Battery use on the Pocket PC

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://www.cewindows.net/faqs/battery.htm">http://www.cewindows.net/faqs/battery.htm</a><br /><br />CEWindows.net has an article on the Pocket PCs and battery life. Nothing terribly exciting in it, but it's a good introduction to some of the details surrounding battery life on the Pocket PC. I too wish that the 40% warning level was something that I, as the user, could adjust. It's also quite shocking how short the lifespan of the backup batteries is - they should keep a Pocket PC in a "dormant" but memory-retained state for 30 days, minimum.

[Harimwakairi]

I did it months ago. Helps a lot when I'm at the gym and using my Toshiba as an mp3 player. I replaced the popup window with just an audible warning - enough to let me know what's going on, but without the annoying pause in the music caused by a popup window. Just follow the instructions in this thread at brighthand:

http://discussion.brighthand.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=39593

[Jason Dunn]

You can adjust the warning "type", but not the level at which it triggers - 40% seems to be hard coded. :?

[Duncan]

Jason,

I don't think it can be hard coded. The Loox I had to test only gave a battery warning at 20% - none at 40% (as I drained the battery several times in testing I would definitely have seen it!).

[Jason Dunn]

I don't think it can be hard coded. The Loox I had to test only gave a battery warning at 20% - none at 40% (as I drained the battery several times in testing I would definitely have seen it!).

Sorry, by "hard coded" I mean something in the ROM that the user can't change. Remember that each OEM modifies the ROM image to add their own apps, etc. That's VERY nice that they changed it to 20%, but I don't believe I can do the same with my HP, Toshiba, or iPAQ...it would be nice to be wrong about this though. :-)

[Terry]

I think it would be great if PPCT had a list of the top ten or twenty PPC improvements we all want (a link from the main page going to a list with a discussion of each). Here are a few starters (starting with Jason's comments in this and other threads):

-Adjust the battery warning level and display/sound.
-30 days of backup battery in a dormant state.
-ActiveSync that allows multiple connections and selective syncs with each connection.

Some could be model specific:
-IPAQ Jog dial.
-IPAQ Removable battery.
-IPAQ Integrated CF Type II Slot
-IPAQ Flip cover.

The list, of course, would be controlled by Jason and would be in the spirit of PPC Thoughts (i.e., daily news, views, rants, and raves).