APC’s Universal Notebook Battery Booster

With every product generation, the notebook industry promises increased battery run times, but the advances are in fact small, and run times still mainly depend on the power provided by the notebook battery. More efficient processors and platforms, drives and LED-backlit displays certainly help a lot. Real leaps, however—say to 10+ hours of battery life—just aren’t within reach.

APC offers an alternative that lets you increase your battery runtime by several hours, but it requires you to pack an additional 750 g (1.65 lbs) into your travel bag...

Power Drains…

Each part inside a notebook requires a certain amount of electric power. The electrical draw of the system isn’t constant; it varies depending on the state of the each component. Displays are the largest power-eaters, as they have to operate transistors and their backlight—larger and higher resolution displays typically require more power than smaller ones. But there is also quite a power requirement range among notebook system components.

Modern notebook processors may require little power when there is nothing to do, but they can go up to 35 watts of power consumption at full load, depending on the processor model and power classification. Notebook platforms using graphics units built into the chipset are the most efficient, while notebooks utilizing a discrete mobile GeForce or Mobility Radeon always consume at least a bit more power than integrated solutions. In terms of storage, flash SSD drives have the potential to deliver impressive throughput and quick access times with very little power consumption. Most devices require considerably less power when they are idle, so it makes sense to operate your notebook as close to idle as possible, to maximize battery run time.

…and Power Sources

While there are alternative energy sources on the horizon, such as silver-zinc batteries (see ZPower), none of them are ready to be deployed into the mainstream right now, where huge quantities of batteries are required. Notebooks typically utilize lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries, which are organized into so-called “cells” (typical capacities are three, six, or sometimes nine cells). While the power level of a battery depends on the specific model, a 6-cell battery will generally give you twice the battery run time of a 3-cell model. Battery capacities are rated in Watt-hours (Wh).

The 9-cell batteries obviously provide the most juice, but they are often too large to be accommodated within the standard rectangular notebook footprint, and hence stick out a bit from the back. To expand capacity without this physical size expansion, some notebook vendors offer additional modular batteries that can be inserted instead of a machine’s optical drive; these are especially common on portable business notebooks (13-15”).

Another option is to attach additional, external battery packs, which are available from some of the notebook makers for specific models. And APC allows you to do the same with the product we reviewed: the Universal Notebook Battery.

[Update:]
As we found out, APC has discontinued all of its mobile products, hence you may be able to get a deal on these products, but without any serious warranty backup.

Check prices for APC's Universal Notebook Battery 70

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Small Business Battery Backup: Eaton's 3,000VA PW5130

We looked at various mainstream uninterruptible power supply (UPS) devices more than a year ago. While this sounds like a long time, it is important to realize that product cycles are much longer in this market than they are in the component segment. The devices we reviewed then were designed for workstations and entry level servers, so we made the next step and looked at a more flexible device for small and medium businesses: the Powerware PW5130.

To Protect and Supply

It is important to keep in mind that, although UPS units are made to sustain power in the case the main power fails, they typically aren’t designed to bridge a longer power outage. Rather than trying to serve that role, UPS devices have become more efficient and smarter when it comes to handling power emergencies.

They include surge suppressors and filtering functionality for electric power. Depending on how much battery capacity you add, you can indeed last through a certain period of downtime. Or you can implement a smarter system that determines which devices can be shut down after a defined period of time to stretch the battery. Advanced UPS units come with options to manage several sub-systems in your network and shut them down according to a custom strategy in the case of a failure.

Managing the Power Units

The Powerware PW5130 accesses several sub-systems through a master system, which it connects to via USB 2.0, a serial RS232 port, or an optional network connection. Once the management software is installed, you’ll have access to an impressive power supply management solution, which exceeds the feature ranges people typically associate with these devices.

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External Battery Roundup: Stay Away From The Wall Socket

Battery life is always such a big deal in our mobile coverage (often because gaming systems fall so short). But don't feel limited by the built-in power source. Today we round up 15 external batteries that can keep you running longer away from a socket.

Shopping for a notebook involves a delicate balance between battery life, performance, usability, and price. No two users share the exact same criteria for what they consider the right blend. That’s why we try to evaluate mobile platforms based on their perceived strengths. Take last year's Netbook Buyer’s Guide as an example. We considered the fact that some buyers are willing to spend more for battery life and forgo a bit of performance. Others are willing to pay an extra $100 or $150 to get both. Another group cares more about usability. The list of ways to break even this one specific market into tiny pieces goes on and on.

If battery life is your number one priority, shopping choices are limited. Clearly, there are notebooks designed for those on the move. But what if you don't want to sacrifice elsewhere to get that mobility? Maybe you just need another hour of run time to get your current notebook through the day. If that's the case, a brand new system doesn't make much sense. 

Even if you already own a notebook that delivers ample battery life, we're certain that there are travel days when even a power-sipping system just doesn't have enough juice to last through closing time. If you spend a lot of time on the road, layovers don’t provide enough time at an AC jack to get you back to 100%. That might mean your in-flight entertainment gets interrupted right before the big climax. Sleeping, talking to unwilling neighbors, and hitting on flight attendants only eats so much time. What other options are there?

There is a solution, though. Check out an extended laptop battery, which comes in the form of an even larger installed battery pack compatible with your existing system. There is a big catch. These batteries (often denser six-cell or nine-cell) weigh down your machine, altering its mobile profile. These batteries stick out the backside of your notebook like a sore thumb, and can turn a sleek thin and light notebook into a clunky desktop replacement.

Fortunately, there is another option, too: universal extended batteries. These batteries don’t plug into your system directly. Instead, they function similar to uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), which we often associate with safeguarding desktops. They are always external units, but often have a small profile that makes them easier to pack for travel, offering higher densities than extended batteries can't provide. And if that wasn't enough, you generally get the ability to charge your cell phone, iPod, and camera from them as well.

After we published our Netbook Buyer’s Guide, one reader posed a question about mobility in the comments. So, during the past two months, we hunted down just about every available solution capable of extending the battery life of your notebook. If you're on the go, this story is for you.

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Saft Awarded Contract To Provide Li-Ion Battery For High-Energy Laser Program

Saft announced that it won a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) to provide a megawatt-class Li-ion battery system to power a high-energy laser application.

GA-ASI was awarded a multi-million dollar contract from DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency) to develop a demonstration laser weapons system, which seeks to create a 150-kilowatt, solid-state laser weapon weighing less than one ton. The first and largest portable 150 kW laser of its kind, the system will be supported by Saft's advanced Li-ion battery technology, capable of delivering high-level power and energy.

Saft's battery system consists of a number of very high-power cells to support the program's laser. The underlying technology is particularly innovative because it involves a highly powered, yet compact, battery that also features a complete electronics management system. Delivery is slated to begin in June 2012.

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