Desktop chargers with auto battery drain

[Ardiem]

Hey everyone, first post on these boards... so.. HI!! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

I recently got a V60i with Verizon service. I was wondering if there was a desktop charger out there that can auto drain the battery and then refill it. I sorta recall some phone brands that did this with their desktop chargers (Ericsson I think). I was wondering if Motorola or some 3d market vendor actually makes these for the V60 series. Doing this drain thing supposedly prolongs the battery life right? Thanks for the help.

[Trix]

depending on what type of battery is in your phone, you may not need to completely drain it.

NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride): A declining technology in cell phone batteries. Along with NiCad, these batteries are fading out and will be increasingly replaced by Li-Ion batteries.
Pros:
- cheaper than other batteries
Cons:
- they suffer from the "memory" effect: once in a while, you have to completely discharge and recharge them so they can retain their optimal capacity. Eventually, standby and talktime between charges will decrease.

Li-Ion (Lithium-Ion): These are considered the most advanced widespread cell phone batteries available. Eventually, they should totally replace NiMH and NiCad batteries.
Pros:
- lighter and thinner than NiMH or NiCad batteries
- usually have a longer lifetime
- are not subject to the memory effect that comes with most NiMH and NiCad batteries.
Cons:
- expensive (for example, a Nokia Li-Ion battery costs 59$ while a standard NiMH battery of the same capacity for the same phone costs only 39$, 20 dollars less.)

Li-Polymer (Lithium Polymer) is still quite rare and an even more advanced type of batteries. That technology helps make even thinner and lighter batteries.

Extend Your Standby and Talktime: Reduce Your Consumption

There are a few things you can do that won't necessarily affect your habits, while reducing your energy consumption, thus allowing you more standby and talktime between each charges:
- get rid of the little sound that the phone makes when you press a key. You should find how to do that in your phone's settings.
- use a ringtone instead of the vibration alarm whenever possible: ringtones drain less energy.
- The Backlight makes the screen and keys of your phone visible in the dark when you open the flip cover or press a key. As you will notice, that light times out, typically after two or three seconds. On most phones, you can adjust - and reduce - the backlight timeout.
- If you have a dual mode "digital and analog" phone, this one is very important: when you travel in an analog area and you know you won't need your phone for a while, turn it off, since the analog system is thougher on cell phone batteries. Digital phones actually have power management features - similar to those of your computer - that analog phones don't have. For example, a Nokia 6160 has 100 to 200 hours of standby time in digital mode but only 30 to 50 hours when in an analog area. A huge difference!

A Word on Cell Phone Battery Protection

Finally, cell phone batteries don't only have a standby time and talktime... they also have an overall lifetime. Usually, it is stated in charge cycles, as in "300 charge cycles". Typically, that means that you should expect to have to replace your battery every year, after it becomes inefficient.

But you can make a difference in the lifetime of your battery by taking care of it and one of the worst treat it faces is extreme heat. Never leave it close to a heat source or on the dash of your vehicle since heat will greatly affect battery performance.

[Ardiem]

Thanks! I have a Li-Ion battery and the phone has all the minimum settings for prolonged standby except for the vibrate/ring. I like to have lots of power on tap though, so I might end up getting the bigger/thicker battery for my model.

[Joe0378]

Get the 1100mAH battery for the v60. Thats what I got =)

[Ardiem]

Speaking of that 1100mah battery...

How do I know which one is which? Is there a serial number I can use to identify the battery?
Along those lines, how thick is that battery and does the battery cover that fits the 800mah fit that one?
Does it fit on a standard motorola dual desktop charger or that nice blue one with the clock?

Also... for those that do have it. How long does it last for you. Talk time and Standby.
Also... is there a leather case/holster that actually fits it?

the 1100 is the big @$$ one...thats how you know...it adds about a half inch of thickness to the phone, but it sure lasts a long time before you need to charge it!