Of course, if one takes this particular course of action, one would violate any existing warranties.
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of richard synnott Sent: Friday, February 16, 2007 10:43 AM To: Chad Fenton; [email protected] Subject: Re: [Braillenote] Battery Replacement hi a couple of years ago, a pal of mine replaced the batteries in my bn. i had no problem afterwards. they were 6 1.5 volt standard-type double a rechargeable lithiam batteries, the sort that you would put in a walkman. i don't know how many milly amps the batteries were but i don't think they were particularly special batteries. cheers, richard. > ----- Original Message ----- >From: "Chad Fenton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: "BrailleNote list" <[email protected] >Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 10:43:39 -0500 >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 >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Eugene Manfrinie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: "BrailleNote list" <[email protected] >Sent: Friday, February 16, 2007 9:11 AM >Subject: [Braillenote] Battery Replacement >> Dear Andy, Joseph and all you Braille Listers, >> I want to state at the outset that I love my BrailleNote. Not >> only is it a marvelous piece of equipment but it has actually >> made my life livable since being wheelchair bound over a year and >> a half ago. A very good friend of almost 60 years, a >> fellow-wrestler, sent me the BrailleNote as a gift for which I >> will always be indebted and eternally grateful because I couldn't >> possibly have afforded it on a fixed income. >> What I can't believe or understand is Humanware's unforgivable >> decision in producing a wonderful computer with an unconscionable >> situation with the battery replacement. In my opinion this is >> the worst feature by far of the BrailleNote and Humanware has to >> be aware of this unfortunate problem and has chosen not to >> address it. I am certainly not a connoisseur of electronic >> equipment, I am definitely of piano tuning and rebuilding, >> performing and composing music, and wrestling, but not electronic >> equipment, however, I do know what a battery is, what it's >> supposed to do and how to replace it, but not on the >> BrailleNote!! Why!?, because Humanware has chosen to make it >> impossible for a blind user to accomplish this normally simple >> task with a penalty, to boot, if you try. I still can't believe >> that Humanware has the gall to charge such a steep price for a >> portable computer and then tack on other exorbitant expenses >> including the sending and receiving of the battery, the cost of >> the replacement which is certainly excessive, and, the expiable >> length of time before it is returned. I dread to think of the >> next time I am compelled to send my BrailleNote Classic to >> Humanware (updated to 6.11 build 26), because the last and only >> time I sent it in, about a year ago, there was only one problem >> with it but it was returned to me with two, an unfortunate >> occasion that has apparently occurred to quite a number of you >> people judging by what I've read on the List, (my "previous" >> thumb key still doesn't function at also). What really drove me >> to express my views on this subject was discovering that W. G. >> Micro has the changing-the-battery-yourself feature on their >> BrailleSense which infuriates me no end, the fact that I can't do >> a simple installation on a more expensive competitive P D A. >> Think about it: Wouldn't it be terrific to be able to finally >> change your battery in your cherished BrailleNote which you can >> already do in just about every piece of equipment you own >> whenever you need to without having to send it away or worry that >> it'll go flat? What a relief that would be. It is such an >> obvious and essential feature to have on our BrailleNote that I >> hesitate and am somewhat embarrassed as to the reason, my brain >> has dredged up, why Humanware has imposed this unnecessary burden >> on us. I'd better not continue on this "thread", a word >> much-used on the List. >> My hope is that Humanware will seriously consider putting >> "battery replacement" at the top of the "update" list, instead of >> those that some of us probably will never use anyway, and not at >> the bottom as it so wrongly has for years. However, as is >> usually the case my little voice in the wilderness will fall on >> deaf ears and we'll go on never to falter except when it's >> necessary to replace the BATTERY. Just remember, we can perform >> any task that the BrailleNote possesses but absolutely nothing, >> zero, without the BATTERY. That's important!, isn't it? >> Eugene Manfrini A K A Eugenio >> ___ >> 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 >___ >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 ___ 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 ___ 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
