Beacon 5 Portable Power Solutions

[Jason Dunn]

Until fuel cells arrive, power will always be an issue with any PDA on the market. Beacon 5 offers some interesting solutions for power - they have <a href="http://www.beacon5.com/Products.htm">an assortment of products</a> for those of us looking for power solutions. The 'D' battery-based solutions mean they're not light, for the pedestal units are perfect for other rooms in the house where you don't want to have to mess with AC adaptors.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/beacon5.jpg" /> <br /><br />"As many of you have discovered, there is nothing more useless and frustrating than a Pocket PC with a depleted battery and no power plug in sight. Realizing your frustrations and understanding your need to keep your Pocket PC operating longer, Beacon 5 has created the Pocket Power Pak and other practical products to provide real solutions.<br /><br />The Pocket Power Pak may well be the most useful Pocket PC peripheral you can own, particularly if you are an 'avid user' of your handheld device, …or, if you want to add all those terrific, but power hungry, wireless accessories. Now you can have a real portable battery-based power pak behind your Pocket PC that can go anywhere you go! And when it's power gets low, re-charge by simply replacing the readily-available D-size batteries. It doesn't get any easier or quicker than that!"

[lderooy]

If you think you are handy, Dale COffing has some DIY battery extensions on www.pocketpcpassion.com with parts from the local Radio Shack store.

[seanturner]

Gosh, they're at bit pricy at $59 for their D-Cell solution for the iPaq... I was gonna buy one till I saw the price, choked and died...

[ECOslin]

I'm using a 4 AA pack as a spare, it's just a little clunky looking rectangular box with a power switch and cable. But, it's fairly lightweight and easy to pocket. D-cells have just a bit more weight, and it just might not be your idea of a pocketable option. This thing looks like a point-and-shoot camera bag. It ought to last.

Edward

[Doug Rausch]

I've made a 4 AA pack based on the DIY posts on pocketpcpassion. Not very expensive to make (I had most of the components in my parts bin) and it works great, all fits in a Hi8 video cassette container. It has helped me several times traveling on airlines and even just when working for extended periods away from an outlet. Well worth the look.

[dean_shan]

Gosh, they're at bit pricy at $59 for their D-Cell solution for the iPaq... I was gonna buy one till I saw the price, choked and died...
My thought exactly. I think I take this off my wishlist and read up on how to make my own.

[Pony99CA]

Gosh, they're at bit pricy at $59 for their D-Cell solution for the iPaq... I was gonna buy one till I saw the price, choked and died...
R.I.P., Sean. :vamp:

For those who are still with us, have you priced a removable battery for a Pocket PC? The Dell Axim removable battery (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=312-0073) is $59, and the HP 5450 slim removable battery (http://www.shopping.hp.com/cgi-bin/hpdirect/shopping/scripts/product_detail/product_detail_view.jsp?product_code=290484-B21&cat_level=3) is $80. If you use the iPAQ Plus sleeves, the slim battery (http://www.shopping.hp.com/cgi-bin/hpdirect/shopping/scripts/product_detail/product_detail_view.jsp?product_code=253512-B21&cat_level=3) is $50 and the extended battery (http://www.shopping.hp.com/cgi-bin/hpdirect/shopping/scripts/product_detail/product_detail_view.jsp?product_code=253514-B21&cat_level=3) is $100.

Steve

[Philip Colmer]

If you happen to be near an electrical supply of some sort (car, air, mains), there are alternatives that are "universal".

One of the newest is this one:

http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2898233,00.html

while an older design is available from Targus:

http://www.targus.com/accessories_power.asp

The Targus one isn't quite as universal as the first one, but they both have the same idea of using changeable tips for supplying the correct power to your device.

--Philip

[Jimmy Dodd]

This product reminds me of the old Mad magazine ad for the "Portable Battery Powered Battery Charger." It used eight D-cell batteries to provide power for recharging a single D-cell battery. :lol:

For those who are still with us, have you priced a removable battery for a Pocket PC? The Dell Axim removable battery is $59, and the HP 5450 slim removable battery is $80. If you use the iPAQ Plus sleeves, the slim battery is $50 and the extended battery is $100.

Add to that the iPaq 1910 battery for $49.

I would think the replacable batteries would be a good deal despite the price if you could charge them outside the unit (i.e. charge a battery in the cradle without having to park your PPC). I did see HP moving in this direction with an optional cradle that you can park and charge your iPaq and a spare battery at the same time. Of course it's not standard equipment.

[bluevolume]

Wow, all this talk about extra batteries and backup power sources make me feel bad for all you non-Dell users. :wink:

Blue

[axe]

The best 20 bucks I've spent on my iPAQ is for Seidio's 9V battery charger! It's about the same size as the 9V battery itself and for another $5 I got a car charger with it. EVERY variety store sells the battery, so you are never without power. In the Car on long trips it is fantastic just to plug it in and play your games, or actually work (while someone else is driving of course :) . You can even get different heads for not only your PPC, but cell phones and, dare I mention them here, Palms!
Worth every penny!