iPod Touch Battery Replacement Tips
No matter which iPod style you choose, there will come a day when the battery no longer holds a charge. Unfortunately, Apple didn’t make this an easy issue to address. While replacing the battery in any iPod is notoriously challenging, the iPod Touch is perhaps the most difficult. With delicate, easily-damaged features and a battery that’s soldered in place, owners are often urged to have a professional perform the job. But for those determined to replace the iPod Touch battery themselves, there are a few tips to consider before tackling the task.
Mind the Antenna
The first generation iPod Touch has a small gold antenna housed in an inside corner. When you open the device, be careful the antenna does not fall out; and when closing, be certain it’s securely in place. One step in the battery replacement process does involve removing the antenna and the antenna circuit board. Take extra care when handling the two. Both are fragile and can easily bend or break.
Careful Opening the Case
Opening the case of an iPod Touch is challenging and risky. (It also voids any warranties that may apply.) You can use something small and thin, like a guitar pick, to open the device, but the case will likely be scratched and damaged in the process. A safer option is to purchase special opening tools made of soft plastic. When you use one of these tools, however, you will need to open the device on the first few attempts, otherwise the tool will become damaged and you’ll be unable to use it further.
In the second and third generation Touch, a plastic frame is glued to the outer edge of the glass front panel and under the wide black strips at the top and bottom of the device. Do not insert your opening tool into the edge of the front panel and run it down the side. This can damage not only the rubber strip along the plastic surround, but also the front panel itself. Instead, insert the tool at one point and lever the case apart slightly. Remove the tool and reinsert it at the next spot to be levered apart. Continue in this manner, around the case, until the two parts are separated. Be particularly careful of the front panel on the underside of the black portions. If it is scratched, the damage will be visible when the device is reassembled.
Beware the Battery: Placement and Leads
Be aware of exactly how you install the replacement battery. Replacing the battery upside-down — that is, with the cable on top — can destroy the logic board on the second generation and later iPod Touch. It is also essential to cover the bare battery leads with tape once your new battery is installed, to prevent electrical shorts that can damage the device.
Be Prepared to Solder
While the first generation iPod Touch’s battery was soldered directly to the logic board, later generations solder the battery to the logic board through holes in the battery ribbon cable. Replacing the battery in any iPod Touch will require soldering equipment and skills. Further, it is vital you remove the tip of the soldering iron from the pad the moment the solder melts. Excess heat buildup can result in a ruined logic board or a melted ribbon cable.
Dell: PC prices will benefit from lower costs for components
Dells Chief Financial Officer Brian Gladden pointed out that the cost of PC components in the last quarter have dropped dramatically. In the coming months will affect this on the PC prices.
Even in the latest quarterly figures Dell has benefited from falling prices, according to Gladden for about memory and LCD screens. “In view of the components prices, we have observed last quarter, something we would call a normalization by deflation. And for the future, we now see, the transition into the fourth quarter, an extension of this trend. Deflation is in my opinion the whole supply chain and run through an impact on prices of the next few quarters. ”
Gladden believes that move will lower prices not only at Dell, but industry-wide. “There will be a few areas, perhaps LCDs and hard drives will reach the bottom. And as to enforce the price changes, we expect a little more challenging competition.”
Dell has summarized the difference between component costs and PC prices in the quarter, even plugged in, but continue to be the hardware provider to increase the budgets of companies willing to invest . Try Dell also promises future to introduce a “value-based pricing method.
MSI releases All-in-one PC with 20-inch touch screen
The 20-inch touch screen of the Wind Top AP2000 has a native resolution of 1,600 by 900 pixels.
MSI has an all-in-one PC with 20 inch screen and touch functionality presented. The Wind Top AP2000 comes with either the end of December Windows 7 Home Premium (Wind Top AP2000-P6123W7H) or Professional (Wind Top AP2000-P6123W7P) in the trade. A price is not fixed yet.
The all-in-one computer features a fast 2 GHz IntelCPU Pentium Dual-Core Series P6100 (800 MHz front side bus, 2 MB L2 cache), 2GB DDR3 RAM and a 320 GB hard drive. As Intel’s integrated graphics solution comes Graphics Media Accelerator HD used.
The 16:9 display of the Wind Top AP2000 replaced 1600 by 900 pixels. About the pre-installed, configurable interface Touch-3D according to the manufacturer can use Office programs, games and multimedia applications and system tools can be operated by finger pressure.
Other features of the All-in-one PCs include wireless (802.11b/g/n), Gigabit Ethernet, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, dual integrated 3-watt stereo speakers and a dual-layer DVD burner. For peripheral devices with five USB ports (two on side, three rear), two COM ports (RS232), a 6-in-1 card reader and a DVI output available.
The power supply is an external 90-watt power supply. Even under full load is the noise not exceed 30 decibels.
Supplied with a wired mouse and USB keyboard is included. The warranty is two years, including pick-up service.
Since October, MSI also offers an all-in-one PC with 3D display and shutter glasses. The Wind Top AE2420 3D costs with a 2.93 GHz Intel Core i3-CPU, 3 GB DDR3 RAM, 640 GB hard drive and AMD discrete graphics 1299 euros.
Comparing the Battery with other Power Sources
This article begins with the positive traits of the battery, and then moves into the limitations when compared with other power sources.
Energy storage
Batteries store energy well and for a considerable length of time. Primary batteries (non-rechargeable) hold more energy than secondary (rechargeable), and the self-discharge is lower. Alkaline cells are good for 10 years with minimal losses. Lead-, nickel- and lithium-based batteries need periodic recharges to compensate for lost power.
Specific energy (Capacity)
A battery may hold adequate energy for portable use, but this does not transfer equally well for large mobile and stationary systems. For example, a 100kg (220lb) battery produces about 10kWh of energy — an IC engine of the same weight generates 100kW.
Responsiveness
Batteries have a huge advantage over other power sources in being ready to deliver on short notice — think of the quick action of the camera flash! There is no warm-up, as is the case with the internal combustion (IC) engine; the power from the battery flows within a fraction of a second. In comparison, a jet engine takes several seconds to gain power, a fuel cell requires a few minutes, and the cold steam engine of a locomotive needs hours to build up steam.
Power bandwidth
Rechargeable batteries have a wide power bandwidth, a quality that is shared with the diesel engine. In comparison, the bandwidth of the fuel cell is narrow and works best within a specific load. Jet engines also have a limited power bandwidth. They have poor low-end torque and operate most efficiently at a defined revolution-per-minute (RPM).
Environment
The battery runs clean and stays reasonably cool. Sealed cells have no exhaust, are quiet and do not vibrate. This is in sharp contrast with the IC engine and larger fuel cells that require noisy compressors and cooling fans. The IC engine also needs air and exhausts toxic gases.
Efficiency
The battery is highly efficient. Below 70 percent charge, the charge efficiency is close to 100 percent and the discharge losses are only a few percent. In comparison, the energy efficiency of the fuel cell is 20 to 60 percent, and the thermal engines is 25 to 30 percent. (At optimal air intake speed and temperature, the GE90-115 on the Boeing 777 jetliner is 37 percent efficient.)
Installation
The sealed battery operates in any position and offers good shock and vibration tolerance. This benefit does not transfer to the flooded batteries that must be installed in the upright position. Most IC engines must also be positioned in the upright position and mounted on shock- absorbing dampers to reduce vibration. Thermal engines also need air and an exhaust.
Operating cost
Lithium- and nickel-based batteries are best suited for portable devices; lead acid batteries are economical for wheeled mobility and stationary applications. Cost and weight make batteries impractical for electric powertrains in larger vehicles. The price of a 1,000-watt battery (1kW) is roughly $1,000 and it has a life span of about 2,500 hours. Adding the replacement cost of $0.40/h and an average of $0.10/kWh for charging, the cost per kWh comes to about $0.50. The IC engine costs less to build per watt and lasts for about 4,000 hours. This brings the cost per 1kWh to about $0.34.
Maintenance
With the exception of watering of flooded lead batteries and discharging NiCds to prevent “memory,” rechargeable batteries require low maintenance. Service includes cleaning of corrosion buildup on the outside terminals and applying periodic performance checks.
Service life
The rechargeable battery has a relatively short service life and ages even if not in use. In consumer products, the 3- to 5-year lifespan is satisfactory. This is not acceptable for larger batteries in industry, and makers of the hybrid and electric vehicles guarantee their batteries for 8 to 10 years. The fuel cell delivers 2,000 to 5,000 hours of service and, depending on temperature, large stationary batteries are good for 5 to 20 years.
Temperature extremes
Like molasses, cold temperatures slow the electrochemical reaction and batteries do not perform well below freezing. The fuel cell shares the same problem, but the internal combustion engine does well once warmed up. Charging must always be done above freezing. Operating at a high temperature provides a performance boost but this causes rapid aging due to added stress.
Charge time
Here, the battery has an undisputed disadvantage. Lithium- and nickel-based systems take 1 to 3 hours to charge; lead acid typically takes 14 hours. In comparison, filling up a vehicle only takes a few minutes. Although some electric vehicles can be charged to 80 percent in less than one hour on a high-power outlet, users of electric vehicles will need to make adjustments.
Disposal
Nickel-cadmium and lead acid batteries contain hazardous material and cannot be disposed of in landfills. Nickel-metal-hydrate and lithium systems are environmentally friendly and can be disposed of with regular household items in small quantities. Authorities recommend that all batteries be recycled
Getting to Know the Battery
The battery dictates the speed with which mobility advances. So important is this portable energy source that any incremental improvement opens new doors for many products. The better the battery, the greater our liberty will become.
Besides packing more energy into the battery, engineers have also made strides in reducing power consumption of portable equipment. These advancements go hand-in-hand with longer runtimes but are often counteracted by the demand for additional features and more power.
The end result is similar runtimes but enhanced performance.
The battery has not advanced at the same speed as microelectronics, and the industry has only gained 8 to 10 percent in capacity per year during the last two decades. This is a far cry from Moore’s Law* that specifies a doubling of the number of transistors in an integrated circuit every two years. Instead of two years, the capacity of lithium-ion took 10 years to double.
In parallel with achieving capacity gain, battery makers must also focus on improving manufacturing methods to ensure better safety. The recent recall of millions of lithium-cobalt packs caused by thermal runaway is a reminder of the inherent risk in condensing too much energy into a small package. Better manufacturing practices should make such recalls a thing of the past. A generation of Li-ion batteries is emerging that are built for longevity. These batteries have a lower specific energy (capacity) than those for portable electronics and are increasingly being considered for the electric powertrain of vehicles.
People want an inexhaustible pool of energy in a package that is small, cheap, safe and clean, and the battery industry can only fulfill this desire partially. As long as the battery is an electrochemical process, there will be limitations on capacity and life span. Only a revolutionary new storage system could satisfy the unquenchable thirst for mobile power, and it’s anyone’s guess whether this will be lithium-air, the fuel cell, or some other ground-breaking new power generator, such as atomic fusion. For most of us, the big break might not come in our lifetime.
Meeting Expectations
Many battery novices argue, wrongly, that all advanced battery systems offer high energy densities, deliver thousands of charge/discharge cycles and come in a small size. While some of these attributes are possible, this is not attainable in one and the same battery in a given chemistry.
A battery may be designed for high specific energy and small size, but the cycle life is short. Another battery may be built for high load capabilities and durability, and the cells are bulky and heavy. A third pack may have high capacity and long service life, but the manufacturing cost is out of reach for the average consumer. Battery manufacturers are well aware of customer needs and respond by offering products that best suit the application intended. The mobile phone industry is an example of this clever adaptation. The emphasis is on small size, high energy density and low price. Longevity is less important here.
The terms nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) and lithium-ion (Li-ion) do not automatically mean high specific energy. For example, NiMH for the electric powertrain in vehicles has a specific energy of only 45Wh/kg, a value that is not much higher than lead acid. The consumer NiMH, in comparison, has about 90Wh/kg. The Li-ion battery for hybrid and electric vehicles can have a specific energy as low as 60Wh/kg, a value that is comparable with nickel-cadmium. Li-ion for cell phones and laptops, on the other hand, has two to three times this specific energy.
The Cadex-sponsored website www.battery-laptop.com generates many interesting questions. Those that stand out are, “What’s the best battery for a remote-controlled car, a portable solar station, an electric bicycle or electric car?” There is no universal battery that fits all needs and each application is unique. Although lithium-ion would in most instances be the preferred choice, high price and the need for an approved protection circuit exclude this system from use by many hobbyists and small manufacturers. Removing Li-ion leads back to the nickel- and lead-based options. Consumer products may have benefited the most from battery advancements. High volume made Li-ion relatively inexpensive.
Will the battery replace the internal combustion engine of cars? It may come as a surprise to many that we don’t yet have an economical battery that allows long-distance driving and lasts as long as the car. Batteries work reasonably well for portable applications such as cell phones, laptops and digital cameras. Low power enables an economical price; the relative short battery life is acceptable in consumer products; and we can live with a decreasing runtime. While the fading capacity can be annoying, it does not endanger safety.
As we examine the characteristics of battery systems and compare alternative power sources, such as the fuel cell and the internal combustion (IC) engine, we realize that the battery is best suited for portable and stationary systems. For motive applications such as trains, ocean going ships and aircraft, the battery lacks capacity, endurance and reliability. The dividing line, in my opinion, lies with the electric vehicle.
* In 1965, Gordon Moore said that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit would double every two years. The prediction became true and is being carried into the 21st century. Applied to a battery, Moore’s Law would shrink a starter battery in a car to the size of a coin.
Global Battery Markets
The battery market is expanding, and the global revenue in 2009 was a whopping $47.5 billion.* With the growing demand for portable electronics and the desire to connect and work outside the confines of four walls, experts predict that this figure will reach $74 billion in 2015. These numbers are speculative and include batteries for the electric powertrain of cars.
An Overview of Battery Types
Batteries are divided into two categories: primary and secondary. In 2009, primary batteries made up 23.6 percent of the global market. Frost & Sullivan (2009) predict a 7.4 percent decline of the primary battery in revenue distribution by 2015. Primary batteries are used in watches, electronic keys, remote controls, children’s toys, light beacons and military devices.
The real growth lies in secondary batteries. Frost & Sullivansay that rechargeable batteriesaccount for 76.4 percent of the global market, a number that is expected to increase to 82.6 percent in 2015. Batteries are also classified by chemistry and the most common are lithium-, lead-, and nickel-based systems. Figure 1 illustrates the distribution of these chemistries.
Figure 1: Revenue contributions by different battery chemistries
Courtesy of Frost & Sullivan (2009)
Lithium-ion is the battery of choice for consumer products, and no other systems threaten to interfere with its dominance at this time. The lead acid market is similar in size to Li-ion. Here the applications are divided into SLI (starter battery) for automotive, stationary for power backup, and deep-cycle for wheeled mobility such as golf cars, wheelchairs and scissor lifts. Lead acid holds a solid position, as it has done for the last hundred years. There are no other systems that threaten to unseat this forgiving and low-cost chemistry any time soon.
High specific energy and long storage has made alkaline more popular than carbon-zinc, which Georges Leclanché invented in 1868. The environmentally benign nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) continues to hold an important role, as it replaces many applications previously served by nickel-cadmium (NiCd). However, at only three percent market share, NiMH is a minor player in the battery world and will likely relinquish more of its market to Li-ion by 2015.
Developing nations will contribute to future battery sales, and new markets are the electric bicycle in Asia and storage batteries to supply electric power to remote communities in Africa and other parts of the world. Wind turbines, solar power and other renewable sources also use storage batteries for load leveling. The large grid storage batteries used for load leveling collect surplus energy from renewable resources during high activity and supply extra power on heavy user demand.
A major new battery user might be the electric powertrain for personal cars. However, battery cost and longevity will dictate how quickly the automotive sector will adopt this new propulsion system. Energy from oil is cheap, convenient and readily available; any alternative faces difficult challenges. Government incentives may be provided, but such intervention distorts the true cost of energy, shields the underlying problem with fossil fuel and only satisfies certain lobby groups through short-term solutions.
During the last five years or so, no new battery system has emerged that can claim to offer disruptive technology. Although much research is being done, no new concept is ready to enter the market at the time of writing, nor are new developments close to breakthrough point. There are many reasons for this apparent lack of progress: few products have requirements that are as stringent as the battery. For example, battery users want low price, long life, high specific energy, safe operation and minimal maintenance. In addition, the battery must work at hot and cold temperatures, deliver high power on demand and charge quickly. Only some of these attributes are achievable with various battery technologies.
Most consumers are satisfied with the battery performance on portable devices. Today’s battery technology also serves power backup and wheeled mobility reasonably well. Using our current battery technology for electric powertrains on cars, however, might prove difficult because the long-term effects in that environment are not fully understood. The switch to a power source offering a fraction of the kinetic energy compared to fossil fuels will be an eye-opener for motorists who continually demand larger vehicles with more.
Advancements in Batteries
Batteries advance on two fronts, and these developments reflect themselves in increasedspecific energy for longer runtimes and improved pacific power for good power delivery on demand. Figure 2 illustrates the energy and power densities of lead acid, nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) and the Li-ion family (Li-ion).
Figure 1-8: Specific energy and specific power of rechargeable batteries.
Specific energy is the capacity a battery can hold in watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg); specific power is the battery’s ability to deliver power in watts per kilogram (W/kg).
Rechargeable lithium-metal batteries (Li-metal) were introduced in the 1980s, but instability with metallic lithium on the anode prompted a recall in 1991. Its high specific energy and good power density are challenging manufacturers revisit into this powerful chemistry again. Enhanced safety may be possible by mixing metallic lithium with tin and silicon. Experimental Li-metal batteries achieve 300Wh/kg, a specific energy that is of special interest to the electric vehicle.
Battery Developments
Inventions in the 1700s and 1800s are well documented and credit goes to the dignified inventors. Benjamin Franklin invented the Franklin stove, bifocal eyeglasses and the lightning rod. He was unequaled in American history as an inventor until Thomas Edison emerged. Edison was a good businessman who may have taken credit for inventions others had made. Contrary to popular belief, Edison did not invent the light bulb; he improved upon a 50-year-old idea by using a small, carbonized filament lit up in a better vacuum. Although a number of people had worked on this idea before, Edison gained the financial reward by making the concept commercially viable to the public. The phonograph is another success story for which Edison received due credit.
Countries often credit their own citizens for having made important inventions, whether or not they deserve it. When visiting museums in Europe, the USA and Japan one sees such bestowment. The work to develop the car, x-ray machines, telephones, broadcast radio, televisions and computers might have been done in parallel, not knowing of others’ advancements at that time, and the rightful inventor is often not clearly identified. Similar uncertainties exist with the invention of new battery systems, and we give respect to research teams and organizations rather than individuals. Table 1 summarizes battery advancements and lists inventors when available.
| Year | Inventor | Activity |
| 1600 | William Gilbert (UK) | Establishment of electrochemistry study |
| 1791 | Luigi Galvani (Italy) | Discovery of “animal electricity” |
| 1800
1802 1820 1833 1836 1839 1859 1868 1899 |
Alessandro Volta (Italy)
William Cruickshank (UK) André-Marie Ampère (France) Michael Faraday (UK) John F. Daniell (UK) William Robert Grove (UK) Gaston Planté (France) Georges Leclanché (France) Waldmar Jungner (Sweden) |
Invention of the voltaic cell (zinc, copper disks)
First electric battery capable of mass production Electricity through magnetism Announcement of Faraday’s law Invention of the Daniell cell Invention of the fuel cell (H2/O2) Invention of the lead acid battery Invention of the Leclanché cell (carbon-zinc) Invention of the nickel-cadmium battery |
| 1901
1932 1947 1949 1970s 1990 1991 1994 1996 1996 |
Thomas A. Edison (USA)
Shlecht & Ackermann (D) Georg Neumann (Germany) Lew Urry, Eveready Battery Group effort Group effort Sony (Japan) Bellcore (USA) Moli Energy (Canada) University of Texas (USA) |
Invention of the nickel-iron battery
Invention of the sintered pole plate Successfully sealing the nickel-cadmium battery Invention of the alkaline-manganese battery Development of valve-regulated lead acid battery Commercialization of nickel-metal-hydride battery Commercialization of lithium-ion battery Commercialization of lithium-ion polymer Introduction of Li-ion with manganese cathode Identification of Li-phosphate (LiFePO4) |
| 2002 | University of Montreal, Quebec Hydro, MIT, others | Improvement of Li-phosphate, nanotechnology, commercialization |
Table 1: History of modern battery development. No new major battery system has entered the commercial market since the invention of Li-phosphate in 1996.
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