TURBO CHARGER 31/03/2005

A battery breakthrough by Toshiba paves the way to a future where you could charge up your laptop or iPod in less than a minute. Advances in nanotechnology have led to the creation of a lithium-ion battery capable of recharging to 80 percent capacity in sixty seconds.

In addition to a quick recharge time, the battery has a long life span where it loses only 1 percent of its original capacity after 1,000 charging cycles. Those in the frozen north will be happy to hear that it also performs at 80 percent capacity in temperatures of minus 40 degrees centigrade.

Toshiba plans to roll out the battery in commercial products in 2006, initially introducing it to the automotive and industrial sectors. With any luck, the mobile computing world will soon follow.

Contact: www.toshiba.co.uk