Longer-Lasting Battery

Reported June 2005

(Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- We live in a digital world, relying on batteries to power everything from laptops to digital cameras and MP3. Standard batteries drain under the strain. Now engineers have developed a longer-lasting battery just for these digital demands.

Ben Stein likes catching picture-perfect moments on his digital camera but has one big frustration. "The battery life is not reliable," he says. "I never know when it's going to die."

But now, engineers are unveiling a new battery -- called Oxyride -- that boasts almost double the power and life of regular batteries.

"If you use this battery in a digital still camera, you'll receive -- minimum -- twice as many photos as compared to alkaline batteries," Brian Kimberlin, of Panasonic Battery Group in Secaucus, N.J., tells Ivanhoe.

Using a finer, more concentrated material inside the battery, engineers have developed a way to fit more electrolyte -- a key ingredient for carrying electricity -- into the same size battery cell. The new battery is packed with more power and longer life.

Kimberlin says, "We're putting a little more juice in the battery, and the components are stronger and better."

The new battery also produces a higher voltage. With it, flashlights shine brighter, and camera flashes recover quicker.

"If something lasted twice as long, that maybe means I'll have half as many worries," Stein says. And for him, using it may mean not missing any more great shots.

The Oxyride battery is also ideal for music players and digital games. It hits the shelves this summer, but will cost about 20-percent more than regular alkaline batteries.

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