Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Luxembourg
Posts: 36

I got a new replacement Visor Deluxe today (well, "new", the ROM date is August 1999) and the battery drain ist still there !

I tried the new organizer with fresh Duracell batteries, no software except the keyboard driver (version 1.5) and it's still eating batteries within half a day.

As many people use this keyboard without any problem, the driver cannot be the reason.

As I've written above I have already tried a second keyboard, with the same result. Maybe that one was also faulty. The only thing I can do is to have my keyboard replaced.

Carlo

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Carlo

Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 7

quote:

---

Originally posted by Carl0
I got a new replacement Visor Deluxe today (well, "new", the ROM date is August 1999) and the battery drain ist still there !

I tried the new organizer with fresh Duracell batteries, no software except the keyboard driver (version 1.5) and it's still eating batteries within half a day.

---

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Out of my skull, back in five minutes
Posts: 1435

Why do you suppose it is that I, a registered Stowaway owner, always hear about updates to the driver HERE, as opposed to getting an announcement from Targus or ThinkOutside?

grr.

Anyway, the last time I used my Stowaway my VDx was connected almost the whole day, and the voltage went from fully-charged to critical in the course of about 12 hours.
I used it about 5 hours total in that time, according to Runtime; this was last weekend. Thanks to Carl0 & biggie_d for bumping the thread so I remember to post about it.

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Luxembourg
Posts: 36

Thanks to biggie_d for the info. I always checked the Targus website for updates.

Anyway, driver 1.51 does not solve my problem. There is no history file that explains the changes in the new driver.

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Carlo

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Luxembourg
Posts: 36

Ha ha ha

Now that everybody in the Handspring an Targus support team thinks I am crazy because I notice a battery drain with the Stowaway, comes this article in the german c't magazine

http://www.heise.de/ct/ (not available online)

Visor Deluxe battery duration (hours):

- no keyboard: 16:00
- Gotype Pro: 10:40
- Stowaway: 4:02
- Halfkeyboard: 2:17

That is exactly what I experienced with the stowaway. The Targus FAQ are simply lying on this fact.

Well, I'll have to travel with a battery charger or a bag full of batteries.

Edit: To be complete, power consumption measured by c't magazine is:

(mW idle / in use)

- Stowaway: 78 / 86
- Gotype: 22 / 62
- Half Keyboard: 97 / 142
- PDA Pocket Keyboard: 57 / 119

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Carlo

Last edited by Carl0 on 08-29-2001 at 11:39 AM

Registered: Sep 2001
Location:
Posts: 2

CarlO,
The Stowaway causes a lower battery drain on the Handspring than using Graffiti. We have found that people use the keyboard more often than Graffiti which causes the batteries to be replaced more often. Note that there is very minimal drain between keystrokes; most of the drain occurs while the keys are depressed so if this test you refer to was done with keys always depressed it could create misleading results. The experience of other posters is the experience of our customers. We also draw less or no more than the other products mentioned. Nevertheless, this does not solve your problem and none of us like having responsibility being pushed from company to company. Email me directly and our engineers will work with you to try to understand what's going on, regardless of the cause.
Phil Baker
Think Outside
[email protected]

Last edited by Phil Baker on 09-02-2001 at 05:45 PM

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Posts: 3

Me too

I've seen pretty much the same behavior as Carl, and I also am using the version 1.51 keyboard driver and a replacement VDx. I do have a CF card installed in my FlashPlus module, but it does not cause anywhere near the drain as the Stowaway.

I've learned to manage the problem when the Visor is connected to the keyboard by only turning the Visor on when I need to type. Otherwise I turn it off. It doesn't stop the drain, but it does slow it down, and the batteries recover somewhat after disconnecting from the keyboard.

Jim

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Registered: Feb 2000
Location: The City of Sin
Posts: 2

Stowaway battery drain

I'm definitely no expert, but I too have been aware of the battery drain problem. I have a Visor Deluxe w/ no modules.

I did install the revised Stowaway driver, and I think it helped stem the battery drain, but it is still there.

So what I do is simply tap on the Keyboard icon under System, and clear the check box that enables the keyboard. In the same way, I usually have my Beam Receive turned OFF in Preferences.

I think the driver definitely does check to see whether the keyboard is present when Enable Keyboard is checked. I can tell that it does when I'm playing certain games like Hardball - every few seconds the ball does a momentary "freeze" in between bounces. Similar to the other poster who noticed that the cursor blink rate is a little slower.

With Enable Keyboard unchecked and Beam Receive OFF, battery consumption is entirely normal. Hope this helps!

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: South Texas
Posts: 11

Visor in store

If you go to the store and tell them that you are comparing your Key Board to see if it is the Visor or the Key Board, they may let you use it. Just tell them you bought the Visor there and that you may need to exchange it. I had trouble with my Prism and my eye module when I first upgraded to the Prism. I went back to the store and told them I needed to see another Prism to find out if it was the unit itself or if I needed to get the patch for my eye module.

They let me try it out and then they also let me compare my eye module with one they had in the store on my unit. Sweet talk'em and they should help you out.