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Gbatteries (YC W14) Launches BatteryBox, A 50Whr Backup Battery For MacBooks

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21–30 of 201 posts

Re: Gbatteries (YC W14) Launches BatteryBox, A 50Whr Backup Battery For MacBooks

#21

I suspect the 100% charging time was miscalculated. USB power is 5volts, so a 1A charger meants 5W of continuous power. Battery charging, especially past 85% is not very efficient, so I suspect total charging time will be more in the neighborhood of 20 hours.

My guess is those times are assuming a 2A charger, which isn't particularly uncommon nowadays.

Re: Gbatteries (YC W14) Launches BatteryBox, A 50Whr Backup Battery For MacBooks

#22
post #13
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you wanted to cover as much current and future market share as possible (at least in the market they're targeting) I can't think of a better current combination than magsafe2 + usb. Other than, maybe, a portable power outlet.

[deleted]

And MagSafe 2 was introduced in 2012.

Re: Gbatteries (YC W14) Launches BatteryBox, A 50Whr Backup Battery For MacBooks

#24
post #6

Why Macbooks? Is Apple friendly towards people who replicate their connector interfaces? Or are Macs the only popular device out there where people wish "I wish I could carry an extra battery!"?

It's niche and there's not generally great support for portable batteries for macbooks. I'm pre-ordering one because the alternative is making my own.

Re: Gbatteries (YC W14) Launches BatteryBox, A 50Whr Backup Battery For MacBooks

#25
post #10
post #2

Here is a classic example of a startup launching an Altair Basic with the potential produce a Microsoft-like giant. Incidentally, I think this is also the first father/son team we've funded.

What is the strategy for when Apple disallows sales based on the Magsafe adapter? This happened to HyperMac (now HyperJuice) batteries back in 2011. I still have mine, ordered before Apple lawyers went after them. It's wonderful. Edit: Adding link to Wired article: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/01/hypermac-is-back-with...

I think that it's not about the BatteryBox product per se, but about some technology inside which is supposed to reduce long-term capacity loss. The box itself is basically a demo to sell or license the actual tech to OEMs.

Re: Gbatteries (YC W14) Launches BatteryBox, A 50Whr Backup Battery For MacBooks

#26

They're making some pretty strange claims about capacity and number of cycles. In electric RC heli circles, batteries come along once in a while claiming to use previously unknown techniques to improve the performance of existing cells and a few gullible people buy them. They never deliver on the promises. People who make (established) battery management circuits understand very well how to care for the cells, and cl…

Yeah, it's obviously snake oil. If you had a technology that increased the charge-cycle lifetime of a battery by any substantial amount, you wouldn't be marketing a stupid plastic box for mactards. You'd be cashing billion-dollar checks twice a day.

Re: Gbatteries (YC W14) Launches BatteryBox, A 50Whr Backup Battery For MacBooks

#27
post #8
post #3

Wow this seems to be a very clear-cut value add. Question on how the technology works: I don't really understand what a "battery OS" is. Do they have circuits that somehow manage the battery better or something?

They say they have a patent pending, that should have more details. I would like to read it, can anybody find the filing? http://www.gbatteries.com/technology/

pretty sure it's this one: https://www.google.com/patents/WO2013142964A1

basically the technique involves pulsing the current during (dis)charging, and optimising the length and timing of the pulsing in real-time, because the optimal settings change through the life of the battery.

Re: Gbatteries (YC W14) Launches BatteryBox, A 50Whr Backup Battery For MacBooks

#28

I suspect the 100% charging time was miscalculated. USB power is 5volts, so a 1A charger meants 5W of continuous power. Battery charging, especially past 85% is not very efficient, so I suspect total charging time will be more in the neighborhood of 20 hours.

You are right.

Without even taking into account efficiency, “nine hours for 100 percent charge [of a 50 Whr battery] on a [5V USB] 1A power supply” obviously breaks the conservation of energy. The claim “4.5 hours for 80% charge” breaks it even more.

They should make perpetual motion devices, not external batteries.

Re: Gbatteries (YC W14) Launches BatteryBox, A 50Whr Backup Battery For MacBooks

#29

They're making some pretty strange claims about capacity and number of cycles. In electric RC heli circles, batteries come along once in a while claiming to use previously unknown techniques to improve the performance of existing cells and a few gullible people buy them. They never deliver on the promises. People who make (established) battery management circuits understand very well how to care for the cells, and cl…

"In electric RC heli circles"

I was around when in order to fly an electric heli you needed to attach a power cord to a wall socket. I'm serious. Back when I started it was gas only (I made it up to 60 size). I remember seeing a demo at a local hobby shop where outback someone had prototyped an electric which was hovering with a 110v power cord plugged in by extension cord.

Re: Gbatteries (YC W14) Launches BatteryBox, A 50Whr Backup Battery For MacBooks

#30
Love it. Actually sitting next to my own "battery box" - a wheeled backpack with a 55 amp-hour AGM (lead acid) battery and inverter. I think I can get 3 work days out of that, but it's a lot bigger than this. Great for taking to the park though.
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