Imagine a smartwatch that fits perfectly on your wrist. Or a smartphone as slim as a credit card. That could soon be a reality. At least, that is what this new startup hopes.
Imprint Energy has developed a bendable, long lasting and rechargeable battery that will lead to new developments of wearable electronics. This California-based company has designed zinc-based batteries that can be printed on sheets and be customized based on product designs. This is a huge innovation that opens us endless possibilities.
Unfortunately, the article is short on technical details.
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Royole's bendy-screen FlexPai phone unveiled in China
A little-known California-based company has laid claim to creating the "world's first foldable phone".
Royole Corporation - a specialist in manufacturing flexible displays - unveiled the FlexPai handset at an event in Beijing. When opened, the device presents a single display measuring 7.8in (19.8cm) - bigger than many tablets. But when folded up, it presents three separate smaller screens - on the front, rear and spine of the device.
The six-year-old company said it would hold three "flash sales" to consumers in China on 1 November to offer the first product run.
[...] The launch has caught many industry watchers by surprise. It was widely believed Samsung or Huawei would be the first to sell such a device to the public.
[...] Another company-watcher added that he doubted the FlexPai would ever be produced in large numbers. "Royole has carried out several publicity stunts over the years to showcase its flexible OLED [organic light-emitting diode] displays," said Dr Guillaume Chansin from Irimitech Consulting. "The FlexPai is probably another stunt. Royole is building its first OLED factory and it is now trying to compete directly with other display manufacturers such as Samsung and LG."
Samsung has been talking about this kind of thing for years. But talk is cheap.
See also: The World's First Foldable Screen Phone Is Not Fully Baked
Related: Flexible and Printable Battery that Will Revolutionize Wearables
Underwriters Laboratories Certifies "Unbreakable" and Flexible Samsung OLED Display
Nubia's Wearable Smartphone is a Preview of our Flexible OLED Future
(Score: 2) by Subsentient on Wednesday July 23 2014, @03:22AM
another technology the world isn't ready for. I hope it's a dud.
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." -Jiddu Krishnamurti
(Score: 2) by frojack on Wednesday July 23 2014, @04:03AM
Ah, the battery technology of the week.
Hoping for it to be a dud is easy, most of these are never heard from again. I hope at at least some of these come to market.
Personally, I don't particularly want a thinner phone, they are thin enough to the point they are hard to hold with your shoulder.
I'd rather have longer run time.
But here are a couple reasons you should be encouraged by zink-air batteries:
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-08/why-a-rechargeable-zinc-battery-is-such-a-big-deal [businessweek.com]
TLDR: safer, smaller , less toxic, less flammable, and don't need so much protection in packaging.
Oh, and zink is much cheaper.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 1) by klondike0 on Wednesday July 23 2014, @03:41AM
I can't imagine that it'd have much actual power but this describes a promising, if limited use:
http://www.plusplasticelectronics.com/retailpackaging/profile-imprint-energy-49535.aspx [plusplasticelectronics.com]
Not much else to say. I wonder if the base reaction isn't zinc-air based:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc%E2%80%93air_battery [wikipedia.org]
This seems like a bare bones start up trying to perfect their tech and find their market between other projects. Probably be more than 10 years before we see this, so you are safe for now Luddites.
(Score: 2) by tibman on Wednesday July 23 2014, @02:21PM
Your first link at least has some technical details. The article is completely devoid. 30mAh isn't going to power any phones or "smart" devices out there but a watch it could do. For comparison, a coin battery like the popular CR 2032 is around 200mAh.
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Wednesday July 23 2014, @11:45AM
SolarPrint Inc. a company specializing in printing solar cells has developed a new and exciting way to print solar cells in any Rep Rap 3D printer that have 75% efficiency. Much higher than previous efforts by any other company or laboratory in the world.
Unfortunately, the article is short on technical details.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 23 2014, @04:20PM
I really wouldn't want a smartphone as thin as a credit card.
(Score: 2) by meisterister on Wednesday July 23 2014, @04:35PM
All I want is a smartphone the size of a credit card. I'm really tired of these "high end" android phones that could easily be marketed as small tablets. I want a phone that I can actually reach across without straining my thumb.
(May or may not have been) Posted from my K6-2, Athlon XP, or Pentium I/II/III.