John,
I decided to paste the entire article you referred to to put it in perspective. I don't know the date of the article but it seems to me that HP already has an arrangement with AERN to resell the batteries (and advertise them). Does anyone know more about this? Here's the article:
HP subnote dons long-life battery
By Lisa DiCarlo
AER Energy Resources Inc. next month will ship a snap-on zinc-air battery for Hewlett-Packard Co.'s 3.8-pound OmniBook 600 subnotebook that AER claims will yield up to 15 hours of continuous use.
AER officials said the 3.5-pound, $399 PowerSlice LX battery has several advantages over its more popular nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion counterparts.
For example, zinc-air boasts a higher energy-per-pound ratio than the aforementioned batteries, and it's not necessary for users to discharge the battery before fully recharging it.
However, the battery's weight and size may negate the benefits of carrying a lightweight notebook; hence, HP's decision to offer the battery only on its 3-pound subnotebook and not its full-sized, 6-pound OmniBook 4000, which would result in a 10-pound notebook, according to HP officials with the Mobile Computing Division, in Corvallis, Ore.
AER, based in Smyrna, Ga., markets a similar battery for Toshiba America Information Systems Inc.'s T1900, T2100, and T4000 models.
The company had also developed a battery for Zenith Data Systems Inc.'s Z-NoteFlex, which was due to be shipped in March. However, neither ZDS, nor AER, nor VARs have yet shipped the battery.
The HP battery will be available directly from HP as an optional accessory and through VARs. AER also offers a universal stand-alone battery, the 6-pound Power 220, that powers notebooks, as well
as other electronic devices, for up to 20 hours.
AER can be reached at (800) 769-3720.
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