Re: we are still stuck with the same old battery tech
Are we?
Assuming that anyone had thought of buying any batteries before the shops closed for Christmas, I remember toys that were eaten away by the nasty, leaking, and dead things almost before Boxing Day was over. They gave way to "Leak-proofs," which were not leak proof, but at least resisted filling your toy with that nasty, smelly liquid for a bit longer, even if they didn't power it for longer.
It seems years went by before Duracell brought us batteries that powered a drumming bunny for a more than a few minutes, but they did, and the difference was noticeable. Of course, forgotten for long enough, they still leaked. And still do.
Rechargables have become every day items, and the various chemical abbreviations change so often, along with the necessary disciplines regarding whether they should be kept charged, allowed to run down, etc etc.
The changes may have been small, they may have been subtle, and we may not yet be able to carry a nuclear power plant in our phones, but progress has been made. So, without expecting to see them in the shops by the end of the week (or ever), lets welcome all the research maybes, because without them, we'll never have the one in a thousand that really does make a difference.