[geeks] Article: Sun's not so cheap trick doesn't work

[wa2egp at att.net]

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Geoffrey S. Mendelson" <gsm at mendelson.com>
>
> On Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 09:01:30PM -0500, Jonathan C. Patschke wrote:
> >[1] An indirect result of the iToys soaking up more of Apple's R&D budget.
> >     If I had an Intel-based Mac laptop, I wouldn't have needed to borrow
a
> >     PC laptop from $ork.  If Apple would release an Intel-based Mac
laptop
> >     that wasn't a step sideways from my PowerPC laptop that still gets 5
> >     or more hours to a charge, I'd buy one the day it came out.
>
> IMHO the best of the lot was the "PDQ" Wallstreet. It had a battery
> slot on the left and a "media" slot on the right. The media slot was
> normally for a CD-ROM or floppy drive, but you could place a battery
> in it and get double the battery life out of it.

I now use a Pismo and I get about 5 hours from a somewhat used battery.  And
the latest Apple laptops claim to get between 4.5-5 hours.  (Maybe that should
be "up to")
>
> Unfortunately, said Wallstreet is now a desktop because the battery is
> dead and a new one or rebuilding them costs too much.

Shame.  IIRC the Wallstreet and Pismo used the same battery.  I'm looking to
get a spare battery for mine.  At least the eBay prices are not what Apple
would want to charge. :)

<snip>

> If for example, they replaced the plug in lithum battery with a slot for
> 4 AA high density NiMH batteries, they would get 1 and 1/2 times the
> reading per charge, and it would be easy to swap them out. If you were
stuck,
> you could use AA disposable batteries which are available almost
everywhere.
>
> I wish Apple would do the same, I bet they could sell a lot of AA battery
> packs for their laptops, which is probably why they don't.

Could always pick up a Tandy Model 100 (ducking...)


Bob