Amazing Axim's Battery Life

[cdcooker]

I listened 2 hours of WMA music continuously with headphone and screen off and the battery level dropped from 100% to 84%. This is a very very power saving PDA, even though I expect the battery will drain faster if I listened it with the built-in speaker. This is yet another reason I will recommend a Dell Axim X5.

[Rirath]

I'm starting to wish my Axim had an standard electrical outlet built into the back so I could plug in a few things and make use of all this extra battery. :D

[bluevolume]

I totally agree -- I am still having trouble believing how long I can go without charging, even under heavy use. I use my wifi connection all the time and have yet to run the battery dead (I always charge it at night). I would say that this X5 easily has 4x the battery life of my old 3835 with its extra-battery sleeve attached.

If they would just quit with those "Dude..." commercials. :evil:


Blue

[Sslixtis]

I agree the battery life on the Axim is fabulous, I have learned over Christmas vacation however, that I have the ability to drain a couple of batteries a day if I really try 8O

Having said all that, my High Capacity Extended battery is supposed to arrive today. Well, that is if UPS gets around to actually delivering it, they've been to my complex once today already but didn't deliver it, even though it is "out for delivery". :?

Cheers!

[Kevin C. Tofel]

I listened 2 hours of WMA music continuously with headphone and screen off and the battery level dropped from 100% to 84%. This is a very very power saving PDA, even though I expect the battery will drain faster if I listened it with the built-in speaker. This is yet another reason I will recommend a Dell Axim X5.

I agree, this is great battery life but (and I don't know if this is a Microsoft thing or a Dell thing): wouldn't it be nice to have an option where you can turn the display off when solely listening to music? I would expect that the battery life could be extended much more this way. I know you can have the backlight turn off in this situation, but I'm thinking of the whole display shutting off..... :wink:

[Jhokur2k]

I searched on usenet, because I remember there was mention of this, and I found the following via Google:

Ok, Just in case the other explanations didn't get it done for you here's a
Click-By-Click explanation:
1. Turn on WMP
2. Tap: Tools>Options (this will open a new screen)
3. The first choice "Select Function" has a cascade menu attached, click
the down arrow to open the choices (it's red because it's the 'active' first
step
4. In the choices tap "Screen Toggle"
5. Notice that step 2 "Press Hardware Button" is red now: (it's the active
step now) Press any hardware button to assign Screen Toggle to that button

That's it, you're done. This is effective only while WMP is running, if you
turn off WMP the button goes back to what ever else it's assigned to. Note,
WMP does not have to be active for this to work. I use it all the time in
conjunction with Audible Player in the following manner.
Start WMP
Start AudiblePlayer
Begin Audible program play
Click hardware button assigned as above --> screen blanks

To toggle screen back on simply hit the screen toggle button again

Maybe a good use for the D-Pad click? :)

[Kevin C. Tofel]

Jhokur2k - You're the best!!!! I had to slightly modify the instructions you found, but I was able to easily gain this functionality. My guess is that the instructions on Usenet are for a version of WMP prior to 8.5 (which is what I have on my Dell Axim).

Modified instructions for WMP 8.5:

1. Turn on WMP
2. Tap: Tools>Settings>Buttons (this will open a new screen)
3. The first choice "Select Function" has a cascade menu attached, click
the down arrow to open the choices (it does not become red) and choose "Screen Toggle"
4. Pick a button on your device by pressing it (I used the "down scoll" on my jog wheel) and you will see the button name appear in the second choice "Button Mapping" next to the "Screen Toggle" choice. You have just assigned a hardware button to "Screen Toggle".

NOTE: There is an check box option to "Un-map buttons during background play". When I left this unchecked, the screen toggle function remained active on my jog dial, even when I was in another application (MS Reader, in this case). Check the check-box and the Screen Toggle function will only be mapped within WMP.

Thanks!
:lol:

[laser]

I purchased a program to turn my screen off called, guess what, Screen Off. I wanted this so I could listen to audio books, music or even when syncing via usb cable away from the office.

I found that the option in WMP worked great but only for that program. Screen Off was only $2.99 or so and it works regardless the program I am using.

Disclamer: I do not sell or am in any way connected to the above mentioned software. (I just really like it.) :)

[dcantrel]

so far I have been amazed with the X5's battery, I have ued it for around 7-8 hours at a time with an SMC 802.11b wireless card in it and still have 54% battery, surfing the web and telnetting into servers. My old Maestro and iPag 36xx's could only manage about 2 hours or so doing the same stuff. Unreal.

Dave