Toshiba Battery develops battery with life 5 times longer

TOKYO, Japan - Handout photo shows a pack of new nickel zinc primary batteries Toshiba Battery Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corp., has developed. The battery, the first of its kind in the world, has a life about five times longer than alkaline batteries, Toshiba Battery officials said Dec. 5, 2001. The company plans to market an AA size battery in March 2002 under the name ''GigaEnergy'' for 240 yen, 1.5 times the price of an AA size alkaline battery.