And, might I add, please no batteries like in the mini cassettee recorders. In
fact I would get on my knees to beg that we not ever see those.
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Allen" <wd8ldy@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 6:52 PM
Subject: [bookport] Re: power
: Hi Larry and list:
:
: Please do not do proprietary battery packs. Being able to buy batteries
: practically anywhere that work in the book port is as important as the
: capability of reading brf files.
:
: As it now is, folks can choose to use rechargeable batteries, and of course,
: those who do that have to buy their own charger for those batteries. That is
: appropriate. I'm glad they have that option. A proprietary battery pack
: sounds like rechargeables. Rechargeable cells require a charger. A charger
: needs to be compliant with power systems, and I'm sure you see where I'm
: going down that track.
:
: Perhaps a holder containing two replaceable AA cells could more easily be
: inserted than the current method could solve the problem.
:
: Cheers,
: Dave
:
:
: ----- Original Message -----
: From: "LARRY SKUTCHAN" <lskutchan@xxxxxxx>
: To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: Sent: Thursday, February 02, 2006 7:56 AM
: Subject: [bookport] Re: power
:
:
: > What about if we did something like your cell phone where you could
: > replace the battery yourself if you needed to, but you would not need to
: > do so every week or so as is the case now.
: >
: >
: >>>> ring.richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday, February 01, 2006
: > 12:39:22 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, and I
: > firmly 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 for service
: > when 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 would be
: > in 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, like
: > Walt, have changed batteries in many, many devices. In particular, I
: > have changed the batteries in my BookPort at least 60 or 70 times, and
: > have 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 think it
: >
: >> was Larry who pointed out that in actual use, the spring type of
: >> connectors really don't stand up much better than the present spring
: >
: >> clips. The problem seems to be more related to how the batteries are
: >
: >> inserted and removed--they
: >> should always be inserted negative end (the bottom of the battery
: > opposite
: >> to the end with the little button on it) first. I've made dozens and
: >
: >> dozens
: >> (probably over a hundred) battery changes without any apparent
: > damage
: > to
: >> the
: >> contacts and have used all types of batteries. I agree with the
: > comments
: >> regarding the 15-minute charger, as well.
: >>
: >> Larry's message slightly alarmed me in that it almost seems to imply
: >
: >> that future devices that emanate from his shop may not have
: >> user-replaceable batteries and I think this would be a mistake, as it
: >
: >> 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 than
: > what
: >
: >> 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 the
: > batteries
: >
: >>>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 batteries in
: >
: >>>about
: >>>15
: >>>minutes. This is a great comvenience. Now when you insertt the
: > batteries
: >>>into
: >>>this charger, where the positive contact is, instead of feeling the
: > bare
: >>>contact, if you will, you find a round protruding piece with a
: > little
: >>>recess in
: >>>it where you fit the little nub at the positive end of the battery.
: > When
: >>>you
: >>>snug the battery against this, inside, it is spring loaded. You fit
: > in
: >>>the
: >>>nub
: >>>and gently push in and seat the battery. This protects the contact
: > and
: >>>you
: >>>never actually touch it. Wonder if something like that could work
: > for
: > the
: >>>BP
: >>>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 the
: > IC-3
: >>>rechargeables, as I do with non-rechargeable alkalines. But the
: > quick
: >>>charge
: >>>convenience and cost savings makes it worthwhile. If I'm reading
: > only
: >>>books
: >>>using the synthesizer, I get 50 hours or close thereto
: >>>Lois.
: >>
: >>
: >>
: >>
: >
: >
: >
: >
: >
:
:
