Although history might have proven hydrogen as a slightly volatile fuel source, Bic, the reknown manufacturer of pens and razors, is going high-tech and developing lighter-sized hydrogen fuel cells that can hold up to 5 full charges. Due in 2010, they’ll work in conjunction with traditional batteries, acting as a backup when required. As is, they’ll be separate from the mobile proper and built into holsters, which is a default resting spot for a lot BlackBerry users. With 3G, Wi-Fi and GPS becoming commonplace features, battery life is at a premium; new technology like this can really raise a device’s overhead.
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Hydrogen fuel cells coming to mobiles
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Some concepts of a BlackBerry modeled after the 9000 dubbed “Niagara” have surfaced, supposedly minus 3G capabilities. The form factor is a little off from the BlackBerry 9000 shots we’ve already seen, so it’s possible this new model will be the next iteration in the 9000 line. The 9100 is already looking like it won’t be packing 3G, pointing to an ongoing trend of stripping features for the sake of battery life. Cutting features has the added benefit of lowering costs, which could do the rumored pricetag of $800 a considerable favour.
UPDATE: Our main man Boy Genius has taken the time to quell the confusion surrounding his report of a 3G-lacking BlackBerry 9000. Apparently, there are two different codenames swirling over at RIM HQ: the Javelin and the Niagara. BG is reporting that the Niagara is actually an EV-DO BlackBerry coming to Verizon in May of 2009. The Javelin is the previously mentioned 3G-less BlackBerry 9000. Everyone got that? Good. BG was also able to scrounge up (unconfirmed) specs for both devices, so check those out after the jump.
Click here to view specs on the BlackBerry Niagara and Javelin
RIM officials have gone on the record to say that they’re totally satisfied with the battery life of the upcoming BlackBerry 9000. There were earlier reports from testers that you couldn’t get more than two hours of web browsing over Wi-Fi with it, but a RIM spokesperson explains that ” ‘power management protocols’ (the software that helps control what parts of the BlackBerry get powered) are typically disabled on prototype devices in order to simplify the software debugging process”. The latest rumors are suggesting an August release for the new device.
Just stumbled on this solid guide to conserving battery life on mobiles. One of BlackBerry’s big selling points is killer battery life, but that’s no excuse to get lazy – you can stretch it even farther by following some of these easy-to-remember tips. A no-brainer is to turn off extra wireless functions like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS or dual-mode roaming on the World Edition, and turning off vibrating alerts.
Some lesser-known tips include only using your BlackBerry in areas where you have a strong signal, since more battery life is used up trying to establish connections over weak signals. Initializing a new battery with 5-6 hours of juice before using it should also increase the maximum capacity in the long run. The guide also suggests cleaning battery contacts every once in awhile in order to keep power transfer optimized. There’s plenty more there, so take a look.
Nanotechnology is awesome. Some researchers from Stanford University have found a way of using nanowire anodes in lithium ion batteries to great effect. These new wires are made out of silicon, which have a considerably higher charge capacity than the usual graphite anodes, but haven’t been used because their volume increases four times over when charged. Of course, for microscopic wires, four times larger still isn’t that big, and so pulverization can be avoided. After the patents get through and the manufacturers pick this technology up, you can expect to see much higher battery capacity in not only your BlackBerry, but all portable consumer devices, like laptops, MP3 players and video cameras. You can check out the full paper here.
So that shot from the other day was, in fact, legit. Leaked Vodafone docs show that this new device due out in May will be packing quad-band GSM, HSDPA, GPS, Wi-Fi, a 2.0 megapixel camera, a 624 MHz processor, a 480 x 320 screen (up from the current 320 x 240 standard), and a 1500mAh battery (up from the 8800’s 1400 mAh). As for carrier, the Rogers logo has been spotted on it, so we can expect it in Canada soon, too. The stats match up previous 9000 series info. Based on these specs, the only 8800-series device that might survive is the 8830 for those who happen to hop on CDMA networks – GPS, Wi-Fi and a camera all in one device really does blow everything else out of the water. In fact, if we’re just running on the slideshow, the possibility of this one being an inaugural 9000-series device still seems entirely possible. What do you guys think? The BlackBerry 8900 or the 9000? One way or the other, this thing is sounding pretty sweet.
We just read on Gizmodo about some upcoming Wi-Fi chip from Atheros which will be very forgiving to battery life. The AR6002 claims to be “The World’s Lowest-Power Mobile WLAN Solution” and will take 100 hours to drain a 3.7V, 800mAh battery running on VoIP, and has virtually no drain while the handheld runs in standby. We all know how much stock RIM puts into battery life, so maybe this little sucker will find its way into 8820s, 8120s, and 8320s after first quarter of 2008 when they get released.
Our buddy Karl will be getting his hands on T-Mobile’s Wi-Fi enabled BlackBerry 8320 this week, but if you’re looking for some cold, hard numbers before our next podcast, the fine folks at Pinstack have revealed an internal product service guide for your perusal. The comparison chart confirms that the 8320’s Wi-Fi will work with Hotspot @Home, but we’ve got a lot more to say about the subject elsewhere. The battery life seems to be about on par with the BlackBerry 8700, with 4 hours of talk time and 7 hours on standby. For anyone looking to pick one up on T-Mobile, word has it that the device will be available in grey and gold on September 24th.
Earlier rumors were calling for an August 14th. or 15th. release of the Wi-Fi-packing BlackBerry 8820 on AT&T, but since that day has come and gone, fresh hints have emerged placing the date closer to September 15th. On top of that, AT&T’s 8820 will supposedly be packing twice the battery life as Verizon’s BlackBerry 8830. That’s sounds like a camel throw-down to me, considering the 8830 can go 22 days on idle.
