Handspring battery life

[NeXT]

I bought a classic Visor Hanspring for $5 and $10 more bought me the Magellan GPS module which works really well for coordinate marking as I currently lack the mapping software. The thing is however that even with brand new energizer batteries after a week the thing is completely dead and I have to swap the batteries and start all over from scratch. Even my Newton could go several weeks before it needed new batteries. Is it normal for the batteries to last such a short amount of time or am I using the wrong grade of batteries (do I need Duracell Ultras?)

[linuxlove]

while my handspring visor deluxe was still working, i could get about a week or two out of it in battery life on brand new batterys. used batterys would go from one day to a week.

[Vlad]

Have you tried lithium batteries such as the Energizer e2 ones? I've gotten way better life out of those in power hungry electronics. Also GPS addons and be a real power drain, is it powered off the device?

[NeXT]

Have you tried lithium batteries such as the Energizer e2 ones? I've gotten way better life out of those in power hungry electronics. Also GPS addons and be a real power drain, is it powered off the device?

No, I don't have any of those batteries on hand right now and the GPS module has it's own two AAA batteries to drain off of. At least those ones last a little longer as once they die and if I let it sit I lose my satellite data and have to wait half an hour to reaquire the satellites.

[patscc]

Have you tried 1000 mAh NiMH AAA's ? At least you can recharge them.
patscc

[NeXT]

Have you tried 1000 mAh NiMH AAA's ? At least you can recharge them.
patscc

Well so far I have only tried regular Everyday, Panasonic and Energizer AAA cells. Like I said I might buy some more expensive Durecell Ultras if they work better or those Energizer e2 cells. Rechargeable ones are out of the question as I hate recharging batteries (only one charger and it takes twelve hours) and by the time the batteries were charged, the Handspring would of lost it's memory.

[patscc]

NeXT said...only one charger and it takes twelve hours
Dude, technology has changed. MiMH these days is rapid-charge, 1~2 hours, tops, with a proper charger. Big Lots occasionally dumps a 1-hour charger with 4 AA NiMH for $6 or so.
Buy a couple of sets, alternate them. I can't remember the last time I charged anything for 12 hours. Don't have that kind of patience or time anymore.

patscc

[Terry Yager]

Yah, a week or so sounds about right, and ya, the lith batteries are better, almost double the running time, but they cost about double too. Handspring actually does recommend the Eveready E^2. For the cost of just a few sets tho, you can pick up a couple sets of NiMH, and swap-in the fresh ones while the other set is charging. Long run, it's the most economical with power hawgs.

--T

[NeXT]

Okay then, I guess I'll ahve to invest in two sets of rechargeable AAA batteries.