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How zinc batteries could power the sustainable economy

What might it take to get zinc batteries offsetting some of the demand on lithium-ion? According to a <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.26599/NRE.2022.9120039" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a> in Nano Research Energy, a few avenues of research look set to make rechargeable zinc batteries efficient and long-lasting enough to be competitive. If you want to store electricity, lithium-ion batteries are <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/physics/long-live-the-power-of-lithium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">generally the most powerful</a> and <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/precious-metal/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy dense option</a>. But lithium isn’t a <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/materials/lithium-ion-battery-supply-chain-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">super-abundant metal</a>, and it’s very reactive: lithium-ion batteries need <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/battery-fire-lithium-ion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">elaborate safety systems</a> to lower the risk of fires. As battery demand soars, to shore up the <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy-crisis-escape-transition/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">transition to renewable energy</a>, researchers are looking for alternatives to lithium. “Zinc has a strong battery track record, having been used as anode material as early as 1799!” says co-author Dapeng Liu, a battery researcher with the Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology at Beihang University, China. “Zinc-based battery technology already accounts for one-third of the world battery market.” Zinc can be used in a range of different types of battery – including <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/new-charge-for-old-battery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">zinc-air batteries</a>, which are currently available as small disposables, rechargeable <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/flow-battery-china/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flow batteries</a>, or rechargeable non-flow zinc-bromide batteries. Zinc-based batteries are typically cheaper than lithium-ion, and carry a much lower fire risk. But while their performance has much improved over the past decade, they’re still not good for commercial rechargeable batteries yet. They’re not very energy-dense, and they have shorter life cycles. According to the researchers, there are a few areas of chemistry that should be focused on to improve this. First, say the reviewers, the anodes and cathodes of zinc batteries need to be developed so that they don’t deplete as much over time. They think that changing the surface of the anodes (interface modification), and alloying the zinc with other materials and additives, will yield the best results. Next, better <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/next-big-thing-catalysts-can-change-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">catalysts</a> are needed to speed up zinc-air batteries’ reactions, making them more efficient. Finally, the researchers suggest that new electrolyte mixtures can improve battery performance. “Rechargeable zinc-based batteries have a long way to go before large-scale application in the mobile, power, and other electronic equipment markets,” conclude the researchers in their paper. A zinc-bromide battery factory opened in Australia in late September. Operated by <a href="https://gelion.com/gelion-launches-australian-battery-manufacturing-facility/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gelion</a>, a renewable energy company that spun out from research at the University of Sydney, the facility is currently capable of making two megawatt hours of batteries per year.  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=227531&title=How+zinc+batteries+could+power+the+sustainable+economy" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/zinc-batteries-improvements-needed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on Cosmos Magazine and was written by Ellen Phiddian. Image: Getty Images </div>

Technology

How to make your phone or tablet battery last longer

There’s nothing more frustrating than having your phone or tablet run out of battery when you need it most. Batteries of today seem to be draining at a more rapid pace… but rather than lugging your charger everywhere with you, here are a few easy ways you can help your device last the distance. Screen brightness The brighter your screen the more power it consumes. Lower the brightness levels slightly (your eyes will adjust) or change it to auto-brightness which will enable your phone to automatically adjust to the optimal level of brightness while conserving battery. GPS The GPS is a great feature in ensuring you’ll never get lost again. However, it also needs a substantial amount of battery power to function. It’s one of the biggest consumers of power so if you’re not using it switch it off. Wi-fi Keeping your wi-fi turned on at all time when not connected will quickly drain your battery. It’s because your phone is constantly trying to search for a wi-fi network to join so if you’re not using wi-fi switch it off. Just remember to turn it on again when you’re connected to a known wi-fi network like one at home otherwise it will eat up your data. Bluetooth Bluetooth is a convenient and useful feature in connection to other devices wirelessly but it also drains your power. Only switch it on when you know you’re using it. Apps We tend to have many apps running in the background that we’ve simply forgotten we opened up. But if apps are open they will be using battery power. Close the ones you’re not using. Turn it off It’s the most obvious solution and the most effective. If you know you’re not going to be using your phone for a few of hours (like when you’re watching a movie or going to bed) switching it off will stop any energy consumption. Image: Getty Images

Technology

Kevin Spacey found not guilty of battery

Content warning: This article mentions child sexual abuse (CSA). A New York jury has found that Kevin Spacey isn’t liable for battery in a sexual abuse lawsuit brought against him by actor Anthony Rapp. The civil suit related to allegations from 1986, where Spacey allegedly picked Rapp up and briefly laid on top of him in a bed after a party. After deliberating for about an hour, the jury concluded that Rapp didn’t prove that Spacey “touched a sexual or intimate part” of him and the judge dismissed the case. Rapp, who was 14 at the time of the alleged incident, first publicly accused Spacey of sexual abuse in 2017. He alleged that Spacey, then 26, invited Rapp over to his home in Manhattan, where Spacey picked Rapp up, laid him down on a bed, grabbed his buttocks and pressed his groin into his hip. Rapp sued Spacy for $US 40 million ($AU 63 million) in damages, and his claim of assault was dismissed by the judge before the trial started. The actor’s claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress was also dismissed after Rapp’s attorneys rested his case, meaning the jury only had to decide whether Spacey is ‘liable’ to damages for the claim of battery. Under New York law, battery is defined as touching another person without their consent and in a way that a reasonable person would find offensive. Rapp’s attorney Richard Steigman suggested in his closing statement that Spacey twisted his testimony during the trial to suit his defence, noting that Spacey apologised to Rapp when he first made the allegations. "Don't listen to what I said in real time. I'm defending a lawsuit now. Listen to me now. I've got it straightened out," Steigman said, mocking Spacey’s testimony that he regrets giving the statement in 2017 and was coerced by publicists to do it. Steigman also said Spacey’s testimony was rehearsed in comparison to Rapp’s and dismissed claims that Rapp came forward to out Spacey as gay. "When you're rehearsed, and a world class actor and you're following the script and following the testimony of someone else, you can take that stand and be perfectly polished," Steigman said. "When you're merely coming to court coming forward and telling the truth of your experience, especially one like this that's a little bit complicated." "The point of the story is not that Kevin Spacey is gay. It's that he sexually abused him when he was 14. That's what he's sharing with people, he's sharing his experience - nothing more, nothing less. Where's the proof that he said to any media outlet, you know, Kevin Spacey is gay, you really should run with this?" Jennifer Keller, Spacey’s attorney, said in her closing statement that Rapp “hitched his wagon” to the #MeToo movement when he came forward. "This isn't a team sport where you're either on the Me Too side, or you're on the other side," Keller told the jury. "This is a very different place. Our system requires evidence, proof, objective support for accusations provided to an impartial jury. However polarised as society may be today, it really should not have a place here." She also suggested that Rapp’s allegations were false and details taken from a scene from Broadway show Precious Sons, which Rapp performed with Ed Harris in 1986 at the time of the alleged incident. "We're here because Mr. Rapp has falsely alleged abuse that never occurred at a party that was never held in a room that did not exist," she said. Keller concluded her remarks by asking the jury not to compromise their judgement by finding Spacey liable but only awarding Rapp a single dollar in damages. "You're here to be judges of the facts. Did it happen? It didn't happen. One penny is too much for something that did not happen,” she said. “And for Mr. Spacey this is not about the money. For Mr. Spacey, this is about the truth that day and he was falsely accused.” Image: Getty Images

Legal

Explainer: how do batteries work?

Batteries! They’re not the sole solution to the <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/climate/new-ipcc-report-global-climate-change-warning/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> and <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy-crisis-escape-transition/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy</a> crisis, but they’re certainly going to play a large role. Along with pumped hydro, they’re <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy-crisis-escape-transition/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">likely to provide</a> much of the energy storage needed to firm renewables in the next decade. And they’re constantly getting <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy/lithium-ion-batteries-cheaper-investment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cheaper</a> and <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/renewables-gencost-cheapest/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more effective</a>. It seems there’s a new type of battery getting announced nearly every week – in the past 12 months, Cosmos has covered <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/physics/quantum-batteries-breakthrough-superabsorption/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum batteries</a>, <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/paper-battery-water-disposable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paper batteries</a>, <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/materials/tree-cellulose-solid-state-battery-lithium-ion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cellulose batteries</a> and <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy/recyclable-graphene-batteries-powercap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">graphene batteries</a> . So it’s a good time to go back to basics: how do batteries work, and what role do they play in the grid? How do batteries work? The short answer is that batteries perform a chemical reaction which releases <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/physics/what-is-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy</a>. The energy is released in the form of electricity, and connecting a battery to a circuit allows the reaction to happen. To understand the slightly longer answer, it’s worth looking at the structure of atoms. Atoms have a nucleus, made up from positively charged protons and chargeless neutrons, surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons. The electrons can move easily from one atom to another. If you can move the electrons in a consistent flow, you can create heat, light, and a variety of other useful things – with electricity. A battery has one substance, or reagent, which supplies electrons (called an anode), and another reagent which accepts them (called a cathode). The electrons are sent between reagents via a circuit in the device you’re trying to power, letting electricity flow. For this reaction to work, something positively charged also has to move from the anode to the cathode to balance the negatively charged electrons. Atoms with fewer electrons than protons – called positive ions, or cations – do this job. The positive ions don’t move through the circuit, but through a separate bridge connecting the anode and the cathode. This is the electrolyte – it can be a liquid solution, or a solid. This whole process is referred to as an electrochemical cell. Batteries can just use one cell, or they can have several electrochemical cells connected to each other. Most commercial batteries actually rely on chemical reactions that are more complicated than simply shunting electrons and one type of positive ion around (lithium-ion included). There can be several different types of metals, salts and other reactants involved. But batteries all, ultimately, need a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte. What’s the difference between a non-rechargeable and rechargeable battery? What it’s made of. In a non-rechargeable battery, the reaction which creates electrons only works one way: once the substance in the cathode has accepted the electrons, it can’t be changed back into its former, electron-less self. In a rechargeable battery, it is possible to reverse this reaction. An external power source can remove electrons from the cathode and add them to the anode, leaving them fresh and ready to react again. The substances which make up the anode, cathode, and electrolyte will determine whether or not the reaction is reversible. Why do rechargeable batteries run down? Because there’s a bunch of different substances reacting with each other in a battery to make those electrons flow, there are a few opportunities for things to go wrong. Chemical reactions rarely make exactly the products you want – there are usually small amounts of by-products. “When that chemical reaction is occurring, sometimes it doesn’t perfectly reverse when you recharge it. That can lead to things like dendrite growth – which are kind of tiny crystal growths,” says Professor Lachlan Blackhall, head of the Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program at the Australian National University. “Over time that effectively reduces the ability for that chemical reaction to continue to happen in a reversible way.” <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p203150-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 spai-bg-prepared init" action="/technology/batteries-explainer/#wpcf7-f6-p203150-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/" aria-invalid="false" /> </form> </div> </div> Researchers and manufacturers are getting better at finding battery chemistries with cleanly reversible reactions, that barely run down over time. Tesla’s battery at the Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia has a <a href="https://hornsdalepowerreserve.com.au/faqs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warranty of 15 years</a>, for instance, but operator Neoen is confident that the batteries will still retain the majority of their capacity at this time and will be capable of operating beyond it depending on market conditions and other factors. What’s the difference between a phone battery and a grid-scale battery? “In many cases, they’re actually identical chemistry,” says Blackhall. “A grid scale battery, it just has hundreds or thousands of little lithium-ion cells, but packed and managed within a battery module.” Big batteries aren’t singular electrochemical cells. They’re actually series of smaller units, lined up in one place. That said, it’s not a guarantee that your phone is identical to a grid battery. The requirements for the battery all inform what it might be made of. Weight is an absolutely critical feature in a car battery, for instance, but it’s less relevant for a static home battery. There, you might be able to use cheaper but heavier materials. Which raises another question: Why do batteries need lithium? Are lithium-ion batteries going to be the gold standard forever? Could we make them with a cheaper substance? The reason lithium is thrown around as the “<a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/physics/long-live-the-power-of-lithium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">queen of batteries</a>” is its basic chemistry. As the lightest metal, with only three protons, lithium is essentially guaranteed to be the most energy-dense way of making a battery. (For more on the importance and prevalence of lithium, <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/precious-metal/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">watch our Cosmos Briefing</a>.) So, where weight or size must be minimised (read: in anything that has to move), it’s unlikely that lithium batteries will be overtaken. But grid-scale batteries, and home batteries, can be much larger and heavier than car or phone batteries. <a href="https://www.uow.edu.au/global-challenges/making-future-industries/sodium-battery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sodium</a> is an economically viable to lithium in this range, for example. Flow batteries are <a href="https://arena.gov.au/blog/south-australia-goes-with-the-flow-battery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">starting to be adopted</a> as big batteries too. <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy/battery-that-runs-on-air-redox-flow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flow batteries</a> operate with a dramatically different structure to traditional batteries – they may never run down, and they can work very efficiently without lithium. <a href="https://research.unsw.edu.au/projects/vanadium-redox-battery" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vanadium</a> is a particularly popular candidate here. At the other end of the scale, small electronics don’t necessarily need powerful batteries. Here, we can get even more creative with chemistry – for instance, using biodegradable materials like <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/paper-battery-water-disposable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paper</a> and <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy/polymer-biodegradable-batteries-orbs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon-based polymers</a>. <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> <div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <div class="entry-content-asset"> <div class="embed-wrapper"> <div class="inner"><iframe title="Cosmos Shorts: What could our future electricity grid look like?" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hGWw3gF7Z9k?feature=oembed" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> </div> </div> </div> </figure> How do they work in the grid? Pumped hydro is a cheaper way to store energy than batteries. But batteries have a feature which gives them a key advantage in the energy transition: they can send power to the grid almost instantly. “The chemical reactions can occur sufficiently quickly that you can draw current from the cell very quickly,” says Blackhall. “Your output can be almost instantaneous.” Even the fastest forms of fossil fuel generators can’t match this – such as gas power plants used for peaking energy. “Gas peakers, they can take 15 minutes to go from no power output to power output, just because you’ve got to spin the turbine up,” says Blackhall. Currently, <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy/explainer-what-is-the-grid/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the electricity grid</a> is designed to accommodate this sort of timing. But as we transition our energy systems further, we may be able to get more flexible. “Because you can control batteries so quickly, we may even end up with a new operating paradigm for our electricity system once we have completely shut down all synchronous generators,” says Blackhall.  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=203150&title=Explainer%3A+how+do+batteries+work%3F" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/batteries-explainer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/ellen-phiddian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ellen Phiddian</a>. Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honours) in chemistry and science communication, and an MSc in science communication, both from the Australian National University. Image: Getty Images </div>

Technology

The charge towards better batteries

Batteries <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/materials/lithium-ion-battery-supply-chain-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">are central</a> to the growing renewable-energy industry, but the most efficient commercial batteries often rely on precious metals, which can cause varying levels of harm to the environment. While a few large, safer batteries have <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy/recyclable-graphene-batteries-powercap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">made it to market</a>, there’s still plenty of research required to make better batteries. <div class="copy"> Two recent papers have opened the battery field further, with discoveries that could lead to safer and more efficient future power. One paper, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-022-00626-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in Communications Chemistry, describes a new type of sulphur that could be used in lithium-sulphur batteries. These batteries use less precious material than traditional lithium-ion batteries, and could be more efficient. But there’s still a range of technical problems that have prevented them from getting to market – for instance, they degrade quickly when used at room temperature. The researchers, who are based at Drexel University, US, have found that when stabilised with carbon nanotubes, the batteries’ phase of sulphur – called monoclinic gamma sulphur – can withstand the lithium-sulphur treatment at room temperature. The researchers were able to use this sulphur in a battery that lasted for 4000 cycles. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p181875-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <div class="screen-reader-response"> </div> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.56 resetting spai-bg-prepared" action="https://over60wp.azurewebsites.net/technology/energy/lithium-sulphur-batteries-capacitors/#wpcf7-f6-p181875-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="resetting"></form> </div> </div> “This will enable a deeper understanding of the system facilitating the commercialisation of Li–S batteries,” write the authors in their paper. In another study, a group of US researchers has developed a material that can discharge electricity quickly and efficiently, without causing extra danger to people. <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abg5860" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Published</a> in Science Advances, the paper describes a new type of “antiferroelectric” material, which could be very useful in devices where quick storage or discharge of energy is needed – such as in defibrillators. But as yet, most antiferroelectric materials contain lead, making them less useful. The researchers, who are based at Cornell University, US, have made a lead-free antiferroelectric material. Created with electrostatic engineering, the material is made from bismuth, iron and oxygen instead. In their paper, the researchers state that the material has a lot of potential to be a powerful capacitor. <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=181875&title=The+charge+towards+better+batteries" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /></div> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/energy/lithium-sulphur-batteries-capacitors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/ellen-phiddian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ellen Phiddian</a>. Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honours) in chemistry and science communication, and an MSc in science communication, both from the Australian National University. Image: Getty Images </div>

Technology

Sir Rod Stewart and son admit to battery charges

Image: Getty Sir Rod Stewart and his son Sean have both pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour count of “simple battery” after the pair were accused of assaulting a security guard back in 2019. Rod Stewart, 76, and his son 41, were accused of assault after they were refused access to a private event on New Year’s Eve in Florida according to the BBC. Sean allegedly shoved the security guard and Sir Rod struck his chest “with a closed fist”, the police report said. The father-son duo both entered guilty pleas to battery and will avoid court or a jail term. The likely consequence would be a fine or probation, Sir Rob's lawyer Guy Fronstin told the publication. "No-one was injured in the incident and a jury did not find Sir Rod Stewart guilty of the accusation," Fronstin said in a statement. "Instead, Sir Rod Stewart decided to enter a plea to avoid the inconvenience and unnecessary burden on the court and the public that a high-profile proceeding would cause." The altercation occurred with the guard Jessie Dixon at the luxury Breakers Palm Beach Hotel in Florida in late 2019. Sir Rod told police that after he and his son were denied access to the party, the guard become argumentative, causing his family to become "agitated". The rock star reportedly apologised for his role in the incident, the police report said.

Legal

Here’s how to charge your phone faster

Switch into aeroplane mode A quick way to keep the battery from draining so quickly is to switch it to plane mode. You won’t be able to get texts or search online, but you’ll save power because your phone won’t be constantly searching for a cellular or WiFi connection. Turn it off There’s no better way to make sure all the power goes directly to your battery than making sure there’s no competition for it by switching it off. Alternatively, leave your phone in low power mode. You can find it in settings. Sometimes it’s known as battery saver mode. Plug it into a wall socket The USB port of your computer may be convenient when you’re working remotely, but an outlet will charge your phone faster. This is because USB ports usually only charge at 0.5 amps, so it’s going to take twice as long to charge your phone than the one amp power adapter it came with. Use a powerful wall charger It can also be helpful to have a charger that works faster than the one that comes with your phone, such as a rapid charger. Just find an outlet, plug it in in, and connect it to your phone. Keep a charged battery pack handy For those situations when you know you’re going to be away from a traditional power source, buying a battery pack is a good idea. Just make sure to plan for it in advance, so you can charge the battery pack before you leave. Get your phone out of the sun Avoid exposing your phone to temperatures above 35º Celsius. The heat can damage your battery capacity, and your phone’s software may limit charging to about 80% when the phone gets hotter than the recommended temperature. Take your phone out of the case If you notice that your phone gets hot when you charge it, take it out of its case. “Charging your device when it’s inside certain styles of cases may generate excess heat, which can affect battery capacity,” according to Apple. Clean out your lightning port The problem may not be with the power of your battery itself. Over time, lint and dust can accumulate in your lightning port (that’s where you plug your charger into your phone) and clog it. CNET recommends turning your phone off and using a toothpick to gently remove any debris from the port. Then plug in your charger again and see if it works better. Get a powerful wireless charger For a quick juice boost, look for a charger with high wattage. “The higher the number of watts, the faster your device will charge,” Macworld reports. The typical chargers that come with iPhones and older Androids carry one amp of current and produce five watts of power, according to the consumer blog Techlicious. But “new rapid chargers with technology such as Quick Charge support two amps and 12 watts or more, potentially charging your phone up to four times faster.” Get a wireless charging pad Though wired charging is faster, wireless charging is also a good option. Invest in a charging case For an ongoing solution to ensure you can charge your phone quickly, consider getting a charging case. Some models can extend your battery’s life for 22 hours. They come in a range of prices and designs. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/science-technology/heres-how-to-charge-your-phone-faster?pages=1" target="_blank">Reader's Digest</a>.

Technology

New research to make better batteries

<div> <div class="copy"> The quest for a better battery is engaging a lot of scientific minds, but it’s not often three advances are reported at pretty well the same time. Two from the US address the challenge of making next-gen lithium batteries more commercially viable, while the third, from the UK, uses MRI in a novel way. In the first study, led by the US Army Research Laboratory, researchers have demonstrated a new electrolyte design for lithium-ion batteries – which soldiers use regularly in the field but often find wanting. In a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-020-0601-1" target="_blank">paper</a> in the journal Nature Energy, they describe developing a self-healing protective layer in the battery that significantly slows the electrolyte and silicon anode degradation process, while increasing the number of possible cycles from tens to over a hundred. The design demonstrated a coulombic [the basic unit of electric charge] efficiency of 99.9%, they say, which meant only 0.1% of the energy was lost each cycle. Conventional designs for lithium-ion batteries with silicon anodes have a 99.5% efficiency, and this seemingly small difference translates to a cycle life more than five times longer, according to Army scientist Oleg Borodin. In the second <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.cell.com/joule/pdf/S2542-4351(20)30135-5.pdf?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2542435120301355%3Fshowall%3Dtrue" target="_blank">paper</a>, published in the journal Joule, researchers from the University of Texas report they have found a way to stabilise one of the most challenging parts of lithium-sulfur batteries. Creating an artificial layer containing tellurium, inside the battery in-situ, on top of lithium metal, can make it last four times longer, they say. “The layer… allows it to operate without breaking down the electrolyte…” says co-author Amruth Bhargav. No expensive or complicated pre-treatment or coating procedures are required on the lithium-metal anode, he and his colleagues add, and the method can be applied to other lithium- and sodium-based batteries. The third paper, in the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/#search-menu" target="_blank">journal</a> Nature Communications, describes a technique to detect the movement and deposition of sodium metal ions within a sodium battery using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Although sodium appears to have many of the properties required to produce an efficient battery, there are challenges in optimising the performance. Key among these, says research leader Melanie Britton from the University of Birmingham, is understanding how the sodium behaves inside the battery as it goes through its charging and discharging cycle, enabling the points of failure and degradation mechanisms to be identified. “Taking the battery apart introduces internal changes that make it hard to see what the original flaw was or where it occurred, but using the MRI technique we’ve developed we can actually see what’s going on inside the battery while it is operational, giving us unprecedented insights into how the sodium behaves,” Britton says. Developed with colleagues at the University of Nottingham and Imperial College London, the technique also will enable scientists to monitor the growth of dendrites – branch-like structures that can grow inside the battery over time and cause it to fail or even catch fire. Image credits: Shutterstock  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=90434&title=New+research+to+make+better+batteries" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/new-research-to-make-better-batteries/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Nick Carne. </div> </div>

Technology

The “criminal” Android apps that are draining your battery

Researchers from security firm Sophos have found 22 apps that drain your battery life and could land you with a big phone bill. The “click fraud” apps pretend to be normal apps on the Google Play Store but secretly perform criminal actions out of sight. The 22 apps have been collectively downloaded over 22 million times. One app includes an illicit flashlight app that racked up one million downloads – before being taken down from Google’s Play Store. The apps create invisible ads and trick advertisers into thinking that users are clicking on them. The ads never actually appear for the user and appear in a hidden browser window instead. The malware then stimulates a user interacting with the ad, which tricks the ad into thinking the interaction is legitimate. Despite it sounding like a bad deal for the advertisers who have spent money on the advertisements, it’s also bad news for the users as well. The researchers explained to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/gadgets/mobile-phones/22-criminal-android-apps-draining-your-battery/news-story/2c90a4a58991118d37d53208d251a26d">news.com.au</a>: “From the user’s perspective, these apps drain their phone’s battery and may cause data overawes as the apps are constantly running and communicating with servers in the background.” Normal users without technical knowledge would be hard-pressed to find out whether or not the apps were amiss. The warning signs would be increased data usage and fast-draining battery life but pinning this on the apps alone would be hard. User reviews gave nothing away either. Many of the dodgy apps had any negative comments as they didn’t know anything was wrong. This means that many are more likely to download the app in future as many users use app reviews to decide whether an app is worth downloading or not. “The only affects a user might notice is that the apps would use a significantly greater amount of data, at all times, and consume the phone’s battery power at a more rapid rate than the phone would otherwise require,” researchers explained. “Because consumers would not be able to correlate these effects to the apps themselves, their Play Market reviews for these apps showed few negative comments.” The dodgy apps have since been removed from the Google Play Store, but they can still operate if you’ve got them installed. A list of the apps can be seen below. <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Sparkle FlashLight – com.sparkle.flashlight</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Snake Attack – com.mobilebt.snakefight</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Math Solver – com.mobilebt.mathsolver</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">ShapeSorter – com.mobilebt.shapesorter</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Tak A Trip – com.takatrip.android</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Magnifeye – com.magnifeye.android</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Join Up – com.pesrepi.joinup</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Zombie Killer – com.pesrepi.zombiekiller</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Space Rocket – com.pesrepi.spacerocket</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Neon Pong – com.pesrepi.neonpong</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Just Flashlight – app.mobile.justflashlight</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Table Soccer – com.mobile.tablesoccer</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Cliff Diver – com.mobile.cliffdiver</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Box Stack – com.mobile.boxstack</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Jelly Slice – net.kanmobi.jellyslice</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">AK Blackjack – com.maragona.akblackjack</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Color Tiles – com.maragona.colortiles</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Animal Match – com.beacon.animalmatch</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Roulette Mania – com.beacon.roulettemania</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">HexaFall – com.atry.hexafall</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">HexaBlocks – com.atry.hexablocks</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">PairZap – com.atry.pairzap</li> </ul>

Technology

How to make your smartphone battery last longer

There's nothing like reaching for your phone to make a life-or-death call, only to find it is dead. A flat battery can transform a smartphone from a wonder widget into something as useful as a brick. The annoying thing is that a flat smartphone battery is avoidable. Here are some tips to help you avoid ending up with no power. Optimise power use One of the most effective ways of extending your phone's battery life involves tweaking power consumption. If your phone is connected to a Bluetooth gadget, to wi-fi or has its screen on full brightness then its battery will drain fast. Tweaking these settings or (if your phone has it) activating the power saving mode can extend battery life. The latest version of Android (Marshmallow) has an energy-saving feature built-in called Doze that hibernates energy guzzling apps while your phone is in standby, lowering its energy consumption. If you don't have Marshmallow, then try an app called <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.oasisfeng.greenify&hl=en" target="_blank">Greenify</a>, which helps reduce energy consumption. Apple also has a Low Power Mode that is accessible through Settings. Battery care As well as tweaking energy consumption, looking after your phones battery is a good idea. This isn't difficult provided you follow some simple rules. Develop good charging habits: Try to keep your phone at around 50 per cent charge as often as possible. Going from a full charge to zero will shorten the lifespan of your phone's battery. Aim for several small charges throughout the day. This will put less strain on the battery and prolong its life. Avoid overcharging: Lithium-ion batteries don't like being overcharged. They can overheat, which shortens their life expectancy. Most phone chargers stop charging once they detect the battery is charged. Stay cool: Lithium-ion batteries don't like heat. As with humans, batteries also degrade when hot. Prolonged exposure to heat will reduce their ability to hold a charge. Avoid going flat: If you plan on storing your phone away, make sure it is charged at 40 per cent. Lithium-ion batteries lose around 5 to 10 per cent of their charge per month. Flat lithium-ion batteries can be iffy to recharge. Most power management chips will disable the battery if it becomes unstable. Fast charging If your phone was purchased within the last 18 months, it may support fast charging. You'll need a fast charger (most are sold separately). They're a good investment as they can charge your phone in anything up to half the time of a normal charger. So how does fast charging work? Most batteries contain a management system to prevent the battery from getting too much power while charging. This limits the speed at which your battery can charge. Fast chargers work with the battery management system and supply more power to charge the battery faster. Plugging a fast charger into a phone that doesn't support fast charging will see the battery management system regulating the juice reaching the battery. In other words, it won't charge any faster (but it will still charge). There are a bunch of different fast charging technologies out there, but Qualcomm's Quick Charge 2.0 is the most common and is used by Samsung, Huawei, HTC, and Motorola. While fast chargers can charge compatible phones, there are still issues. Fast chargers generate heat. This won't see your phone bursting into flames, but it could shorten the lifespan of its battery. Fast chargers are also not always fast. Phone manufacturers like to wow punters by talking up the fact that their fast chargers will charge batteries to over 50 per cent in 30 minutes. What they omit is that it takes two to three times that to finish the other half of the charging cycle. These shortcomings aside, fast charging can get you out of a bind by quickly dropping a sizeable charge onto your phone's battery before you leave the house. External batteries As nifty as fast charging may be, there's another solution – the external battery. These can free you from the tyranny of the wall socket and allow you to charge your phone while on the move. The main thing to look out for with a portable battery pack is its mAh capacity. If your phone has a 2000mAh battery, a 2000mAh battery pack will recharge your phone once. Then you'll need to charge the pack. You can get external battery packs with higher capacities, but there is a trade-off in portability. External battery packs may be useful, but there are some gotchas. Most external battery packs output 1 amp at 5 volts. This means that smartphones will take longer to charge with an external battery compared to its charger. Most external battery packs use lithium-ion batteries. These can be volatile and in rare circumstances have been known to catch fire. The best way of avoiding this is to buy external battery packs from reputable brands. Aim for external batteries that use batteries from trusted brands like Sony or Panasonic. Wireless charging External battery packs may be a great way of keeping our phone charged on the move. But for sheer convenience, nothing beats wireless charging. Having a wireless charger where you plunk down your phone (say your desk or beside your bed) allows it to charge when it would otherwise be going flat. Wireless chargers are not completely wireless. They consist of a small charging pad that plugs into a power brick. The wireless bit comes from the fact that your phone only needs to sit on the pad to charge. You don't have to fumble about connecting charging cables. Wireless charging might be convenient, but there are issues. For a start, it isn't efficient. Especially when compared to a conventional wired charger. You also need a phone with built-in support for wireless charging. Also, complicating things are the two incompatible and competing standards for wireless charging. Some phone makers such as Samsung have support for both in their latest handsets, but knowing which (if any) your phone supports is a must before buying a charging pad. If your phone doesn't support wireless charging, all is not lost. There are phone sleeves that'll allow some brands of phones to work with wireless chargers as well as providing a small measure of drop proofing. What do you think? Are you impressed with your phone’s battery life? Written by Pat Pilcher. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

Technology

These apps are draining your phone’s battery

Nothing quite annoys like a dying phone, but users might not realise some apps kill the battery quicker than others? AVG Technologies released their top power-stealers on Android devices, and it's no surprise that Facebook topped the list. And no it's not because of incessant likes, newsfeed scrolling or flicking through pictures. The social media drains a phone's juice because it's busy recording background activity, even if you disable settings such as background refresh. Facebook iOS developer Jonathan Zdziarski has said the app's location tracking could also be to blame. He even tweeted the "ridiculous amount of analytics alone in Facebook should be enough to drain your battery, never mind location sharing". So if you're wanting to save some juice, uninstall the app and bookmark the mobile site. Facebook was followed by start-up apps Google Play and BBM (the standard messenger app). Spotify streaming also sucked the life out of phones and directly impacted storage capacity and data consumption. However, the most notable feature on the list was the rise of Snapchat as the top user-run app that kills a phone's power. It's understandable. All that fun barfing up rainbows and morphing into goggle-eyed chipmunk would cost a lot in battery life. Amazon shopping was the user-app runner-up (with millions of products on there, customers are bound to spend a bit of power updating, loading and racking up activity info). The study looked at all the top battery and data-consuming apps running on Android smartphones and tablets, using data from over one million anonymous Android app users. RANKINGS The top battery drainers run by users were Samsung WatchON, Snapchat, Amazon Shopping UK, BBC News and Walmart. But the rankings for apps affecting overall performance which were run at start-up of the phone were: <ol start="1"> <li>Facebook</li> <li>Google Play</li> <li>Services,</li> <li>Facebook Pages Manager</li> <li>BBM Words with Friends </li> <li>Instagram</li> </ol> And those same rankings, except for apps run by the user, were <ol start="1"> <li>Snapchat</li> <li>Amazon Shopping UK</li> <li>Spotify Music</li> <li>LINE: Free calls & messages</li> <li>Samsung WatchON</li> <li>Netflix</li> </ol> What are your thoughts? Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

Technology

Company offers “free power” to Aussie households

As crippling energy prices sweep the nation, leading Europe battery provider Sonnen is offering “free power” to homes using its solar storage system. With 60,000 customers already onboard in Germany, Sonnen hopes to lure Australian consumers in with the offer of free power to a certain amount. But how does it work? Well, Sonnen’s business model is all about removing merchants like Energy Australia and Origin Energy from the equation, become the manufacturer of solar power storage batters, while at the same time selling a portion of your power. Customers allow Sonnen to access a small amount of stored power from its batteries, generally during periods of high demand. The amount of free power depends on customer’s choice of Sonnen’s 8, 10 or 12 kWh battery systems. “In the past six months there have been five times more installations than the company saw for the entire year of 2016,” Natural Solar chief executive Chris Williams told News.com.au. “There has been a transition from early adaptors to a large number of mum and dad households looking for home energy storage solutions to help remove expensive electricity bills.” “This is an absolute game charger and a highly disruptive technology that puts power back into the hands of the consumer.” What's your take? Would you be keen to explore this offer?

Money & Banking

Hidden iPhone feature tracks how much time you spend on Facebook

There’s a feature on your iPhone that tracks how much time you’ve spent on social media sites – and what apps are draining your battery. Here’s how to find out: Go to Settings, scroll down and then tap on Battery. This will show you how much battery your various apps are using over a 24 hour or 7 day period. At the top right side of the list there’s a clock icon. Tap on the icon and it will show you just how much time “on screen” you’ve been on your apps. <img width="500" height="889" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39248/iphone_500x889.jpg" alt="Iphone"/> Are you surprised by how much time you’ve spent on certain apps?

Technology

Popular phone recalled due to exploding batteries

Technology giant Samsung has confirmed it will recall millions of Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphones due to a battery defect that saw phones explode and catch fire. In a press conference in Seoul, Samsung announced it will be recalling all Galaxy Note7 smartphones sold to consumers and shipped to retailers around the world. It is expected one million units will be returned. There have been 35 reports of battery defects or fires, with startling images like the below showing the danger of the phones. <img width="530" height="353" src="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/jvchamary/files/2016/09/burntphone-1200x800.jpg" alt="burnt phone" class="size-large wp-image-4230" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Samsung released a statement to <a href="http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2016/09/safety-alert-samsung-recalls-galaxy-note7-in-australia/">Lifehacker</a> in response to the issues: “Samsung is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue." All customers of a Samsung Galaxy Note7 are entitled to a replacement, repair or refund. Related links: <a href="/entertainment/technology/2016/07/tips-to-get-the-most-out-of-facebook-messenger/">6 tips to get the most out of Facebook Messenger</a> <a href="/entertainment/technology/2016/07/turn-your-phone-into-a-personal-language-translator/">Turn your phone into a personal language translator</a> <a href="/health/body/2016/06/tips-to-stop-eye-strain-from-phones-and-tablets/">5 tips to stop eye strain from phones and tablets</a>

News

6 questions about your phone's battery answered

If you’re the proud owner of a smartphone the chances are good you’ve had a run in or two with its battery life. While our handsets have become increasingly more powerful, the batteries that power them seemingly haven’t changed with less than a days worth of power commonplace for the heavy smartphone user. Here’s what you need to know to make the most of the life of your battery. 1. Do I need to charge my battery when I first get my phone? No. The older, nickel based batteries had a memory effect which meant that they’d maintain a certain capacity based on how they had been charged initially. Modern, lithium-ion batteries don’t need to be charged or calibrated by running them all the way down before charging up for the first time. 2. Does battery life get worse over time? Yes. Unfortunately your battery loses power over time with most standard batteries having a couple of years of ‘full power’ before declining quite rapidly. 3. Does leaving my phone on charge damage the battery? Not usually. Modern battery systems don’t get overloaded like their older counterparts and only top up a battery with the power that it needs. 4. Should I wait until my phone battery has gone down before recharging it? No, you should actually do the opposite. Modern lithium-ion batteries gain nothing from being powered down with long charging cycles actually being worse than short ones. 5. Does turning off wifi and Bluetooth improve battery life? Not really. Wifi and Bluetooth are not as power hungry as they once were and keeping them on is unlikely to cause a huge drain in battery power. 6. What’s the best way to preserve battery life? There are a few things you can do to reduce how much power your phone is using. <ul> <li>Turn down your screen brightness</li> <li>Disable location and background app refresh for apps that don’t need it</li> <li>Disabling push notifications for email, Twitter and Facebook</li> </ul> Related links: <a href="/entertainment/technology/2016/03/phone-charging-myths-debunked/">5 phone charging myths debunked</a> <a href="/entertainment/technology/2016/03/40-years-of-mobile-phones-in-pictures/" target="_blank">40 years of mobile phones in pictures</a> <a href="/entertainment/technology/2016/02/tricks-to-extend-life-phone-charger/">3 tricks to extend life of phone charger</a>

Technology

3 tricks to extend life of phone charger

The cables of phone chargers are notorious for breaking and fraying beyond repair. But don’t let it get to that point with these three clever tricks to prevent your charger from breaking. Source: Buzzfeed Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2016/01/myths-about-facebook/">3 myths about Facebook busted</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2016/01/computer-shortcuts/">10 computer shortcuts to save you time</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2016/01/clear-space-on-smartphone/">4 ways to clear space on your smartphone</a>

Technology

New phone batteries will last for a week without charge

Phones these days may be leaps and bounds ahead of what telecommunications once was, but every smart phone user has the same complaint – that battery life is abysmal. Power company, Intelligent Energy, has recently done a deal with a smartphone manufacturer to bring lasting battery to current handsets. A small, hydrogen fuel cell could make batteries last up to a week and is so thin it fits inside the existing iPhone6. Fuel cells produce rather than store energy, similar to how eco cars run. It does however mean that phones using fuel cells will need to be fitted with vents to allow the by-products to escape. Where this excess water will go is not yet clear, we just hope it’s not our pockets. The deal is reportedly worth over 11 million dollars, but the technology company has only revealed it is collaborating with an “emerging operator”. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2016/01/myths-about-facebook/">3 myths about Facebook busted</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2016/01/computer-shortcuts/">10 computer shortcuts to save you time</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/12/top-tips-and-tricks-for-using-skype/">Top tips and tricks for using Skype</a>

News

How to make your smartphone battery last longer

There's nothing like reaching for your phone to make a life-or-death call, only to find it is dead. A flat battery can transform a smartphone from a wonder widget into something as useful as a brick. The annoying thing is that a flat smartphone battery is avoidable. Here are some tips to help you avoid ending up with no power. Optimise Power Use One of the most effective ways of extending your phone's battery life involves tweaking power consumption. If your phone is connected to a Bluetooth gadget, to wi-fi or has its screen on full brightness then its battery will drain fast. Tweaking these settings or (if your phone has it) activating the power saving mode can extend battery life. The latest version of Android (Marshmallow) has an energy-saving feature built-in called Doze that hibernates energy guzzling apps while your phone is in standby, lowering its energy consumption. If you don't have Marshmallow, then try an app called Greenify, which helps reduce energy consumption. Apple also has a Low Power Mode that is accessible through Settings. Battery Care As well as tweaking energy consumption, looking after your phones battery is a good idea. This isn't difficult provided you follow some simple rules. Develop good charging habits: Try to keep your phone at around 50 per cent charge as often as possible. Going from a full charge to zero will shorten the lifespan of your phone's battery. Aim for several small charges throughout the day. This will put less strain on the battery and prolong its life. Avoid overcharging: Lithium-ion batteries don't like being overcharged. They can overheat, which shortens their life expectancy. Most phone chargers stop charging once they detect the battery is charged. Stay cool: Lithium-ion batteries don't like heat. As with humans, batteries also degrade when hot. Prolonged exposure to heat will reduce their ability to hold a charge. Avoid going flat: If you plan on storing your phone away, make sure it is charged at 40 per cent. Lithium-ion batteries lose around 5 to 10 per cent of their charge per month. Flat lithium-ion batteries can be iffy to recharge. Most power management chips will disable the battery if it becomes unstable. Fast Charging If your phone was purchased within the last 18 months, it may support fast charging. You'll need a fast charger (most are sold separately). They're a good investment as they can charge your phone in anything up to half the time of a normal charger. So how does fast charging work? Most batteries contain a management system to prevent the battery from getting too much power while charging. This limits the speed at which your battery can charge. Fast chargers work with the battery management system and supply more power to charge the battery faster. Plugging a fast charger into a phone that doesn't support fast charging will see the battery management system regulating the juice reaching the battery. In other words, it won't charge any faster (but it will still charge). There are a bunch of different fast charging technologies out there, but Qualcomm's Quick Charge 2.0 is the most common and is used by Samsung, Huawei, HTC, and Motorola. While fast chargers can charge compatible phones, there are still issues. Fast chargers generate heat. This won't see your phone bursting into flames, but it could shorten the lifespan of its battery. Fast chargers are also not always fast. Phone manufacturers like to wow punters by talking up the fact that their fast chargers will charge batteries to over 50 per cent in 30 minutes. What they omit is that it takes two to three times that to finish the other half of the charging cycle. These shortcomings aside, fast charging can get you out of a bind by quickly dropping a sizeable charge onto your phone's battery before you leave the house. External Batteries As nifty as fast charging may be, there's another solution – the external battery. These can free you from the tyranny of the wall socket and allow you to charge your phone while on the move. The main thing to look out for with a portable battery pack is its mAh capacity. If your phone has a 2000mAh battery, a 2000mAh battery pack will recharge your phone once. Then you'll need to charge the pack. You can get external battery packs with higher capacities, but there is a trade-off in portability. External battery packs may be useful, but there are some gotchas. Most external battery packs output 1 amp at 5 volts. This means that smartphones will take longer to charge with an external battery compared to its charger. Most external battery packs use lithium-ion batteries. These can be volatile and in rare circumstances have been known to catch fire. The best way of avoiding this is to buy external battery packs from reputable brands. Aim for external batteries that use batteries from trusted brands like Sony or Panasonic. Wireless Charging External battery packs may be a great way of keeping our phone charged on the move. But for sheer convenience, nothing beats wireless charging. Having a wireless charger where you plunk down your phone (say your desk or beside your bed) allows it to charge when it would otherwise be going flat. Wireless chargers are not completely wireless. They consist of a small charging pad that plugs into a power brick. The wireless bit comes from the fact that your phone only needs to sit on the pad to charge. You don't have to fumble about connecting charging cables. Wireless charging might be convenient, but there are issues. For a start, it isn't efficient. Especially when compared to a conventional wired charger. You also need a phone with built-in support for wireless charging. Also, complicating things are the two incompatible and competing standards for wireless charging. Some phone makers such as Samsung have support for both in their latest handsets, but knowing which (if any) your phone supports is a must before buying a charging pad. If your phone doesn't support wireless charging, all is not lost. There are phone sleeves that'll allow some brands of phones to work with wireless chargers as well as providing a small measure of drop proofing. Written by Pat Pilcher. First appeared on <a href="http://www.Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Related links: <a href="/news/news/2016/01/koala-cries-after-brawl-over-tree/">Koala throws tantrum and cries after friend kicks it out of tree</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/01/truck-crossing-worlds-unsafest-bridge/">Heart-stopping footage of truck crossing world’s unsafest bridge</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/01/cute-dogs-that-look-like-bears/">10 incredibly cute dogs that look exactly like bear cubs</a>

News

Home battery storage could “revolutionise” solar industry

Pairing solar panels with home battery storage could be the cheapest electricity option within three years, according to a report by the Climate Council. The not-for-profit group said battery storage would "revolutionise" the way people accessed electricity, as it would let homes get off the traditional grid. As grid electricity becomes more expensive, the report said Australia could be the number one market for home battery storage. "Anyone who has PV [photovoltaic cells] on their roof knows they're paid a fraction – maybe a tenth – of what it costs them to buy power off the grid," the Climate Council's Andrew Stock told ABC. "If they have a tool, a battery, that can allow them to store the surplus power during the day and use it at night, it means they're going to get greater control than they already have over their power bill." In April, US-based technology and automotive company Tesla revealed their cheap lithium ion battery, Powerwall. They are planning to mass produce them and by 2020, the factory is expected to produce 35 gigawatt hours of lithium-ion battery storage each year – that’s more than the entire worldwide production of the batteries in 2013. The battery is estimated to cost around $5,500 and Tesla, along with another of the world's biggest home battery manufacturers, EnPhase, has announced Australia will be its first market. Mr Stock said the technology would upset the existing network operators and believed some companies were already changing their prices in an attempt to stop solar and battery combinations. "It's really important that the traditional players in the industry see this as an opportunity instead of a threat, because if they look at this as an opportunity they'll be thinking 'how do they leverage this technology into their businesses?'" Mr Stock said. "If they see it only as a threat, that will put back Australia from potentially being a leader in the uptake for up to a decade.” Source: ABC Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/energy/2015/11/how-electricity-system-works/">An interesting look at how the electricity system works</a> <a href="/lifestyle/energy/2015/11/how-to-maximise-solar-energy-system/">5 ways to maximise your solar energy system</a> <a href="/lifestyle/energy/2015/10/save-energy-in-kitchen/">Tips to save energy in the kitchen</a>

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How zinc batteries could power the sustainable economy