h4155 + 3600mAh (FA197A) extended battery = paper weight

[Constant Caffeine]

This is just my luck. I ordered an iPAQ h4155 and extended battery directly from HP just before Thanksgiving. I received it less than an hour ago. There was a discussion thread about the 3600mAh extended battery and it’s use with the h2200. HP’s website indicates that it is for both the h2200 and h4100 series.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/cgi-bin/hpdirect/shopping/scripts/product_detail/product_detail_view.jsp?product_code=FA197A%23AC3&script_name=product.cgi

Someone, who I would like to thank, posted several pictures of their 3600mAh on their iPAQ h2200. I directed the HP sales person to Pocket PC Thoughts and the tread in question to show them those pictures and the picture of the backside of the h4155. The sales person told me that he was 100% sure it would fit the h4100 series.

Let me make this perfectly clear, the 3600mAh battery will not fit into an iPAQ h4155. At this point, it is only intended for the h2200 series.

I thought by purchasing everything from HP they would know the most about their product. Boy was I wrong. They make an 1800mAh extended battery, but that is it. In case you want to know the item number is FA192A and it retails for $59.99.

I’m returning the extended 3600mAh battery and buying two of the 1800mAh. The only good thing from this is that with the 1800mAh battery it will not add to the thickness of the iPAQ.

If that didn’t scare you from doing business directly with HP, HP also has a promotion. If you buy a new iPAQ and one HP brand accessory, you will receive a 128MB Secure Digital card for free. Keep this in mind too, the order will ship for free and be delivered within 7 days. If you want it delivered next business day it will cost $82. If you want it delivered in two business days it will cost $56. I think this is how they make up for the other free shipments.

I’ll keep everyone posted on the outcome of the 1800mAh batteries they are sending me.

[[email protected]]

on a more positive note, i just bought my 4150 from HP's site, and after my discount for education (college student) and a $50 discount coupon that they had for filling out their survey, I bought mine for $349.00.

back to your post, are you sure the 1800mah battery sits flush with the 4150? I want to verify thisbefore i purchase it.

[WyattEarp]

I guess this also explains why their site has miss named products. I did a search for extended batteries for the h5555 and among the batteris that came up was an extended battery for the expansion pack. The thing is it was listed as an extended battery for the h5400/h5500 iPAQs. :?

[shawnc]

I'm with [email protected], are you certain that the 1800 battery fits flush on the 4100? I'd be willing to pay $60 if it didn't add to the size.

Either way, thanx for the info.

[JPack]

I've learned not to trust HPShopping.com. A while ago when I was shopping for a notebook, I realized that HPShopping made several mistakes in their specs. They indicated that a certain notebook had dedicated video memory when it was evident that the video chipset (ATI IGP) was integrated. I guess the only excuse is that HPShopping is a subsidiary and is somewhat independent of HP.

As the one who posted reasons (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=20855&start=40) why the 3600 mAH battery would not fit the h4100, I also emailed HPShopping and HP about the issue - along with URL to the thread. Seeing as it only took me about 20 seconds - looking at the photos - to realize the battery would not fit, I expected the HP guys to respond saying that they would correct the error. Instead, I got a runaround response. They "answered" my question with

>Please note that, the batteries for H2200 and H4100 are not the same.
>
>Hence, the battery of H2200 is not compatible with H4100 and vice versa.
and

>Thank you for contacting Hewlett-Packard.
>
>The iPAQ 4100 series will use the FA191A#AC3 Slim Battery. The iPAQ
>2200 series can use the FA110A#AC3 Battery.

when my question was (1) whether the FA197A#AC3 extended battery would fit the h4100, (2) why the photos showed a physical impossibility of those two products being used together and, (3) why HPShopping.com indicated the battery was for the h2200/h4100 series. They answered some phantom question they I thought I was asking - it was like talking to a wall. After getting the same kind of email response four times, I simply gave up.

[JPack]

back to your post, are you sure the 1800mah battery sits flush with the 4150? I want to verify thisbefore i purchase it. The 1800 mAH extended battery for the h4100 does not sit flush with the iPaq. It adds quite a bulge to the back of the unit.

There were some pictures of the extended battery installed onto the unit at http://discussion.brighthand.com/showthread.php?s=d47a8df45c05a46eaeba40753f827729&threadid=93180&highlight=extended
Unfortunately, some people started making impolite comments about the size of the thing and the poster became irratated and removed the photos.

[[email protected]]

I admit that is pretty frustrating. I have'nt had a reason to call them directly in a long time, my experience is pretty old. I just stand behind the company, because of theirhistory of standing behind their products and supporting them after termination of the production run. They apparently do need to pull their head out of their butt and make sure the information on the web site is accurate (and easy to find). it took me awhile to try to getto the specs page of the extended battery. I know they have a huge product offering, but, geesh, you think that getting to the product that you want to buy would be of utmost importance. :roll: