battery into the 17 inch notebook and it gets less useage time than any of their other notebooks...

that SUX

It's also the fastest PB and the largest screen ! It's quite normal that it uses more current.

 

[fryke]

The history of notebook batteries in short...

PowerBook 100 - Lead Battery (yup!)
PowerBook 140-180c - First NiCd
PowerBook 520/540/550 - First NiMH
PowerBook 5300 - LiI... NiMH*
PowerBook 3400c - LiIon
No PowerBook - LiPolymer
PowerBook G4 Al - LiPrismatic

*The PowerBook 5300 series was planned to sport the first LiIon batteries, but went up in flames in Apple's laboratories. This was about the worst time Apple had. System 7.5.x was the buggiest system version ever, the PowerBooks went up in flames, Microsoft Word 6 was the worst version of Microsoft Word ever and everyone around me was singing "Apple's gonna die!". And I bought an AMD K6/200 box to learn Windows. On which I later installed Rhapsody DR2 for PC Compatibles.

 

[Captain Code]

Originally posted by moav
....and what do the next 3-5 years hold?

Miniature fuel cells

 

[fryke]

I'm still thinking that's kind of a strange idea, although they're REALLY at that... Stopping by to add some fuel to your PowerBook? Sounds strange but might come true. For some reason, I hope there'll be another battery type that will beat the fuel cells...

 

[Captain Code]

It is a bit weird. I don't know if I'd want to have to carry a bottle of methanol around.

But I think they're supposed to last a lot longer per "charge" of methanol than regular batteries, so you might not have to carry any fuel around with you.

 

[chevy]

Brooom, put, put, put, put... yes, I started my future fuel cell iBook.

 

[TheBudda]

It is a new technology that allows manufacturers to 'mold' batteries around shapes inside rather than having to make rectangular shapes. It allows for more flexibility for the space designers. Apparently this is a prototype since it is still rectangular, but in the future designers will fill any wasted space with more battery material (not that there is much space left over in these thin babies)