| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Scott
Benevolent Dictator
Joined: 17 Sep 2003
Posts: 8016
Location: West Simsbury, CT
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Oliver
Joined: 15 Oct 2003
Posts: 9345
Location: Bay Area
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 8:41 am |
| Scott wrote: |
Personally, I can't help but wonder just how needed this sort of technology is when it comes to portable consumer electronic devices. Users have largely adjusted to a lifestyle of charging their devices on a semi-regular basis. So long as the built-in rechargable battery can last a full day between charges, will people really want to go back to the days of shelling out money for a new pack of batteries, even if they last for a month?
|
I don't mind charging my devices... though I am kind of running out of space in my "charging shelf", a part of my office bookshelf that I have set up with a couple of power strips to charge the various devices I have.
Unfortunately many devices (including my the Zodiac's battery), depending on what you do, don't really last throughout the entire day.
Oliver |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rob
Joined: 12 Dec 2003
Posts: 11
Location: San Mateo, CA
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 8:42 am |
| Quote: |
| So long as the built-in rechargable battery can last a full day between charges, will people really want to go back to the days of shelling out money for a new pack of batteries, even if they last for a month? |
I actually do think there are a couple of key sweet spots or inflection points in terms of battery life:
* 1 'normal' day of intermittent work/play without recharging
* cross-country plane trip (6 hours min) continual gameplay and music without recharging
* 1 'normal' week of intermittent work/play without recharging (business trips, vacations, etc.) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RedRamage
Joined: 22 Apr 2004
Posts: 393
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:02 am |
I would've loved such a device back when I had my old original Pilot 5000. Back then the thought of having to recharge my PDA every day was just a horrible thought... but I quickly got used to it, and frankly, it ain't a problem at all.
I get to work in the morning, drop my PDA in my cradle and let it sync and charge. It sits there all day except when I go to meetings/lunch, and then goes back in the cradle when I'm done with the above mentioned tasks. It gets a full charge and is ready to go by the end of the day easy. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Brian
Staff Writer
Joined: 18 Sep 2003
Posts: 2070
Location: Worcester, MA
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:03 am |
If MTI/Tapwave incorporated this into an add-on sled for extended battery life, this would address Scott's concerns and offer the best solution. Keep the Z lean and mean with decent (some would argue excellent) battery life and have the option of using the sled for extended game play/music/movies, etc for cross country flights or whenever you'd need it.
_________________
Send in your Zodiac tribute photos to Zodiacs Around The World. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Scott
Benevolent Dictator
Joined: 17 Sep 2003
Posts: 8016
Location: West Simsbury, CT
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:31 am |
| RedRamage wrote: |
| I would've loved such a device back when I had my old original Pilot 5000. Back then the thought of having to recharge my PDA every day was just a horrible thought... but I quickly got used to it, and frankly, it ain't a problem at all. |
I think I know what you meant, but the way you worded this makes it sound like the Pilot 5000 had a rechargable battery, which it didn't (for the few of you reading this that would care).
Scott |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Oliver
Joined: 15 Oct 2003
Posts: 9345
Location: Bay Area
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:33 am |
ballistic -- I like your idea. However, how much extra battery capacity would you get if you filled that "sled" with regular Li-Ion batteries? If you look at how small the current battery is, filling the sled with one that's three or four times the size of the current one might be a better approach (for now at least) than going the fuelcell route.
Oliver |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Brian
Staff Writer
Joined: 18 Sep 2003
Posts: 2070
Location: Worcester, MA
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:42 am |
Oliver- I agree. I like the sled idea for batteries, Pa1mOne and others are using it and I think Tapwave should offer one for the Zodiac with a conventional battery as you suggest.
_________________
Send in your Zodiac tribute photos to Zodiacs Around The World. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RedRamage
Joined: 22 Apr 2004
Posts: 393
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:48 am |
| Scott wrote: |
| I think I know what you meant, but the way you worded this makes it sound like the Pilot 5000 had a rechargable battery, which it didn't (for the few of you reading this that would care). |
You're right...poor wording. What I meant was that when I DIDN'T have to recharge my batteries, the thought of needing to recharge every day... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Doo
Joined: 21 Sep 2003
Posts: 665
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 1:38 pm |
| I could sure use a battery sled. Or a car charger. Either one, some time soon Tapwave. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|