Who Needs Power Cords?
that bundle of chemistry that promises unfettered power so long as an electrical outlet is within easy reach. Battery life is the one maddening constant in an ever-advancing electronic world. Recent scientific breakthroughs and new power-loathing components may finally deliver the Holy Grail of cordless computing: a battery that runs for days without a recharge. While most laptops already employ power-reducing elements both in hardware and software systems, five new technologies promise power reserves far beyond the simple tricks currently in use. High Fiber Batteries Power conservation methods are important, but the battery-life problem ultimately requires a battery-centric solution. A new nanotechnology breakthrough at Stanford University just might provide the answer. Stanford’s research team, led by Yi Cui, replaced the carbon anode of a lithium-ion battery-the part that stores the positively-charged power-with a forest of silicon “nanowires.” Normally, silicon becomes brittle and
