Unhappy Thread

[Bealman]

Talking of battery and recharging issues, has anyone noticed that recent phones (at least the ones at the cheaper end of the mobilverse) have inaccessible batteries?

I had to junk my old HTC one when the battery completely failed, and I notice that my replacement (also HTC) is showing similar symptoms. It took ages to charge today, and is down to 67% after only half an hour or so looking at the NGF.

My local Vodaphone shop doesn't stock htc anymore because of battery problems.

However, I note that my wife's new phone, a low-end Samsung model, is also fully sealed.

Is this the new throw away e-waste money-making environmental threat?

In the time it took to type this, my battery is now down to 64%!

[dannyboy]

It is not just the cheaper end! I have a Samsung Galaxy S10 and that does not have a replaceable battery, although doing a quick search shows ways of getting round this.

[Bealman]

I just realised I've had Bluetooth turned on for a few days. One of my daughters tells me that Bluetooth chews up power.

True? 

I turned it off twenty minutes ago and it seems to have slowed the battery depletion 

[dannyboy]

I am not sure, but I believe when Bluetooth is turned on, it is constantly looking for, and maintaining, a connection, so the battery is almost constantly in use. Could be wrong, but I am sure someone can confirm or deny this.

[Bealman]

Your theory sounds good...

Depletion definitely slowed down since I turned it off.

Perhaps I should move this to computer problems, but I still stick with my unhappy post, ie, fully sealed phones.

[TrevL]

Yes, true, bluetooth does use up your power, also true of wifi, both always looking.

[daveg]

Yup. That's my non-tech understanding also.

The system 'pings' regularly to see what device may respond.

Dave G

[RailGooner]

Very true of Bluetooth <v.3 but Bluetooth v.4< has significantly improved power management. On my current phone (iPhone XR) I leave Bluetooth (v.4) to manage itself. More power would be consumed during the power-up of the Bluetooth components, than during a 24 Hr period of continuous standby.

In a typical day I'll listen to ~2 Hrs of music via Bluetooth, make ~60 minutes of calls, send/receive ~20 SMS, be connected to WiFi for ~22 Hrs. At the end of the day, my battery capacity will be down by ~20%.

[Skyline2uk]

At the risk of further de-railing this thread (although you will note some unhappiness from me further on), something else to bare in mine with phone battery life is how you charge it.

Older types of rechargeable batteries could suffer from the so-called "memory effect", whereby they stop charging above a certain point if they were continuously dis-connected before being fully charged or not run-down to flat (or nearly flat) before charging.

It is from this I believe that we have got into the "leave it charging over night" habit, having flattened it throughout the day.

My understanding is, after reading, Lithium ion doesn't especially like that. It's much better to give these batteries "Little top ups", rather than putting them under long periods of "stress" whilst charging. Not an expert, this is based on some reading.

Now, if its advisable to be putting large quantities of these batteries into vehicles for primary power supply when it's obvious most drivers will "leave it charging over night", thats another matter....

Skyline2uk

[daffy]

Interesting to know how/when battery is charged affects the battery life on modern phones and tablets.

Re my iPad battery problem: took it to the Apple Store in Milton Keynes yesterday (a near 5 hour drive round trip!) but able to visit family and do shopping too, so not too bad. Good diagnosis of dead/"swollen" battery and immediate decision by them that it would be replaced by same, new, unused model there and then. So far so good.

Problem was they didn't have one in stock, but could get one in three days. Second problem is that I would HAVE to collect, they won't deliver/post it to me.

Nice young lady advises I could contact Apple Support and ask them to send out a postal pack to return mine and get replacement sent ASAP. Fair idea I thought, not wishing to do another 5 hour drive.

Contacted Apple Support this morning about this. In short - what a  palaver!

By the time I had endured over two hours of phone calls - NO exaggeration - and talking to a real stupid and unknowledgeable 'advisor', then finding all contact telephone numbers end up being routed to the same automated female voice who (?) claims she (it?) can understand full sentences, but in fact just hurls me into the dark abyss of dead (after over five minutes of patient waiting) or musically adorned unanswered lines, I was fit to scream.

Eventually I get through to someone who does seem to know most of what they needed to know, and now I'm waiting for a postal pack, will then send my iPad to them, and, upon checking after they receive it, they will send me a new iPad.

All in all, Apple may charge a fortune for their devices; their Apple Store may be full of clever techies who know how to help (I lost count of how many Apple logo T-shirt wearing staff I saw in the MK store. Lets just say lots and lots), but their telephone lines are a disgrace and some of their Apple Support telephone advisors don't know what 'customer service' is supposed to mean. Nor, so it seems to me have much of a clue about their company's own procedures and practises.


But as far as batteries are concerned on iPads - if it's failed they will replace entire iPad with the same, unused model, for a fee of £89 plus £7.44 postage. A 2014 iPad like mine is evidently not a common beast in unused form now, so I imagine that next time it fails I'll have to buy a new one.

As to where all these now defunct batteries end up is anybody's guess. Perhaps a geologist in a few million years time will be able to identify the times we are living in today as a distinct dark layer in the sedimentary rock layers, characterised by a high level of lithium, plastic, some traces of other heavy and precious metals, and the stench of long-dead environmental dreams.

[Pjlons83]

I've just opened by bag of "5" capacities that I ordered from eBay a few days ago. Only to find that the single item was a packet of 5. So I now have 25!

If anybody is in the market for 470u 16v capacitors then I'm your man! 

[dannyboy]

Look at it this way - you can put the spare 24 in a safe place and then, when you need another, (in a couplee of years?), you will not be able to find them, so you can order another 1, (or 25). 

[joe cassidy]

Apparently Apple are working on a solution to the battery problem - clockwork computers/phones.

Remember, I told you about it first

[Snowwolflair]

There is an article on the BBC that says that even in 200 years Artificial Intelligence will never be able to replace politicians.  That was my last hope I was hoping for something positive before the end of the month 

Apparently they cannot make them stupid enough 

[Newportnobby]

Perhaps a geologist in a few million years time will be able to identify the times we are living in today as a distinct dark layer in the sedimentary rock layers, characterised by a high level of lithium, plastic, some traces of other heavy and precious metals, and the stench of long-dead environmental dreams.

Actually I'm sure I saw that episode of Star Trek Voyager not so long ago.