Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Macau
Posts: 52

Thinking of upgrading to Prism -- battery question

I am thinking of trading my visor deluxe for a prism -- I saw a friend's new clie and the color was too attractive! My main hesitation is the question of battery life. Although my average usage is only about 2 hours a day, when I am travelling or trying out new programs, I may get as high as six. With the alkaline batteries in the deluxe, runtime for a set of batteries is as high as 18 hours or as low as six (because of modem use or repeated syncing). I am afraid with the prism I will run out of battery on a plane or other places with no access to charging and I will lose my data. I have a backup module, but that is not a solution. Are there any work-arounds -- like an extra battery that I could keep charged and handy if I think I may need it? Any experience or ideas would be appreciated.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Titusville, Fl --- AKA: Star City USA
Posts: 27

Emergency Charger

Here is a review of a potential solution done by the folks here at Visor Central:

Emergency Charger

Hope this helps.

David Nottingham

Registered: Aug 2001
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 58

You can also make your own:

http://www.pocketpcpassion.com/Casi...eryExtender.htm

The instructions there are for PocketPC, but with just a couple of changes it can be adapted to made a Prism charger. I built a one that uses 4 AA batteries for a five-day trip to New York earlier this year (I didn't want to lug my cradle with me), and it worked perfectly!

I got all the Prism-specific info from this thread (thanks Dave Kessler!): http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...attery+extender

At the time (January 2001, this was), none of the commercial charging options were avaiable yet, so this was pretty much the only option. It was a fun project! I was a little surprised even at the time that none of the security people at LAX or MHT wondered what the hand-soldered battery box was as it went through the X-Ray machine... I suppose they might ask about it now.

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Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Macau
Posts: 52

Thanks for the tip!

Thanks David and Usonian for the tips! Looks like it should give me the solution I need. Just hope that the emergency charger is here in this part of the world. Otherwise I will need to work on my handyman skills!

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 242

For the record, battery life is a big issue with Prism. On vacation recently, it seemed to me that about the six hours you mention would drain it completely. The emergency charger is therefore essential--and if you're away from the hot sync cradle, you'll use up a pack of batteries a day or every other day if you're putting in six hours of usage.

If you can't get the emergency charger,based on your projected use, I wouldn't buy it.

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Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 65

I take the emergency charger AND the standard power pack (but not the cradle). The adaptor from the emergency charger allows either the emergency charger battery pack OR the standard power pack to plug into the Prism. That way, I charge it at night in the hotel room and I only need the emergency charger with the batteries for the long air flights.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 242

The power pack, absent converters, does not work internationally, though.

By the way, although I usually bring the power pack too so as to avoid the battery issue when possible, why do you need to plug in the emergency charger to the power pack provided by Handspring? Why not just plug in the power pack directly?

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Posts: 406

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mark Squires
For the record, battery life is a big issue with Prism. On vacation recently, it seemed to me that about the six hours you mention would drain it completely. The emergency charger is therefore essential--and if you're away from the hot sync cradle, you'll use up a pack of batteries a day or every other day if you're putting in six hours of usage.

If you can't get the emergency charger,based on your projected use, I wouldn't buy it.

---

Huh? Anyone who doesn't bring a travel charger or throw the cradle into their luggage on a trip is nuts. It's just something you do, don't make such a big deal out of it. I use my prism about 5 hours a day. When I get home, the Prism goes in it's cradle. Battery life is not a big issue.

--

As for data loss, once the Prism complains about needing recharging you usually have a matter of DAYS or more before your data will be lost. You don't need to worry about that. If you're pushing the envelope and ignoring more than a couple charge requests (battery meter is almost nil), use the backup module to be on the safe side.

What are you thinking of when you say "places with no access to charging"?
Are you going to be out in the wilderness for many days or something?

If a plane trip is more than 5 hours, I would hope you sleep a part of it. Or at least check out the AirMall magazine for a while.

But, as others have said, there is an emergency charger available.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Posts: 406

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mark Squires
The power pack, absent converters, does not work internationally, though.

By the way, although I usually bring the power pack too so as to avoid the battery issue when possible, why do you need to plug in the emergency charger to the power pack provided by Handspring? Why not just plug in the power pack directly?

---

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Posts: 406

Double Post

Last edited by Vertigo on 10-30-2001 at 12:36 AM