[bookport] Re: power
- From: "LARRY SKUTCHAN" <lskutchan@xxxxxxx>
- To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2006 07:36:24 -0500
Those are certainly some ideas that we have considered.
>>> david-tanner@xxxxxxxxxxxx Thursday, February 02, 2006 1:52:10 AM
>>>
Larry,
would battery terminals last better if you were droping batteries into
a hole with a door or cap that slides over the top than the current
format where batteries are pushed in and pulled out. It would seem that
there is less yanking and pulling on those kind of terminals.
Another thought would be to mold the metal terminal ends into the
plastic casing of the unit so they could not move around and break as
easily as in the BookPort.
----- Original Message -----
From: "LARRY SKUTCHAN" <lskutchan@xxxxxxx>
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 2:11 PM
Subject: [bookport] Re: power
: Brian, this is a good thought, but one thing that complicates this
whole
: issue is the expense of manufacturing such a mechinism in the low
: quantities we need. I don't think anyone here wants to pay $600 for
a
: Book Port.
:
:
: >>> buhrow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday, February 01, 2006
2:46:28
: PM >>>
: I actually don't really think this is a good idea. With a cell
: phone,
: battery replacement is a real problem. Yes, the battery is user
: replaceable, but, for example, my new cell phone has a $50.00
battery,
: which may or may not be available in 3 or 5 years. I'd hate to have
: to
: scrap my bookport because its battery was no longer manufactured.
: While I
: recognize that the current system has its drawbacks, and having a
lot
: of
: units come back with bent battery terminals is frustrating, I think
a
: better approach would be to try and design a better battery loading
: mechanism which would accomodate similarly commoditized batteries,
but
: which was less prone to user error. For example, one solution might
be
: to
: put the battery door on the side of the unit. The door itself would
: have a
: metal backing on it, and the batteries themselves could be slit into
: individual slots which would then be connected once the door was
slid
: into
: place. The terminals at the back end of the compartment would be
: virtually
: unreachable by folks, and the slots themselves would guide the
: batteries in
: at the proper angle. If the battery cover was damaged or lost, it
: could be
: easily replaced.
: For examples similar to what I'm talking about, look at digital
: cameras which take AA batteries. Many of them use a design which
: exposes
: the ends of the batteries, rather than the sides of the batteries.
:
: -Brian
: On Feb 1, 1:12pm, "Richard Ring" wrote:
: } 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.
: }
: }
: } >>> 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.
: } >
: } >
: } > :
: } >
: }
: }
: }
: }
: }
: }
: >-- End of excerpt from "Richard Ring"
:
:
:
:
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