How long should a PDA last?

[breegenie]

What has been the battery experience for longer term Clie T series users?

My T615C is barely 8 months old and I think the battery is starting to die. I used to get 4-4 1/2 on one charge, now it barely lasts a half hour. Yesterday, I left work for an appointment at 6:05 at 100% and it was down to 9% by 6:35 and it hard reset on its own. This has happened three times in the last two weeks. Luckily I sync frequently to two computers, and backup to MS once a week ...

It sits in the cradle nearly all day at work, with the occasional trip for taking meeting notes. I charge it on weekends using either a USB charge/sync cable or the Sony travel charger. Most input is via Palm Desktop.

I do have the Best Buy PSP, but they are going to start wondering what I do to these things (my Palm IIIxe digitizer went haywire and the Visor Neo battery spring snapped off). BB made me pay for a new PSP when they replaced the Neo with the Clie, and I couldn't really blame them.

I know other people love using the BB PSP to "upgrade" but I'm sick of getting a new PDA every time one breaks -- I've gotten very attached to all the models I've had and I agonize over which one to replace the broken one with, as I research a major technology purchase. When my other ones broke, BB had discontinued them, so I had to pay the difference and stress about which one has the best features, all while being "helped" by a BB associate who doesn't know much more about the new models than I do.

Sorry for the rant but if another PDA dies now, three weeks from the nine day live TV event I spent a year planning, I think I'm going to have a nervous breakdown.

[*YellowRose*]

Why not replace it with the same thing, if choosing a new one is such agony? Maybe they'll have an open box or something. Or buy it a new battery.

I am sorry about your situation, but sometimes these things happen. I had a battery go haywire in less than 30 days. It happens.

Oh, and if I were you, I'd begin to back up to MS EVERY DAY. It will save more than a computer backup will.

[breegenie]

Thanks for the MS tip. I didn't realize an MS backup would save more than a sync. Time for nightly backups, but I'll have to do it plugged in.

I keep hearing about open box deals at BB, but I have yet to see one for an actual PDA at my local BB--lots of open box styli, etc. If they had had a open box Visor when mine broke, I would have grabbed it. As it was, I had to sell all my Visor keyboard and case because BB had gotten rid of the Visor line even before Handspring did. Of course, I love my Clie now, but at the time it was traumatic.

I would like a Palm device to last longer than 8 months! My BF's iPaq is over a year old . But then again, I guess I'll take short life over the PPC mess he deals with :)

[PDA gadgetfreak]

At my local Best Buy they will sometimes mark the display PDA as open item. I bought my SJ-30 and got home and realized it was an open box, everything there and in perfect condition but had been opened and obviously used (had a screen protector on it). I went back to BB and the manager took off 10%. I think it was accidental and the clerk didn't know it was open item. You may want to ask if they have one not on display. good luck!

[*YellowRose*]

If you REAAAAALLY want to keep your 615 you may want to check out www.cliebattery.com ~ They have batteries for the 615 for $49. They also have installation instructions.

Good Luck!:)

[Lee]

Thanks for that link, YellowRose. I had thought there must be some source for those batteries and it didn't look hard to do. I had taken that battery cover off to fix the loose slot for the stylus on my T415. ;^)

[*YellowRose*]

Originally posted by Lee
Thanks for that link, YellowRose. I had thought there must be some source for those batteries and it didn't look hard to do. I had taken that battery cover off to fix the loose slot for the stylus on my T415. ;^) Well, I was suprised they had them for the NR/NX. They haven't until VERY recently (like, since the last time I looked there:rolleyes: ) Anyhow, I'm glad you found it helpful.:)

/me walks away humming "It's A Small World After All" . . . ;)

[Shrink]

Not many people know this but Sony has a chip in each and every Clie which causes spontaneous self destruction every third time that a new Clie is released.:rolleyes:
alan

[A1CPete]

I used to work for Suncoast motion picture company, which in early 2001 was bought out by the big blue, Best Buy. After that we started getting a discount there (which I have to stress was the best discount in the history of anything!!). Anyway, I'd heard from more then one best buy associate to avoid Open Box Buys, like the plague. I don't know why, but it's kept me clear of them reguardless of how good a deal it is.