Everything with a battery should have an off switch

Post by Saris » Mon, May 09, 2022, 9:15 PM UTC

hunter2_ wrote: post #477

kornhole wrote: post #460

I like to walk into cell phone stores and ask if they have any phones with an off switch. These are of course rare and only sold by niche companies like Pine and Purism. Everything else just looks like it is off while it is still transmitting in low energy mode.

Wait... If I power off (not sleep) a typical phone, it still transmits? I know there's the baseband processor that does its own thing, but I would've thought the userland "off" state shuts that off, along with everything else except for whatever watches the power button and battery charging.

Post by BugWatch » Mon, May 09, 2022, 9:16 PM UTC

progbits wrote: post #119

narag wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have this ultracheap made-in-China big kitchen clock, with a single AA that I've replaced twice in eight years. I don't buy expensive batteries, more like in line with the clock. It has second hand (the kind that doesn't tick but appears to move uniformly) so there is some extra mechanical work.

I think the quality is hit and miss, even with premium batteries. I had enough devices damaged or entirely ruined by a leaked battery so now I remove them from anything not actively used. If anyone knows a reliable model for AA/AAA cells that will absolutely not leak when left unused in a device for year+ I would love to hear it.

Post by Zak » Mon, May 09, 2022, 9:20 PM UTC

titzer wrote: post #434

Zak wrote: post #414

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was a valid point. There's a significant performance/weight reason most of the devices with non-removable batteries and built-in charging are using Li-ion instead of NiMH. Getting a bunch of consumers used to buying spare Li-ion cells and using external chargers might be a non-starter, but it's possible to have both onboard charging and removable cells so the upgrade path is there for those who want it.

I've had a series of Canon powershot cameras that have all used more-or-less the same Li-ion cell design[1] and I've been able to swap batteries with them. They're big enough that third parties have even offered replacement batteries. There is probably room for standardization of a compact, rectangular, rechargeable battery of roughly those dimensions. Is someone pushing for it? [1] https://www.apotelyt.com/camera-po…

Post by ClumsyPilot » Mon, May 09, 2022, 9:23 PM UTC

wpearse wrote: post #482

progbits wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the quality is hit and miss, even with premium batteries. I had enough devices damaged or entirely ruined by a leaked battery so now I remove them from anything not actively used. If anyone knows a reliable model for AA/AAA cells that will absolutely not leak when left unused in a device for year+ I would love to hear it.

We switched to buying USB-rechargeable AA/AAA lithium ion batteries. The brand we buy is Pale Blue, but there are many other brands. These batteries have a regular form factor, with an added micro USB (and USB C on some larger battery sizes) port for recharging. They work really well for us and charge quickly (and conveniently — everything has a USB socket nowadays). The price may seem expensive, but after 10 or so c…

Post by diegof79 » Mon, May 09, 2022, 9:26 PM UTC

priteau wrote: post #508

diegof79 wrote: post #506

Example in front of me: the MacBook Pro. At some point when Apple introduced the touchbar someone decided that you don’t need to truly turn it off… and it automatically turns on when you press a key. Meaning that you can’t cleanup the keyboard without draining the battery first. (I tried looking for undocumented configs to turn this off… for years -well more or less since 2017)

There are utilities to help with this problem: https://daringfireball.net/linked/2021/06/04/keyboardcleanto...