Rhodri Marsden: Why don't batteries last as long as they're supposed to?
Cyberclinic
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Independent Minds
As much as we can be certain of anything, we know that there are 100 pence in a pound, six eggs in a box and 53 seats on an executive coach. But one hour of battery life in a cutting-edge gadget contains substantially less than 60 minutes – to a point where the word "hour" has become as meaningless as, I dunno, "squilp". We're proudly told how long devices will last on standby, which is like talking about the durability of tyres based on a period they spent lying gently on big blobs of cotton wool. I don't want to know that an iPhone will last for 300 hours if it's left lying on a window sill; I want to know how long it can perform everything it's capable of before collapsing from exhaustion.
Nigel Dessau, the senior vice-president of microprocessor supplier AMD, made a rare admission last week – that his company was "not being entirely honest" about battery life – and called on the industry to re-examine the way it presents this data. The problems are obvious: first, manufacturers are reluctant to initiate a more honest system, because it'll make their products look pathetically inadequate; second, because we use gadgets in such different ways, coming up with accurate figures is impossible. But we're not necessarily after accuracy; all we want is something realistic – because the current rule of thumb (take a laptop's supposed battery life and halve it) is absurd. Currently, the only way for us to assess battery performance is to listen to the reviewers who have properly put these gadgets through their paces.
Battery technology is having trouble keeping up with everything it's meant to be powering, but there are ways we can minimise the impact. Keep your phone on G rather than 3G if you're not using the internet, and don't keep it in your pocket (apparently a cool battery is happier than a warm one.) Screen brightness is a power hog on mobiles and laptops, so turn it down, and turn off any features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS that you're not using. Of course, this is a drag, but just imagine: by the end of the decade we might even reach a point where we can watch a 90-minute DVD on a laptop without running off to find a charger.
Email any technology gripes to cyberclinic@independent.co.uk, or join the discussions on the blog at www.independent.co.uk/cyberclinic .
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Comments
For example, one will test a "AA" battery using a 20mA load until it reaches 0.9 volts, whereas another will test their "AA" battery using a more realistic 50mA load until it reaches 1.1 volts. The first battery will in all likelihood claim a much higher capacity (e.g. 2000mAH) even though if tested in the same way as the second battery, it would show a capacity of only 300mAH.
Interestingly, manufacturers that used to detail on their websites how they test their batteries, have started removing that vital information. In many cases there is now no way for consumers to accurately compare battery performance unless they run their own tests. And in fact, perhaps that's the best thing to do.
I have also seen a MAJOR battery manufacturer that sells a "D" cell that in fact is merely a hollow shell in which a "AA" cell is installed. In other words, with the "D" cell, you SHOULD be getting a battery with a power capacity many many many times higher than the "AA" cell, but in fact you don't. This means the battery company makes massive profit off of their deception and your ignorance.
Next time you buy batteries, look at the mAH rating. Although because of the testing differences I cite above there are issues, in general, the higher the mAH rating, the better.
Be aware that I've also seen a rechargeable NiMH "D" battery rated at 2000mAH while the much smaller "AA" battery of the SAME type, from the SAME company is rated at 2500mAH. That same company also sells "AA" batteries rated at 1800mAH in the EXACT SAME packaging. The only difference is the mAH rating which may be written in very small type, and it may even appear only on the battery itself...making it even harder to read while in the store.
I've also seen combination charger/battery packages sold on the same rack for the same price, even though the batteries provided with one charger may be 1800mAH cells, and batteries provided in the charger package underneath, come with 2500mAH cells. Same advice applies...read the battery ratings before making your purchase and get the most for your dollar.
Why pay the same amount of money for a much lower capacity battery when you don't have to?