How long does your PDA run?

[ECOslin]

Audiovox said in the specifications of my Maestro should work for 8 hours.
I actually have been getting less than 3 hours. Does it last your business day?

What did your manufacturer say, and what did you get?

(very non-scientific poll)

[ECOslin]

I like my IBM z50 Handheld (mini-CE notebook) because it has a keyboard, 640x480 screen, 48mb ram, CF and PCMCIA, built-in 33.6 modem, cost around $300, 2 AAAs for backup, and has a main battery life of 16 hours with, what I use, the double batterypack.

I like my Audiovox Maestro for it's size, operating system PocketPC 2002(which goes with the ability to run most current software), CF and SD memory sockets, 32mb ram, cost slightly more than $300, speaker that sounds at least half ok.

Negatives are, the z50 does basic 'Office' functions, but WinCE2.? doesn't cut it anymore for current software.

Negatives for the Maestro are battery life.(<3 hours run time)(8 hours standby though without third party external battery pack) No separate backup battery, IR works out to only 6ft or so, cradle waking and CF insertion waking.

All I can think of at the moment.

Edward

[Wiggin]

Ed
It is very hard to get an apples-to-apples comparison result when talking about battery life on PPCs. There are many factors which impact battery life, including:
- Screen Brightness (very large impact)
- External items being powered (e.g. an IBM CF Microdrive is a huge drain)
- Amount of time a user goes "beyond" the PPC battery warning
- Recharge behavior

I use a 3850, and can get as much as 7 hours and as few as 2, depending on how I am using it. It's a noble cause to learning about battery life comparisons, but it requires a bit more detail in the request for info. 8)

[ECOslin]

The Maestro has a short 'usage' period of battery life already, I've got the 'frontlight' set to 'low-bright' already. I use it down to the last 15mins or when the 'I'm low of power' warning gets too intrusive. I've not had a noticeable drain of power with or without my CF cards. And it charges in the synchronization base, at whenever I dock it.

I'm not in favor of 'Crusoe' type, isn't running at full power and probably never does, chips. I was, until I heard dis-appointing rants.

I'm in favor of the new low power lcd types, I've heard and not really seen yet.(must remember to fly to Vegas sometime for Comdex or whatever, Yeah, right, money.)

I like the newer thinner surface mount circuit boards where chips and tracings are sprayed on the substrate.(substrate being the closest word to what I wanted, like a medium, canvas or recieving surface).

I wonder about the new fuel cell batteries that run for a month and then are replaced. I can imagine a little steam engine funnel puffing condensate from the top of my pda.

I want my PDA to be able to do more, I like the concept of my PDA having a phone or wireless internet. I start thinking of Space 1999 where they had door 'keys' that opened airlock doors by radio or whatever. I'd like my PDA to be able to unlock my car and for me to be able to program stuff in my car to do when it's raining, like open the door whilst I run up to it, or not turn on the overhead light all the time, but turn on the radio instead.

I had imagined my Maestro as being able to work as a Walkman player while I walk, now that I have it, I'm not satisfied that it could really do that job.

I still do more work on my IBM z50 handheld than I'm doing on the Maestro. I've used the Maestro for shopping lists, but the z50 has a keyboard with which I've been doing Excel spreadsheets.

Apples Oranges and Tomatoes.

Edward

(PS)still looking for repair and assembly documentation for the Maestro for parts research and Angry Scientist upgrades.