September 18, 2009, 8:19 PM — I've been bitching and moaning about battery life for as long as there have been luggables, and I feel like I've lugged most of them, starting with a 28-pound Compaq 286 Portable (aka the sewing machine) back when I was still a pup, relatively speaking.
In July I wrote about a class-action suit filed against Intel for its -- shall we say "optimistic"? -- claims of notebook battery life ("Assault with batteries"). I also detailed my own sorry struggle trying to squeeze more juice out of my portable gear over the years. Since then I've heard from a few readers who've echoed my sentiments.
[ Also on InfoWorld: "Assault with batteries" | Stay up to date on Robert X. Cringely's musings and observations with InfoWorld's Notes from the Underground newsletter. ]
M. C., a professor at a well-known university in the Midwest, says battery life has actually gotten worse over the past 20 years:
The one laptop that I had that actually lived up to its battery life promises was my Zenith 80286 that gave me 6 hours of working time. I used it to research my thesis and spent an 8 hour day in an archives every day, and would take my notes on the laptop. It always gave me a full day's work. I would plug it in at night and do it all over again the next day. How I wish that 1987 technology was still with us!
Professional support tech D. S. B. sees a conspiracy afoot, citing the ridiculously high price of replacement batteries (often 25 percent of the cost of a new notebook) coupled with their propensity to simply up and die overnight without warning. To wit:
...about 5 months ago I powered up my Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop and was startled by a warning message that the battery was now dead and needed to be replaced, along with requisite contact information for how I could purchase one from Dell. Prior to that day, the battery continued to charge and hold a charge as normal. Granted, again, not as long as new, but certainly acceptable and at least an hour. Now, all of a sudden, Whap! The battery would no longer take or accept a charge. ... There is simply no reason why a previously working battery would all of a sudden drop off the useful list and Dell would be so "helpful" in pushing me toward dropping an exorbitant amount on a replacement. Call it captive revenue.
On the other hand, Cringe fan S. E. says he's always gotten close to the advertised amount of juice from his PowerBooks and MacBook Pro (unless he's watching a movie, in which case it drops to about 60 percent). So maybe it's a Windows thing?
Back in July, I also promised to give the Acer Timeline 3810T a whirl. The 3810T is a sweet little ultrathin with a sharp 13-inch screen and a roomy keyboard, yet it weighs just 3.5 pounds. It also claims to provide at least 8 hours of battery life, thanks to its Intel ultra-low-voltage chips.
At the time, I said if I got 8 -- or even 6 -- hours of battery life, I'd eat my fedora, washed down by a frosty malted beverage. Well, my hat is still intact. Here's the story.
I'd originally intended to test the Timeline on my trip to Korea in August. I opened the notebook at the start of my 14-hour flight and immediately found myself staring at a 3.5-pound paperweight. After working fine for several weeks prior, that battery up and died when I needed it most, just like it did for D. S. B. above.
But the Timeline worked just fine while plugged in, and there happened to be an AC outlet at my seat, so I didn't have to spend my whole trip watching straight-to-video movies while the flight attendants brought me yet another round of soju, which is kind of a cross between sake and rubbing alcohol. (For the record: Those Korean Airline stews [video] are the best in the biz. Seriously.)
