At the IDF Intel yesterday talked about its cooperation with Matsushita's Panasonic to develop a battery capable of running a notebook for up to 12 hours. Intel's goal is to deliver eight hours of battery life by 2008.
Early next year we will already see a new battery from Panasonic that will offer 30 percent more power capacity than today's mid-range notebook batteries, but only 11.5 percent more than high-end batteries.
The new battery adds a small amount of nickel to the standard Li-ion cell's anode. The upshot is a lower 'end-of-discharge voltage' - the voltage at which the battery needs to be recharged. That, in turn, means a longer run-time.
Intel further added the technology would not be exclusive to Matsushita.
Sources:
The Register and
AnandTech
