Okay, the signs are clear and the new BP will have a different kind of
battery - sl let's do what we can to ensure they will be available for a
goodly number of years to come.
----- Original Message -----
From: "LARRY SKUTCHAN" <lskutchan@xxxxxxx>
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 2:07 PM
Subject: [bookport] Re: power
What makes you think that you could not read while recharging?
chill000@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday, February 01, 2006 2:59:17 PM
If you shipped the unit with two batteries and an external charger, I'd be in favor of a rechargable battery, otherwise just fix the contacts and be done with it. Digital cameras get their batteries changed as well and don't have this problem. I'm not interested in stopping reading for a few hours while my bookpart recharges.
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 13:56:13 -0500, you wrote:
toWhat about if we did something like your cell phone where you could replace the battery yourself if you needed to, but you would not needIdo so every week or so as is the case now.
ring.richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday, February 01, 200612:39:22 PM >>> I must chime in here. I have never had a problem with the current battery contacts. And I would hate to see the batteries become something that cannot not be replaced by the user. There are many battery charging systems that allow users to recharge batteries, andservicefirmly believe that having the ability to replace the batteries makes the Bookport portable and easy to use. Think about it, APH, if there were some kind of proprietary battery system, you'd have even more Bookports coming in for repair than you ever did for battery contact issues. People would have to routinely send their devices forbewhen the battery died.
-----Original Message----- From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Neal Ewers Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 11:27 AM To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bookport] Re: power
Sarah and others, I have not had any problems changing batteries either. And, for what it's worth, I like the fact that I am not stuck with some proprietary batter pack that I either have to buy at some point, or worse yet, send the unit back to have the battery pack replaced. I can understand Larry's point if they have really had problems with this, but perhaps a little podcast on how to correctly change batteries wouldlikein order before scrapping the idea of replaceable batteries.
Neal
-----Original Message----- From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Sarah Cranston Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 11:03 AM To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bookport] Re: power
Eric,
May I respectfully ask what any of this has to do with blindness? Changing batteries has nothing to do with vision and everything to do with being careful and paying attention to what one is doing. I,andWalt, have changed batteries in many, many devices. In particular, I have changed the batteries in my BookPort at least 60 or 70 times,ithave had absolutely no ill effects. I do understand that there are those who have ended up with damaged contacts, but I have never been able to figure out exactly how this could happen if one is careful. If I've misunderstood your comment about making things "blind proof", (you're not a partial, are you?), then please clarify and set me straight.
Sarah
-----Original Message----- From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Eric StevenS Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 10:48 AM To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bookport] Re: power
Well, Walt, again they have to dumb down to the lowest common denominator. Make everything stupid/blind proof.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Walt Smith" <walt@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 11:39 AM
Subject: [bookport] Re: power
The last time we had a discussion on battery connections, I thinkspring
was Larry who pointed out that in actual use, the spring type of connectors really don't stand up much better than the presentare
clips. The problem seems to be more related to how the batteriesand
oppositeinserted and removed--they should always be inserted negative end (the bottom of the batteryto the end with the little button on it) first. I've made dozensimply
dozens (probably over a hundred) battery changes without any apparentdamage tocommentsthe contacts and have used all types of batteries. I agree with theregarding the 15-minute charger, as well.
Larry's message slightly alarmed me in that it almost seems toit
that future devices that emanate from his shop may not have user-replaceable batteries and I think this would be a mistake, asin
would seriously limit the BP's portability in situations where AC power might not be easily available (camping, for example).
----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Hill" <chill000@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 11:29 AM Subject: [bookport] Re: power
I agree that the way the charger does it is a batter solution. I think the coil spring type of contacts also are a better bet thanwhat
the bookport currently uses.
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 07:27:40 -0800, you wrote:
I was glad to see that the user could change and replace thebatteries
in the bookport. I'm wondering about a solution to the problem of damaged contacts. I use an IC-3 battery charger that quick charges the IC-3 batteriesthe
batteriesabout 15 minutes. This is a great comvenience. Now when you insertt theinto this charger, where the positive contact is, instead of feelingbarefitlittlecontact, if you will, you find a round protruding piece with aWhenrecess in it where you fit the little nub at the positive end of the battery.you snug the battery against this, inside, it is spring loaded. Youinandthe nub and gently push in and seat the battery. This protects the contactyou never actually touch it. Wonder if something like that could workfor theIC-3BP battery recepticle. Just thinking. I really like the current battery/power arrangement for the BP. By the way, I don't get as much battery time per charge with thequickrechargeables, as I do with non-rechargeable alkalines. But theonlycharge convenience and cost savings makes it worthwhile. If I'm readingbooks using the synthesizer, I get 50 hours or close thereto Lois.