Unless things have changed recently, or unless it was some sort of problem as with some of the mPower batteries/hardware, the info on the HW page seems to indicate that batteries aren't included in the warranty or extended warranty:
http://humanware.com/Products/Complementary/shipping.asp Vicky Collins [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chad Fenton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "BrailleNote list" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, February 16, 2007 10:43 AM Subject: Re: [Braillenote] Battery Replacement >From a bit of research, I've determined that two competing products of the BrailleNote, LevelStar's Icon and GW Micro's Braille Sense, offer the feature of replaceable batteries. Another competitor, Freedom Scientific, offered replaceable batteries in its first incarnation of the PAC Mate, but my understanding is there were problems with these batteries, and so they moved to an internal battery that could only be replaced by the manufacturer. This is similar to the BrailleNote's design. This may not lessen your concern, but I believe I am correct in assuming that if your product is under warrantee, your battery will be replaced by Humanware at no cost to you. Granted, depending on your location, you may be parted from your BrailleNote for a week or two while the battery is replaced and shipped back to you. I believe your chief complaints are the extended time without your unit in replacing the battery, and the inability to accomplish the task yourself without having to send it back to the company. I'm sure that Humanware is keeping abreast of recent research developments with batteries. An example is the research being done at MIT to develop a so-called super battery that more or less recharges from flat to full in a matter of minutes with a multiple year life span. Should this battery come to the market, its first application would likely be for electric cars. Another example is Boston Power's Sonata battery likely to be used by HP in the near future to power their laptops. Boston Power claims their Sonata battery charges from flat to 80% capacity in a half hour, with a life span of at least two years, around as long as a typical laptop lasts. I can't say whether either type of battery would change the design enough to allow consumers to change the batteries themselves, but I'm sure Humanware would want to capitalize on a battery that lasts longer and recharges faster, at such time as such a product is available and affordable. Regards, Chad ___ Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a copy to the list as well. To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
