Month: November 2022

Microsoft has just announced the distribution of a new version of its Linux subsystem for Windows. A version that should allow more users to launch Linux applications from Windows 10 and Windows 11.

The software is now available in version 1.0 after several trial versions and is offered free of charge in the Microsoft Store. Linxu emulation is now complete, which means you no longer have to create virtual machines to access Linux applications from your Windows PC.

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) should allow developers to gain in working comfort. The integration is total since it is now possible to launch Linux programs directly from the Windows Start menu. Microsoft thus guarantees a seamless desktop experience.

If people are not afraid of prices, then Apple has no reason to lower the cost of its products. Conclusion, the iPhone 15 may blow things up again. This next range should become the brand’s most advanced; much like the Apple Watch Ultra.

But if the iPhone 15 will become more expensive, it is above all because of its manufacturing material. The Cupertino company could indeed replace the current stainless steel of its devices with titanium. It will then be covered with an oleophobic treatment. The material in question has already been used to make the Apple Watch Ultra to make it the most advanced model in the range.

The advantage of titanium and the oleophobic treatment is that they prevent fingers from having an impact on the device. Fingerprints are thus reduced, allowing to keep the device new for a long time. This would mean keeping the value of these phones constant, even after a long period of use. Titanium is indeed stronger and lighter.

However, prices are likely to go up quite a bit. If the kilo of stainless steel is worth 1.5 dollars, the kilo, titanium costs between 35 and 50 dollars per kilo. This therefore risks increasing the cost of manufacture and impacting the selling price.

By unveiling the iPhone 14 range in September 2022, the Cupertino brand sparked a series of controversies, particularly regarding the prices displayed for its phones. None of the models in this range are sold below 1000 euros. Compared to the past range, the iPhone 14 models took between 100 and 200 euros more.

Apple still tried to justify its prices by referring to the ongoing inflation around the world, the war in Ukraine, the scarcity of chips, the increase in the price of energy and raw materials, etc. With the critics, it was logically expected that Apple would go bankrupt. But two months later, what do the statistics say?

Users are not afraid of the price!

According to the Cupertino company’s sales results, the iPhone 14 pro Max is the best-selling model, although it is also the most expensive in the range. And it’s not that the brand offers commercial gestures; the delivery times are even high, sometimes going to weeks.

Prolonged exposure to cold temperatures also has a big impact on battery performance and safety. When temperatures drop the internal resistance of the battery is increased. This means that it requires more effort by the battery to charge, in turn lowering the capacity. However, it is important to note that the loss of capacity also depends on the charge and discharge rates and the effect of the cold weather is different for batteries made with different chemistries. For example, a lead-acid battery may provide just half the nominal capacity at 0° F.

The operating temperatures of batteries are also different based on the type of battery you are working with. For example, lithium-ion batteries can be charged from 32°F to 113°F and discharged from –4°F to 140°F (however if you operate at such high-temperature levels you do run into the problems mentioned earlier). But Lead-acid batteries can be charged and discharged from -4°F to 122°F. It’s very important to be aware of the charging temperatures that a battery can accommodate. If batteries don’t operate at the accepted temperature, charge acceptance will be decreased because ion combination will be slower. Forcing high current can build up pressure causing explosions of sealed batteries.

When temperatures increase this affects the chemical reactions that occur inside a battery. As the temperature of the battery increases the chemical reactions inside the battery also quicken. At higher temperatures one of the effects on lithium-ion batteries’ is greater performance and increased storage capacity of the battery. A study by Scientific Reports found that an increase in temperature from 77 degrees Fahrenheit to 113 degrees Fahrenheit led to a 20% increase in maximum storage capacity. However there is a side effect to this increased performance, the lifecycle of the battery is decreased over time. In that same study, it was found that when the battery is charged at 113 degrees versus 77 the lifecycle degradation was much more significant at the higher temperature. For the first 200 cycles the battery performance only degraded 3.3% at 77 degrees; at 113 degrees the performance decreased by 6.7%. That’s more than double the amount of degradation! Based on the greater degradation at higher temperatures, the battery lifecycle can be severely diminished due to consistent exposure to extreme heat. While heat exposure does temporarily increase battery capacity the damage that it does to the lifecycle can cause long term problems and prolonged heat exposure should be avoided.

Even though battery capacity at high temperatures is higher, battery life is shortened. Battery capacity is reduced by 50% at -22 degrees F – but battery LIFE increases by about 60%. Battery life is reduced at higher temperatures – for every 15 degrees F over 77, battery life is cut in half. This holds true for ANY type of lead-acid battery, whether sealed, Gel, AGM, industrial or whatever. This is actually not as bad as it seems, as the battery will tend to average out the good and bad times.

One last note on temperatures – in some places that have extremely cold or hot conditions, batteries may be sold locally that are NOT standard electrolyte (acid) strengths. The electrolyte may be stronger (for cold) or weaker (for very hot) climates. In such cases, the specific gravity and the voltages may vary from what we show.

Battery charging voltage also changes with temperature. It will vary from about 2.74 volts per cell (16.4 volts) at -40 C to 2.3 volts per cell (13.8 volts) at 50 C. This is why you should have temperature compensation on your lead-acid battery charger or charge control if your batteries are outside and/or subject to wide temperature variations.

Internal temperature of a battery

Thermal mass means that because they have so much mass, they will change internal temperature much slower than the surrounding air temperature. A large insulated battery bank may vary as little as 10 degrees over 24 hours internally, even though the air temperature varies from 20 to 70 degrees. For this reason, external (add-on) temperature sensors should be attached to one of the POSITIVE plate terminals, and bundled up a little with some type of insulation on the terminal. The sensor will then read very close to the actual internal battery temperature.

Temperature effects on batteries
The main capabilities of batteries that are affected by temperature are performance, lifespan, and safety. However, the way that these metrics are affected depends on the temperature, high heat changes a battery in different ways than if it was very cold. First, let us focus on how high temperatures can affect battery performance.

Battery capacity (how many amp-hours it can hold) is reduced as temperature goes down, and increased as temperature goes up. This is why your car battery dies on a cold winter morning, even though it worked fine the previous afternoon. If your batteries spend part of the year shivering in the cold, the reduced capacity has to be taken into account when sizing the system batteries. The standard rating for batteries is at room temperature 25 degrees C (about 77 F). At approximately -22 degrees F (-30 C), battery Ah capacity drops to 50%. At freezing, capacity is reduced by 20%. Capacity is increased at higher temperatures – at 122 degrees F, battery capacity would be about 12% higher.

Open macbook pro ready for battery replacement. When your laptop’s battery no longer holds a charge, or if its battery health falls below 25%, it’s time to replace it. Here’s what you can do.

1. Check Your Warranty
   The warranty is the first thing you should check if your laptop’s battery is already defective. That’s because if your service warranty covers battery life and it’s still within the coverage period, then you can have the battery replaced for free.
2. Head to Your Nearest Authorized Service Center
   Whether the warranty is still in force or not, this is the best place to have your battery replaced. While replacement may cost a bit more here, these authorized service centers ensure that you get an original or OEM battery.

These batteries will tend to last as long as the original one in your laptop did when it was new. And since they’re an authorized service center, they know the exact part number of the battery that your laptop needs. That way, you’re sure that they install the correct battery on your computer, avoiding the possibility of frying your laptop due to the installation of an incorrect or incompatible battery.

3. A Little Bit of DIY
   If your laptop is out of warranty and has a removable battery, you no longer have to bring it to the service center. All you need is to find the correct part number and order it from the manufacturer. If the original maker no longer has it in stock, you can also search for OEM parts online—just ensure that you’re buying from a reputable shop and you’re good to go.

To ensure that you choose the correct battery for your laptop, you have to find its part number. You can usually find it printed on the battery itself. Unfortunately, battery part numbers are not usually included in the laptop’s user manual, so you must have the battery on hand to check it. Alternatively, you can contact your laptop’s service center and directly ask for the part number.

But if your laptop uses a permanently installed battery, you would need to disassemble it to get the information you need. Usually, you just need to remove its backplate to access the battery, so ensure you have the right tools available when taking your computer apart.

Once you can see the battery, you can then look for the correct part number and order it. You also have to check how to connect the battery to the motherboard, as that may require additional tools. But if you’re unsure about what you’re doing, it’s best to bring the laptop to a professional.

Before opening up your laptop, you’ll want to purchase the correct battery by looking up your computer model on a third-party site such as Batteries Plus and using the tools to find the brand, series, and exact model of your laptop. Once you’ve landed on the battery type, voltage, and capacity, you can buy it from shop around.

Replacing the battery on every computer is different, but you will always have to unscrew the bottom housing using a Phillips screwdriver with a small head. A standard 01 Phillips head is often too big for laptops, so I use a magnetized 00 head from this pack of bits and pair it with my Black+Decker electric screwdriver for the job.

From there, you will need to apply pressure to pull the back frame off of your laptop. Some people recommend dedicated plastic pries, but I just insert a thin ID card (a credit card or license will do) into the exposed seam and slowly pry open a gap along the edges. After the frame has been separated I gently pull it off using my hands to expose the internals and heat sinks.

Carefully remove the white connector of the battery wiring harness (indicated by the multi-colored wires) from the computer to detach the battery. The black battery is usually held in place by an adhesive similar to double-sided tape—carefully pop it up and out. Take note of the orientation of the wiring harness so that you can easily plug it back into the connector. (With the battery detached and your component slots exposed, this is the optimal time to slot in any additional upgrades you had in mind, say an additional RAM stick or a new SSD.)

Align the fresh battery within the space left by its predecessor. Apply light pressure and reconnect the wiring harness to click it back into the computer.

Reassemble your laptop and turn it on to check that it’s receiving power. If you’ve added RAM or additional storage, you can use Task Manager (CTRL+ALT+DEL) on Windows or System Information on Mac to verify that the computer recognizes the larger memory and storage space.