1) Even with the Ag battery tech, would that preclude the need or desire to have a removable battery in a fullsized pro notebook?
For me it wouldn't be a problem. I only have one battery now. The suitability for such a battery arraingement is really up to the individual.
Quote:
Even if if were 12 hours or 24 hours I'd still carry a spare (price not withstanding) as some of my travels make finding an outlet difficult.
So what do you do now, carry 4 or 5 batteries around to get that operational time? I'm not sure you really have a good arguement here. Even if you only carry two batteries you would still have to charge them.
Which highlights your need for a portable recharging method.
Quote:
2) Is their evidence that Ag betteries should not be user replacable? I have read nothing on the tech that would suggest that the battery should not or could be used like current Li batteries.
If you believe all that ZPower has to say they would be safer. There may be other advantages with built in that we don't know about, but right now it could be an Apple thing.
Interesting is statements made in ZPowers press release that the batteries would go into laptops with chargers that support dual chemisteries. This would seem to indicate removalable batteries to me.
Quote:
3) Assuming #2 is not true, can we expect the 15" MBP, Apple's 2nx most popular notebook and most popular Pro machine, to get this new tech, as well?
That is a very good question to which I can say - I don't know. Not very helpful but it will depend on many things such as the shape of the battery and the production ramp. Remember this is completely new tech and that can mean ramp glitches, Apple will not want to expose it's bread and butter machine to the tech until things are ramping smoothly and they are getting good field results. So I'd be surprised to see something in the 15" model in the first half of the year.
Of course if things go well that might not be the case. You also have the issue of weight and volume. I have read for detail yet but the batteries make much better use of their weight. That is a good thing, the bad thing is that I have found info on volume. If the battery is substantially bigger it won't provide much of an advantage in the 15" battery case. ZPowers reference to dual chemistery batter chargers does leave the question open.
I just hope there is truth here because it would be nice to see Apple go out with a bang at MWSF. This would be a significant change in the marketplace even if many don't get excited about batteries. People should though as this sort of tech can enable some pretty neat devices. Just imagine a tablet, iPhone or a netbook with these batteries. They have the potential of being both lighter and longer lasting.
... 2) Is their evidence that Ag betteries should not be user replacable? I have read nothing on the tech that would suggest that the battery should not or could be used like current Li batteries...
The biggest reason they might want to make them non-replaceable by the user is the same reason iPod batteries aren't either. It's more environmentally sound that way.
The biggest drawback to the technology is the cost of the silver and the need to recycle said silver (and other things) from the battery when it's done. It's pretty much of a no-brainer that if the battery is not removable, less of them will end up in landfills at the end of the day. Apple is likely moving, like many consumer industries are to a 100% take-back program which will also help.
So what do you do now, carry 4 or 5 batteries around to get that operational time? I'm not sure you really have a good arguement here. Even if you only carry two batteries you would still have to charge them.
I have 3 batteries. I would carry more but weigh and bulk is a factor when traveling so 2 extra is my limit. If the battery was 12, 24 or even 48 hours I would still buy one extra spare battery. I would also consider scraping my 13" MB for a larger machine if it were not offered on the 13" model.
As of now, when I need to keep the brightness down and keep turning off WiFi when not using it so save juice so I can go a full day when traveling or, even more extreme, when I go many days without being to connect to a power source and have to space out my battery usage to the extreme. The extra juice would allow me to use it more like i do when I'm plugged or at least near a power source.
(I know my usage is entirely abnormal, but that is why i would welcome such a long battery and still carry a spare)
The biggest drawback to the technology is the cost of the silver and the need to recycle said silver (and other things) from the battery when it's done.
While Au is risen considerably during these economic times, Ag seems to still be very cheap. I'm seeing 08.72¢ an ounce.
I know that this was not really alluded to in the write up here on appleinsider, but the 9 to 5 and macrumors write ups sounded to me like this may be an additional battery, not the sole battery. If that were the case that would make for some very long time between needing an outlet with a couple extra batteries, as the system wouldnt lose power when switching. So maybe this batter IS targeted at on site film work where they dont always have power for a laptop or two, but with 2-3 batteries you can swap and keep working without sleeping/shutting down.
I don't see it as a bad thing either. I've owned a few Apple laptops and with the exception of my 500 MHz iBook, I have never removed the battery for a fresh one. To be honest, most of the time its plugged in while using it. The only reason I have one is because I travel between 2 school districts for work through out the week. Between the time when the 500 MHz iBook arrived and today, batterie technologies have improved greatly. Plus, if you take care of your battery it will last a long time.
The 17" is primarily marketed towards media professionals. Media professionals generally use devices that offer quick battery swapping for a reason. Unless they make a consumer 17" notebook, I don't see them locking out the ability to swap batteries with a couple latches.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Widowsky
Maybe non-removable battery means factory replacement only, controlled recycling and a green label for Apple.
But why didn't they do that with the new MacBooks & MacBook Pros?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2
The biggest reason they might want to make them non-replaceable by the user is the same reason iPod batteries aren't either. It's more environmentally sound that way.
The biggest drawback to the technology is the cost of the silver and the need to recycle said silver (and other things) from the battery when it's done. It's pretty much of a no-brainer that if the battery is not removable, less of them will end up in landfills at the end of the day. Apple is likely moving, like many consumer industries are to a 100% take-back program which will also help.
Given that there is plenty of value in the materials, I would think that printing a notice about the value of the materials within on the hidden side of the battery would be good enough to cover the issue of people dumping them. If they knew there was a recoverable deposit or other way to get money from a dead battery, I don't think they would dump the battery so quickly.
Guess they're not too worried about possible legislation in Europe then
How is "readily removed" defined? The iPhone 3G's battery requires 2 readily accessible screws to be removed, which is easier than removing most watch batteries.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2
Destined for the "dumb-ass law hall of fame" certainly.
That doesn't seem to be a good law for notebooks. For cellphones and other small handhelds I can see some sense to it, but even then it seems somewhat ill-conceived.
For instance, I assume that the reason for the la is so people don't throw their device into a landfill, but to make it work you will need to have drop off locations that are so convenient that people will take the take to make the effort. If you have these drop off locations, then why not allow people to just drop off their broken iPods and iPhones that they were going to drop into a landfill. Not only are getting to recycle the battery that they were going to throw in the trash, but the other parts of the device that also going to the landfill and that contain elements not appropriate for landfill.
I know that this was not really alluded to in the write up here on appleinsider, but the 9 to 5 and macrumors write ups sounded to me like this may be an additional battery, not the sole battery.
Adding a RAIDed HDD and additional battery in place of the optical drive would be ideal for me, but that sounds too good to be to true.
That would certainly be considerably more environmentally friendly, but I fear that Apple only cares about being green if it helps their bottom line.
And, what's wrong with that? Much of the time, the two goals are not in conflict: 'Green' versus 'bottom line' is often a strawman.
Independent of that, any profit-making, shareholder value-maximizing company can be expected to be sustainably green (no pun intended) only when the objective of 'doing good' is consistent with the objective of 'doing well.'
For instance, I assume that the reason for the la is so people don't throw their device into a landfill, but to make it work you will need to have drop off locations that are so convenient that people will take the take to make the effort. If you have these drop off locations, then why not allow people to just drop off their broken iPods and iPhones that they were going to drop into a landfill. Not only are getting to recycle the battery that they were going to throw in the trash, but the other parts of the device that also going to the landfill and that contain elements not appropriate for landfill.
WEEE legislation already exists in Europe (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive)
"The directive imposes the responsibility for the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment on the manufacturers of such equipment. Those companies should establish an infrastructure for collecting WEEE, in such a way that "Users of electrical and electronic equipment from private households should have the possibility of returning WEEE at least free of charge". Also, the companies are compelled to use the collected waste in an ecologically-friendly manner, either by ecological disposal or by reuse/refurbishment of the collected WEEE."
WEEE legislation already exists in Europe (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive)
"The directive imposes the responsibility for the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment on the manufacturers of such equipment. Those companies should establish an infrastructure for collecting WEEE, in such a way that "Users of electrical and electronic equipment from private households should have the possibility of returning WEEE at least free of charge". Also, the companies are compelled to use the collected waste in an ecologically-friendly manner, either by ecological disposal or by reuse/refurbishment of the collected WEEE."
Film makers and video editors out in the field have to have multiple batteries because there's nowhere to recharge the laptop most of the time.
Can't quite agree with you there.
Having spent quite a bit of time on commercial shoots and now after a long haul in China, if anything, filming even in the wilds is more than equipped to handle a simple thing as recharging a laptop battery.
Lighting alone requires significant power generation. There is always a power source. And if needed there is always a car's cigarette lighter around.
I have bought about a dozen Mac laptops over the years and always with a spare. The only time I have ever had to use a spare was on a long flight with no external power source. But that was years ago. Today, virtually every oversea's or cross-country flight has a spot to plug in.
However, I still buy a spare. Just last month, my 16-month old Macbook Pro battery began to die. Took it in and Apple replaced it free of charge; I don't buy the extended Apple Care. After 24 years, never had had to use it even if I did. Now I just have to remember to "Exercise [my] machine" http://www.apple.com/batteries/
Having a close relationship with Apple store staffs, one of the least selling accessories is (spare) batteries. I always suggest to my students and clients, that besides the Magsafe power adapter, to have a cigarette power converter with them. Many a time I just plugged my Macbook in a cab between calls or on the way to the airport (even in the orient) and now it is on me all the time as I routinely use it to keep my iPhone fully charged as well.
I have 3 batteries. I would carry more but weigh and bulk is a factor when traveling so 2 extra is my limit. If the battery was 12, 24 or even 48 hours I would still buy one extra spare battery. I would also consider scraping my 13" MB for a larger machine if it were not offered on the 13" model.
Well if you think you have to I won't stop you. I do wonder how you avoid carrying around discharged batteries all the time. Generally it is not good to leave a battery in a discharged state for to long.
Quote:
As of now, when I need to keep the brightness down and keep turning off WiFi when not using it so save juice so I can go a full day when traveling or, even more extreme, when I go many days without being to connect to a power source and have to space out my battery usage to the extreme. The extra juice would allow me to use it more like i do when I'm plugged or at least near a power source.
Well that is what we would hope for . It might be better than we suspect though, that is depending on what other new tech Apple can roll into the machine.
Switching to improved LED backlighting might be a given but they could surprise use with an OLED screen. Either would lower power relative to the old screen. The manufactures have made great strides in white light LEDs for back lighting. They could drop Firewire to save power there too. Other chips like Bluetooth have been power improved with new models. Given what we have seen in the smaller MBP I don't think a doubling of run time is impossible.
Quote:
(I know my usage is entirely abnormal, but that is why i would welcome such a long battery and still carry a spare)
Even for my usage I'd welcome it. Let's face it this could be revolutionary as to evolutionary. Especially if Apple where to roll out quickly to cell phones, tablets and whatever else they have up their sleeve.
People here give me a hard time about loving my iPhone. Which I admit I do, the thing is I recognize a lot of faults in the little guy. One of those is runtime on the current battery. A higher capacity & lighter battery is or will be a big win here. Especially if they address processor performance at the same time. In any event if this new battery tech pans out I could see it driving a lot of products from Apple.
I think investors and the biz press would be satisfied with a cascade of refreshes and redos. A complete revamp of the big boy laptop would be a good start. Pair that with new iMacs (mostly a refresh?), new MacMinis (major 'vamp in specs and purposing), new large screen monitors (refresh and new connectors), and lots of buzz-making over Snow Leopard
I tend to agree this is possible. However, this would be a refocus for Apple on filling in the gaps and omissions in their line... and I do feel they sometimes miss this, thus perhaps I'm just wishfully thinking.
So.. forget the "oh my god that's amazing" announcements (New 8" Laptop/NetiBook, 6" iPhone/iPad), and go for all the evolutionary upgrades.
As you say...
* 17" MacBookPro unibody
* remove the plastic MacBook and drop prices on the lowend MacBook Unibody
* iMacs with NVIDEA
* MacMini upgrade and AppleTV booster
Such 'boring' upgrades would have been extremely disappointing from Steve. Except perhaps the AppleTV - but no matter how good, an AppleTV upgrade could be framed as "Apple tries for a TV replacement once again... perhaps 3rd times a charm?"... and I think a PhilNote might avoid that to a degree.
In fact... one of Steve's strategies has always been to understate what he was announcing, so that the rumour sites and press would be the ones talking the product up. Comments along the line of "we have a little something we hope you'll like". But the SteveNotes have become such a big thing that that is lost. Perhaps the more limited announcements have made Steve decide a PhilNote is a good way to play down expectations.
Sounds like you need a portable recharging arraignment.
It is a pain to have to keep changing batteries in planes, trains and automobiles. The new MacBooks don't require a coin to do it, but the removable access panel does mean I have to put that thin piece of bendable aluminium somewhere while I make the switch. I am always fearful I'm going to bend it out of shape by accident. Charging is just tedious with any Mac as I have to keep switching out once I charge them.
There is one charger for the older MB batteries, but it's large and expensive. I would have ideally liked to have had a power pass-through charger that will allow me to power and charge my Mac while having a battery sitting in a small cradle being recharged as well. This would also allow me to not carry an additional PS for the charger as consolidation of equipment is a priority for me.
Quote:
People here give me a hard time about loving my iPhone. Which I admit I do, the thing is I recognize a lot of faults in the little guy. One of those is runtime on the current battery. A higher capacity & lighter battery is or will be a big win here. Especially if they address processor performance at the same time. In any event if this new battery tech pans out I could see it driving a lot of products from Apple.
That would be an excellent place for this battery tech. I'll get a new iPhone immediately if they update the iPhones next week with this new tech.
As for the faults of the iPhone, it has many but I can't wholeheartedly list the battery duration as one of them. While I drain my battery quickly from my excessive use, it is the excessive use that the is the catalyst of the battery drain.
So super-slim = super long battery life? Somehow the 2 don't exactly go hand in hand. I wonder what type of special sauce Apple's using. Or maybe it's really the same volume just flattened so it takes up the whole base of the laptop but is really thin.
When you consider the amount of space wasted with a removable-battery by things like the external battery casing, bay, hardware, reinforcements, etc. then it is quite a reasonable assumption that Apple can use that wasted space to add more battery volume and spread it around the chassis more efficiently resulting in a "slimmer" battery. Current batteries have to be in a shape of a slim brick so that it is easier to carry but that me sacrifices weight and design.
If the new setup allows a 50%+ increase in battery storage, I think it will be a great plus. The majority of consumers will never buy a 2nd battery for their laptop anyways. They will always never be too far from an AC outlet. Another advantage I see is that with the "green" image Apple is trying to convey, this will prevent the batteries from being disposed of illegally and allow a more proper recycling/reclamation program. I would not be surprised if more makers follow this route as battery performance increases. They usually trail Apple anyways on design.
Like the Firewire debacle, there will be vociferous opponents to this design. I'm sure there will be 3rd-party providers (or even Apple) to come out with an external battery pack that simply plugs into the magsafe connector for those who absolutely must have the 20 spare batteries on tap to record HD video in the middle of an african safari while staying in the local tribal hut during monsoon season.
This may very well be the start of the next evolution in notebooks. I wonder if Apple would consider submitting the magsafe port as a standard so that other makers can use it in their systems. It really is a wonderful design.
Comments
Maybe non-removable battery means factory replacement only, controlled recycling and a green label for Apple.
That would certainly be considerably more environmentally friendly, but I fear that Apple only cares about being green if it helps their bottom line.
1) Even with the Ag battery tech, would that preclude the need or desire to have a removable battery in a fullsized pro notebook?
For me it wouldn't be a problem. I only have one battery now. The suitability for such a battery arraingement is really up to the individual.
Even if if were 12 hours or 24 hours I'd still carry a spare (price not withstanding) as some of my travels make finding an outlet difficult.
So what do you do now, carry 4 or 5 batteries around to get that operational time? I'm not sure you really have a good arguement here. Even if you only carry two batteries you would still have to charge them.
Which highlights your need for a portable recharging method.
2) Is their evidence that Ag betteries should not be user replacable? I have read nothing on the tech that would suggest that the battery should not or could be used like current Li batteries.
If you believe all that ZPower has to say they would be safer. There may be other advantages with built in that we don't know about, but right now it could be an Apple thing.
Interesting is statements made in ZPowers press release that the batteries would go into laptops with chargers that support dual chemisteries. This would seem to indicate removalable batteries to me.
3) Assuming #2 is not true, can we expect the 15" MBP, Apple's 2nx most popular notebook and most popular Pro machine, to get this new tech, as well?
That is a very good question to which I can say - I don't know. Not very helpful but it will depend on many things such as the shape of the battery and the production ramp. Remember this is completely new tech and that can mean ramp glitches, Apple will not want to expose it's bread and butter machine to the tech until things are ramping smoothly and they are getting good field results. So I'd be surprised to see something in the 15" model in the first half of the year.
Of course if things go well that might not be the case. You also have the issue of weight and volume. I have read for detail yet but the batteries make much better use of their weight. That is a good thing, the bad thing is that I have found info on volume. If the battery is substantially bigger it won't provide much of an advantage in the 15" battery case. ZPowers reference to dual chemistery batter chargers does leave the question open.
I just hope there is truth here because it would be nice to see Apple go out with a bang at MWSF. This would be a significant change in the marketplace even if many don't get excited about batteries. People should though as this sort of tech can enable some pretty neat devices. Just imagine a tablet, iPhone or a netbook with these batteries. They have the potential of being both lighter and longer lasting.
Dave
... 2) Is their evidence that Ag betteries should not be user replacable? I have read nothing on the tech that would suggest that the battery should not or could be used like current Li batteries...
The biggest reason they might want to make them non-replaceable by the user is the same reason iPod batteries aren't either. It's more environmentally sound that way.
The biggest drawback to the technology is the cost of the silver and the need to recycle said silver (and other things) from the battery when it's done. It's pretty much of a no-brainer that if the battery is not removable, less of them will end up in landfills at the end of the day. Apple is likely moving, like many consumer industries are to a 100% take-back program which will also help.
So what do you do now, carry 4 or 5 batteries around to get that operational time? I'm not sure you really have a good arguement here. Even if you only carry two batteries you would still have to charge them.
I have 3 batteries. I would carry more but weigh and bulk is a factor when traveling so 2 extra is my limit. If the battery was 12, 24 or even 48 hours I would still buy one extra spare battery. I would also consider scraping my 13" MB for a larger machine if it were not offered on the 13" model.
As of now, when I need to keep the brightness down and keep turning off WiFi when not using it so save juice so I can go a full day when traveling or, even more extreme, when I go many days without being to connect to a power source and have to space out my battery usage to the extreme. The extra juice would allow me to use it more like i do when I'm plugged or at least near a power source.
(I know my usage is entirely abnormal, but that is why i would welcome such a long battery and still carry a spare)
The biggest drawback to the technology is the cost of the silver and the need to recycle said silver (and other things) from the battery when it's done.
While Au is risen considerably during these economic times, Ag seems to still be very cheap. I'm seeing 08.72¢ an ounce.
The European Union is preparing new directives that could have an impact on Apple's future products, including "the New Batteries Directive,"
which proposes to mandate that batteries in electronic appliances be "readily removed" for replacement or disposal...
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...batteries.html
Guess they're not too worried about possible legislation in Europe then
Destined for the "dumb-ass law hall of fame" certainly.
I don't see it as a bad thing either. I've owned a few Apple laptops and with the exception of my 500 MHz iBook, I have never removed the battery for a fresh one. To be honest, most of the time its plugged in while using it. The only reason I have one is because I travel between 2 school districts for work through out the week. Between the time when the 500 MHz iBook arrived and today, batterie technologies have improved greatly. Plus, if you take care of your battery it will last a long time.
The 17" is primarily marketed towards media professionals. Media professionals generally use devices that offer quick battery swapping for a reason. Unless they make a consumer 17" notebook, I don't see them locking out the ability to swap batteries with a couple latches.
Maybe non-removable battery means factory replacement only, controlled recycling and a green label for Apple.
But why didn't they do that with the new MacBooks & MacBook Pros?
The biggest reason they might want to make them non-replaceable by the user is the same reason iPod batteries aren't either. It's more environmentally sound that way.
The biggest drawback to the technology is the cost of the silver and the need to recycle said silver (and other things) from the battery when it's done. It's pretty much of a no-brainer that if the battery is not removable, less of them will end up in landfills at the end of the day. Apple is likely moving, like many consumer industries are to a 100% take-back program which will also help.
Given that there is plenty of value in the materials, I would think that printing a notice about the value of the materials within on the hidden side of the battery would be good enough to cover the issue of people dumping them. If they knew there was a recoverable deposit or other way to get money from a dead battery, I don't think they would dump the battery so quickly.
Guess they're not too worried about possible legislation in Europe then
How is "readily removed" defined? The iPhone 3G's battery requires 2 readily accessible screws to be removed, which is easier than removing most watch batteries.
Destined for the "dumb-ass law hall of fame" certainly.
That doesn't seem to be a good law for notebooks. For cellphones and other small handhelds I can see some sense to it, but even then it seems somewhat ill-conceived.
For instance, I assume that the reason for the la is so people don't throw their device into a landfill, but to make it work you will need to have drop off locations that are so convenient that people will take the take to make the effort. If you have these drop off locations, then why not allow people to just drop off their broken iPods and iPhones that they were going to drop into a landfill. Not only are getting to recycle the battery that they were going to throw in the trash, but the other parts of the device that also going to the landfill and that contain elements not appropriate for landfill.
Am I missing something here?
I know that this was not really alluded to in the write up here on appleinsider, but the 9 to 5 and macrumors write ups sounded to me like this may be an additional battery, not the sole battery.
Adding a RAIDed HDD and additional battery in place of the optical drive would be ideal for me, but that sounds too good to be to true.
That would certainly be considerably more environmentally friendly, but I fear that Apple only cares about being green if it helps their bottom line.
And, what's wrong with that? Much of the time, the two goals are not in conflict: 'Green' versus 'bottom line' is often a strawman.
Independent of that, any profit-making, shareholder value-maximizing company can be expected to be sustainably green (no pun intended) only when the objective of 'doing good' is consistent with the objective of 'doing well.'
For instance, I assume that the reason for the la is so people don't throw their device into a landfill, but to make it work you will need to have drop off locations that are so convenient that people will take the take to make the effort. If you have these drop off locations, then why not allow people to just drop off their broken iPods and iPhones that they were going to drop into a landfill. Not only are getting to recycle the battery that they were going to throw in the trash, but the other parts of the device that also going to the landfill and that contain elements not appropriate for landfill.
WEEE legislation already exists in Europe (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive)
"The directive imposes the responsibility for the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment on the manufacturers of such equipment. Those companies should establish an infrastructure for collecting WEEE, in such a way that "Users of electrical and electronic equipment from private households should have the possibility of returning WEEE at least free of charge". Also, the companies are compelled to use the collected waste in an ecologically-friendly manner, either by ecological disposal or by reuse/refurbishment of the collected WEEE."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_E...ment_Directive
&
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/index_en.htm
_______________________
WEEE legislation already exists in Europe (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive)
"The directive imposes the responsibility for the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment on the manufacturers of such equipment. Those companies should establish an infrastructure for collecting WEEE, in such a way that "Users of electrical and electronic equipment from private households should have the possibility of returning WEEE at least free of charge". Also, the companies are compelled to use the collected waste in an ecologically-friendly manner, either by ecological disposal or by reuse/refurbishment of the collected WEEE."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_E...ment_Directive
&
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/index_en.htm
Yeah. Good point. The US is really falling behind on some of these issues.......
Film makers and video editors out in the field have to have multiple batteries because there's nowhere to recharge the laptop most of the time.
Can't quite agree with you there.
Having spent quite a bit of time on commercial shoots and now after a long haul in China, if anything, filming even in the wilds is more than equipped to handle a simple thing as recharging a laptop battery.
Lighting alone requires significant power generation. There is always a power source. And if needed there is always a car's cigarette lighter around.
I have bought about a dozen Mac laptops over the years and always with a spare. The only time I have ever had to use a spare was on a long flight with no external power source. But that was years ago. Today, virtually every oversea's or cross-country flight has a spot to plug in.
However, I still buy a spare. Just last month, my 16-month old Macbook Pro battery began to die. Took it in and Apple replaced it free of charge; I don't buy the extended Apple Care. After 24 years, never had had to use it even if I did. Now I just have to remember to "Exercise [my] machine" http://www.apple.com/batteries/
Having a close relationship with Apple store staffs, one of the least selling accessories is (spare) batteries. I always suggest to my students and clients, that besides the Magsafe power adapter, to have a cigarette power converter with them. Many a time I just plugged my Macbook in a cab between calls or on the way to the airport (even in the orient) and now it is on me all the time as I routinely use it to keep my iPhone fully charged as well.
Now I am hoping that my slim mobile inverter will fit nicely in the new MacCase Flight Jackets. http://mac-case.com/Leather%20Site/B...acketOpen.html
I have 3 batteries. I would carry more but weigh and bulk is a factor when traveling so 2 extra is my limit. If the battery was 12, 24 or even 48 hours I would still buy one extra spare battery. I would also consider scraping my 13" MB for a larger machine if it were not offered on the 13" model.
Well if you think you have to I won't stop you. I do wonder how you avoid carrying around discharged batteries all the time. Generally it is not good to leave a battery in a discharged state for to long.
As of now, when I need to keep the brightness down and keep turning off WiFi when not using it so save juice so I can go a full day when traveling or, even more extreme, when I go many days without being to connect to a power source and have to space out my battery usage to the extreme. The extra juice would allow me to use it more like i do when I'm plugged or at least near a power source.
Well that is what we would hope for
Switching to improved LED backlighting might be a given but they could surprise use with an OLED screen. Either would lower power relative to the old screen. The manufactures have made great strides in white light LEDs for back lighting. They could drop Firewire to save power there too. Other chips like Bluetooth have been power improved with new models. Given what we have seen in the smaller MBP I don't think a doubling of run time is impossible.
(I know my usage is entirely abnormal, but that is why i would welcome such a long battery and still carry a spare)
Even for my usage I'd welcome it. Let's face it this could be revolutionary as to evolutionary. Especially if Apple where to roll out quickly to cell phones, tablets and whatever else they have up their sleeve.
People here give me a hard time about loving my iPhone. Which I admit I do, the thing is I recognize a lot of faults in the little guy. One of those is runtime on the current battery. A higher capacity & lighter battery is or will be a big win here. Especially if they address processor performance at the same time. In any event if this new battery tech pans out I could see it driving a lot of products from Apple.
Dave
I think investors and the biz press would be satisfied with a cascade of refreshes and redos. A complete revamp of the big boy laptop would be a good start. Pair that with new iMacs (mostly a refresh?), new MacMinis (major 'vamp in specs and purposing), new large screen monitors (refresh and new connectors), and lots of buzz-making over Snow Leopard
I tend to agree this is possible. However, this would be a refocus for Apple on filling in the gaps and omissions in their line... and I do feel they sometimes miss this, thus perhaps I'm just wishfully thinking.
So.. forget the "oh my god that's amazing" announcements (New 8" Laptop/NetiBook, 6" iPhone/iPad), and go for all the evolutionary upgrades.
As you say...
* 17" MacBookPro unibody
* remove the plastic MacBook and drop prices on the lowend MacBook Unibody
* iMacs with NVIDEA
* MacMini upgrade and AppleTV booster
Such 'boring' upgrades would have been extremely disappointing from Steve. Except perhaps the AppleTV - but no matter how good, an AppleTV upgrade could be framed as "Apple tries for a TV replacement once again... perhaps 3rd times a charm?"... and I think a PhilNote might avoid that to a degree.
In fact... one of Steve's strategies has always been to understate what he was announcing, so that the rumour sites and press would be the ones talking the product up. Comments along the line of "we have a little something we hope you'll like". But the SteveNotes have become such a big thing that that is lost. Perhaps the more limited announcements have made Steve decide a PhilNote is a good way to play down expectations.
Sounds like you need a portable recharging arraignment.
It is a pain to have to keep changing batteries in planes, trains and automobiles. The new MacBooks don't require a coin to do it, but the removable access panel does mean I have to put that thin piece of bendable aluminium somewhere while I make the switch. I am always fearful I'm going to bend it out of shape by accident. Charging is just tedious with any Mac as I have to keep switching out once I charge them.
There is one charger for the older MB batteries, but it's large and expensive. I would have ideally liked to have had a power pass-through charger that will allow me to power and charge my Mac while having a battery sitting in a small cradle being recharged as well. This would also allow me to not carry an additional PS for the charger as consolidation of equipment is a priority for me.
People here give me a hard time about loving my iPhone. Which I admit I do, the thing is I recognize a lot of faults in the little guy. One of those is runtime on the current battery. A higher capacity & lighter battery is or will be a big win here. Especially if they address processor performance at the same time. In any event if this new battery tech pans out I could see it driving a lot of products from Apple.
That would be an excellent place for this battery tech. I'll get a new iPhone immediately if they update the iPhones next week with this new tech.
As for the faults of the iPhone, it has many but I can't wholeheartedly list the battery duration as one of them. While I drain my battery quickly from my excessive use, it is the excessive use that the is the catalyst of the battery drain.
So super-slim = super long battery life? Somehow the 2 don't exactly go hand in hand. I wonder what type of special sauce Apple's using. Or maybe it's really the same volume just flattened so it takes up the whole base of the laptop but is really thin.
When you consider the amount of space wasted with a removable-battery by things like the external battery casing, bay, hardware, reinforcements, etc. then it is quite a reasonable assumption that Apple can use that wasted space to add more battery volume and spread it around the chassis more efficiently resulting in a "slimmer" battery. Current batteries have to be in a shape of a slim brick so that it is easier to carry but that me sacrifices weight and design.
If the new setup allows a 50%+ increase in battery storage, I think it will be a great plus. The majority of consumers will never buy a 2nd battery for their laptop anyways. They will always never be too far from an AC outlet. Another advantage I see is that with the "green" image Apple is trying to convey, this will prevent the batteries from being disposed of illegally and allow a more proper recycling/reclamation program. I would not be surprised if more makers follow this route as battery performance increases. They usually trail Apple anyways on design.
Like the Firewire debacle, there will be vociferous opponents to this design. I'm sure there will be 3rd-party providers (or even Apple) to come out with an external battery pack that simply plugs into the magsafe connector for those who absolutely must have the 20 spare batteries on tap to record HD video in the middle of an african safari while staying in the local tribal hut during monsoon season.
This may very well be the start of the next evolution in notebooks. I wonder if Apple would consider submitting the magsafe port as a standard so that other makers can use it in their systems. It really is a wonderful design.