News New Li-Ion tech drops fire risk

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2010/08/12/new-li-ion-tech-drops-fire-risk/1

 

Sounds good, but one of the big problems with batteries is weight (or at least mass per unit charge capacity). This tech will just add weight at the end of the day, which might be worse for the more portable devices such as smart phones. When was the last time one of those caught fire anyway?

 

If they can get 90% after 1000 charges then it may well be viable.
Question, would leaving the laptop plugged in most of the time affect the way these new batteries behave?

 

Being a chemical fire Lithium batteries burn under water... The real point to these batteries is that they are less harmful to the environment. Most modern lithium batteries are unlikely to go up in flames anyway but when you concentrate that much energy in such a small space their is always the risk of fire.

 

I like how in the world of business, it's better to set a few people on fire than it is to fall behind the performance curve. Good stuff.

 

Actually I think it's more of a case of cutting corners to save costs enough to *just* avoid setting people on fire. Obviously a fair few companies just go all out - maybe their CEOs are pyromaniacs? I'm looking at you Jobbs.

 

Lets just keep spending money on things that are less efficient so that we feel warm and fuzzy inside and then wonder why our GDP is tanking...