Has The Technology Of Batteries Moved On? (wireless communication)
No commentsBy Shaun Parker
Batteries might not be the most exciting thing to mention when trying to chat up a girl at a party but as all gadget lovers know they are the life blood of our consumer electronics filled lives. Here are four batteries that will make sure you last that little bit longer.
Sanyo eneloop range
Sanyo has added a new bundle to its eneloop range of re-chargeable batteries. The new power pack contains 4 x AA cells, 2 x AAA cells , 2 x D-size adapters, 2 x C-size adapters and a quick charger - so everything you need to keep your gadgets juiced up.
Sanyo has also launched a USB charger which comes as standard with two AA or two AAA batteries. The eneloop range is claimed to be different because they do not discharge as much energy as conventional rechargeable batteries over time - losing 15 percent of their capacity over a year.
The eneloop range is available at Argos.
Energiser Advanced Lithium battery
Energizer has launched a new battery that promises to fuel gamers and gadget fans for longer. The new Energizer Advanced Lithium battery promises to use the latest battery tech (yawn) to increase your gadgets lifespan by up to 20 hours longer (yay).
And if your planning on playing in Siberia or the north pole they might be doubly helpful as according to Energizer they new batteries performs well in extreme temperatures from -40 degrees to 60 degrees C.
Energizer Advanced Lithium joins the existing Energizer Ultimate Lithium and Energizer Rechargeable range in the performance battery segment.
USBCell
The humble USB port is becoming more and more useful. First came the memory card with built-in USB plug, now comes the USB-charged battery.
Moixa Energy has developed the USBCELL as an environmentally-friendly alternative to normal AA batteries. The top of one side flips up to reveal a USB connector, and the battery simply plugs into an open port.
The first batteries available are AA sized, but Moixa plans to unveil a full range standard formats, as well as phone and camera batteries.
The convenience of the USBCELL means that you do not have to carry around a separate charger or cables, and can charge it in a game station, as well as in keyboards and monitors with USB sockets.
Uniross eco range
The new Uniross range includes 14 different types of batteries and 16 chargers and adding to those eco credentials, comes in 100 percent recycled and recyclable packaging and is fully endorsed by the WWF.
The new range offers sizes from AAA to D and 9V. It takes five hours to charge one of the cells if it was fully discharged; each battery has a capacity of 1300mAH.
Apparently more powerful and more convenient than ever, you can now use the batteries straight out of the packet, just like a throwaway battery, but when they run out you can juice them up, up to 1000 times.
Shaun Parker is an expert on batteries and provides impartial advice on all aspects of power technology.
Three Remotes That Promise To Give You Back The Power
By Shaun Parker
One remote to rule them all, here are three that aim to give you power over your television and much more:
Logitech Harmony One remote control
The idea, for those not in the know about Harmony, is that you list all your home entertainment kit, find it in an online database from the company and then connect your remote control to your computer to save all the hassle of trying to get your old remote to talk to your new one.
Where the system rises above your average all-in-one remote controls is that it also works with macros and gives you one button press options like Watch a DVD - pressing said button will do everything it needs to: turn your amp to the right setting, the TV to the right channel and so on.
Of course the downside to all this is that you have to have a PC and have installed and gathered all your information before you can get going with the remote control - something that Logitech suggest could take up to 30 minutes.
Setup was easy and the ability to update via an online database means that you are likely to never have to worry about finding your piece of kit. That said, the Harmony One remote control is not without faults and as we found in testing the remote didn’t work perfectly every time.
Philips Prestigo SRU 8015 remote control
Philips has come up with something a little different in the Prestigo SRU 8015 remote control though, which offers a number of improvements over conventional methods.
You will find 25 preloaded categories to choose from, each of which sports an icon for easy recognition, and can control up to 15 at any one time. Scrolling through these on the remote control, or indeed any part of the menu system, is done via a mechanical circular control wheel, which is also used to select an active device during normal operation.
Philips scores full marks for setup and adaptability with the SRU 8015 remote control, but is not quite as usable as we would hoped due to the operation and position of the circular control wheel. You get used to this to an extent, but it is still a problem that is big enough to prevent it setting a new standard in high-end all-in-ones.
Gumbody Light Digital 6 remote control review
You will find the rather chunky remote control offers control for up to 6 devices, and features an effective yet conventional layout that offers all of the expected support for common digital receivers such as Freeview and Sky plus.
As expected there are a variety of ways to learn IR codes and program your devices. More common codes from mainstream manufacturers such as Sky, NTL, Freeview and Apple are printed separately for speedy setup; otherwise your next best bet is to visit the Gumbody site to look up the specific make and model before typing them into the remote control.
You can pick up the Gumbody Light 6 for just 29.99 GBP, quite reasonably priced for a remote control of this nature. The Gumbody Light Digital 6 is well designed, great to use and reasonably priced, making it one of the most appealing all-in-ones we have used to date.
Shaun Parker is an expert on remote controls and provides impartial advice on all aspects of audio visual technology.
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Malta Purchase US Rescue Helicopter
By Roger Munns
In an effort to improve its rescue and security services, the government of Malta has recently purchased a new type of U.S.-made helicopter. Malta is the first country outside of the U.S. to use the UH-72A, a helicopter that American armed forces have only recently begun to use.
The U.S. government is buying over 300 of the new helicopters, called the “Lakota.” It will replace aging, outdated military helicopters with the new models. The main improvement over older helicopters that the Lakota offers is a set of twin-engines. This gives the vehicle much more speed and power and the ability to outperform the older models in every way.
This twin-engine technology is the reason that Malta is interested in the Lakota. Malta has widespread territorial waters, and the added speed, range and power that the Lakota offers makes monitoring those waters easier. Used mainly for maritime safety and security, the Lakota will benefit Malta greatly.
The Lakota is primarily designed for medical evacuations, as it has space for two stretchers. Its nine passenger capacity allows it to carry an entire team to an area of concern quickly and remove any people to safety with maximum efficiency.
The government doesn’t know exactly when the new helicopters will be delivered, but they can’t wait to use them over their extensive waters. Each vehicle costs six million euros to produce, but Malta will only be picking up half the tab. The U.S. is paying the other half.
Though there are still bugs in the design of the Lakota, production is on schedule. Tests in California have revealed the need for air conditioning units in the cockpit, as the temperature exceeded the maximum safe temperature designated by the U.S. military. In 80 degree weather, the cockpit reached just over 104 degrees, a fraction of a degree above the safe operating temperature. Air conditioning will help prevent systems from overheating. The Lakota is a military version of a commercial copter, which has air conditioning in the cockpit.
In the hands of the U.S., the Lakota is designed for medical evacuations, personnel recovery and counter-narcotics operations. Light duty helicopters aren’t designed for offensive operations. Though only a few Lakotas have seen proper use, every helicopter is expected to be delivered by 2016.
When the island became a republic in 1974, it needed a military force. The Armed Forces of Malta were formed. This is the name given to the combined armed forces of the island. Though it’s a small military force, it has a lot of space to cover. The Air Wing, which is receiving the Lakota, is responsible for airspace protection, as well as maritime patrol. Besides the Lakota, it has three other helicopters and six planes.
Malta has recently begun a campaign to bring in more young tourists. It was once considered the domain of wealthy retirees, but its core tourism demographic is starting to change. While it doesn’t require a significant military force, it still must maintain its sovereignty and keep its visitors safe in the dangerous waters off the coast. With the Lakota, Malta will have the speed it needs to provide a safe holiday getaway.
YourMalta.com has more information for those interested in the island and those considering a holiday in Malta
The island’s airport and cheap flights to Malta are covered plus for the tourist looking for sunshine the weather in Malta
Sunday, August 24th, 2008 at 3:10 am and is filed under technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
