myecpro-laptop battery

As we all know the battery will cause great harm to the environment, but as one of the necessities of life, people are unable to leave it, so how to find an alternative product will become the scientists have always hoped to overcome many problems. According to British media reported yesterday, giving us several generations to provide kinetic energy of the battery, will soon be thrown into the dustbin of history.

British scientists say they invented a plastic that can store and release energy, which will allow us to use the telephone, electric car, even in the dressing, it’s always brought a revolutionary change. For example, mobile phones and Walkman player can be used like a credit card-sized card to provide a small mechanical power.

This technology helps manufacturers such as paper folding, and carry the same computer screen. And it can be used to create “power clothes” in the people moving charge, when the slow release of energy in keeping warm during cold weather.

This stored electrical plastic works similar to traditional batteries, from 3-layer fiber material composition. Covered by two layers of carbon fiber upper and lower conductive resin, respectively, as positive and negative; the middle of laminated glass fiber. British Airways Department of Imperial College, said Dr. Emile Greenhalgh, exactly speaking, is not a new invention but a super capacitor batteries. His team invented a prototype plastic, about five square inches in size and very thin, charging five minutes can be used for LED screen 20 minutes of power.

Dr. Greenhalgh is working with Volvo Car Corporation, launched a three-year cooperation plan at a cost of 3 million pounds development of hybrid cars, he said: “Thanks to our newly invented materials, we believe that the future of the automobile can be the roof or the doors to be dynamic. ”

The use of this material than these, for example, that people can have like a credit card-sized mobile phone, because they no longer need bulky batteries, or a laptop computer can also get energy from the shell, but also can be used longer.

He also added that the new material charge and discharge faster than conventional batteries, but does not occur when using a chemical reaction, therefore live longer.

Scientists planned to use this material to replace the Volvo car trunk inside the metal chassis. This Volvo Car batteries can reduce the size of its hybrid, you can reduce the weight and more efficient.

Dr. Greenhalgh said: “No one can create with this new type of plastic match the material, within ten years it will replace the old batteries.”

Was once labeled a “sunset industry” label lead-acid battery industry, is being renewed vitality.

Despite the continued impact of the battery by other materials, and suffer from frequent fluctuations in lead prices, lead-acid battery business of the living space was once compressed, but its inherent technology, price, resource advantages, as well as the rapid development of new energy industries, people have reason to remain confident in its prospects.

Have a bucketful of trouble

Other materials, batteries, especially lithium-ion batteries, since access to the battery industry, “will be at an alarming rate, all the time we do not covet the status of lead-acid battery industry.” Zhejiang days to the battery (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. Deputy General Manager of any fu warned.

Repeatedly over the past decade by the battery will be replaced by other materials, such as the impact of arguments, walking in the prejudices of the lead-acid battery industry, once bleak.

China is the world’s largest producer of lead-acid batteries, consumer and exporter. In 2008 the spread of the global financial crisis, to the abolition of export tax rebate lead-acid battery industry has brought no small impact on corporate profits decline, and many small businesses were forced to stop production or close down.

In addition, the enterprises are small and scattered, low-level redundant construction and overcapacity, disorderly competition in the industry, the status quo, as a result of discrete procurement price fluctuations in the lead repeatedly Ai Zai, have made lead-acid battery industry “bruised and battered.”

But, this does not affect the industry in the development of the industry held by the optimism.

Can not hide the inherent advantages of

Referred to the future development of the industry, he served as Anfu repeatedly emphasized words, “full of confidence.” At the recent Summit Forum of China lead-acid battery industry, he has a stage, we appeal to everybody as a lead-acid battery industry, the development of “Drum applause.”

Anfu very good reasons office.

Lead-acid battery technology is mature and reliable, in many important applications have been successfully used for more than a century, the product durable, well received by various types of user trust, which is driving a fundamental factor in market growth.

“Lead-acid battery is the most price-competitive with battery.” Ren fu said, the price significantly lower than the lithium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, fuel cells and other new battery, “the size of lead-acid battery production makes their prices in a relatively a low level. ”

In addition, its raw material can be recycled. Ren fu said, “lead-acid battery contains 60% to 80% of the recycling of plastic and lead recycling of these materials for both the user and the environment benefit.”

“Although many environmentalists have their bias, but it can be seen everywhere throughout the country have been discarded batteries, really can not find a discarded lead-acid batteries.” Chemistry and Environment South China Normal University, says Dean CHEN Hong-yu .

Lead-acid battery pollution is mainly concentrated in the lead smelting and manufacturing stages of plate current with the technology and equipment upgrading, lead-acid battery industry has undergone tremendous change, with advanced production technology, special equipment, fully capable of with international practice. The industry has long been the mainstream of business has changed in the past high-pollution production status, product technology has been achieved, “low energy consumption,” and manufacturing equipment “energy saving” and embarked on a clean production path.

“Through strong environmental protection facilities and measures for the implementation of the certified industry-standard rate of corporate environmental emissions by 5 percent a decade ago, increased to 99.5%, lead-acid battery as a class of high resource recycling of energy products, are not consume resources the industry. “China Lead-Acid Battery Industry Association, said the Secretary-General in Iraq Xiaobo.

“Especially in today’s emphasis on resource recycling, lead-acid batteries can be described as an unparalleled resource advantage.” Battery, Shenyang Institute of Fan Guang-Yu said that its resources the characteristics and cost-effective advantages, it laid the foundation for a long time.

New market for old signs

In the current race to the era of the development of hybrid electric vehicles, with reliable and the characteristics of raw materials can be recycled, lead-acid batteries may be preferred.

In fact, the lead-acid batteries in electric vehicles, the advantages of industrial development has been concerned about. Public letter to the Department of State has issued a “new energy automobile manufacturing companies and product access management rules,” new energy vehicles will be divided into initial stage where the development period, three stages of maturity. Among them, the use of lead-acid batteries and nickel-metal hydride batteries in hybrids are classified as mature, be the first into the industrial development.

“This grant from the national policy lead-acid batteries as a new energy direction for the positioning of automotive development.” China Electrical Equipment Industry Association vice president of lead-acid storage battery branch, said Zhou Rui.

At the same time, with the energy, the environment is becoming increasingly prominent, solar, wind and other renewable energy sources will enter a new period of development. And renewable energy use, need a lot of energy storage cell to regulate its continuity and stability.

ZHOU Rui-Long said, according to the world’s leading organizations predicted, the 2010 to 2020, the global photovoltaic industry will reach 34% annual growth rate, but thanks to the emerging needs of the rural off-grid PV off-grid system would be far greater than the growth rate grid system, “Therefore, for the photovoltaic industry, the battery market is enormous.”

In this regard, Fan Guang-Yu also said that “industry generally agreed that the next two years, off-grid lighting systems, the demand for lead-acid batteries, electric bicycle battery demand than the more rapidly, while the market capacity will be much larger.”

For example, he said, precisely because of battery and energy sources, Shenzhen Investor battery company with new energy as the starting point a few days ago, successfully landed on the Main Board of the U.S. NASDAQ.

Communications industry to promote the rapid development of data centers and other key areas of standby battery life. In some areas, such as “BRIC”, carried out a large-scale telecommunications expansion, and further extends the battery industry development. In addition, there is a broad-based global transportation market, electric, railway battery market.

Manufacturing technology continues to mature, price competitiveness, the only renewable raw materials, office fu has made a number of advantages makes the following judgments, “the next decade, lead-acid batteries is difficult to be replaced and will be dominant.”

New needs emerging, with other types of batteries together to compete, only the market is unique, and it is the best referee. “Now a series of new energy needs are likely to re-form a new territory under the battery, I believe that this piece of old lead-acid batteries will sign the more light the more rub.” Zhou Rui confidence.

Lenovo Group (0992.HK) 2 Yue 4 released its results for the fourth quarter of 2009. Lenovo’s fourth-quarter earnings momentum to continue to extend the third quarter, the company pre-tax profit of 9,400 million, profit attributable to shareholders 8,000 million, compared with a loss of 9,700 million U.S. dollars last year have increased dramatically.

Lenovo to sell part of the quarter on investment income of 4,300 million U.S. dollars to help the more profit the previous quarter have improved significantly. Meanwhile, the company’s fourth-quarter operating profit of 9,900 million U.S. dollars, is twice the operating profit last quarter. Basic earnings per share of 0.86 cents, or 6.67 HK cents.

Lenovo’s consolidated sales of 4.8 billion U.S. dollars, up 33%. Among them, notebook computer business selling 3 billion U.S. dollars, up 46% of total sales accounted for about 62%; desktop computer sales 1.7 billion U.S. dollars. Company’s market share for the third consecutive quarter of record, reaching 9%.

Sub-regional perspective, China, Lenovo’s fourth quarter sales of 2.3 billion U.S. dollars, up 45%, accounting for 47% of the Group’s total global sales. Group’s total sales volume in China increased by 54% from a year earlier. The Lenovo sales in emerging markets, to 8.57 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 53%, accounted for 18% of total global sales. Period, Lenovo’s total sales in the region increased 52% compared to same period last year.

Lenovo Chairman Liu said: “The Board of Directors with particular satisfaction in this quarter, Lenovo’s performance. We have started to deploy in the future business model, technology, management innovation, combining development strategy.’s Global popularity of mobile Internet, the three networks (telecommunication network, radio and television network and the Internet) to promote integration of the Chinese government under the standard-setting, for the personal computer industry, in particular, Lenovo, a huge space for development. ”

Lenovo CEO Yang said, “the next few quarters, we will continue to expand our personal computer business, while focusing on the growth of mobile Internet grasp the opportunity to make our innovations by the market returns.”

Lenovo Group, announced last year to 200 million U.S. dollars in cash and Lenovo’s shares to investors led by Hony some investors buy Lenovo Mobile Communication Technology Co., Ltd. All rights fully into the mobile Internet market.

High capacity Lithium - Batteries Air is not a new concept, because it lacks the popularity there are fatal flaws, the Japan Research Institute to overcome this difficulty, but in order to achieve the commercial, you may also need 10 years.

Carbon reduction, for human welfare, it is certainly not easy, but for the global automotive industry is a difficult task.

Is well known, lithium-ion VGP-BPS8 batteries are widely used in mobile phones and laptops, have also already the next generation of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles of choice. It is the density of car batteries than any other higher power is more appropriate, but also more expensive, are subject to battery capacity, recharge the driving range is still far enough. Announcement of upcoming 2010 Chevrolet Volt hybrid car If you use only batteries, can travel 40 km.

Although there is still room for improvement, but the potential of lithium-ion batteries are still limited. Generally accepted that to achieve the popularity of electric vehicles, energy density required to reach the current level of about 6 ~ 7 times. So, in theory, is far greater than the energy density of lithium batteries, lithium ion batteries because the battery seemed to worry. While using an organic solvent, but it is a brand new greatly increase the energy density of batteries.

Lithium - Battery Air is not a new concept. Because the positive use of oxygen in the air when the active substance, in theory, the ability of positive density is infinite, can increase capacity. In addition, if the use of lithium metal anode, the theoretical capacity as lithium-ion rechargeable VGP-BPS8A battery to improve some.

But why - Lithium batteries air to date none of the popularity? Because it was fatally flawed, that the reaction products of the solid lithium oxide (Li2O) accumulate in the anode, so that the electrolyte had been cut off all contact with air, leading to discharge stops.

In February 2009, the Japan Institute of Industrial Science and Technology interface technology research department of energy energy technology research team leader Zhou Hao Shen, and the Japan Society for the Promotion (JSPS) for researchers Yonggang foreign co developed a special new building high capacity lithium-air battery.

Will be divided into two types of them through the electrolyte to solve the above problems. In the negative (lithium) side of the use of organic electrolytes in the cathode (air) side of the use of water-based electrolytes. Located between two electrolyte lithium-ion only through the solid electrolyte membrane, to divide them. This will prevent the mixture of electrolytes, and promote the battery react.

Cathode is used in combination with the electrolyte containing organic electrolyte lithium salt. Although we can not abandon the organic solvent, but it limits its use. Water based alkaline electrolyte cathode using water soluble gel, and after the catalyst-based micro to the formation of oxides of carbon and low-cost combination of the positive.
Lithium - drums air, because the landfill is not the reaction of Li2O solid, but readily dissolves in the electrolyte aqueous LiOH (lithium hydroxide). Accumulation of lithium oxide in the air after the electrode does not lead to employment was terminated. The water and nitrogen through the solid electrolyte and not next door, so there are no places with a risk lithium metal anode reaction. In addition, responsible, if the configuration of specific positive charge, but also conductive to prevent charge-induced corrosion and aging of the air electrode.

The experiments show that, 0.1A / g discharge rate, the discharge capacity of about 9000mAh / g, whereas the previous lithium - battery discharge air capacity of only 700 ~ 3000mAh / g, we can say for a substantial increase in capacity.

In addition, if the use of the aqueous solution to replace the water-soluble gel can be in the air to 0.1A / g discharge rate continuously for 20 days, the discharge capacity of about 50000 mAh / g (air - Polar mass unit), exceeding the original figures. As the capacity of the lithium metal, lithium-ion battery had a number high, if the value of a total of more lithium-ion rechargeable batteries high double digits.

Now, thanks to a high performance aqueous solution, and usability even better on the gel, scientists whether the future need to consider which of the two, one for development.
“Automotive Business Review,” understand that this technology could also be considered with a simple to use rechargeable batteries of different ways. If you do not recharge the battery, but car to replace the basis of water-based cathode electrolyte, boxes maps, etc. to provide the anode of lithium metal, the car waiting time can be achieved without cost, moving immediately.

In addition, through recycling of used water-based electrolyte, lithium metal, electrical means to regenerate, but also continue to serve the cycle of the anode of the fuel cell to be used, to avoid further pollution. Lithium - Lithium batteries can say that the new fuel cell as fuel.

Scientists believe that the performance of lithium-air batteries, lithium-ion batteries 10 times, can provide the same energy and gasoline. Lithium battery air to absorb oxygen from the air load, so the battery can be smaller, lighter. Many laboratories worldwide are exploring this technology, but no major breakthrough to achieve the business may also need 10 years.

IPad tablet released last week, Apple also introduced the A4 processor chips that Apple CEO Steve Jobs is being companies such as Qualcomm and Intel to expand the expense of Apple’s hardware control.

Market research firm Forward Concepts analyst Will Strauss said that Jobs did not buy ready-made original, but to Apple’s engineers designed A4 chips, so that the engineers that affect their cost and function. Jobs to be their own ecosystem, do not want to subject anyone. This will maximize his profit margin, and his control.

Market research firm In-Stat analyst Jim McGregor said that Apple’s design your own component’s decision is a blow to Intel. Intel is trying to use their Atom processors in mobile devices place. Apple iPhone models in the future may be using a version of the A4 chip.

McGregor said that from the iPhone to this Tablet PC, Apple Intel, every step taken by all to see in the eyes. Intel always want to use Atom processors of these products. Now, Intel has completely been rejected.

Jobs at the January 27 release, said that this product, iPad Touch Screen Tablet PC will be on sale in March.

Broadpoint AmTech, said, according to the company, A4 processor, the cost of production is about 15 dollars, iPad tablet computer memory chips after the most expensive semiconductor components. IPad the cheapest components of total cost 188.50 U.S. dollars, the retail price is 499 U.S. dollars.

Forward Concepts analyst Strauss, said Apple in April 2008 acquisition of the semiconductor design firm PA Semi. The company in a low-power chip, the technical expertise may explain iPad up to 10 hours of battery life.

He said, let the processor run faster while saving battery power is to break into the mobile market Intel’s biggest challenges. Although he expects Apple to sell 2 million units this year, only iPad tablet PCs, but left out of this eye-catching device is Intel’s most.

Software company Citrix Receive recently said that, through its XenDesktop virtualization software, users can Apple iPad run Windows 7.

Last Wednesday, Apple released the industry’s long-awaited Tablet PC iPad. It is equipped with 9.7 inches screen, using A4 Apple 1GHz processor, storage space up to 64GB.

Software company Citrix Receive recently said that, through its XenDesktop virtualization software, users can iPad run on Windows 7.

Citrix Receive, said: “iPad a resolution of 1024×768, in the XenDexktop displayed on a virtual interface, very good results when Windows 7, even at the same time in the virtual Windows 7 to run multiple applications.”

XenDexktop is a billing software, users can go to Citrix Receive for free download.

As the hybrid and electric vehicles are becoming increasingly close to the production of lithium-safety concerns ion laptop battery  have started to move from economic practice. At the recent meeting in making cars at a round table, several speakers said that once such an advanced battery to achieve mass production, cost reduction can be significant.
Members of the Security advanced batteries has not expressed concern over the battery in the past, electronic consumer products, there had been overheating and fire.

Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Battery Systems for Hybrid Battery System of Public Affairs and External Relations director Michael Andrew, said that the company’s goal is to lithium-ion battery packs cost reduction of 50%.

He said, JCI-Saft batteries Inspiron 1501 battery,Inspiron 1520 battery into consideration not only cost but also consider a battery mode of production. He said that battery manufacturers can learn how other industries can be more effective production of lithium-experience ion battery.

Andrew said: “We now have an opportunity to review the production of these batteries.” “We believe we can learn from other industries used in process technology, to rapidly reduce costs.”

Par with gasoline

He said the objective of JCI is to produce for the use of batteries or hybrid electric vehicles, allowing consumers to spend and spend three years of the same gasoline engine.
Nissan North America manufacturing engineering and manufacturing engineering of the vehicle, said Mark Swenson, vice president of Nissan in 2012 to reduce the cost of sheet map of electric car involves the manufacture of batteries in the factory manufacture of vehicles will be assembled into battery packs.

A123 Systems Inc. Vice President, Business Development Ric Fulop said he believes the industry matures, the cost of the battery can be reduced by 9% per year. To perform a battery of higher power can save some costs, while also optimizing production processes and use high quality materials to reduce other costs.

More power

Dow Chemical Co. ’s Global Business Development Director of the Department of Ravi Ramanathan said that the cost of energy the battery can also make a stronger battery and more efficient, and quality control during production to be cut.

Automakers do not speak about the battery and hybrid electric vehicles used in packaging costs. However, according to some, to be Chevrolet Volt lithium-ion batteries used in the cost is estimated at about 8,000 U.S. dollars.

Ramanathan said, “the high cost of the battery, it must come down.” He said that the initial cost may be high, as automakers and car batteries for most designed to ensure that consumers do not seem on the technical loss of goodwill of mechanical failure.

A Dell Inc. spokesman confirmed reports that the computer maker is making another round of jobs cuts at several locations this week, including its local operations.

However, Round Rock-based Dell (Nasdaq: DELL) isn’t disclosing specifics such as the number of layoffs or the exact facilities affected by the job cuts.

“We’ve made a number of tough decisions, including some workforce reductions,” spokesman David Frink said. “We took additional action this week at various Dell Inspiron 1501 battery locations worldwide, including in Central Texas.”

Dell, the No. 3 computer maker in the world, employs 16,000 workers in the Austin area.

The job cuts as part of an ongoing strategy to reduce operating costs. In November, Dell Chief Financial Officer Brian Gladden said the company had reduced costs by $1.6 billion since 2008, but additional cuts were planned.

During 2009, Dell completed or announced 5,100 jobs cuts. It eliminated 1,900 positions in Ireland, then 900 in North Carolina, 1,600 in Poland and 700 in Malaysia.

In Poland, Dell Inspiron 1520 battery is tranfering the ownership of its Polish manufacturing plant to Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group. Dell will become a customer of Foxconn, which will produce its computers, servers and storage systems.

Last month, the company revealed plans to lay off 700 workers at its Malaysian lap-top manufacturing plant.

During Dell’s third quarter that ended Oct. 30, the company posted $337 million in profit on $12.8 billion in revenue versus $727 million in profit on $15.1 billion in revenue during the same period the previous year.

It’s got so many teething problems. Even the product name, in one day, has become the butt of jokes on the interweb.

I’ve had the opportunity to sit down and talk to several analysts and industry professionals about their thoughts on the iPad. Views seem to be split, but everyone appears to think the same: the iPad could have been so much more PA3191U-3BRS.

Some people say that perspective needs to be had: the iPad isn’t supposed to be a full computing device, it’s supposed to be an iPod Touch on stereoids. Um… no. Even Steve Jobs himself compared it to a laptop, and said that it’s supposed to be better than a laptop at doing several key things, and is supposed to be better than an iPod Touch at doing everything.

So why then does the iPad fail miserably at doing some very fundamental things that even a cheap laptop, like a netbook, can do? I mentioned a few of those points in my previous iPad post, so let’s get straight to what Apple can do to make the iPad what it should have been–and could be:

1. Enable multitasking

The iPad needs to have multitasking. It’s practically begging for it. It’s understandable that on a screen/device size like the iPhone and iPod Touch that they can only run one application at a time, but even competing devices like Android phones can multitask. A device like an iPad, with a screen size of 10-inches, should not be doing less than an Android phone. Period. Apple needs to enable this. There’s no sense in not being able to have an IM application running while browsing webpages or reading an ebook PA3191U-4BRS.

The iPad has enough horsepower to support multitasking, so I’m sure that the limitation is merely in software. iPhone OS 4.0 is supposed to bring multitasking, and so this should be fixed by the time the iPad is actually available for purchase.

2. Open the OS / Make an iPad specific OS

Again, Steve Jobs compared the iPad to a smartphone and a laptop in his presentation. But developers are tied into the App store. If Apple wants to keep its app-ecosystem closed for the iPod Touch and iPhone to maintain “quality,” then fine. But let’s not gimp the iPad, eh? With Android devices on the rise, making an iPad specific OS that’s open to developers will be seen as a competitive advantage. If it’s going to be truly better than a netbook, then it’s got to support development like a netbook. Users want to be able to install their own stuff, it’s that simple.

Make the iPad support open software development, while still supporting the large number of App Store applications. What happens if you want to run Firefox or Chrome on your iPad? You can’t.

But I fully understand why the iPad isn’t going to support custom apps. Apple wants you to use their App store. It wants the App store to be the largest software distribution system in the world. It wants to take a cut of the money when you sell your iPad specific software too. It’s a very succesful business model and I doubt this will change.

3. Enable the full web experience

Where’s Flash support? Again, this is largely a software issue, and hopefully will be addressed down the line. Not everyone who uses a mobile computing device only cares about Flash for YouTube, and so many websites actually have Flash elements today. Perhaps HTML5 will change all that but that’s yet to be seen. The funny thing? During Jobs’s keynote where he demos viewing The New York Times website on the iPad, the areas with Flash showed an error box.

Jobs said that the iPad is the best web experience. It clearly is not. It doesn’t even have tabbed browsing.

4. Enable HDMI output or DisplayPort

We have 2 full months before the iPad is supposed to be available for purchase. Apple needs to have some form of high resolution digital video output. Boasting how amazing the device is for video playback, it’s criminal not to allow users to output video to their big screen TVs. Somehow we doubt this will get added before the iPad goes on sale PA3284U-1BRS.

5. Expandable memory

Why the iPad doesn’t have an expansion slot for flash memory boggles my mind. It should at least have an SD card slot. The iPad supports high resolution video playback, is supposedly your ultimate tool for viewing photos with people. Yet, I can’t stick in an SD card and see my photos.

Update: Users have commented that it should also have a built-in webcam. Apple just announced that it’s allowing VOIP over 3G, and that makes Skype and other VOIP apps a must have for the iPad. Apple should have launched the iPad with a built-in webcam as well.

Surely, there are going to be some people beating their heads against a wall in Redmond today.

After a decade of pursuing the notion of a tablet computer for consumers, it now appears possible, if not likely, that Apple laptop battery will be the one that gets credit–and the revenue–for making the product mainstream.

Although PC makers have been selling tablet-shaped computers for years, the idea has caught on mainly in niche business markets like health care and transportation, rather than as a device for the average Joe.

But that’s not to say Microsoft hasn’t been trying. Bill Gates first talked about the idea of a Tablet PC at Comdex back in 2000.

A year later, Gates rolled out various models, including one Compaq prototype that resembled a giant version of its iPaq handheld PA3191U-3BRS,PA3191U-4BRS.

“Next year I hope a lot of people in the audience will be taking their notes on a Tablet PC,” Gates told the Comdex crowd.

But few took him up on the offer.

Microsoft continued to refine the notion, improving the handwriting, but the products remained a niche. Most of the “tablet PCs” that have sold have actually been notebook computers with a rotating screen as opposed to the slate models that are similar to Apple’s device.

More recently, the company worked on a consumer tablet effort known as Project Origami. Microsoft managed to get considerable buzz for the notion–even before people knew what Origami was.

The first few details sounded appealing. The idea was to lay the groundwork for a consumer device that was like a Windows PC, but smaller, powered by touch, had all-day battery life, and cost well under $1,000, ideally around $500.

The products that emerged though, such as the Samsung Q1, ended up costing too much and had limited battery life, blunting their appeal.

Apple, meanwhile, has a tablet that starts at $500 and has 10 hours of battery life.

That could be a key selling point. “Folks have always been interested in tablets, said IDC analyst Richard Shim. “It’s just that the price points have always been too high. That’s changed, clearly.”

Shim said IDC estimates that Apple will sell four million to five million iPad tablets this year. That compares to an estimate of just 1.3 million Tablet PCs–only 170,000 of which will be slates. (Last year IDC says about 1 million tablets were sold, 125,000 of which were slates, as compared to about 875,000 that were convertible PCs)

Of course, the fact that Apple has unveiled the iPad tablet doesn’t guarantee its success. Although the company has had a string of hits, it has also had products that either had only modest impact (think Mac Mini) or less (Apple TV). That said, it has come in at a lower-than-expected price and also has the option for relatively cheap 3G data, albeit from AT&T.

Microsoft, meanwhile, hasn’t given up on the tablet. With the addition of multitouch in Windows 7 the company is hoping that a new generation of tablets will hold more interest. At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showed a prototype HP tablet running Windows 7. I’m told the device is expected mid-year and uses an 8.9-inch display. In a video, embedded below, HP’s Phil McKinney says that the PA3284U-1BRS,PA3285U-1BAS company has been working on an entertainment-oriented slate for the past five years.

Microsoft is also exploring the notion of a dual-screen tablet, code-named Courier, a video of which leaked out early last year. In an interview with CNET, Microsoft entertainment unit head Robbie Bach confirmed the video was genuine, but wouldn’t say where the project stands now.

“We do a lot of exploratory videos on a lot of different products,” Bach said in the interview, which took place at CES earlier this month. “The video that went around the Internet that was the so-called Courier is just another example of those. We do a lot of those. We don’t comment on them.”