Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 31

I have posted a number of posts on battery life because I have had terrible performance from my IVD. I recently read about Runtime, which monitors the last ten battery changes for:
1) days between battery change and
2) actual "on-time" or "run-time" per battery set.

I would REALLY REALLY appreciate it if runtime users could post thier average days per battery and run time (located at bottom of main runtime screen). I think it would be very helpful in answering the multitude of "how long should my batteries last" questions and establish once and for all if there is a Visor battery-life bug which drinas batteries in mere hours.

Please make the first two lines of your reply post like this:

Avg days: _____
Avg runtime: _____

thanks!

P.S. for those w/o runtime who would like to use the program, you can find it here: http://home.germany.net/101-216666/englisch.html

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 41

I use Runtime with NiMH batteries (and Battery Info - to adjust the battery settings) so your mileage might vary with alkaline. But, here goes:

Average Days: 11 days 01:28
Average On: 0 days 10:24

Again this is with NiMH batteries.

Carl


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Carl Lee
Hi! My name is Carl and I'm a Visorholic.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Posts: 42

Using Energizer Alkaline batteries my milage is:

Avg days: 35d 19h 52m
Avg runtime: 0d 19h 39m

Take Jerry




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Truth is stranger than fiction, but it
is because Fiction is obliged to stick
to possibilities; Truth isn't. -- Mark Twain

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 99

I use NiMH batteries too, so of course my numbers only apply to other NiMH users.

Avg. days=6 days 05:26
Avg. runtime=0 days 10:18

FWIW tho, the days between battery changes doesn't really mean much since 2 people who use their Visors for 20 minutes a day vs 2 hours a day will have different change times while the Runtimes may be similiar. But I suppose the data is interesting tho. Hope you get the info you need .

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Inglewood, CA, USA
Posts: 390

Avg days: 5d 10:09
Avg runtime: 0d 21:54
[Either Duracell or Duracell Ultra - whichever is at hand]
HEAVY use, with backlight - I mostly read ebooks and fanfiction on my Visor, so I go thru batteries pretty fast. I just started using Runtime, so I've only had 1 battery change to use as my 'average'. (If it changes drastically, I will re-post.)

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 114

From my experience, the NiMH battery will have longer effective run time if used heavily (thus less number of days).

case 1: 16d16h runtime 12h13m
case 2: 13d14h runtime 13h40m
case 3: 7d4h runtime 16h13m

all are using fully charged Nexell 650mAh

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 219

I use NiMH.

Avg. Day: 6d 05:35
Avg. Runtime: 0d 10:45

My average may be a little off since I change my batteries before I get low battery warning. My battery indicator starts bouncing up & down when about 1/4 juice left, so I just put freshly charged battery just to be safe. I used .7 shortcut to change setting to NiCad. Does anyone else have this problem?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Baltimore MD, USA
Posts: 717

Duracell Ultras

Avg days: 12d 18:32
Avg runtime: 17:07

Hotsynch every day with AvantGo. No backlight, and beam receive off.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 170

quote:

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Originally posted by declana:

I think it would be very helpful in answering the multitude of "how long should my batteries last" questions and establish once and for all if there is a Visor battery-life bug which drinas batteries in mere hours.

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 31

"I'm afraid a survey like this will never yield any conclusive evidence."

You are correct. It may not be conclusive but its close enough to show whether this bug exists: remember the bug people complain about eats batteries withing 72 hours with the visor OFF.

for example, since installing runtime and starting this thread yesterday, my runtime shows that my batteries have been installed for 23 hours and that my visor has been RUNNING for over 10 hours.

Now, my visor has actually been in my briefcase unused for all but 10 minutes of that 23 hour period.

From the reports above, there does seem to be a problem with the visors people report as running though batteries in two or three days with moderate use.

I am actually shocked at how low some of the reports above are. My palm always ran for over a month on a set of batteries. My original IVD ran for three months on six batteries then had a fatal error, and suddenly ate batteries. If the average user on this board is getting a week out of batteries that is shocking in itself.

Please take this request for what it is: a general snapshot of use stats and not a scientific survey.

Thanks for all who posted - please keep it up!


[This message has been edited by declana (edited 06-07-2000).]

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 170

quote:

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Originally posted by declana:
[BYou are correct. It may not be conclusive but its close enough to show whether this bug exists: remember the bug people complain about eats batteries withing 72 hours with the visor OFF.

[This message has been edited by declana (edited 06-07-2000).][/B]

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Registered: Nov 1999
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 195

Avg days: 7d 19:04
Avg runtime: 0d 14:03

Duracells

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Inglewood, CA, USA
Posts: 390

quote:

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I'm sorry if I'm missing something obvious here, but I just don't get the point of this survey. Oh well, carry on...[/B]

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 31

Incidently, in talking to a handful of techs at Handspring about my battery eater they all told me unequivically that the HS beam function is designed to have no effect on the battery. They do think that a number of secondary apps can effect batteries (which is why I stripped all apps of mine).

One specifically told me that if I was seeing a battery difference on a stripped machince with beam on / beam off then there was "definately a hardware problem."

Incidently, currently showing battery eating (though less) with beam turned off.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 48

Average Days: 12d 11:57
Average Runtime: 0d 10:50

Runtime is pretty consistent going from nine to 13 hours. Using Radio Shack Alkaline

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What if your sole purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others?