X3i & Battery Life [Archive] - Thoughts Media Forums

Mitch D

11-10-2003, 12:51 AM

In response to a few messages I have gotten in the last few days (since I bragged that my unit had shown up). I find the Axim X3i to be a very nice unit with only one draw back... Battery Life. As you have all heard from Jason and the crew the X3i has one draw back, The Battery, I would recommend that anyone who is thinking of ordering one also order the Extended Life Battery if you intend to play with WiFi alot (and why else would you order the X3"i"?)

The normal battery gives fairly decent times when in normal use or while playing games like "Warfare Inc." :wink:

Kevin C. Tofel

11-10-2003, 01:08 AM

Mitch D

11-10-2003, 01:32 AM

I agree that the "i" would be really purchased for the WiFi capability, but can you turn off the integrated WiFi to save battery life? And if you can, I would wonder how much more battery life would be gained....

KCT

Yes you can turn the WiFi off, thereis even a nifty little button on the lower right front of the face plate to do just that. I have not put the unit to the test yet to see what the battery life is with the Wifi turned on all the time verses it being off. Might be a good test to try at work tomorrow (I havn't get my WiFi network set up at home yet). I found the battery last a little less than my iPaq 3830 while playing Warfare Inc.

Numsquat

11-24-2003, 05:40 AM

By default the WiFI is off, you have to turn it on yourself.

WiFi does suck the battery down very quickly, the better screen brightness probably has some to do with it also. Bat life w/o WiFi isn't bad but nothing close to the X5's.

Brad Adrian

11-24-2003, 05:50 AM

I really like the idea of a hardware button for turning the WiFi radio on and off. Sometimes it just seems to take too long when you have to navigate onscreen to the controller software that some cards/radios use. What would be REALLY great is a device with WiFi, Bluetooth and phone capabilities that has a slider switch on the side that allows you to quickly change which wireless system is being used.

Janak Parekh

11-24-2003, 06:41 AM

Mitch D

11-28-2003, 02:57 AM

What would be REALLY great is a device with WiFi, Bluetooth and phone capabilities that has a slider switch on the side that allows you to quickly change which wireless system is being used.
But... how many positions would this slider have? ;)

--janak

The mind overloads at the sheer thought of the amount of positions some people would need for all thier devices!!!

David Prahl

12-05-2003, 04:05 AM

If all goes as planned, I'll be reviewing the X3i in the next few weeks. You can rest assured that I'll run a..um..."battery" of battery tests! :wink:

heavyg

12-12-2003, 03:22 AM

I have had my 3i for about 2 weeks now and overall I am very happy with it.

I was home today with my daughter (who has the flu) and I let her use it to websurf while she was racked out on the couch.

Since she has those young owl-type eyes I was able to turn the screen brightness down practically all the way (it was on the last "notch" before the light turns off completely) and she was still able to read the screen just fine. I could also see the screen but it would have been a strain for my middle-age eyes to read it for more than just a short time.

Anyway, she used the unit for just over 4 hours before the battery indicated just a 20% charge remaining. I was very surprised!!!

Is that just a fluke or has anyone experienced anything similar?

P.S. - My 3i has the normal capacity battery BTW