Panasonic develops laptop battery that won't overheat

Remember what a huge PR disaster this summer's battery recall was for Sony? Now imagine that working in reverse. No, don't imagine a battery exploding in reverse (though I have to admit, that's a pretty cool thought)--imagine the huge PR gains that could be reaped by a company selling an "explosion proof" battery. Don't rush to the patent office though: rival zaibatsu Matsushita Electric Industrial (known in these parts by the less ominous name "Panasonic") beat you to it. The company has announced that they've developed a lithium-ion cell that won't overheat, even in the event of a short-circuit. The batteries contain a heat-resistant insulator inside of the cell, along with the standard separator that insulates the anode and cathode. While there's no word yet on pricing and availability, don't be surprised if explosion-proof batteries start showing up in business laptops as early as next year.

For more on the new batteries:
- see this PC World article