NHTSA LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO CHEVY VOLT POST-CRASH FIRES

Back in May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) put a Volt through standard side-impact crash testing, and in doing so, "the vehicle's battery was damaged and the coolant line was ruptured." The big issue? The car went up in flames multiple weeks later, seemingly as direct result. That event prompted the NHTSA to further study the safety of the batts in the period after a crash, which culminated in more tests performed just over a week ago to find out if they would prove volatile again -- simply put, they did. The group recently explained that it's "concerned that damage to the Volt's batteries as part of three tests that are explicitly designed to replicate real-world crash scenarios have resulted in fire."

Because of this development, the NHTSA (with assistance from a bunch of other letter named government departments and GM itself) has officially launched a formal investigation into the Volt to ensure that its current battery implementation isn't a safety defect. Despite the announcement, the agency notes that of all the Volts currently zipping along the streets, there has yet to be a to be a similar incident out on the open road. The NHTSA further clarified that there's not yet any reason for current owners to worry, so long as they haven't been in an accident with their vehicle. Overall, GM describes the whole investigation as "procedural" at this point, stating that both GM has been working with the NHTSA for over six months on a "broader program designed to induce battery failure after extreme situations."

APPLE WORKING ON REPLACEMENT PROGRAM FOR FIRST GEN iPOD NANOS DUE TO OVERHEATING ISSUE

Apple has opened up a replacement program for the first-generation iPod nano due to overheating issues. These affected units were sold between September 2005 and December 2006 and include a manufacturing defect sourced at a single Apple battery supplier for the first edition of ultra-small and thin screened iPods from Apple. Apple says the possibility of overheating is small, but since this iPod nano is over five years old, the likelihood of heating is higher than if the battery was younger.

Apple is telling users of the original iPod nano to stop using the product and get it replaced free of charge. The worldwide replacement program can be accessed through a special website that asks users to proceed by entering their iPod nano’s serial number. Replacement units for the original iPod nano are said to ship about six weeks after the replacement page is filled out by the customer and engraved units will be replacement with non-personalized models.

BUG REPORTED IN iOS 5.0.1, BATTERY ISSUE ALSO NOT RESOLVED

A bug that affects the contact list on Apple's iPhone 4S has been discovered after applying the iOS 5.0.1 OTA update. According to users the contact list is fine, however when receiving a call or a text the name does not appear. This might be confined to those on the Verizon network and doing the following procedure has been shown to fix this issue.

1) Open the Phone and dial *228. This is a Verizon over-the-air programming number.
2) When the system answer press 1 for “Program or activate your phone”
3) Wait for the call to disconnect. You should get a prompt stating something like, “Settings updated.”
4) Open the Task Manager (double click the home button) and kill the Phone, Message, and Contacts Applications
5) Wait a few minutes (I waited 3 just to be extra safe)
6) Open the Message App to verify the fix.

Also, a number of users are reporting the 5.0.1 update has not fixed their battery drain issue and in some cases it has made it worse. The 5.0.1 update was specifically deployed to correct the battery issue, however for some users that does not seem to be the case.

iOS 5.0.1 WITH BATTERY FIX AVAILABLE NOW

Apple has released the first official update to iOS 5, which fixes the reported battery drain problems.

In addition to fixing bugs related to battery life, the update to iOS 5.0.1 also adds multitasking gestures for the first iPad, resolves some bugs with Documents in the Cloud, and improves Siri’s voice recognition for people with Australian accents.

Remember that with iOS 5 you can now install software updates over the air. So there is no longer any need to wait until you get home, grab a cable, and connect to iTunes on a PC in order to apply the update. Simply open your Settings app, choose General, and then Software Update to initiate the process. The delta update file is less than 40MB, and should only take a couple of minutes to install over WiFi.

APPLE CONFIRMS iOS 5 BUGS CAUSING BATTERY ISSUES

Apple on Wednesday said it had found a few problems that are leading some iPhone customers to experience less-than-expected battery life with iPhones running its latest software. “A small number of customers have reported lower than expected battery life on iOS 5 devices,” Apple said in a statement to AllThingsD. “We have found a few bugs that are affecting battery life and we will release a software update to address those in a few weeks.” Apple declined to comment beyond the statement.

NEW ENERGY STORAGE MEMBRANE POISED TO REVOLUTIONIZE RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES

If you want a rechargeable battery in a power-hungry device today, the only real choice is a lithium-ion battery. They are heavy, quite large depending on how much charge you need, and volatile. They also have a high cost and limited life span.

A replacement for lithium-ion has long been sought after, and recently there have been some breakthroughs such as the jelly-like polymer battery. However, researchers at the National University of Singapore may have come up with the best solution yet in the form of an new energy storage membrane. Thought to be the first energy membrane ever created successfully, the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative at the university has managed to attach the membrane to a polystyrene polymer. When placed between two graphite plates it can be charged and stores a charge. Already, the membrane is at an advantage as it is thin and flexible meaning there’s potential for a number of configurations. But where the real benefit comes in is how much energy it can store and at what cost.

A typical lithium-ion battery can store a charge of 1 microfarad per square centimeter. The energy membrane ups that to 0.2 farads. The membrane can also be easily mass produced at very low cost, meaning what we have here is a membrane that can store more energy and is cheaper to produce than existing battery technology. In real world terms the difference is quite staggering. A lithium-ion battery costs $7 to store one farad of charge. The energy membrane reduces that down to 62 cents.

NEW GEL COULD LEAD TO SAFER, CHEAPER, LONGER LASTING BATTERIES

A team of researchers at the University of Leeds say they've managed to develop a new type of polymer gel that could lead to batteries that are safer, cheaper to manufacture and more flexible than traditional lithium-ion batteries. That last detail could have some particularly interesting consequences, as the researchers say it allows for batteries that can be "shaped and bent to fit the geometries of virtually any device." What's more, all of that apparently comes with no compromise in performance, and the team has already licensed the technology to Polystor Energy Corporation, which is now conducting trials to commercialize the battery cells. The only catch is that there's not so much as a hint as to when such batteries might actually be available.

HP EXPANDS BATTERY RECALL

HP wants to make sure you don't get burned, literally. For the third May in a row, it's issuing another expansion of its voluntary battery recall on laptops produced from July 2007 to May 2008 -- frankly, we're considering a holiday to mark the occasion. May 2009 saw a recall of 70,000 batteries followed by an expansion to cover 15,000 in China, totaling 85,000 affected laptops.

It didn't end there though, as further expansion was put in place during May 2010 to cover even more models, and this time around, a sizeable number of lappies have been added to the ever-growing list. About five percent of the models from the aforementioned time frame could have problematic batteries, and HP will be providing replacements for those at risk of getting a little too hot under the collar.

If your machine was also part of the previous recalls, HP's saying those should be verified as well, even if you've done so in the past already.

NEW QUICK CHARGING BATTERY USES STYROFOAM BALLS

Researchers at the University of Illinois have found a way to create electrodes using polystyrene beads as a sort of substrate, tiny spheres helping to set the porosity of either the nickel-metal hydride or lithium-manganese capacitor material. By adjusting the size and density of the bean bag innards the team was able to create an electrode porosity of 94 percent, which is just a few ticks short of theoretically ideal for exposing the maximum surface area of the electrode to the battery material. This results in extremely fast charges and discharges, the NiMH cell hitting 90 percent capacity in just 20 seconds and discharging in as quickly as 2.7 seconds.

While we don't know just what kind of charging system the team was using to achieve this, even assuming a high-amperage stream of electrons this is still a remarkable feat. But, like most major advances there's a drawback: similar to Toshiba's SCiB batts the capacity of these cells is only about three quarters what it would be using normal battery construction, meaning you'd need roughly 25 percent more mass to get the same range in your ultra-fast charging EV of the future

RIM'S PLAYBOOK BATTERY LIFE TO EQUAL OR EXCEED iPAD'S AND BE SMALLER

A few weeks ago we posted a rumor that RIM's new Playbook tablet was being delayed due to battery life issues. RIM denounced those rumors at the time saying the OS used to prompt that rumor was unfinished and not optimized.

Now, senior business marketing VP Jeff McDowell has promised that the PlayBook will offer "equal or greater" battery endurance to Apple's device, while using a smaller cell size. The smaller size battery should be fairly easily attainable, but matching and potentially exceeding the iPad's time off the grid is aiming fairly high.

The Playbook is expected to launch in March, so they still have some time to make sure they are able to meet McDowell's statement.

RIM RESPONDS TO PLAYBOOK BATTERY ISSUE RUMOR

RIM has responded to the rumors the BlackBerry Playbook is being delayed due to battery life issues and released the following statement to Erictric:

Any testing or observation of battery life to date by anyone outside of RIM would have been performed using pre-beta units that were built without power management implemented. RIM is on track with its schedule to optimize the BlackBerry PlayBook's battery life and looks forward to providing customers with a professional grade tablet that offers superior performance with comparable battery life.

While this is not an outright denial of the rumored issues, it does make it clear that the software being implemented was not in a mature state and any testing was premature.

PANASONIC INVESTS IN TESLA

Panasonic has invested $30 million in Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturer, in exchange for a 2% stake in the company. Panasonic besides being an electronics manufacturer is also one of the leading battery cell manufacturers. By investing in Tesla they hope to get a jump on battery any battery technology Tesla develops.

PRESS RELEASE

PANASONIC INVESTS $30 MILLION IN TESLA: COMPANIES STRENGTHEN COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP
Secaucus, NJ (November 3, 2010) — Panasonic Corporation and Tesla Motors today announced that Panasonic has invested $30 million in Tesla. The investment was made through the purchase of Tesla common stock in a private placement at a price of $21.15 per share. The investment builds upon a multi-year collaboration of the two companies to accelerate the market expansion of the electric vehicle.
Panasonic is the world's leading battery cell manufacturer and a diverse supplier to the global automotive industry. Tesla currently uses Panasonic battery cells in its advanced battery packs and has collaborated with Panasonic on the development of next-generation battery cells designed specifically for electric vehicles. While Tesla's current battery strategy incorporates proprietary packaging using cells from multiple battery suppliers, Tesla has selected Panasonic as its preferred lithium-ion battery cell supplier for its battery packs.
"Panasonic aims to be the number one Green Innovation Company in the Electronics Industry by 2018, the 100th anniversary of our founding," said Naoto Noguchi, President of Energy Company, a unit of Panasonic responsible for the battery cell business. "Our sophisticated lithium-ion battery cell technology, combined with Tesla's market-leading EV powertrain technology, helps us fulfill this goal by promoting sustainable mobility. We are proud to strengthen our relationship with Tesla Motors."
"It is an honor and a powerful endorsement of our technology that Panasonic, the world's leading battery cell manufacturer, would choose to invest in and partner with Tesla," said Tesla CEO and cofounder, Elon Musk. "Panasonic offers the highest energy-density cells and industry-leading performance with cutting edge Nickel-type cathode technology. We believe our partnership with them will enable us to further improve our battery pack while reducing cost."
In addition to producing its own vehicles, Tesla also builds electric powertrains, including battery packs, for other automobile manufacturers. Panasonic and Tesla intend to explore joint marketing and sales of battery packs that would be designed and assembled by Tesla using Panasonic's battery cells.
About Panasonic
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 7.42 trillion yen (US$79.4 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2010. The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE:PC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net/.
About Tesla Motors
Tesla's goal is to produce a full range of electric cars, from premium sports cars to mass market vehicles – relentlessly driving down the cost of electric vehicles. It is currently the only automaker in the U.S. that builds and sells highway-capable EVs in serial production. Palo Alto, Calif.-based Tesla designs and manufactures EVs and EV powertrain components. Tesla has delivered more than 1,300 Roadsters to customers in North America, Europe and Asia. The Tesla Roadster accelerates faster than most sports cars yet produces no emissions. Visit Tesla online at www.teslamotors.com
Safe Harbor Disclosure
Certain statements in this press release, including statements relating to Tesla's expectations regarding its partnership with Panasonic, including anticipated battery pack improvements and cost reductions, and anticipated joint marketing and sales of battery pack by the parties are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors. Without limitation, among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are: the parties' ability to jointly improve battery performance and cost, successfully conduct joint marketing and sales of battery packs, and other risks detailed in Tesla's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 and other publicly available filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements reflect Tesla's expectations only as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as reflecting Tesla's views, expectations or beliefs at any date subsequent to the date of this release. Tesla disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

NANOTECH TO HELP EXTEND BATTERY LIFE

Adrian Ionescu of The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne recently spoke of their ambitious plan, which uses nanoscience and nanowires to "close" up leaky transistors, ultimately extending battery life. He further stated their "vision is to share this research to enable manufacturers to build the holy grail in electronics, a computer that utilizes negligible energy when it's in sleep mode, which we call the zero-watt PC."

According the US Department of Energy, the US spends around $4 billion each year on lost electricity. By adopting the forthcoming technology from Ionescu, we can drastically reduce this to almost zero. [Gizmodo]

TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR ANDROID BATTERY LIFE

When cell phones only made calls or even included texting getting a few days out of single charge was possible.  Now with the inclusion of 3G/4G, GPS, faster processors, larger screens and software that runs in the background some users are lucky to get a single day out of their devices.

PCMag has 8 tips that will help with that battery hogging device and hopefully give you a little more juice.  These tips include setting brightness, turning off polling software and dumping unnecessary home screen widgets.