Mobility versus battery life- what’s your sweet spot?
We are seeing so many different types of mobile devices hitting the market, no question it’s a great time to be a mobile worker. Among the many choices that mobile consumers have to make is how to handle battery life with these devices. Dead devices don’t help us very much when we are out in the field and battery life can be an obsession for that reason. This is especially true for owners of UMPCs and Tablet PCs, devices that are designed to be light and thin and easy to use in the hands. Most OEMs now offer multiple battery options to address the need for juice and it’s important for the end-user to carefully consider how they work and determine which battery option will offer the most bang for the buck.
Many devices can be outfitted with extended batteries and depending on how the consumer works these can be a real boon for providing the type of battery life that can get them through the day. The key is how much additional bulk and weight these batteries add. Devices that are used in the hands are particularly vulnerable to becoming too big and too heavy to be used comfortably so a decision to use one of these larger batteries can have far-reaching implications to the user experience. Most of these batteries take two forms, a larger battery that replaces the standard battery, usually sticking out of the device by an inch or so, and slice batteries (mostly on Tablet PCs) that snap onto the bottom or back of the device. These are typically pretty thin and cover the entire back of the device. Slice batteries are nice as they only add a little thickness to the device so they can be handled easily by the user. The question of how suitable these slices are in the long run lies in how much extra weight they add. It’s been my experience that once a device starts to get too heavy to use for long periods comfortably then the user experience has been compromised too much.
A case in point is the new HP 2710p Tablet PC that has an optional slice battery. This is a very thin battery that fits on the bottom of the convertible and provides a whopping 6-10 hours of battery life in conjunction with the internal battery. This battery can make it possible to get through a whole day without charging and that is very nice when you don’t have to worry about swapping batteries or finding a power outlet. Unfortunately this battery adds 1.24 lbs. to the weight of the device which takes it from a barely manageable 3.7 pounds to a monster at 4.94 pounds. This is simply too heavy for me personally, I don’t want to carry a 5 pound device in my hands for much of the day. The mobile device becomes far less mobile at this weight, at least for me.
The same is true for UMPCs, many that weigh in at 2 pounds or less, a weight that is quite appropriate for a device that will be used in the hands much of the time. Add a 1- 1.5 pound extended battery and that mobility is compromised if you tend to use the device in your hands for extended periods like I do. I acknowledge that every user is different, I’m just speaking from the perspective of what works for me. I need the device to be light enough that it stays comfortable for hours of use.
Since I need the lightest device I can carry around, I usually opt for carrying an extra battery or two in my bag and swapping it in when I need it. This keeps the handheld device as light as possible for prolonged usage and yet keeps my back covered with ample power. I don’t mind carrying extra weight in my bag, it’s my hands that thank me at the end of the day for keeping the device as light as possible.
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For me, a standard or slightly oversized battery that will give me a minimum of 5 hours of real-world usage would be the “sweet spot”. The extended battery on the P1610 fits the bill very nicely – I don’t mind the extra size and weight, and if I swap out with the standard battery I can get through most days.
The extended battery on my Q1 is almost there. If I had a pair of them I’d be set for most outings. With the standard battery as a backup it leaves me a bit short at the end of the day though.
And now I just picked up a Sony UX380, and am hit again with the big question: do I buy another proprietary extended battery, or switch to a 3rd party solution like the ones from Battery Geek? The extended battery wins for convenience, but it gets expensive buying them for every new device. My days are spent more often in conference rooms than on my feet walking around, so tapping into a power source in my bag wouldn’t be that big of an issue and would save having to string power adapters across the floor at every meeting. This also has the advantag of keeping the device light in the hands, but it does mean that when I am truly mobile I’m limited to the standard battery.
One big problem I have with using multiple batteries is that unless you have an external charger it’s tough keeping both batteries charged up and ready to use. I took my Q1 to the Microsoft SharePoint Connections conference last year and it was always a fight to be first to the one or two outlets in a conference room. That meant that at the end of most days both batteries were drained and I had to plug in the machine with the std battery installed as soon as I got back to my room so by the time I was ready for bed I could switch to the extended battery and let it charge overnight. An external battery charger would help a lot in situations where you are 95% mobile for several days in a row and can only charge at night.
I agree with the 2 lb’s or less on UMPC’s. I have the extended battery on the Q1 and it feels significantly heavier than with the standard 3 cell. I’m still exclusively using the 6 cell since it gives me around 3-4 hours of real use.
I do have the Tekkeon 3400 external battery in case I run out of juice, but that’s added weight to my bag.
I would love 5 hours and less than 2 lb’s. So far only UMPC’s with AMD Geode processors can reach that number but those processors are very slow..
I had the same dilemma as Dave. I had to decide what to do battery-wise. My X60 tablet running Vista has both the 8 cell battery and the 4 cell. I find that I have only used the 8 cell once or twice — it’s too heavy, sticks too far out the side of the tablet (though it does provide a convenient “handle” for carrying and holding), and doesn’t have enough juice to last a whole day.
My solution: I picked up a BatteryGeek battery with the USB charger. It feels about as heavy as carrying the 8 cell plus the wall adapter. I use it by plugging in my tablet when moving between meetings while the tablet is in sleep mode (I digress for a moment – Vista’s latest 4 hotfixes for sleep problems and the 2 reliability patches have *finally* allowed me to reliably sleep and wake up throughout the day – what a timesaver!). If I’m in a really long meeting and see the battery is running low, I can discreetly pull the battery charging cord out of my briefcase and plug in the tablet to keep working.
As an added benefit, the USB port on the battery can charge any of my devices that are running low on power, and I can be charging that device while charging my tablet. (I just had a thought – I wonder if I plugged in one of those little self-powered USB hubs, could I charge multiple devices at the same time?? I’ll have to try that out…..) The advantages of the BatteryGeek battery (or any similar battery, I’m sure) are that I can get through a whole day of running around without having to worry about power, I don’t have to worry about holding a too-heavy tablet, and I don’t have to find/be near/fight for a wall plug. Highly recommended!
I find my Q1′s 6-cell battery is almost perfect for me. I get more than 4 hours with my usage, and the added weight doesn’t make the UMPC more difficult to carry. I’d love to get another how or two out of it for a greater margin for delays or emergencies, though.
— Steve
To Dave-
This might just be me, but I use two extended batteries for the UX and that really gets me through an entire day without charging. Same is true for the p1610. Depending on what kind of day it is, I take one of the computers and two batteries and I am set. No more iGo charger in my purse for me. I keep one in the car, just in case, but I haven’t really needed it. Now, charging each battery requires being in the computer which is a pain, but I deal.
To address the original question I really wish there was a 6.5 hour battery “real” time use. I could probably just get away with no charging if I had a battery that lasted that long.
I would like to average 8-9 hours of battery life. That said, I *hate* slice style batteries, because I don’t like the angle/tilt they add when you’re carrying the system.
I would prefer an option of a flat module and/or a tilt format.
Same here with Dave, got the Tekkeon MP3400 for my Sony UX-27. It gets me thru the day and I’m happy.
I’d take less performance in favor of more battery life. I got tired of buying a second battery for every TPC I own and bought a brick. They’re great for charging on the go. I drop my TPC in its bag and plug it into the brick and the TPC charges while I’m not using it. When I get home I plug the brick in overnight and I’m good to go in the morning.
The battery in my Acer c110 TPC is heaaaaavy. I simple leave it home when I go for a trip. You can always find an electric plug anywhere you stay for the night. As for UMPC, that’s another story because we need to use it while on the road.
One thing I believe is that UMPC must be very light. So why not cut the battery away? Taking off the battery from your UMPC and you would be surprised how light it is to be. Now, how can a UMPC live without a battery? It can, by carrying a power bank in your backpack and plug in through a wire. It is a big compromise but surely you will get a very light UMPC.
@Eddie–I don’t know which model for that usb charger. Can you tell me the model name? Thnaks.
Chow, about that backpack stuff, you’re spot on.
Idea is, why don’t we go further than that, that is by stuffing the machine and the power source in the backpack, which leaves only the HID on your hand. Think about less than 500grams, 15mm thin, 10-14″ tablet (wired and inconvenient yes, but i thought you’d like this idea since you’ve mentioned “wire”). It’s even possible to go wireless with this idea, but it’s just not easy for now.
Again, it’s not for everyone, but i think many people may benefit from holding a lighter device. Key is, our back is much stronger in bearing burden than our hands…
Put simply any mobile device has to last a working day: for UMPC’s/Tablets/Laptops that is 8hrs, for mobile phones I add the commute as well. I have no problems charging everyday but 8 hrs is the holy grail for me. Another aside, as a UMPC user on the weight sweet spot – it is all about 500g in slate form (keyboard is not an issue for me).