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I hate how so many device manufacturers just HAVE to make the devices super-small. At present, there is no standard battery that fits devices this size. therefore, when you get a smaller device, you end up with built in rechargeable batteries that are expensive to replace when they cease to function
(it happens eventually to all rechargeable batteries) and in some cases require you to open the whole device yourself, or else sending it in to service which will likely cost an arm and a leg to replace the batteries! Ipods are especially bad-it's almost half the cost of a new Ipod!!!!! grrrr
I think that someone should come up with a new type of battery that all "micro/mini/nano/" devices use. (i.e. the stuff that companies make really small and their size becomes the main selling point) Think a cell phone battery, but instead of being designed for one specific device, they could be standard, kind of like a triple-a battery. the battery will be a square/rectangle shape instead of round, so that there's no "wasted space" like there is with AAA batteries. I would guess it would end up being the size of, say, a "thumb-drive" Yes, larger skinny devices would probably need a bigger battery, but what's to stop manufacturers from having the compartment accept more than one of these batteries?
As an added bonus, maybe they could come in different varietes of battery technology (i.e. you can choose between disposable alkaline, disposible lithium, rechargeable NIMH or rechargeable LI. I would say that a RAZR cell phone for example would take 2 of these.
the good- 1. it would be like an AAA battery- available just about anywhere, and no more prohibitave replacement costs
2.You can carry extra batteries if you want to 3. It would allow the device to be smaller yet still use a standard battery
The bad-
1.The device would need to know how/if to charge the batteries when plugged in if there was more than one type of battery technology employed in these things, which would drive up the cost of the device itself (but once again, this would be offset by NOT having to spend so much money on replacement batteries)
2.If the device mis-read the battery type, it could over charge the batteries, or give a low battery warning too early or too late or not give one at all.
The ugly-
Getting companies to understand the advantages!
PS. I know this kind of goes against my other Idea about a cell phone that uses AAA batteries, but this is for people who want their stuff to be small/skinny
EDIT- Due to different varietys of size and power requirements for devices, the battery companies would end up having to produce, say, 2 or 3 different sizes. but they did the same basic thing with the AA and AAA batteries- cant they do that sort of thing with slim batteries, rechargeable or not?
EDIT- Whoever fishboned this idea, please don't do it without leaving a comment explaining why you boned it. And, you should just follow that rule for anything you fishbone anywhere on this site.
Another reason for flat square batteries
Flat_20Square_20Batteries
An older Idea posted here at the 'bakery. [Vernon, Aug 24 2008]
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Speaking of smaller devices, I don't understand the "smaller=better" mindset. What's the point? I would rather pay less for something that was larger- the small stuff is too easy to lose. In terms of portable devices, as long as it's small enough to be "portable", I'm happy. I don't spend more money on crap just because it's smaller. |
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This would upset the secondary sellers of accessories. [+] |
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That CLA (cigarette lighter adaptor) that you bought for $35.00, wholesales for $2.15. Batteries that you pay $45.00 for, wholesale around $5.50. |
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Anything to drive the cost and mark-up down gets my vote. |
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I don't think advocating for standardized batteries is a new idea, regardless of formfactor. |
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hey, personally I'd like a cellphone with an AA batterie(s) (AAA don't last very long)[+] |
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Nope, I don't want a flat battery. |
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Are 9v "transistor radio" batteries still kicking ? |
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9v batteries are still commonly used but they've never been and never will be as widely used as AA and AAA batteries. BTW, by "flat" i meant that it's a square-ish shape and it's skinny, not flat as in dead :) If the batteries were dead, they'd give them away free of charge. |
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Isn't this just "Let's all use a standard battery size"? |
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Phone batteries are not THAT expensive if you buy generic ones. Even the originals have dropped in price since the proliferation of generics. I paid only $10 for an original Nokia replacement battery on ebay. The good thing about Nokia phones is that plugs, batteries, etc. are standardised and can be used for more than one phone - so what you suggest already exists, even if only for a single brand. |
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Of course universal standards would be great, but mobile phones develop so fast that the standards would soon be out of date. |
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I like small and thin phones because they don't make the pockets of your pants bulge. It looks unattractive and it gets in the way of walking and cycling. |
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You should buy stuff like that on ebay, not on the high street. Ebay price is usually around wholesale + 10% + $5 delivery. |
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Manicdictator, I don't trust ebay for things like rechargeable batteries and such-how would I know the seller was not just pushing an old set of batteries on you that barely worked anymore? That's one reason I feel there should be a standard for smaller batteries. something relatively the size of a coin cell battery, but square so that they cannot be mistaken for one another, would be a great solution, cos they would be small enough for even something the size of an Ipod nano. for larger devices that need more power than that, could accept several of these in a series. I know that generic replacement batteries are not that expensive, but that's usually because they're not nearly as good as the original batteries. Also, there's still the problem of tracking down the exact right one for your particular phone-a problem that would be avoided with standard batteries. |
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Maybe the battery could plug in via a mini usb connection. This is already a standard for other things, and the technology could be expanded for making the battery more flexible, for instance it could communicate simple things like if it's Lithium ion or some other technology (supercapacitor hybrids) to overcome certain compatibility problems. |
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Talldave, so what I picture from your little tidbit, the battery would be kind of like a 9 volt battery, only smaller and using a mini-usb connection into a port inside the device. |
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I'd bone it for being a boner about the
boning thing. Boning an idea anon is
perfectly acceptable. |
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I'd bone it for newbies telling us how to behave |
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