<sigh> cnet does it again

[rzanology]

While browsing, I ran into one of their headlines on the first page. "PDAs that play MP3s" You know I had to take a look. (http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-10166_7-5509233-1.html?tag=lnav)

What makes me think these people are starting to know even less about what they are talking about is this comment...."Still, we wouldn't recommend using a PDA as your only MP3 player since any type of multimedia functionality--music or video--will cause serious battery drain and could result in data loss from your handheld if you run out of juice and don't have a backup battery. "


What the hell is he talking about? This isn't 1999!!!!! When was the last time you've heard some one lose data because they drained their battery. Come on maaaan....some one reading this would be turned off from the 2215, thus running out and getting an ipod. And they'll never know what they are missing.

[Kati Compton]

What the hell is he talking about? This isn't 1999!!!!! When was the last time you've heard some one lose data because they drained their battery. Come on maaaan....some one reading this would be turned off from the 2215, thus running out and getting an ipod. And they'll never know what they are missing.
&lt;raises hand> :oops:

It's happened to me twice with my Axim. I've used it on the plane until I get the warning. When I arrive at my destination, I realize I forgot to pack my AC adapter. By the time I get home, and charge it, I have had a hard reset.

[hamishmacdonald]

I've had the opposite experience: my iPAQ 2210's battery went flat once (that's before I bought two spares), but the backup battery had preserved all my data.

It's because of reviews like these that people buy iPods, then try to jerry-rig them with notes applications and such into being PDAs.

[frankenbike]

AA Battery eliminators. Takes 4AA NiMH batteries, or if you want to use off the shelf Alkaline batteries, 3 Alkaline batteries plus a 5/16" allen bolt and cap nut. Charges as well as letting you listen to whatever for as long as you want.

[PatrickD]

It's happened to me twice with my Axim. I've used it on the plane until I get the warning. When I arrive at my destination, I realize I forgot to pack my AC adapter. By the time I get home, and charge it, I have had a hard reset.

Was your backup battery dead? My understanding was that the backup battery would maintain the memory, though I have never tried to find out for how long with my X5.

[Kati Compton]

It's happened to me twice with my Axim. I've used it on the plane until I get the warning. When I arrive at my destination, I realize I forgot to pack my AC adapter. By the time I get home, and charge it, I have had a hard reset.

Was your backup battery dead? My understanding was that the backup battery would maintain the memory, though I have never tried to find out for how long with my X5.
It was by the end of the trip. One trip was a week long, the other was a week and a half.

[PatrickD]

Hmmm that doesn't seem that long. I would have thought the backup battery would last longer, but I guess it depends on how fresh it is.

[Kowalski]

the backup battery is not meant to maintain your ram as your main battery reaches to 0%, its job is to maintain the ram just when you are switching the main battery with another one. thats why the backup batteries dont last so much.