PDA Battery Life - Extended Replacement Battery Technology

Battery Education

2006-06-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

We have recreated this Blog and have moved URLs over to www.BatteryEducation.com. All the articles have now been moved please visit www.BatteryEducation.com for more articles about batteries. We will be updating exisitng articles and posting new articles at www.BatteryEducation.com.

Thank you

Integrated Power Management Circuits

2006-03-28T06:37:00.000-08:00

Integrated Power Management Circuits protects against over-voltage, and under-voltage conditions and they maximize battery life between charges, minimize charging times, and improve overall battery life.

Discussing internal battery design would be incomplete if we did not write on the subject of integrated circuits. Batteries that can be bought at BatteryShip.com for PDAs, MP3s, Digital Cameras, and Laptops have designed within them integrated power management circuits that insure that the deliverance of reliable power is properly managed. Without these power management integrated circuits even fine tuned handhelds will exhibit problems such as over-voltage, and under-voltage conditions. Incidentally, overcharging is potentially a very dangerous problem. Overcharging is the state of charging a battery beyond its electrical capacity, which can lead to a battery explosion, leakage, or irreversible damage to the battery. It may also cause damage to the charger or device in which the overcharged battery is later used.

But let us take a step back a moment to build a platform with which to discuss power management integrated circuits. At its most basic level an integrated circuit in general is a miniaturized electronic circuit. An electrical circuit is a network that has a closed loop, giving a return path for current. The goals of integrated circuits are multifaceted, for example when designing for signal processing integrated circuits apply a predefined operation on potential differences (measured in volts) or currents (measured in amperes). Typical functions for such electrical networks are amplification, oscillation and analog linear algorithmic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, differentiation and integration.

For batteries the use of integrated circuits with the goal of power management is integrated battery management which include voltage regulation and charging functions. Power management integrated circuits offer other key benefits as well including maximizing battery life between charges, minimize charging times, and improve battery life.

The other critical aspect of power management integrated circuits is their functioning design to detect and monitor voltage levels in batteries. When certain parameter thresholds are exceeded or dangerous conditions exist, these “supervisory circuits” react through a programmable logic design to protect the monitored system and correct problems as programmed. Supervisory circuits are known by a variety of names, including battery monitors, power supply monitors, supply supervisory circuits and reset circuits. They perform critical functions including power-on-reset (POR) protection to ensure that processors always start at the same address during power-up. Without POR, even well-functioning systems can exhibit problems during power-up, power-down, overvoltage, and undervoltage conditions.

A real example of a battery pack protector circuit is a Texas Instrument two-cell lithium-ion (Li-Ion) and lithium-polymer (Li-Pol) battery pack protector device. The device’s primary function is to protect both Li-Ion and Li-Pol cells in a two-cell battery pack from being either over-charged (over-voltage) or over-discharged (under-voltage). It employs a precision band-gap voltage reference that is used to detect when either cell is approaching an over-voltage or under-voltage state. When on-board logic detects either condition, the series FET (field effect transistor) switch opens to protect the cells. (Side bar: a FET is a transistor that uses an electric field to control the conductivity of a particlular 'channel' in a semiconductor material. FETs at times are used as voltage-controlled resistors).

I won’t be getting anymore technical as this topic is better left to engineers. But suffice to say power management integrated circuits are a critical design aspect of your handheld battery. Without these integrated circuits your handheld device would have stopped working a long while back.

Until next time

What is A Battery?

2006-03-10T06:49:00.000-08:00

A battery is a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. Batteries have two electrodes, an anode (the positive end) and a cathode (the negative end). In between the battery’s two electrodes runs an electrical current caused primarily from a voltage differential between the anode and cathode. The voltage runs through a chemical called an electrolyte (which can be either liquid or solid). This battery consisting of two electrodes is called a voltaic cell.

The first inclination that an electrical path-way from an anode to a cathode within a battery or in this first instance “a frog” occurred in 1786, when Count Luigi Galvani (an Italian anatomist, 1737-1798) found that when the muscles of a dead frog were touched by two pieces of different metals, the muscle tissue twitched.

This led to idea by Count Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta (Feb. 18, 1745- March 5, 1827), an Italian physicist who realized that the twitching was caused by an electrical current that was created by chemicals. Volta’s discovery led to the invention of the chemical battery (also called the voltaic pile) in 1800. His first voltaic piles were made from zinc and silver plates (separated by a cloth) put in a salt water bath. Volta improved the pile, using zinc and copper in a weak sulfuric acid bath and thus invented the first generator of continuous electrical current.

In 1820, the French physicist André-Marie Ampère discovered many of the laws governing the relationship between electricity and magnetism, along with how a battery works. Ampere found that electrical current move through conductors, and that electrical charges flow from one electrode to the other. Ampere invented the astatic needle, which detected electrical currents.

In an interesting side bar regarding Ampère and Volta:

From Volta’s work we get the Volt - or V – which is an electrical measure of energy potential. For example you can think of energy potential as the pressure being exerted by all the electrons of a PDA Battery’s negative terminal as they try to move to the positive terminal.

From Ampère’s work we get Amps - or A – which is measures the volume of electrons passing through a wire in a one second. One Amp equals 6.25 x 1018 electrons per second.

From both Volts and Amps we get the formula for a battery’s full potential measured in Watts: Volts x Amps = Watts. Watts are important because a watt represents the electrical energy spent by a battery (power generator) and used by an electrical device. Watts in effect is the measure of the amount of work done by certain amperage (amount) of electric current at a certain pressure or voltage.

The batteries we use today are simply variations of the early battery or voltaic pile. Today’s battery’s are made up of plates of reactive chemicals separated by barriers, being polarized so all the electrons gather on one side. The side that all the electrons gather on becomes negatively charged, and the other side becomes positively charged. Connecting a device creates a current and the electrons flow through the device to the positive side. At the same time, an electrochemical reaction takes place inside the batteries to replenish the electrons.

The effect is a chemical process that creates electrical energy with one downside: about 80 percent of the energy put into batteries is lost through this process.

Though the battery maybe inefficient we still need the battery, especially battery replacements that are inexpensive. We are power hungry consumers. We like our power and lot’s of it. Lithium-ion batteries (Li-ions) are generally considered the most powerful, offering the same energy as nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, with 20 to 30 percent less weight. They are expensive compared to older battery technologies, but are valued for high-power portable applications, such as laptops, cell phones, and PDAs.

Until next time

Battery Voltage

2006-03-02T10:44:00.000-08:00

What is battery voltage? I think we talk around the real definition so much we actually begin to believe that we understand what it means when in reality we do not. Even I was just commenting to my wife that I wish I paid more attention while I was in my college electronic classes so that I too could understand the very basics of voltage . For my benefit as well as yours let us go back to the basics of what battery voltage really means and how the work it conducts inside your battery affects the other technical factors of your battery.

Italian physicist Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta (February 18, 1745 - March 5, 1827) grew up with a passion for electricity. In 1775 he devised the electrophorus, a device that produced a static electric charge. In 1776-77 he studied the chemistry of gases, discovered methane, and devised experiments such as the ignition of gases by an electric spark in a closed vessel. In 1800 he developed the voltaic pile, a forerunner of the electric battery, which produced a steady electric current.

Creating a cell, a wine goblet filled with brine into which the two dissimilar electrodes were dipped, Volta placed together several pairs of alternating copper (or silver) and zinc discs separated by cloth and soaked the cloth in brine (salt water) to increase conductivity, and an electrical current was produced. The electric pile ultimately replaced the goblets with cardboard soaked in brine. The number of cells, and thus the voltage the electric pile could produce, was limited by the pressure, and exerted by the upper cells that would squeeze all of the brine out of the cardboard of the bottom cell.
The electric pile was the first electric battery.

In 1881 the electrical unit we know today, the volt, was named in Volta’s honor.

From the first battery, mentioned above, we can derive a definition of voltage as:

Volts - or V - are an electrical measure of energy potential.

Voltage can also be thought of as the amount of "pressure" of electrons that pass from a negative connector to a positive connector. Or V can be defined as the measure of the strength of an electrical source of power for a given current level. Voltage can also be defined as Electrical Potential difference - a quantity in physics related to the amount of energy that would be required to move an object from one place to another against various types of force. In the fields of electronics the electrical potential difference is the amount of work per charge needed to move electric charge from the second point to the first, or equivalently, the amount of work that unit charge flowing from the first point to the second can perform.

Mathematically it is measured by V= I x R; where V=Voltage, I=Current, R=Resistance.

Beyond the definition what challenges many is the confusion that a battery contains four unique types of voltage measurements. Each voltage measurement type residing in a battery effects battery life.

Float Voltage – is battery voltage at zero current (with battery disconnected).
Nominal Voltage – is battery voltage range 3.7V, 5.2V, 10.2V, 12V etc that says that a voltage range exists depending on the number of cells in the battery. For example a 12 Volt battery is made of 6 cells and has a Float voltage of about 12V.
Charge Voltage - The voltage of a battery while charging.
Discharge Voltage - The voltage of a battery while discharging. Again, this voltage is determined by the charge state and the current flowing in the battery.

Here are a few examples of how the voltage types measurments interact with one another in the same battery:

Number of Cells	Nominal Voltage	Fully-Charged Float Voltage	Fully-Discharged Float Voltage	Discharge Voltage at Ah/20	Charge Voltage at Ah/5
1	2	2.15	1.9	2.0 - 1.7	2.1 - 2.30
6	12	12.9	11.4	12 - 10.2	12.6 - 13.8
12	24	25.8	22.8	24 - 20.4	25.2 - 27.6

What is Battery Capacity

2006-03-01T10:19:00.000-08:00

Batteries die! It is a natural phenomena that occurs when the useful life of a battery reaches the point of of no longer holding a charge. There are technical reasons why batteries degrade and lose their ability to power a device that include: declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and premature voltage cut-off on discharge.

Today I want to write about battery capacity and its impact within the design of a battery.

What is Battery Capacity?

Battery capacity is a reference to the total amount of energy stored within a battery. Battery capacity is rated in Ampere-hours (AH), which is the product of:

AH= Current X Hours to Total Discharge

The capacity is normally tested or compared with a time of 20 hours and at a temperature of 68F (20C).

Five Factors that Govern Battery Capacity

Physical Size - the amount of capacity that can be stored in the casing of any battery depends on the volume and plate area of the actual battery. The more volume and plate area the more capacity you can actually store in a battery.

Temperature - capacity, energy store decreases as a battery gets colder. High temperatures also have an effect on all other aspects of your battery.

Cut off Voltage - To prevent damage to the battery and the device batteries have an internal mechanism that stops voltage called the cut-off voltage, which is tpically limited to 1.67V or 10V for a 12 Volt battery. Letting a battery self-discharge to zero destroys the battery.

Discharge rate - The rate of discharge, the rate at which a battery goes from a full charge to the cut off voltage measured in amperes. As the rate goes up, the capacity goes down.

Battery History - Deep discharging, excessive cycling, age, over charging, under charging, all reduce capacity. Note charging your battery 1 time will reduce capacity as much as 15%-20% depending on your battery's chemistry.

Until next time

How Long will My iPod Video Play?

2006-02-16T09:58:00.000-08:00

Is it true the ipod video (fifth gen ipod) will hold a charge for up to 20 hours? Let's see!

First of all the legal fine print on Apple's iPod page explicitly refers to the 60 Gb iPod Video only being able to play (hold a charge in the battery) up to 20 hours. I would bet with all of its legal woes on the horizon this claim from Apple that the "new iPod boasts up to 20 hours of battery life, five hours more than before" is legally valid in a controlled test environment.

But consumers don't live in a controlled test environment, which is why I would not be surprised if your new ipod video (fifth gen ipod) will NOT hold a charge for 20 hours.

The legal keyword here is "up to". So even if the battery lasts an hour Apple is legally covered!

On the new 5th Generation iPod battery performance has to now be measured with: music playback, photo playback, and video playback (on iPod screen or through a TV).

Apple claims that the new 30GB iPod will play music for 14 hours, photo and music slideshows for 3 hours, and iPod on-screen video for 2 hours. In a iLounge test they found that the new iPod Video played music for 15 hours and 30 minutes, photo slideshows for 2 hours and 32 minutes, on-iPod video for 2 hours and 10 minutes, and iPod-to-TV video for 3 hours and 10 minutes.

Apple also claims that the new 60GB iPod will play music for 20 hours, photo and music slideshows for 4 hours, and video for 3 hours. Again in In a iLounge test they found that the new iPod Video played music for 19 hours, 50 minutes, but exceeded Apple’s photo and video claims, playing a music photo slideshow for 4 hours, 47 minutes, iPod-screen video for 3 hours, 23 minutes, and on-TV video for a hefty 5 hours and 24 minutes.

But everyone may experience slightly different battery life play times. For example here is a situation from a user quoted from the Apple fourms:

"It is clear that when you use the click wheel a lot, you assume that your battery life gets smaller quickly. I had a problem with my ipod 5G 30Gb battery life : Firstly, I charged it (as soon as i received it) until the plug icon appeared on the screen (1h 30mn) . Then I listened music 'til it was fully discharged. The battery life was approximately 8hrs. Then, this battery life decreased to 5hrs last day. I called Applecare ; the guy told me to restore my ipod, then to let it discharge fully, and to refill it for 4 hrs even if the plug icon appear on the ipod screen. After that, I synchronized ipod to itunes and let it play allnight long to see the battery life now. It played music with default settings during 15hrs 'til it shut down. These are the Apple specifications for that ipod. My problem wasn't the battery, but the battery life calibration, which has not been done as it should."

The reality is all batteries including batteries designed specifically for iPods (regardless of generation) have a certain amount of capacity and once the full amount of the capacity has been used then your battery will stop working. This is the normal function of battery designs.

In fact consider this taken from Apple iPod Warranty Care: "Your one year warranty includes replacement coverage for a defective battery. You can extend your coverage to two years with AppleCare Protection Plan. During the second year, Apple will replace the battery if it drops below 50% of its original capacity. If it is out of warranty, Apple offers a battery replacement for $59, plus $6.95 shipping. Apple disposes your battery in an environmentally-friendly manner." So basically Apple is correctly telling you that your battery will die with time and use. No questions about that; and that Apple is telling you that your battery replacement plan will cost you a total of $59, plus $6.95 shipping. Folks: Before you pay that amount go to BatteryShip.com and replace your battery for far less!

The admittance by Apple that your ipod battery will dies is based on real limitations of the battery's internal design.

Before I discuss the limitations of the battery's internal design there are external limitations that reduce the playtime of your iPod Video - personal usage. Yes running your iPod Video, even under normal usage, will reduce your iPod Video's playtime. Personal usage has way too many variables to describe here but in short - the way you use your iPod will determine, in part, how long your iPod battery will last.

Now on to the techincal internal battery design limitations...

Battery Capacity

The more the better (and more expensive), however there are a number technical limiations that force the iPod Video battery to cap off at where it is at.

A key requirement to know is the necessary battery capacity and runtime. This will define the overall physical size of the battery. Apple chose to ignore this rule and due to its desire to make the iPod as small as possible forced battery manufacturers to comply to the physical space limitations first instead of the runtime specifications. It traded capacity for space.

Capacity and runtime is measured in Amperes. Amps - or A - is an abbreviation of Ampere, a 19th century French scientist who was a pioneer in electricity research. Amps measure the volume of electrons passing through a wire in a one second. The electrical current is measured in amperes, where 1 ampere is the flow of 62,000,000,000,000,000,000 electrons per second!

Amp hours - or Ah - measures capacity. Amp hours is what is ultimately important to consumers as it is the capacity or amp hours that tells us how long we can expect a battery to deliver a charge before it runs out. As with all metric measurements, Amps can be divided into smaller (or larger) units by adding a prefix, in this case by adding an "m" to the amp hour we are renaming the amp hour to milli amp hour: mAh; (1Ah = 1000 mAh).

In addition when we consider the design capacity we must determine the chemical needed to insure that the necessary runtime will be met. Lithium is used because of its electrochemical properties. Lithium is part of the alkali family of metals a group of highly reactive metals. Li reacts steadily with water. In addition the per unit volume of lithium packs the greatest energy density and weight available for this grouping of reactive metals.

iPod batteries that have a chemistry design of either lithium ion or lithium polymer will over time regardless of usage will experience power loss to the point of non-functioning. In fact contained within your ipod battery is a design and chemistry make-up that impacts your battery life far more than your usage activity and there is no amount of conditioning you can do to prevent the ultimate power loss of your ipod battery.

Here is another situation from a user quoted from the Apple fourms:

"Recently, my iPod battery didnt seem to be lasting anywheres near 18 hours, so I tested it, and after about 4 hours the meter was still 3/4 of the way full, so i did the math and figure it was fine. My question is though, is it normal for the iPod to loose quite a bit of battery power without turning it on, because i lost about 1/8 of the life without using it for the past two days."

The reason why this occured is due to elevated self-discharge as we will see below but let's first continue on our discusson.

We know that batteries are rated by their voltage, their mAh, and of course the chemicals contained within. These three technical facts about your battery give some insight into the actual life of (energy stored within) your battery. But the length of time an ipod battery can operate is not linear to the amount of energy stored in the battery.

In fact their are four ongoing problems with your ipod battery that affects performance and the extended battery life of your ipod. They are: declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and premature voltage cut-off on discharge.

These are more complex issues that are beyond user control and are wholly contained within your ipod battery and within your ipod itself! As we will see these issues (declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and premature voltage cut-off on discharge) do more to cause iPod Battery Degradation and iPod Power Loss than your typical iPod owner could ever do.

Declining Capacity

Declining capacity is when the amount of charge a battery can hold gradually decreases due to usage, aging, and with some chemistry, lack of maintenance. iPod batteries are specified to deliver about 100 percent capacity when new but after usage and aging and lack of conditioning a pda battery's capacity will drop. This is normal. If you are using an ipod battery (or any lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery) when your battery's capacity reaches 60% to 70% the pda battery will need to be replaced. Standard industry practice will warranty a battery above 80%. Below 80% typically means you have used the practical life of a battery. Thus the threshold by which a battery can be returned under warranty is typically 80%.

Loss of Charge Acceptance

The loss of charge acceptance of the Li ion/polymer batteries is due to cell oxidation. Cell oxidation is when the cells of the battery lose their electrons. This is a normal process of the battery charge creation process. In fact every time you use your ipod battery a loss of charge acceptance occurs (the charge loss allows your battery to power your ipod). Capacity loss is permanent. Li ion/polymer batteries cannot be restored with cycling or any other external means. The capacity loss is permanent because the metals used in the cells run for a specific time only and are being consumed during their service life.

Internal Resistance

Internal resistance, known as impedance, determines the performance and runtime of a battery. It is a measure of opposition to a sinusoidal electric current. A high internal resistance curtails the flow of energy from the battery to a pda device. The aging of the battery cells contributes, primarily, to the increase in resistance, not usage. Expect a typical life span of a Li ion/polymer battery to be one to three years, whether it is used or not. The internal resistance of the Li ion batteries cannot be improved with cycling (recharging). Cell oxidation, which causes high resistance, is non-reversible and is the ultimate cause of battery failure (energy may still be present in the battery, but it can no longer be delivered due to poor conductivity).

Elevated Self-Discharge

All batteries have an inherent self-discharge. The self-discharge on nickel-based batteries is 10 to 15 percent of its capacity in the first 24 hours after charge, followed by 10 to 15 percent every month thereafter. Li ion battery's self-discharges about five percent in the first 24 hours and one to two percent thereafter. At higher temperatures, the self-discharge on all battery chemistries increases. The self-discharge of a battery increases with age and usage. Once a battery exhibits high self-discharge, little can be done to reverse the effect.

Premature Voltage Cut-Off

Some iPods do not fully utilize the low-end voltage spectrum of an ipod battery. The ipod device itself cuts off before the designated end-of-discharge voltage is reached and battery power remains unused. For example, a ipod that is powered with a single-cell Li ion battery and is designed to cut-off at 3.7V may actually cut-off at 3.3V. Obviously the full potential of the battery and the device is lost (not utilized). Why? It could be something with elevated internal resistance and iPod operations at warm ambient temperatures. iPods that load the battery with current bursts are more receptive to premature voltage cut-off than analog equipment. High cut-off voltage is mostly equipment related, not battery.

So to sum up will your iPod Video play up to 20 hours - yes. Will it play for 20 hours straight - more than likely - no. So what do you do - accept it or don't buy the iPod.

Until next time.

Conditioning Your Battery

2006-02-15T13:06:00.000-08:00

Conditioning your battery is a very simple task to help insure the life of your battery. Just to be clear you can use your lithilum based rechargable battery without conditioning; all conditioning does is refreshes your battery.

Conditioning your rechargable battery is normal. To condition your battery fully discharge your battery until your device turns off by itself. Then fully recharge your battery for about 4-6 hours. In some instances for optimum performance it may be necessary to do this 2 or 3 times.

Once that conditioning has been done, it's then best to partially charge and discharge the iPod to give the battery a form of "regular exercise."

Until next time,

How to Fix Your iPod 5 Easy Repairs

2006-02-02T07:13:00.001-08:00

If your iPod is not performing then you can perform 5 simple repair steps to get your iPod up and running. Remember that your iPod is a computer and computers do act up from time to time and no it is not always your ipod battery.

To repair your iPod follow the Five Rs:

1. Reset Your iPod.
2. Retry your iPod.
3. Restart your computer.
4. Reinstall your iPod software (using iPod updater).
5. Restore your iPod.

Resetting your iPod varys slightly on iPods but for the following iPods:

iPod mini
iPod mini (Second Generation)
iPod with color display (iPod photo)
iPod (Click Wheel)
iPod nano
Fifth Generation iPod (also known as iPod with video)

Then toggle the Hold switch on and off. (Slide it to Hold, then turn it off again.) Press and hold the Menu and Select buttons until the Apple logo appears, about 6 to 10 seconds. You may need to repeat this step.

If you are having difficulty resetting your iPod, set it on a flat surface. Make sure your finger that is pressing the Select button is not touching any part of the click wheel. Also make sure that you are pressing the Menu button toward the outside of the click wheel, and not near the center.

If the above steps did not work, try connecting your iPod to a power adapter and plug the power adapter into an electrical outlet, or connect your iPod to your computer. Make sure the computer is turned on and isn't set to go to sleep.

Retry your iPod with a different USB or FireWire port on your computer (the latest iPods can only be synced through USB).

Restart your computer, and make sure that you have the latest software updates installed.

Reinstall your iPod and iTunes software. You can download the latest versions of ipod updater and iTunes from their respective websites.

Restoring your iPod with the latest iPod Updater will erase all songs and files on your iPod and restore it back to its original settings. After restoring your iPod, you can transfer your music and files from your computer back to your iPod again.

Until Next Time

Internal Battery Design

2006-01-26T08:08:00.000-08:00

The wireless revolution, the prolific use of PDAs, MP3s, MP4s, Laptops, Cell Phones, Smartphones, DVD players, and other portable devices have increased the need for smart and high capacity portable batteries.

Portable batteries however are not typical in design. Indeed the battery that powers your portable device is what is known as a smart battery and as such the internal system design of a smart battery is more complex then most people realize.

To begin with high powered portable devices require an electrical current. There are two types of electrical current (direct current flow and alternating current flow). Direct current means that the flow of charge is in one direction. A battery produces direct current (DC) because there is no way to change the + and - you see on the battery.

In order to create direct electrical current electrons must be caused to break away from atoms to create an electron flow. Why? The answer is because electricity is a property of certain subatomic particles (protons, electrons, and neutrons) which couples to electromagnetic fields and causes attractive and repulsive forces between them; by doing so an electrical flow is created, and this is where electricity comes from. Let’s explain!

Scientists have found ways to create large numbers of positive atoms and free negative electrons (in other words they have found ways to separate electrons from atoms). Since overpopulated proton (positive) atoms want electrons (negative) so they can be balanced, these positive atoms have a strong attraction for electrons. The manufactured disequilibrium creates a state of continuous flow of electrons to atoms with an overpopulation of protons (positive atoms). When electrons move from one atom to another atom a current of electron flow (which is how we get electricity) is created.
This current can then be captured, stored, and used to power a potable device. In a portable battery the creation of electricity begins with a chemical reaction. To cause electrons to break away from atoms a chemical reaction must occur. In PDA batteries for example lithium ion or lithium polymer is used. Lithium is used due in large part to its superior energy density in terms of power per unit of weight and space.

General Characteristics of Lithium

Name: lithium
Symbol: Li
Atomic number: 3
Atomic weight: [ 6.941 (2)] g m r
CAS Registry ID: 7439-93-2
Group number: 1
Group name: Alkali metal
Period number: 2
Block: s-block
Standard state: solid at 298 K
color: silvery white/grey
Classification: Metallic

Lithium is used, amongst many other uses, as a battery anode material (due to its high electrochemical potential) and lithium compounds are used in dry cells and storage batteries. In fact the energy of some lithium-based cells can be five times greater than an equivalent-sized lead-acid cell and three times greater than alkaline batteries. Lithium cells often have a starting voltage of 3.0 V. This means that batteries can be lighter in weight, have lower per-use costs, and have higher and more stable voltage profiles.

In PDA batteries lithium is converted from chemical energy to electrical energy. This process then makes a battery an electrochemical device that stores chemical energy and releases it as electrical energy upon demand.

Chemical reactions are strongly influenced by their environment. The environment of an internal battery includes design parameters, current requirements, capacity and runtime requirements, temperature requirements, and safety requirements.

Critical to battery design is knowing how much voltage is required? Voltage is the electrical measure of energy. To know the voltage requirements we need to know the upper and lower voltage range (nominal range).

The second key component to know about a battery is its current requirements. PDAs, MP3s and other portable devices, for the most part, utilize a constant power discharge to operate. This means that the amount of current will increase as the battery discharges electricity in order to maintain constant power. So we will need to ultimately know the maximum current required. This is important since knowing the max current requirement will influence the necessary protection of chemistry, circuitry, wire, and capacity amongst others. Again we must know the current requirement over the entire nominal voltage range of the battery including start-up currents, surges (intermittent transient pulses).

One other important aspect to know about current requirements is the inert current drain of the device. Devices, even when powered down, require small amounts of current to power memory, switches and component leakage.

The third key requirement to know is the necessary battery capacity and runtime. This will define the overall physical size of the battery. Capacity and runtime is measured in Amperes. Amps - or A - is an abbreviation of Ampere, a 19th century French scientist who was a pioneer in electricity research. Amps measure the volume of electrons passing through a wire in a one second. The electrical current is measured in amperes, where 1 ampere is the flow of 62,000,000,000,000,000,000 electrons per second!

Amp hours - or Ah - measures capacity. Amp hours is what is ultimately important to consumers as it is the capacity or amp hours that tells us how long we can expect a battery to deliver a charge before it runs out. As with all metric measurements, Amps can be divided into smaller (or larger) units by adding a prefix, in this case by adding an "m" to the amp hour we are renaming the amp hour to milli amp hour: mAh; (1Ah = 1000 mAh).

When we consider the design capacity we must determine the chemical needed to insure that the necessary runtime will be met. Lithium is used because of its electrochemical properties. Lithium is part of the alkali family of metals a group of highly reactive metals. Li reacts steadily with water. In addition the per unit volume of lithium packs the greatest energy density and weight available for this grouping of reactive metals.

Ambient operational temperatures are also important because the internal heat of the battery compartment will dramatically affect the life of a battery. Usage and storage patterns are external effect that will also affect battery life and are the responsibility of a user (for example do not leave your device in a hot car with the windows rolled up, or take your device into a sauna).

A safety requirement for a battery that contains lithium requires protection circuitry to prevent the cells in the battery from conditions like over charge, over discharge, high currents, and or short circuits. Protected circuits consists of integrated circuits (programmed digital circuits), several field-effect transistors (FET) that control the current between two points, and resistors (a two-terminal electronic component that resists the flow of current, producing a voltage drop between its terminals). These circuits add cost and space to the battery pack requirements and careful placement is required in physical layouts to preserve system integrity.

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) or protection from electrostatic discharge is another safety concern. EMI, radiated or conducted, can occur throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. The primary problem with EMI is the disruption of performance of electronics. In wireless devices EMI can cause attenuation losses in signal strength and noise during transmission. Battery packs act as radiated sources of EMI and therefore shielding measures must be taken to reduce and or prevent EMI.

Another aspect of lithium battery design is the concept of smart batteries. A smart battery stores, monitors, prevents, and transmits critical battery information stored within the battery.

A smart battery will communicate with the host device through a connector to provide information about remaining capacity, battery voltage, error conditions, cycles completed, internal temperature, current, and several other factors. A smart battery can request a conditioning cycle, which will fully discharge a battery pack and then recharge it to allow the internal remaining capacity value to be accurately calibrated. Smart batteries often have an LED or LCD display that will allow the user to check the state of charge of a battery prior to use.

Lithium based smart batteries typically use coulomb counting to determine capacity, which means the circuit monitors the capacity in and out of the battery by measuring voltage across a sense resistor. For example 1 coulomb is the amount of electric charge carried by a current of 1 ampere flowing for 1 second. Coulomb counting is based on Coulombs law that states that the magnitude of the electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the magnitudes of each charge and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the charges.

This review of the internal design of a battery was extensive. By no means thorough. I hope it offers you a basic under the hood understanding of what is inside your battery and how it works.

Until next time.

What is electricity?

2006-01-24T09:57:00.000-08:00

What is electricity? Where does electricity come from? How does electricity work?

The name “electricity” is derived from the Greek word "elektor," meaning "beaming sun." In Greek, "elektron" is the word for amber. Amber is a gold-brown colored "stone" that is actually fossilized tree sap.

Electricity is a property of certain subatomic particles which couples to electromagnetic fields and causes attractive and repulsive forces between them. This repulsive force between the subatomic particles creates an electric current; the flow of electric charge transports energy from one atom to another. The electrical current is measured in amperes, where 1 ampere is the flow of 62,000,000,000,000,000,000 electrons per second!

Wait just a minute……help me understand all that! To understand electricity we must first understand atoms and their structure.

All matter is made up of atoms, and atoms are made up of smaller particles. The three main particles making up an atom are the proton, the neutron and the electron.

Electrons spin around the center, or nucleus, of atoms, in the same way the earth spins around the sun. The nucleus is made up of neutrons and protons.

Electrons contain a negative charge, protons a positive charge. Neutrons are neutral -- they have neither a positive nor a negative charge.

There are many different kinds of atoms, one for each type of element. An atom is a single part that makes up an element. There are 118 different known elements. The mass accumulation of elements makes up every thing we can see, touch, hear, and smell (elements are even in things we can’t see).

Each atom has a specific number of electrons, protons and neutrons. But no matter how many particles an atom has, the number of electrons usually needs to be the same as the number of protons. If the numbers are the same, the atom is called balanced, and it is very stable.

Some kinds of atoms have loosely attached electrons. An atom that loses electrons has more protons than electrons and is positively charged. An atom that gains electrons has more negative particles and is negatively charge. A "charged" atom is called an "ion."

The very nature of a positive atom is that it attracts electrons (negative charged atoms) to in effect balance the positive atom. Why, not sure, and for this article not pertinent. What is necessary to know is that the flow of elections to protons is essence of electricity.

You see electrons can be engineered to move from one atom to another. When those electrons move between the atoms, a current or flow of electricity is created. The electrons move from one atom to another in a "flow." One electron is attached and another electron is lost. This creates a continual equilibrium amongst the atoms.

Engineers however have found several ways to create large numbers of positive atoms and free negative electrons. Since positive atoms want negative electrons so they can be balanced, they have a strong attraction for the electrons. The manufactured disequilibrium creates a state of continuous flow of electrons to atoms with an overpopulation of protons (positive atoms).

When electrons move from atom to atom a current of electricity is created. This is what happens in a piece of wire. The electrons are passed from atom to atom, creating an electrical current from one end to other end.

There are two possible types of electric flow, direct current flow and alternating current flow. Direct current means that the flow of charges is in one direction. A battery produces direct current (DC) because there is no way to change the + and - you see on the battery. Alternating current (AC) has electrons in the circuit that quickly move first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, alternating back and forth between relatively fixed positions. When you use a transformer, you are using AC. PDAs, cellular phones and other common items use an AC adapter or transformer which helps extend the longevity of the item.

Until next time,

Hard Reset or Soft Reset On Your iPAQ

2006-01-19T13:55:00.000-08:00

There are two types of iPAQ Resets you can do: a soft reset and a hard reset.

A soft reset stops all open programs and "reboots" your iPAQ. When the iPAQ powers back up, you'll start with all programs closed and the unit will be ready to use. The soft reset is intended to reset the iPAQ if it is malfunctioning or has become bogged down. A reset could also be necessary after some software is installed.

A soft reset are similar on all iPAQ models but there are definite differences from model to model. For example on the iPAQ 1900 Series Pocket PCs you can perfom a soft reset by pressing the tiny recessed button on the left-hand side of the unit. There is a reset nib in the stylus that can be found by unscrewing its top.

A hard reset on the other hand wipes the RAM and returns the iPAQ to its factory specs. In effect, after the hard reset, the Pocket PC will be just as it was when you purchased it. All data entered, preferences set or software installed on the Pocket PC after purchase will be lost after a hard reset and will have to transferred or reinstalled via ActiveSync.

Hard resets are similar on all iPAQ models but there are definite differences from model to model. For example on the iPAQ 1900 Series Pocket PCs a hard reset can be performed by pressing and holding the power button at the top of the unit while simultaneously pressing and holding tiny recessed reset button on the left-hand side of the unit. Make sure that you press and hold the power button before pressing and holding the reset button. Keep both buttons pressed for several seconds until the screen fades. Turn the unit back on. The iPAQ will now be as it was when it left the factory and you can start fresh.

Until next time

Technical Reasons Why iPod Batteries Die

2006-01-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

iPod batteries that have a chemistry design of either lithium ion or lithium polymer will over time regardless of usage will experience power loss to the point of non-functioning. In fact contained within your ipod battery is a design and chemistry make-up that impacts your battery life far more than your usage activity and there is no amount of conditioning you can do to prevent the ultimate power loss of your ipod battery.

We know that batteries are rated by their voltage, their mAh, and of course the chemicals contained within. These three technical facts about your battery give some insight into the actual life of (energy stored within) your battery. But the length of time an ipod battery can operate is not linear to the amount of energy stored in the battery.

In fact their are four ongoing problems with your ipod battery that affects performance and the extended battery life of your ipod. They are: declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and premature voltage cut-off on discharge.

These are more complex issues that are beyond user control and are wholly contained within your ipod battery and within your ipod itself! As we will see these issues (declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and premature voltage cut-off on discharge) do more to cause iPod Battery Degradation and iPod Power Loss than your typical iPod owner could ever do.

Declining Capacity

Declining capacity is when the amount of charge a battery can hold gradually decreases due to usage, aging, and with some chemistry, lack of maintenance. iPod batteries are specified to deliver about 100 percent capacity when new but after usage and aging and lack of conditioning a pda battery's capacity will drop. This is normal. If you are using an ipod battery (or any lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery) when your battery's capacity reaches 60% to 70% the pda battery will need to be replaced.

Standard industry practice will warranty a battery above 80%. Below 80% typically means you have used the practical life of a battery. Thus the threshold by which a battery can be returned under warranty is typically 80%.

Loss of Charge Acceptance

The loss of charge acceptance of the Li ion/polymer batteries is due to cell oxidation. Cell oxidation is when the cells of the battery lose their electrons. This is a normal process of the battery charge creation process. In fact every time you use your ipod battery a loss of charge acceptance occurs (the charge loss allows your battery to power your ipod). Capacity loss is permanent. Li ion/polymer batteries cannot be restored with cycling or any other external means. The capacity loss is permanent because the metals used in the cells run for a specific time only and are being consumed during their service life.

Internal Resistance

Internal resistance, known as impedance, determines the performance and runtime of a battery. It is a measure of opposition to a sinusoidal electric current. A high internal resistance curtails the flow of energy from the battery to a pda device. The aging of the battery cells contributes, primarily, to the increase in resistance, not usage. Expect a typical life span of a Li ion/polymer battery to be one to three years, whether it is used or not. The internal resistance of the Li ion batteries cannot be improved with cycling (recharging). Cell oxidation, which causes high resistance, is non-reversible and is the ultimate cause of battery failure (energy may still be present in the battery, but it can no longer be delivered due to poor conductivity).

Elevated Self-Discharge

All batteries have an inherent self-discharge. The self-discharge on nickel-based batteries is 10 to 15 percent of its capacity in the first 24 hours after charge, followed by 10 to 15 percent every month thereafter. Li ion battery's self-discharges about five percent in the first 24 hours and one to two percent thereafter. At higher temperatures, the self-discharge on all battery chemistries increases. The self-discharge of a battery increases with age and usage. Once a battery exhibits high self-discharge, little can be done to reverse the effect.

Premature Voltage Cut-Off

Some iPods do not fully utilize the low-end voltage spectrum of an ipod battery. The ipod device itself cuts off before the designated end-of-discharge voltage is reached and battery power remains unused. For example, a ipod that is powered with a single-cell Li ion battery and is designed to cut-off at 3.7V may actually cut-off at 3.3V. Obviously the full potential of the battery and the device is lost (not utilized). Why? It could be something with elevated internal resistance and are pda operations at warm ambient temperatures. PDAs that load the battery with current bursts are more receptive to premature voltage cut-off than analog equipment. High cut-off voltage is mostly equipment related, not battery.

Until next time.

iPod Battery Charging Tips

2006-01-17T11:10:00.000-08:00

In order to get the best use out of your ipod battery it is well advised to fully charge it (called conditioning your ipod battery) prior to first using your ipod battery.

By the way there is no way that charging your battery for a super long time will add more amps to your ipod battery. That is silly. Volts and amps are set designs from the battery manufacturer.

The iPod stops charging once the battery is full. Never run your iPod battery all the way down actually the ipod will shut down before it happens. Also don’t leave your ipod battery uncharged for days on end as you could shorten your iPod battery life.

For best ipod battery life results, try not to use computer ports to charge your iPod – there may be a charging icon displayed but might not be adding much juice to your ipod battery.

iPod's have built-in, rechargeable lithium-ion and or lithium polymer batteries. To see what they look visit BatteryShip.com.

To see how long each battery will last read this article: iPod Battery Life article.

It takes about 4 hours to fully charge an ipod battery. You can fast-charge the battery to 80 percent capacity in 1 hour (2 hours for iPod (Click Wheel)). Charging the battery may take longer if you're using iPod as it charges.

The best way to charge your iPod is to use your iPod power adapter.

There is no need to "prime" your iPod battery. Just charge it until your battery indicator reads full.

You don't need to empty (completely drain) the battery before charging it. Lithium-based batteries, do not have a memory loss, as seen in nickel-based rechargeable batteries.

Your ipod battery stops charging when it's full. Leaving it connected won't charge it any more or add more power to it. And yes you can leave it It's perfectly fine to leave it connected so it can charge overnight.

The nice thing about lithium based batteries is that you can charge them whenever it's convenient. So charge your ipod when it suits you, you won't hurt it.

Your ipod battery will maintain a charge for about 1 month without being used. After a month of non-operation you may find that the battery will not be at it full capacity. Why because even when your ipod is not in use the ipod uses a very small amount of battery power to maintain the integrity of the overall system.

Regarding your ipod battery indicator, understand that the indicator is a mere approximation of power available.

All rechargeable batteries have a limited number of charge cycles and will eventually need to be replaced. iPod battery life will vary

Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. As with other rechargeable batteries, you may eventually need to replace your battery. Lithium based batteries can be charged a finite number of times, as defined by charge cycle. A charge cycle means using all of the battery's power, but that doesn't necessarily mean using it during a single charge. Here is an example of 1 charge cycle: you listen to your iPod for a few hours one day, using half its power, and then recharge it fully. If you did the same thing the next day, it would count as one charge cycle, not two, so you may take several days to complete a cycle. Every time you cycle your battery you will diminish the battery's capacity. Battery cycles on lithium based batteries will range from 300-500 cycles. So you will get quite abit of use out of your ipod battery before you have to buy a new one.

Until next time!

iPod Battery Diagnostics

2006-01-17T10:14:00.000-08:00

Your iPod battery should last between 12 months and 36 months. This broad range exists because every person uses their iPod battery differently. Some use their ipod battery 10 hours per day 365 day a year and some use their ipod battery a couple of hours a week.

If your iPod battery needs a replacement then you have a simple option. Buy an ipod battery.

However there are a couple of easy diagnostics you can do on your own before spending under $20 for an ipod battery.

Is it really the iPod battery (or the iPod meter)?

If you spend anytime in the Apple forums you will come across a common complaint that goes something like: ‘I charged my iPod for more than four hours and then when I turn it on, the battery meter says it only has about 25% (or less) charge. So I plugged it back in to charge overnight and it still says very little charge.’

The good news is is that your iPod is probably fine, fully charged, and ready to play for many uninterrupted hours. How is this possible when the ipod battery meter reads as if there is no battery charge whatsoever? Because the battery meter only approximates when you should recharge your ipod battery!

Some ipod battery meters will read empty but after about 20 minutes of use fills in the black bars to read more like the real capacity of the battery.

Since the meter is an approximation to indicate a need to recharge why then is my ipod powering down? If your battery is truly dead then buy another one and replace it yourself. If your battery is not dead then recalibrate the ipod battery meter. To re-calibrate, run the iPod until it shuts down. Recharge fully, using the AC power (mains) adapter, not a USB or Firewire port. Do not recharge until the iPod shuts down due to low battery again. This does not mean you have to leave it running for hours; use it normally, but hold off on any "top-off" recharges.

If recalibrating does not solve your problem, try resetting your iPod (method varies by model) and/or restoring it (be sure you have all of your music on your computer before doing this). Then repeat the full cycle of discharge and recharge.

iPod Battery Cycles

As preventive maintenance for your meter and battery, be sure your iPod gets about one full cycle per month. A battery recharge cycle is defined as one full charge all the way to maximum battery capacity followed by a complete discharge to the automatic shutdown point.

iPod batteries with a chemistry make-up of lithium ion or lithium polymer have the ability cycle 300-500 times on average. This means that you can cycle your battery 300-500 times on average before you must buy a new one.

Overnight Rundown

If you bought an ipod replacement battery and find that it seems to be losing its charge (running down) overnight don’t assume you have a bad battery. First check the alarm clock. Is it off or on? Keep it off overnight! Check the date and time – is it accurate or mysteriously off (indication that the iPod reset itself or the CPU entered into some type of loop and crashed and kept using power) – nothing to do with a defective battery.

Yes that is right the iPod CPU like any CPU on any computer can crash. When your iPod CPU crashes it goes into an endless loop and drains the battery a lot faster than when it is in normal or deep sleep. If this happens reset your iPod. What causes the crashes? Not precisely sure (corrupted software, corrupted song files, or something else beyond the battery). Again if this happens try and reset your iPod.

Another option is to delete the corrupted file (if you know which one it is) from your iPod and Library. If you do not know which file is corrupt then wipe the iPod hard drive clean of all files and begin from the beginning.

If it's frozen and the ipod battery seems to be dead force a reboot by letting your iPod battery drain entirely (a 24+ hour process), you need to let it run all the way down to force a reboot.

Until next time!

iPod Battery Life

2006-01-16T10:36:00.000-08:00

All these ipod batteries listed below can be found at BatteryShip.com.

The ipod battery life of an ipod classic with a 2200 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 20 hours, or 79% longer than the original ipod classic battery.

The ipod battery life of an ipod 3rd gen with a 850 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 13 hours or 35% longer than the original ipod 3rd gen battery.

The ipod battery life of an ipod 4th gen with a 830 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 12 hours or 32% longer than the original ipod 4th gen battery.

The ipod battery life of an ipod mini with a 500 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 6 hours or 25% longer than the original ipod mini battery.

The ipod battery life of an ipod photo with a 900 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 14 hours or 29% longer than the original ipod photo battery.

Until next time.

What is the Difference Between Lithium Ion and Lithium Polymer?

2006-01-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

Lithium ion:

The lightest of all metals
The greatest electrochemical potential
The largest energy density for weight.
The load characteristics are reasonably good in terms of discharge.
The high cell voltage of 3.6 volts allows battery pack designs with only one cell versus three.
It is is a low maintenance battery.
No memory and no scheduled cycling is required to prolong the battery's life.
Lithium-ion cells cause little harm when disposed.
It is fragile and requires a protection circuit to maintain safe operation.
Cell temperature is monitored to prevent temperature extremes.
Capacity deterioration is noticeable after one year (whether the battery is in use or not).

Lithium Polymer:

Lithium polymer chemistry differentiates itself from Lithium Ion in the type of electrolyte used (a plastic-like film that does not conduct electricity but allows ion exchange - electrically charged atoms or groups of atoms).
The polymer electrolyte replaces the traditional porous separator, which is soaked with electrolyte.
The dry polymer design offers simplifications with respect to fabrication, ruggedness, safety and thin-profile geometry.
Cell thickness measures as little as one millimeter (0.039 inches).
Can be formed and shaped in any way imagined.
Commercial lithium polymer batteries are hybrid cells that contain gelled electrolyte to enhane conductivity.
Gelled electrolyte added to the lithium ion polymer replaces the porous separator. The gelled electrolyte is simply added to enhance ion conductivity.
Capacity is slightly less than that of the standard lithium ion battery.
Lithium ion polymer finds its market niche in wafer-thin geometries, such as PDA batteries.
Improved safety - more resistant to overcharge; less chance for electrolyte leakage.

Until Next Time

iPod Battery

2005-12-21T09:20:00.000-08:00

iPod’s continued popularity has put in excess of 12 million iPod devices out onto the street. iPod use is at an all time high and there seems only to be an ever so slight waning in consumer sentiment towards the popular music player.

iPod use is for pretty much everything you can imagine including music download and playback, podcasts, videos, audio books, and conference presentations. The high demand of iPods and their applications ultimately means that people will need an ongoing supply of ipod batteries.

In the last six months there has been well over 2 million search queries for the keyword ipod battery and its derivatives. BatteryShip.com offers iPod batteries for sale in easy to use iPod battery Kits starting at $18.95. BatteryShip.com iPod batteries often have batteries that have a higher capacity then the originally installed OEM batteries.

Until Next time,

Watts are Volts x Amps?

2005-12-13T07:14:00.000-08:00

Watts, Volts and Amperes are basic units of measure for a DC (Direct current) power supply. A battery, for example, is a direct current power supply and the combined measure Volts x Amps = Watts.

Watts are important because watts represent the electrical energy spent by a battery (power generator) and used by an electrical device. Watts in effect is the measure of the amount of work done by a certain amperage (amount) of electric current at a certain pressure or voltage.

Voltage is the amount of "pressure" of electrons as the electrons pass from a negative connector to a positive connector.

Amperes (commonly "Amps" ) is a measurement of quantity of the number of electrons passing through a given wire per second.

How many electrons are in an Ampere?

A lot: 62,000,000,000,000,000,000 electrons per second!

Until next time!

What is A Watt?

2005-12-13T07:06:00.000-08:00

Here are some definitions of watts on the Web:

A measure of the amount of work done by a certain amount or amperage of electric current at a certain pressure or voltage.
A watt is a measurement of total electrical power. Volts x amps = watts.
A measure of power or the rate of energy consumption by an electrical device when it is in operation, calculated by multiplying the voltage at which an appliance operates by the current it draws (Watts = Volts X Amperes).
Watts is the measurement of the amount of electrical power drawn by the load.
A measure of electricity.
The power required to maintain one ampere of current at a pressure of one volt when the two components are in phase with each other.

Until next time

Amps and Volts: Battery Basics?

2005-12-09T08:08:00.000-08:00

This is a back to basic articles on understanding a batteries electrical ratings. Let's take a real question from a real person:

"I have a sony clie PEG-NR70V/U PDA. The battery that you show that would fit my unit is 1200 mah and 3.7 volts. On the back of my PDA it says 800 mAh and the volts is 5.2. Is the battery that you show for my unit the same?"

This is a great question and is actually quite common and so it is wise that we gain a better understanding of what the ratings mean.

All PDA batteries have an electrical specifications that include its volt and milliAmp hour rating. These terms are abbreviated as we see in the following example: 3.7 V, 1600 mAh.

Volts - or V - are an electrical measure of energy potential. You can think of it as the pressure being exerted by all the electrons of a PDA Batteries negative terminal as they try to move to the positive terminal.

Amps - or A - is an abbreviation of Ampere, a 19th century French scientist who was a pioneer in electricity research. Amps measure the volume of electrons passing through a wire in a one second. One Amp equals 6.25 x 1018 electrons per second.

Amp hours - or Ah - measures capacity. That is what is ultimately important to consumers as it is the capacity or amp hours that tells us how long we can expect a battery to deliver a charge before it runs out. As with all metric measurements, Amps can be divided into smaller (or larger) units by adding a prefix, in this case by adding an "m" to the amp hour we are renaming the amp hour to milli amp hour: mAh.

In the case of PDA Batteries, a milliAmp hour (mAh) is most commonly used notation system. Note that 1000 mAh is the same a 1 Ah. (Just as 1000mm equals 1 meter.) Note that Amp hours do not dictate the flow of electrons at any given moment, that is the role of volts. PDA batteries with a 1 Amp hour rating could deliver ½ Amp of current for 2 hours, or they could provide 2 Amps of current for ½ hour.

Typically, PDA Batteries will use 1 to 3 Amps per hour, depending on the model's processor speed, screen size, screen brightness adjustment, usage, and other factors.

Some of our batteries will have higher amp-hour ratings than the original battery found in your device and will not cause any incompatibilities. It is actually good because you are getting greater capacity.

Volts on the other hand have to be within a nominal range (reasonable range) of each other. Manufacturers rate a voltage cell, which then becomes the nominal voltage, historically with a 3.6V while others picked 3.7V to name the cell. The functionality and performance of either cell is identical and cannot be differentiated by the device. The explanation above applies to a single Li-Ion cell in series. When a battery has two or more Li-Ion cells in series, the voltage is multiplied by the number of cells in series.

Now back to the question we began with.....

"I have a sony clie PEG-NR70V/U PDA. The battery that you show that would fit my unit is 1200 mah and 3.7 volts. On the back of my PDA it says 800 mAh and the volts is 5.2. Is the battery that you show for my unit the same?"

To understand the answer to the question let's look at a math formula for the complete formula of Watts....

Watts = Volts x Amps x k(one unit length of wire)

Since the length of your PDA's wire inside the battery casing is difficult to know (unless you open the casing) let's just use a more common formula for Watts: (NOTE: DO NOT OPEN YOUR BATTERY'S CASING, EXTREME HARM WILL COME TO YOU)

Watts = Volts x Amps

Now the orignial Clie battery came with 800 mAh and the volts is 5.2. So the Watts would be:

41.6= 5.2 x 8

The Clie battery on our page is 3.7 V and 1200 mAh. So the Watts would be:

44.4= 3.7 x 12

Remember that I'm 1200 mAh is the same as 12 Ah and 800 mAh is the same as 8 Ah

So as we discussed early a nominal range is inherent is voltage ratings and slight variations in voltage generally do not impact the performance of your PDA. We see this all the time with universal and external batteries. The original battery might be specified at 10.8 Volts, but customers using a universal part can operate their laptop safely at either the 10 or 11 Volt setting.

There is plenty more info you can get in this blog as well as online.

Until next time,

iPod Popularity

2005-12-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

It is pretty well established that Apple has shipped over 12 million iPods since their debut in October 2001. But how many people are actually looking for iPods and their related accessories online. Yahoo tells us that in October the number of search queries that occured across their network for the word ipod and derivitives of the word ipod are (I listed the number of queries first then the ipod keyword derivitive):

1,061,835 ipod
381,838 ipod nano
240,790 ipod mini
161,095 apple ipod
86,341 video ipod
46,723 ipod accessory
42,155 ipod shuffle
30,007 free apple ipod
27,395 free ipod
26,514 apple ipod mini
23,634 accessory ipod nano
23,189 case ipod nano
20,764 ipod cases
17,330 cheap ipod
16,102 new ipod
16,063 apple ipod nano
10,831 ipod nano review
9,840 ipod speaker
9,090 apple ipod video
8,840 photo ipod
8,392 ipod 20gb
8,011 ipod download
7,664 ipod skin
7,661 u2 ipod
7,486 ipod software
7,374 ipod itunes
6,636 ipod mini accessory
6,470 ipod battery
6,414 ipod mini cases
6,238 ipod game
5,959 ipod store
5,671 ipod cover
5,514 4gb ipod nano
5,465 ipod sale
5,212 ipod review
5,193 ipod help
5,116 ipod nano skin
5,082 ipod music
4,938 free ipod nano
4,750 ipod lounge
4,720 ipod mp3 player
4,566 ipod music download
4,509 ipod video review
4,471 ipod mini pink
4,443 ipod 60gb
4,342 apple ipod shuffle
4,187 ipod prices
4,075 ipod mp3
4,025 free ipod music
3,962 ipod minis
3,917 free ipod music download
3,860 free download ipod
3,816 support ipod
3,779 ipod mini 4gb
3,699 cover ipod nano
3,661 ipod discount
3,598 pink ipod
3,541 ipod player
3,505 wholesale ipod
3,397 ipod repair
3,370 ipod headphones
3,297 apple ipod 20gb
3,279 ipod charger
3,162 ipod phone
3,142 ipod shuffle accessory
3,109 ipod 20 gb
3,096 ipod nano recall
3,056 hp ipod
3,047 case ipod video
2,957 ipod video player
2,932 ipod update
2,919 ipod forum
2,876 buy ipod
2,773 refurbished ipod
2,760 dreampharm ipod nano
2,756 ipod nano problem
2,749 new ipod video
2,649 ipod agent
2,646 cheap ipod mini
2,626 ipod fm transmitter
2,623 sony ipod
2,621 reset ipod

Amazing! Until next time

iPod Battery Fast Facts

2005-12-05T09:49:00.000-08:00

Apple has shipped over 12 million iPods since their debut in October 2001. 12 million ipod users are now faced with an inevitable requirement which is: what do you do when your iPod battery dies?

Let's begin with the basics...

1. The ipod battery can be replaced by you. Go to www.Batteryship.com for detailed instructions. An ipod battery replacement can be done in just a few easy steps. iPod batteries begin at $18.95 for a 3rd gen and a mini. 4th gens, photos and the super capacity are just a few dollars more.

2. iPod batteries last a long time, but like all batteries the longevity of a battery life depends on usage patterns. iPod batteries are made up of a lithium ion and or lithium polymer chemical compound. Etiher has a half life, a recharge cyle of between 300-500 charges. So depending on your particular usage pattern you could be using an ipod battery that is 3 years old or 18 months old.

3. iPod batteries like all batteries are rated by electrical specifications that include its volt and milliAmp hour rating. The most common voltage you will see for an iPod battery is 3.7 V. Volts as you may know is the electrical measure of energy potential. You can think of it as the pressure being exerted by all the electrons of an iPod battery's negative terminal as they try to move to the positive terminal.

Amps or A is an abbreviation of Ampere, a 19th century French scientist who was a pioneer in electricity research. Amps measure the volume of electrons passing through a wire in a one second. One Amp equals 6.25 x 1018 electrons per second.

Amp hours or Ah measures capacity. That is ultimately what we want to know about the ipod battery. Amp hours quantify how long a battery can deliver a certain amount of charge before it runs out. As with all metric measurements, Amps can be divided into smaller (or larger) units by adding a prefix. In the case of ipod batteries, a milliAmp hour (mAh) is most commonly used. Note that 1000 mAh is the same a 1 Ah. (Just as 1000mm equals 1 meter.) Note that Amp hours do not dictate the flow of electrons at any given moment. PDA batteries with a 1 Amp hour rating could deliver ½ Amp of current for 2 hours, or they could provide 2 Amps of current for ½ hour. The higher the mAh on the iPod battery the longer it will last and of course the more you will pay.

4. With all that said your ipod battery will naturally degrade over time. How? Does it strictly have to do with my usage pattern? No not entirely. Contained within your ipod battery is a design and chemistry make-up that impacts your battery life far more than your usage activity and there is no amount of conditioning you can do to prevent the ultimate power loss of your pda battery.

For example we know that batteries are rated by their voltage, their mAh, and of course the chemicals contained within. These three technical facts about your battery give some insight into the actual life of (energy stored within) your battery.

But the length of time a pda battery can operate is not linear to the amount of energy stored in the battery. In fact their are four ongoing problems with all batteries that affect performance and the extended battery life of your ipod. They are: declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and premature voltage cut-off on discharge.

These are more complex issues that are beyond user control and are wholly contained within your ipod battery and within your device! As we will see these issues (declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and premature voltage cut-off on discharge) do more to cause an ipod battery Degradation and ipod power loss than your typical ipod owner could ever do.

Declining Capacity

Declining capacity is when the amount of charge a battery can hold gradually decreases due to usage, aging, and with some chemistry, lack of maintenance. iPod batteries are specified to deliver about 100 percent capacity when new but after usage and aging and lack of conditioning an ipod battery's capacity will drop. This is normal. If you are using an ipod battery (or any lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery) when your battery's capacity reaches 60% to 70% the ipod battery will need to be replaced. Standard industry practice will warranty a battery above 80%. Below 80% typically means you have used the practical life of your ipod battery. Thus the threshold by which a battery can be returned under warranty is typically 80%.

Loss of Charge Acceptance

The loss of charge acceptance of the Li‑ion/polymer batteries is due to cell oxidation. Cell oxidation is when the cells of the battery lose their electrons. This is a normal process of the battery charge creation process. In fact every time you use your ipod battery a loss of charge acceptance occurs (the charge loss allows your battery to power your pda). Capacity loss is permanent. Li‑ion/polymer batteries cannot be restored with cycling or any other external means. The capacity loss is permanent because the metals used in the cells run for a specific time only and are being consumed during their service life.

Internal Resistance

Internal resistance, known as impedance, determines the performance and runtime of an ipod battery. It is a measure of opposition to a sinusoidal electric current. A high internal resistance curtails the flow of energy from the battery to an ipod device. The aging of the battery cells contributes, primarily, to the increase in resistance, not usage. Expect a typical life span of a Li‑ion battery to be one to three years, whether it is used or not. The internal resistance of the Li‑ion batteries cannot be improved with cycling (recharging). Cell oxidation, which causes high resistance, is non-reversible and is the ultimate cause of battery failure (energy may still be present in the battery, but it can no longer be delivered due to poor conductivity).

Elevated Self-Discharge

All batteries have an inherent self-discharge. The self-discharge on nickel-based batteries is 10 to 15 percent of its capacity in the first 24 hours after charge, followed by 10 to 15 percent every month thereafter. Li‑ion battery's self-discharges about five percent in the first 24 hours and one to two percent thereafter. At higher temperatures, the self-discharge on all battery chemistries increases. The self-discharge of a battery increases with age and usage. Once a battery exhibits high self-discharge, little can be done to reverse the effect.

Premature Voltage Cut-Off

Some ipods do not fully utilize the low-end voltage spectrum of an ipod battery. The ipod device itself cuts off before the designated end-of-discharge voltage is reached and battery power remains unused. For example, an ipod that is powered with a single-cell Li‑ion battery and is designed to cut-off at 3.7V may actually cut-off at 3.3V. Obviously the full potential of the battery and the device is lost (not utilized). Why? It could be something with elevated internal resistance and or using ipods at warm ambient temperatures. iPods that load the battery with current bursts are more receptive to premature voltage cut-off than analog equipment. High cut-off voltage is mostly equipment related, not battery.

Until next time
www.batteryship.com

Extended Life PDA Battery Replacements

2005-10-06T00:58:00.000-07:00

Two days of pda battery life is the dream of the majority of PDA users. It makes sense but is the technology available and if it is are we, as consumers, willing to pay for it?

As Hanis Harun, Global Account Director of TNS Technology commented "there is an appetite among consumers for powerful new applications, particularly those around entertainment media and imaging. However, the research also indicates that consumers now fully realize that such applications require enhanced battery life and increased memory and they are demanding these improvements as a priority."

This means that cost effective and extended life battery replacements must be available.

Long Life PDA Batteries

2005-09-26T07:18:00.000-07:00

The love affair between consumers and long battery life is by no means secret. A PDA's use of applications that require extended life batteries means that the technology of PDA batteries must be sufficient enough to accomodate the data uses and appliocation uses that PDA owners require.

The reality is is that the current PDA Battery technology and more importantly the operating systems employed on PDAs do not efficiently use and allocate power from exisitng PDA batteries.

Take for example the new Dell Axim X51 series PDA that employes the Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system. With its new develoment the Windows Mobile 5.0 OS improves overall device efficiency, yielding as much as 30 percent more battery life!

PDA Battery life will increase quite a bit with the development of the new micro fuel technologies being developed, but don't run out to replace your pda battery with this new technology anytime soon. The new micro fuel technology will not be available until about 2009. Until then software improvements will and proper conditioning of your lithium-ion and lithium-polymer pda batteries will be key.

PDA Batteries - Energy Potential of Lithium

2005-09-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

PDA batteries widely employ either a Lithium-ion or a Lithium-polymer chemical composition and so it leads us to question why? Why is lithium ever-present in PDA Batteries today?

We know that since millions of people own PDAs (for every purpose imaginable) it is understandable that a rechargable power cell be available. In fact if it wasn't for lithium I would find it rather astonishing that PDA's would be so widely used today. Lithium makes recharging your PDA battery cost-effective. So what exactly is lithium?

General Characteristics of Lithium

Name: lithium
Symbol: Li
Atomic number: 3
Atomic weight: [ 6.941 (2)] g m r
CAS Registry ID: 7439-93-2
Group number: 1
Group name: Alkali metal
Period number: 2
Block: s-block
Standard state: solid at 298 K
color: silvery white/grey
Classification: Metallic

Lithium is used, amongst many other uses, as a battery anode material (due to its high electrochemical potential) and lithium compounds are used in dry cells and storage batteries. In fact the energy of some lithium-based cells can be five times greater than an equivalent-sized lead-acid cell and three times greater than alkaline batteries. Lithium cells often have a starting voltage of 3.0 V. This means that batteries can be lighter in weight, have lower per-use costs, and have higher and more stable voltage profiles.

For a scientific review of Lithium visit http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/text/Li/index.html

PDA Battery Degradation and PDA Power Loss

2005-09-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post "Extending your PDA Battery Life" to get the most out of your PDA battery begins with always keeping a spare. You can pick up a brand new pda battery replacement at Batteryship.com.

I also mentioned the basics of extending your PDA Battery life and alluded to some more technical issues that we are going to talk about now. These are more complex issues that are beyond user control and are wholly contained within your pda battery and within your device! As we will see these issues (declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and premature voltage cut-off on discharge) do more to cause PDA Battery Degradation and PDA Power Loss than your typical PDA owner could ever do.

Declining Capacity

Declining capacity is when the amount of charge a battery can hold gradually decreases due to usage, aging, and with some chemistry, lack of maintenance. PDA batteries are specified to deliver about 100 percent capacity when new but after usage and aging and lack of conditioning a pda battery's capacity will drop. This is normal. If you are using a pda battery (or any lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery) when your battery's capacity reaches 60% to 70% the pda battery will need to be replaced. Standard industry practice will warranty a battery above 80%. Below 80% typically means you have used the practical life of a battery. Thus the threshold by which a battery can be returned under warranty is typically 80%.

Loss of Charge Acceptance

The loss of charge acceptance of the Li‑ion/polymer batteries is due to cell oxidation. Cell oxidation is when the cells of the battery lose their electrons. This is a normal process of the battery charge creation process. In fact every time you use your pda battery a loss of charge acceptance occurs (the charge loss allows your battery to power your pda). Capacity loss is permanent. Li‑ion/polymer batteries cannot be restored with cycling or any other external means. The capacity loss is permanent because the metals used in the cells run for a specific time only and are being consumed during their service life.

Internal Resistance

Internal resistance, known as impedance, determines the performance and runtime of a battery. It is a measure of opposition to a sinusoidal electric current. A high internal resistance curtails the flow of energy from the battery to a pda device. The aging of the battery cells contributes, primarily, to the increase in resistance, not usage. The internal resistance of the Li‑ion batteries cannot be improved with cycling (recharging). Cell oxidation, which causes high resistance, is non-reversible and is the ultimate cause of battery failure (energy may still be present in the battery, but it can no longer be delivered due to poor conductivity).

Elevated Self-Discharge

All batteries have an inherent self-discharge. The self-discharge on nickel-based batteries is 10 to 15 percent of its capacity in the first 24 hours after charge, followed by 10 to 15 percent every month thereafter. Li‑ion battery's self-discharges about five percent in the first 24 hours and one to two percent thereafter in the following months of use. At higher temperatures, the self-discharge on all battery chemistries increases. The self-discharge of a battery increases with age and usage. Once a battery exhibits high self-discharge, little can be done to reverse the effect.

Premature Voltage Cut-Off

Some pdas do not fully utilize the low-end voltage spectrum of a pda battery. The pda device itself cuts off before the designated end-of-discharge voltage is reached and battery power remains unused. For example, a pda that is powered with a single-cell Li‑ion battery and is designed to cut-off at 3.7V may actually cut-off at 3.3V. Obviously the full potential of the battery and the device is lost (not utilized). Why? It could be something with elevated internal resistance and or pda operations at warm ambient temperatures. PDAs that load the battery with current bursts are more receptive to premature voltage cut-off than analog equipment. High cut-off voltage is mostly equipment related, not battery.

PDA Battery Life

2005-09-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

PDA Battery Life is a blog written and maintained by BatteryShip.com. You may access all articles of the PDA Battery Life Blog here:

Extending Your PDA Battery Life

2005-09-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

This blog holds a number of articles that describe in great detail aspects about pda batteries that include the chemical make-up of PDA batteries, PDA battery conditioning, the types of PDA's and much more.

Today I want to introduce aspects of PDA battery degradation and PDA battery loss. This post is and introduction to a longer more informative post that I'm writing and will post next.

Extending your PDA Battery Life so that you get the most cost effective use of your PDA battery begins with always keeping a spare. PDA batteries are cheap enough that owning a backup pda battery makes absolute sense. You can pick up a brand new pda battery replacement battery at Batteryship.com.

Second we have previously talked about some of the basic pda battery conditioning techniques to extend the life of your pda battery like: use the AC adapter or pda cradle at a desk, powering your pda battery down when not in use, dimming your pda screen down, and using peripherals wisely.

But with PDA batteries there is far more going on then the basic condintioning habits I mentioned above. Actually contained within your PDA Battery is a design and chemistry make-up that impacts your battery life far more than your usage activity.

For example we know that batteries are rated by their voltage, their mAh, and of course the chemicals contained within. The three technical facts about your battery give some insight into the actual life of (energy stored within) your battery.

But the length of time a pda battery can operate is not linear to the amount of energy stored in the battery. In fact their are four ongoing problems with all batteries that affect performance and the extended battery life of your pda.

They are: declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and premature voltage cut-off on discharge.

We will discuss each of these more on my next post.

PDA Batteries

2005-09-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

The number of PDA batteries is a lot. I know of at least 180 unique pda batteries. PDA batteries as we know either use lithium-ion or lithium-polymer as its chemical base to charge/discharge. Who makes PDA batteries? Well it is not the big brand manufacturers like Sony, Dell, HP, Apple...etc. No it is smaller manufacturing plants typically located in China, Japan, or Sweden. In fact Chinese manufacturers build about 3/4 of all the world batteries.

PDA batteries range in price from $15-$50 on average. Replacement PDA batteries can be bought at www.batteryship.com.

PDA Batteries typically have a recharge cycle ranging between 300-500 charging cycles. Typically users find that they have buy a pda battery replacement after 12-18 months.

PDA Battery Chemistry

2005-09-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

Since the year 1800 when the first voltaic battery was invented portable battery power has been a fascination by many. In 1991 Sony commercialized the first lithium-ion battery and in 1999 lithium-polymer came out commercially with PDAs.

But what are the differences of the two chemistries and in terms of your PDA battery which one is better? In a nutshell the two chemistry types are similar but one benefit that lithium-polymer offers is that enables slim geometry that allows it to fit in small places like a PDA.

Let's look inside the battery technology a bit more!

Lithium-ion Battery:

The lightest of all metals
The greatest electrochemical potential
The largest energy density for weight.
The load characteristics are reasonably good in terms of discharge.
The high cell voltage of 3.6 volts allows battery pack designs with only one cell versus three.
It is is a low maintenance battery.
No memory and no scheduled cycling is required to prolong the battery's life.
Lithium-ion cells cause little harm when disposed.
It is fragile and requires a protection circuit to maintain safe operation.
Cell temperature is monitored to prevent temperature extremes.
Ccapacity deterioration is noticeable after one year (whether the battery is in use or not).

Lithium Polymer Battery:

The lithium-polymer differentiates itself from the conventional battery in the type of electrolyte used (a plastic-like film that does not conduct electricity but allows ion exchange - electrically charged atoms or groups of atoms).
The polymer electrolyte replaces the traditional porous separator, which is soaked with electrolyte.
The dry polymer design offers simplifications with respect to fabrication, ruggedness, safety and thin-profile geometry.
Cell thickness measures as little as one millimeter (0.039 inches).
Can be formed and shaped in any way imagined.
Commercial lithium-polymer batteries are hybrid cells that contain gelled electrolyte to enhane conductivity.
Gelled electrolyte added to the lithium-ion-polymer replaces the porous separator. The gelled electrolyte is simply added to enhance ion conductivity.
Capacity is slightly less than that of the standard lithium-ion battery.
Lithium-ion-polymer finds its market niche in wafer-thin geometries, such as PDA batteries.
Improved safety - more resistant to overcharge; less chance for electrolyte leakage.

Signs that Your PDA Battery is Dying

2005-09-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

Five Signs that Your PDA Battery Might Be Dying:

Your use time on a full charge decreased. (for example from 4-5 hours, now you get 1-2 hours).
After a full night charge, your PDA will not come up at all.
When you press the power, you just get some vertical lines.
Your picture dims.
You had your PDA for over a year.

PDA Batteries use either Lithium-Ion or Lithium Polymer. Either are effective for PDAs but both have a half-life that over use and time will no longer power anything. When you need a new PDA Battery please check the prices at www.Batteryship.com. Each brand new rechargable pda battery replacement is shipped with a complete tool kit and detailed instructions so you have everything you need to replace your PDA battery.

BatteryShip specializes in select, exceptional batteries and offers them to you at the best price available. They focus specifically on a few product lines and specialize directly in them (including iPAQ Batteries and IPOD Batteries). BatteryShip manufactures only the highest quality battery products, enabling BatteryShip to offer you a generous return policy and guarnatee your satisfaction with a 30 day money back no questions asked policy!

BatteryShip offers PDA batteries at the best prices and overall customer value. The BatteryShip motto is: Service, Factory Direct Price, and Value All The Way! That is great and they stand behind that. So the next time you need to replace your PDA battery make sure you stop by www.Batteryship.com.

PDA Battery Life

2005-09-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

Getting the most out of your PDA requires conditioning your pda battery. Here are some tips that will help you make the most of your PDA battery.

Tips to extend your PDA battery life:

Always carry a pda battery replacement.
Use the AC adapter or pda cradle when you are at your desk - gives your pda battery a break plus it recharges your pda battery.
Power your pda battery down when not in use. On most PDA's, you can adjust this setting by going to "On battery power".
Bright screens consumes a lot of battery power. If you don't need it so bright then dim it down.
You can adjust this by going to Start>Settings>System>Backlight>Brightness. Adjust the bar named "On Battery".
Do you really need that backlight on all the time? As with powering it down, you have the option to have the backlighting turn off automatically after a certain period of time (if you don't use it). You can have a lapse time of 10 seconds up to 5 minutes. Go to Start>Settings>System>Backlight>Battery Power. Check the box labeled "Turn off backlight..." and select your time.
Peripherals they are cool but they take battery power from your PDA. My suggestion use them only if you need them.

PDA Battery Replacement

2005-09-11T09:15:00.000-07:00

Most PDA manufacturers will try to convince you to buy a new PDA instead of replacing the battery. In fact some manufacturers purposefully design PDAs so you are forced to replace the entrie PDA instead of just the PDA Battery.

Why? The reason for that is undeniable - the manufacturers prefer that you shell out $300-$500 for a new PDA rahter than pay $20-$40 for a new PDA Battery.

I think it is rather funny when a rep from Sony, Handspring, or Palm will tell you that you cannon replace your PDA Battery, when in fact, the exact opposite is true!

Replace your PDA Battery! It's safe. It's simple. It's is cost effective.

BatteryShip.com sells PDA Replacement Batteries for Sony, HP, Dell, Blackberry, Compaq, Apple, and Palm.

You can replace your PDA Battery- it is so easy!

Did you know all PDA batteries have a limited number of charge-discharge cycles? All recent PDA models use Lithium-Ion or Lithium Polymer cells that have a life of only 300-400 cycles. If you are an avid PDA user you might wear out the battery in a little over a year or less! That is quite convenient for the PDA manufacturers because it creates quite a windfall in new PDA sales. Once the warranty period is over, if you call them for a PDA Battery replacement they will tell you about their new $499 model, since the battery for your PDA is not available anymore - it never was.

Hogwash we say! PDA Batteries are available and are inexpensive.

Internal batteries are sophisticated. PDA batteries are customized to fit the device space the engineers designed for this purpose. They have built-in protection circuits and proprietary connectors that require substantial tooling investments. Also the PDA Battery chemistry is specialized. The two types most commonly used are:

Lithium Ion (Li-ion) — fastest growing battery system. Li-ion is used where high-energy density and light weight is of prime importance. The Li-ion is more expensive than other systems and must follow strict guidelines to assure safety. Applications include notebook computers, PDA's, and cellular phones.

Lithium Ion Polymer (Li-ion polymer) — a potentially lower cost version of the Li-ion. This chemistry is similar to the Li-ion in terms of energy density. It enables very slim geometry and allows simplified packaging. Main applications are PDA's and mobile phones.

Primary characteristics when considering the chemistry types are:

Gravimetric Energy density (Wh/kg)
Internal Resistance
Fast Charge Time
Overcharge Tolerance
Self-discharge
Cell Voltage
Load Current
Operating Temperature
Maintenance Requirements
Battery Cost
Cost per Cycle

Both battery types are great for your PDA. So the next time you need to replace your PDA Battery, do what thousands have already have done. Buy your PDA Battery from Batteryship.com!

Dell Axim X50 PDA

2005-09-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

The Dell Axim X50 and the X50v are two really good PDAs from Dell that were released in October 12, 2004.

The Dell Axim X50 and the X50v blend digital entertainment with productivity for a PDA that does it all. The feature list includes a VGA screen, a dedicated graphics engine, wireless connectivity, and Windows Media Player 10.0 Mobile. As the flagship model of the X50 series, the X50v costs more but if you don't need all the bells and whistles, check out the the entry-level Axim X50. Prices range currently between $300 and $500 depending on what you order.

Design wise the Axim X50v, Dell introduces a smooth design to its PDAs, not like the Axim X30's squarish edges. The Axim X50v is 0.6 by 4.7 by 2.9 inches and 6.2 ounces, the X50v is slightly bigger and heavier than the X30. As a trade-off, though, the X50v is solidly built, and the rubberized sides make for a comfortable and solid grip.

The X50v's 3.7-inch VGA screen makes a larger viewing area than most PDAs and boasts four times the resolution of a QVGA screen at 480x640 pixels for sharper graphics and text--a nice touch since Dell touts this as a multimedia handheld!

The left side of the PDA gives you access to a host of goodies. There's a lanyard hook, a lock switch, a wireless on/off button, and a voice-record button. The one-touch access to wireless connectivity is a particularly nice convenience since you don't have to fish through the Settings menu to turn on Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The top of the device houses a 3.5mm headphone/headset jack that accepts Walkman-style 'phones and supports VoIP and voice-recognition apps; the stylus holder; and dual CompactFlash and SD expansion slots, while there's a standard sync/cradle connector on the bottom of the device. Give the X50v a twirl, and on the back, you'll find a battery-lock switch that enables the user to swap out the 1,100mAh battery with a slightly lesser mAh battery 1,000 mAh that will work the same. Considering the price of the swapped out battery it makes sense.

There aren't too many extras in the box, but you get a desktop sync cradle, a travel charger, and a protective case. As mentioned earlier, the X50v has a user-replaceable battery, so if you're a road warrior, you might want to invest in Dell's 2,200mAh extended cell for $99. Or you can pick up a standard battery for under $30 at BatteryShip.com.

Future of Portable Fuel Cells

2005-09-09T07:13:00.000-07:00

The future of portable fuel cells is an interesting topic becuase so many of us use and require portable fuel for our electronic devices. Some the questions we ask are:

What are the emerging fuel cell and micro fuel cell technologies?
What challenges are associated with implementing fuel cell technologies?
What are the functional differences between fuel cells and batteries and what impact do these differences have on portable devices?
What are the transportation regulations on micro fuel cells?
What are perspectives from fuel cell manufacturers on their latest technology developments?

It will definetly be an interesting topic of conversation to answer these questions.

iPaq rx3115

2005-09-08T07:56:00.000-07:00

The HP iPAQ rx3115 Mobile Media Companion PDA handheld was released 9/30/2004. The iPAQ rx3115 , is powered by Microsoft Windows Mobile software, allows you to enjoy your music, photos and video wherever you go.

The HP iPAQ rx3115 features integrated WLAN 802.11b, Bluetooth, IrDA and USB and covers your creative bases with software to help you stay organized, plenty of expandable storage, and content streaming. Enjoy music and video in MP3, MotionJPEG, MPEG1, WMA or WMV formats, transferred from your PC and listen privately in stereo via headphones. Stream content over your Wi-Fi home network and view on your iPAQ while moving around the house or present content on your PC, TV, and stereo. Challenge yourself to Pocket PC games, including Solitaire and Jawbreaker.

The HP iPAQ rx3115 comes with a Samsung S3C 2440 processor, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11b
56MB RAM (includes 4 MB of iPaq File Store), Secure Digital (SDIO) slot, 3.5" TFT active-matrix display, and a basic lithium ion battery. BatteryShip.com recomends the Extended Life Battery with a Polymer Lithium power cell that carries 3.7 volts, a 1600 mAh (Extended Life) which is 100% OEM compatible. Guaranteed to meet or exceed OEM specifications.

RIM BlackBerry PDAs

2005-09-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

RIM BlackBerry 7290 (released date 9/30/2004)
RIM BlackBerry 7100t (released date 10/1/2004)
RIM Blackberry 7730 (released date 4/30/2004)
RIM Blackberry 7210 (released date 2004)
RIM Blackberry 6710 Phone (released date 2004)
RIM Blackberry 6210 Phone (released date 2004)
RIM Blackberry 6230 Phone (released date 2004)
RIM Blackberry 7230 Phone (released date 2004)

Sony Clie PDA Models

2005-09-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

Sony PSP (released date 3/24/2005)
Sony VAIO U750 (U70) (released date 2/1/2004)
Sony Clie TH55 (released date 2/20/2004)
Sony Clie TJ27 (released date 2/10/2004)
Sony Clie TJ37 (released date 2/15/2004)
Sony Clie Digital Video Recorder (DVR) (released date 10/28/2003)
Sony Clie PEG-TJ35 (released date 10/22/2003)
Sony Clie PEG-TJ25 (released date 10/22/2003)
Sony Clie PEG-UX40 (released date 9/26/2003)
Sony Clie PEG-UX50 (released date 9/12/2003)
Sony Clie PEG-NX80V (released date 7/11/2003)
Sony Clie PEG-NX73V (released date 7/27/2003)
Sony Wireless LAN Card WL110 (released date 4/15/2003)
Sony Clie PEG-SJ22 (released date 3/17/2003)
Sony Clie PEG-TG50 (released date 3/17/2003)
Sony Clie PEG-SJ33 (released date 2/28/2003)
Sony Clie PEG-NZ90 (released date 2/21/2003)
Sony Clie PEG-NX60 (released date 10/28/2002)
Sony Clie PEG-NX70V (Metallic Grey) (released date 11/15/2002)
Sony Clie PEG-NX70V (Silver) (released date 11/15/2002)
Sony Clie PEG-T665C (released date 7/20/2002)
Sony Clie PEG-NR70V (released date 5/18/2002)
Sony Clie PEG-NR70 (released date 5/18/2002)

Palm PDA Models

2005-09-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

Palm LifeDrive Mobile Manager (released date 5/18/2005)
Palm Tungsten E2 (released date 4/13/2005)
Palm Tungsten T5 (released date 10/7/2004)
Palm Zire 31 (released date 4/28/2004)
Palm Zire 72 (released date 4/28/2004)
Palm Infrared Wireless Keyboard Palm Zire 21 (released date 10/1/2003)
Palm Tungsten E (released date 10/1/2003)
Palm Tungsten T3 (released date 10/1/2003)
Palm Treo 600 (released date 10/7/2003)
Palm Treo 650 (CDMA and GSM) (released date 10/25/2004)
Palm Tungsten T2 (released date 7/23/2003)
Palm Power to Go (released date 5/9/2003)
Palm Zire 71 (released date 4/23/2003)
Palm Tungsten C (released date 4/23/2003)
Palm Tungsten W (released date 2/28/2003)
Palm Tungsten T (released date 10/28/2002)
Palm Zire (released date 10/7/2002)

Dell Axim PDA Models

2005-09-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

Dell Axim X50 (released date 10/12/2004)
Dell Axim X50v (released date 10/12/2004)
Dell Bluetooth GPS (released date 8/1/2004)
Dell Axim X30 Wireless (624MHz) (released date 5/18/2004)
Dell Axim X30 Wireless (312MHz) (released date 5/18/2004)
Dell Axim X30 (312MHz) (released date 5/18/2004)
Dell Axim X3i (400 MHz and 802.11b Wi-Fi) (released date 10/15/2003)
Dell Axim X3 (400 MHz) (released date 10/15/2003)
Dell Axim X3 (300 MHz) (released date 10/15/2003)
Dell AXIM X5 (300 Mhz) (released date 12/5/2002)
Dell AXIM X5 (400 MHz) (released date 12/5/2002)

HP iPaq PDA Models

2005-09-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

HP iPaq hw6515 (released date 5/1/2005)
HP iPaq hx2110 (released date 1/1/2005)
HP iPaq hx2410 (released date 1/1/2005)
HP iPAQ hx2750 (released date 12/1/2004)
HP iPaq rx3115 (released date 9/30/2004)
HP iPaq hx4705 (released date 10/8/2004)
HP iPaq rx3715 (released date 9/30/2004)
HP iPaq rx3415 (released date 9/30/2004)
HP iPaq rz1715 (released date 7/31/2004)
HP iPAQ h6315 / h6320 (released date 8/20/2004)
HP iPAQ h4350 h4355 (released date 11/15/2003)
HP iPAQ h5150 (released date 6/30/2003)
HP iPAQ h4150 h4155 (released date 10/15/2003)
HP iPAQ h1940 h1945 (released date 7/7/2003)
HP iPAQ h1930 h1935 h1937 (released date 8/26/2003)
HP iPAQ h5550 h5555 (released date 6/30/2003)
HP iPAQ h2210 h2215 (released date 6/23/2003)
HP iPAQ H1910 (released date 12/18/2002)
HP iPAQ h5450 (released date 12/10/2002)

Amps, Volts, and mAh

2005-09-05T07:02:00.000-07:00

PDA batteries have electrical specifications that include its volt and milliAmp hour rating. These terms are abbreviated as we see in the following example: 3.7 V, 1600 mAh.

What do these terms mean, and why should you care about the specifications of pda batteries?

Volts - or V - are an electrical measure of energy potential. You can think of it as the pressure being exerted by all the electrons of a PDA Batteries negative terminal as they try to move to the positive terminal.

Amps - or A - is an abbreviation of Ampere, a 19th century French scientist who was a pioneer in electricity research. Amps measure the volume of electrons passing through a wire in a one second. One Amp equals 6.25 x 1018 electrons per second.

Amp hours - or Ah - measures capacity. That is what we want to know about PDA Batteries - how long can it deliver a certain amount of charge before it runs out. As with all metric measurements, Amps can be divided into smaller (or larger) units by adding a prefix.

In the case of PDA Batteries, a milliAmp hour (mAh) is most commonly used. Note that 1000 mAh is the same a 1 Ah. (Just as 1000mm equals 1 meter.) Note that Amp hours do not dictate the flow of electrons at any given moment. PDA batteries with a 1 Amp hour rating could deliver ½ Amp of current for 2 hours, or they could provide 2 Amps of current for ½ hour.

Typically, PDA Batteries will use 1 to 3 Amps per hour, depending on the model's processor speed, screen size, screen brightness adjustment, usage, and other factors.

Keep in mind that slight variations in voltage generally do not impact the performance of your PDA. We see this all the time with universal and external batteries. The original battery might be specified at 10.8 Volts, but customers using a universal part can operate their laptop safely at either the 10 or 11 Volt setting.

iPAQ Battery Life

2005-09-05T06:35:00.000-07:00

The life of an iPAQ Battery can be measured by the mAh number that can be found on a product description page for your iPAQ Battery. For example at BatteryShip.com you will be able to find your specific iPAQ model and its related iPAQ Battery designed to power your iPAQ.

If you take a look at their listing page for the iPAQ Battery models they carry you will find a Battery Capacity number with a link that describes the importance of the capacity amount. In our example we looked at the iPAQ Battery for the iPAQ 3100 series.

By clicking on the link that describes the mAH you will find a notice that says:

"Battery Capacity: mAh ratingmAh, an abbreviation for milliamp hours, is a measurement of a battery's total capacity. The higher the mAh rating, the longer your battery can last between charges."

If you look at the mAh (milli amp hours) you will see that the rating is typically 30-100% higher than the batteries that are originally installed by the manufacturer of your device.

167648 Compaq iPAQ Battery

2005-08-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

The Compaq iPAQ 167648 is an internal battery packed with power! The iPAQ 167648 Extended Life Battery that will fit the Compaq or HP iPAQ 3100, 3600, and 3700 series, and for overall best value should comes with a complete iPAQ Battery Replacement Kit that includes and step-by-step instructions to make your installation a snap.

The Compaq iPAQ 167648 has the following Alternate Part Numbers: DLP 305590, 305590 or 3S619-001.

The Compaq iPAQ 167648 will fit these iPAQ's: 3135, H3135, 3150, H3150, 3630, H3630, 3635, H3635, 3650, H3650, 3660, H3660, 3670, H3670, 3760, H3760, 3765, H3765.

The extended life Compaq iPAQ 167648 has Polymer Lithium battery technology with 3.7 volts 1600 mAh (Extended Life) 100% OEM compatible.

Thank you and stay tuned for more interesting reports on PDA batteries! PDA Battery Life is a blog written and maintained by BatteryShip.com