Something else that will have to be considered is how much this would make
the price of the book port go up. Double A batteries are cheap and can be
bought from almost anywhere, even outside the US. If the book port was to
run on a rechargeable battery pack, it would be a safe assumption that you
would only be able to get replacement batteries through APH only. Even
though many blind people are using the book port, the unit probably won't
get so popular that stores such as Radio Shack and Circuit City would sell
replacement batteries, although this would be awesome.
Mark
----- Original Message -----
From: "Otto Zamora" <8zamora@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 9:14 PM
Subject: [bookport] Re: power
Hello,
A battery that could be either bought online, or at a local store, not just
at APH.
Otto
-----Original Message----- From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Richard Ring Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 2:13 PM To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bookport] Re: power
I could go along with that, provided the battery was easily obtainable and
not too expensive.
I would also want a way to charge the battery outside the unit though, so I
could have a spare. Larry, I use the Bookport every day, not just once in a
while. I cannot stress this enough. I use the thing all of the time, I
probably read at least two books per week. It keeps me off the street!
-----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.
12:39:22 PM >>>ring.richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday, February 01, 2006
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
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 dozens and
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 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 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 batteries in
batteriesabout 15 minutes. This is a great comvenience. Now when you insertt thebareinto this charger, where the positive contact is, instead of feeling thelittlecontact, 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.inyou snug the battery against this, inside, it is spring loaded. You fitandthe 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.
