[bookport] Re: power
- From: "Lou Kolb" <loukolb@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2006 20:23:47 -0500
David,
I think the only raps against rechargable batteries were that the battery
percentage readings aren't as accurate and that constatly changing them
seems to be hard on the contacts in the BP especially if the user were not
very careful. Many folks on the list use them, however, and mostly without
incident. Lou
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Tanner" <david-tanner@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2006 6:13 PM
Subject: [bookport] Re: power
> Are you thinking something similar to the battery in Braille Sense? I
haven't had any experience with it, but it does at least allow the user to
replace the battery themselves, and you could always have a second battery
around.
>
> I ran into a battery issue yesterday afternoon on my Book Port while in
the middle of training a group of vision teachers to use the Book Port. Boy
was I happy for those two extra double a batteries that I put in my pocket
just before I went into the training. Had it not been for those two
batteries I would have been dead in the water since a lot of the training I
was doing was by having them follow along with me as I went thru verious
exercises on the Book Port.
>
> I am trying to remember if someone said that it was best not to use
rechargable batteries in the Book Port. For some reason I thought I read
that somewhere. Am i confused? Is there any harm that could be done using
rechargeable batteries in the current Book Port?
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "LARRY SKUTCHAN" <lskutchan@xxxxxxx>
> To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, February 02, 2006 6:37 AM
> Subject: [bookport] Re: power
>
>
> :I think we also all agree that the unit would not have to be returned to
> : replace the battery. Extras would also be available.
> :
> :
> : >>> david-tanner@xxxxxxxxxxxx Thursday, February 02, 2006 1:16:55 AM
> : >>>
> : I think one big thing that we all agree with is that we would want
> : something that is not so tightly tied to the BookPort that the only
> : place one could go to get an extra battery or replacement would be APH.
> : If you guys aren't aware, one of the biggest pains with BrailleNote, and
> : to some extent with PacMate is the need to go back to the company with
> : any battery issues, and the cost for the company to replace the battery
> : plus the amount of time the unit is out of service are both a genuine
> : pain to the user, and usually to us as a state agency trying to find a
> : way for the person to still have some kind of unit that the person can
> : use while their unit is being repaired.
> :
> :
> : ----- Original Message -----
> : From: "Sarah Cranston" <cranston.sarah@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> : To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> : Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 1:17 PM
> : Subject: [bookport] Re: power
> :
> :
> :: BTW, that last post was, of course, just my opinion. <Smiles all
> : around!>
> ::
> ::
> :: -----Original Message-----
> :: From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> :: [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of LARRY SKUTCHAN
> :: Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 12:56 PM
> :: To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> :: 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.
> :: >
> :: >
> :: >
> :: >
> ::
> ::
> ::
> ::
> ::
> ::
> :
> :
>
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