Batteries: Nokia Recalls 'Em; Engineers Make Them Bend

Big week for battery news followers. Nokia issued a statement reporting that 46 million batteries used in its phones contain a fault that could lead to overheating. The company said that there have been 100 incidents reported. Apparently, the bad batteries can be found across the Nokia line from its entry-level Nokia 1100 to the full-featured E50. Nokia is offering free replacements. Matsushita, who manufactured the cell phone battery, is being asked to help with the costs of the recall. The Nokia web site tells you how to check to see whether or not your battery is one of the affected ones.

Last year it was the laptop vendors who did damage control after several exploding laptop incidents involved batteries. Apple, Toshiba, Dell, HP, IBM, Gateway, and Sony (the maker of the majority of the batteries in question) all had recalls—millions of them. Now it seems it's the cell phones' turn. My guess is Nokia may be the first, but not the last.

Those muttering to themselves that there's got to be a better mousetrap can take solace in some new research on bendable batteries. The battery, developed at Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), looks like paper. It can be cut into any shape, folded, and bent. According to reports, the paper is infused with an electrolyte and carbon nanotubes that are embedded in the paper. The carbon nanotubes form the electrodes, the paper is the separator, and the electrolyte allows the current to flow. Not a moment too soon, RPI. Could solve the exploding battery problem and shave a few ounces off of our devices as well.