Mobile device enthusiasts may argue about what is the best in class device, but when it comes to battery technology all agree that it isn’t progressing fast enough. While devices can run longer now on a battery charge than in the past, that’s due to hardware power optimization, not improvements in battery technology. That may be about to change as two new products are using faster battery charging to extend mobile usage of devices.
The BlackBerry PlayBook is getting a less than outstanding reception since hitting the market recently, ranging from lukewarm to downright hostile reactions. Few folks sharing these reactions point out one area that is unique to the PlayBook, and that is the special charging port that works with two rapid charging accessories. While the conventional power brick that ships with the PlayBook plugs into the microUSB port on the bottom of the device, these rapid chargers plug into the unusual port to the right of the microUSB port.
According to RIM, these chargers work “up to 2 times faster” than the conventional power brick included with the PlayBook for recharging the battery. This is designed to allow the PlayBook, with already decent battery life, to take advantage of short periods of opportunity for charging that come along. That would allow travelers waiting for flights to double the amount of charging possible by using these special chargers working with the special port on the PlayBook.
Lenovo, the folks behind the ThinkPad notebook line, have been extending the useful battery life of its laptops through innovative hardware design. A new notebook, unconfirmed by Lenovo, has recently leaked to the web that promises rapid battery charging over two times faster than normal. The thin ThinkPad X1 is obviously taking on the MacBook Air given its thin and light form, and is reported to have special battery technology designed to charge “up to 2.5 times faster than previous ThinkPad batteries, charging 80% in 30 minutes”.
ThinkPad notebooks are already pushing the limits for battery life, as reported in my recent review of the ThinkPad X220. This hardware optimization coupled with this new rapid charging technology for the batteries will usher in a new era in long battery life for mobile devices.
Read the views of online Certification Experts, which provide the real questions and correct answer and explanation for the students / professionals who are seeking or enhancing their level of expertise. more at certkingdom.com
April 24, 2011
HOW TO: Make Craigslist Better & Prettier With a Browser Extension
Craigslist is one of the most useful and yet one of the ugliest tools on the Internet. And its bare-bones, basic feature set is both a blessing and a curse.
So, how to ease the pain of using Craigslist while keeping its simplicity and utility? Allow us to introduce you to Craigslist Helper.
This handy browser extension (available for Chrome, Firefox and Safari) lets you preview text and thumbnails from your Craigslist search results. You can also bookmark listings and even make your own notes on them.
For example, if you’re househunting, you might use the app to see images of your new pad options without having 30 tabs open; then, you’d be able to prioritize them and even keep track of conversations with potential landlords, all without leaving Craigslist.
Other features include:
* Alerts when new listings that match your search appear
* Multiple searches by geographical area, or even a whole-site search
* Hide ads
* Filter by keyword; for example, choose not to see listings with “freeway”
* Map popups to show locations
* Phone number highlighting
Here’s an example screenshot showing housing listings within 350 miles of San Francisco:
As the extensions’ mysterious developer writes on Quora, “My guess is, [Craigslist doesn't] innovate simply because they can afford not to — at least until a Facebook to their MySpace comes along.” And until another classifieds startup successfully challenges Craigslist — and believe us, a few of them are trying — apps like Craigslist Helper will have to do.
Will you be trying Craigslist Helper next time you have to do a classifieds search?
So, how to ease the pain of using Craigslist while keeping its simplicity and utility? Allow us to introduce you to Craigslist Helper.
This handy browser extension (available for Chrome, Firefox and Safari) lets you preview text and thumbnails from your Craigslist search results. You can also bookmark listings and even make your own notes on them.
For example, if you’re househunting, you might use the app to see images of your new pad options without having 30 tabs open; then, you’d be able to prioritize them and even keep track of conversations with potential landlords, all without leaving Craigslist.
Other features include:
* Alerts when new listings that match your search appear
* Multiple searches by geographical area, or even a whole-site search
* Hide ads
* Filter by keyword; for example, choose not to see listings with “freeway”
* Map popups to show locations
* Phone number highlighting
Here’s an example screenshot showing housing listings within 350 miles of San Francisco:
As the extensions’ mysterious developer writes on Quora, “My guess is, [Craigslist doesn't] innovate simply because they can afford not to — at least until a Facebook to their MySpace comes along.” And until another classifieds startup successfully challenges Craigslist — and believe us, a few of them are trying — apps like Craigslist Helper will have to do.
Will you be trying Craigslist Helper next time you have to do a classifieds search?
April 23, 2011
Japanese Company Unveils 'World's Thinnest' Glass for Touch Screens
Multitouch devices could get even thinner. Tokyo-based Asahi Glass Company (AGC) has developed what it says is the world's thinnest glass for touch-screen panels.
The new soda-lime glass substrate is 0.28 millimeters thick. AGC says that's 15 percent thinner than the thinnest substrate on the market, which measures 0.33 millimeters thick.
The substrate is a piece of glass that sits underneath the glass cover and above the LCD screen on a smartphone or a tablet. Embedded with electrodes, Asahi says soda-lime material is ideal "for touch screens because it maintains form when subjected to heat, resists discoloring due to ultraviolet radiation, accepts chemical strengthening, and is easily processed." ACG says it will begin production on the component by the end of the month. The company expects to be successful with the ultra-thin glass, too, projecting sales of more than $1.2 billion.
Earlier this year, Asahi unveiled "Dragontail," a super durable glass that it plans to market as a competitor to Corning "Gorilla Glass," which is used in the Apple iPhone. Asahi claims that Dragontail is six times stronger than conventional soda-lime glass, but free of arsenic, lead, and antimon. It's "highly resistant to scratches and features a beautiful, pristine finish compared with resin," Asahi said in a January press release.
It seems parts for touch-screen products can't be produced fast enough. Apple reportedly controls 60 percent of the touch-screen supply, secured in advance for products like the iPhone and iPad. However, in its quarterly earnings call Wednesday, Apple reported a decline in iPad sales, possibly due to a shortage of these components.
The new soda-lime glass substrate is 0.28 millimeters thick. AGC says that's 15 percent thinner than the thinnest substrate on the market, which measures 0.33 millimeters thick.
The substrate is a piece of glass that sits underneath the glass cover and above the LCD screen on a smartphone or a tablet. Embedded with electrodes, Asahi says soda-lime material is ideal "for touch screens because it maintains form when subjected to heat, resists discoloring due to ultraviolet radiation, accepts chemical strengthening, and is easily processed." ACG says it will begin production on the component by the end of the month. The company expects to be successful with the ultra-thin glass, too, projecting sales of more than $1.2 billion.
Earlier this year, Asahi unveiled "Dragontail," a super durable glass that it plans to market as a competitor to Corning "Gorilla Glass," which is used in the Apple iPhone. Asahi claims that Dragontail is six times stronger than conventional soda-lime glass, but free of arsenic, lead, and antimon. It's "highly resistant to scratches and features a beautiful, pristine finish compared with resin," Asahi said in a January press release.
It seems parts for touch-screen products can't be produced fast enough. Apple reportedly controls 60 percent of the touch-screen supply, secured in advance for products like the iPhone and iPad. However, in its quarterly earnings call Wednesday, Apple reported a decline in iPad sales, possibly due to a shortage of these components.
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