Toshiba showed off a prototype of its fast-charging SCiB battery
designed for laptops on Tuesday, but said the technology is
still a ways off from making its way into computers. SCiB, or
Super Charge Ion Batteries, are designed to recharge to 90
percent capacity within 10 minutes, and will last longer and
endure more recharge cycles than current lithium-ion batteries.
SCiB are also safer and will not explode when crushed, as
lithium batteries may, Toshiba said. This is because SCiB
batteries use a material with a higher level of thermal
stability and are designed with safeguards against short
circuits or overheating. SCiB batteries can endure 5,000 to
6,000 recharge cycles, compared to around 500 cycles for
standard lithium-ion batteries, according to a Toshiba executive
manning the company's booth at the Ceatec exhibition in Chiba,
Japan. At the show, Toshiba showed a prototype SCiB battery
installed in a Dynabook laptop. The laptop was matched against a
similar machine with a lithium-ion battery in a demons