Re: MORE ON BAD CELL PHONE BATTERIES

Ron wrote:
> AT&T WEB SITE SHOWS BATTERIES FOR MY W300I AS "OUT OF stock'
>
> so I ordered some from Amazon - Eforcity.com - those batteries were
> bogus batteries that would not charge. After filing a complaint, they
> must know they sell bogus batteries as they already refunded my full
> cost including shipping, which on eforcity.com they claim never
> happens.
>
> So I called AT&T and had lots of fun - NOT - My phone luckily
> is still under warranty for another 2 weeks, so I was eventually
> connected to the Warranty Department. Their job seems to be to
> disqualify you from getting warranty service. Two hours later they
> agreed to ship me new batteries, which I now have FedEx Tracking
> numbers for.
>
> Moral - Always start at the President's Office.
>
> Amazing how many CSRs told me about problems with batteries (except
> what they told me applies to Ni-Cad batteries not Li-Ion).

Those crappy no-name cell phone batteries should be avoided.

I've been using "http://www.cellularaccessory.com/" for batteries. I try
to get an order large enough for free shipping ($79). Use the coupon
code "gift4u" for an extra 7% savings.

Still they charge $39.95 for that 900mAH battery. I guess I'm used to
Motorola batteries, where the high capacity 1130 mAH battery is only $14.95.

At 09 Sep 2008 08:30:55 -0700 SMS wrote:

> Those crappy no-name cell phone batteries should be avoided.

I'm of two minds on that. Often they're of poorer quality than OEM, at
least in "fit and finish" (a replacement Nokia battery I've purchased had
so many layers of shrink wrap coating to approximate the OEM battery
plastic case's size that it was difficult to remove and insert, I had to
cut a layer off, and an "extended life" HTC battery I have is so loose I
had to add a couple of layers of black electrical tape along one side as a
shim so it'll keep contact with the phone's spring terminals!) Electrically,
however, I've never had a problem with knockoffs in my phones or digicams,
and I've saved enough money that if I do get a dud once in awhile, so be
it...

To be fair, however, I typically use the knockoffs as spares (my "backup"
camera battery for long trips where access to a charger isn't convenient,
or in older cellphones I've relegated to occasional prepaid or emergency
use.) Unlike Ron, I've typically found that properly cared-for batteries
will last as long as I typically use a device before upgrading. Even my
six-year old Audiovox Maestro Pocket PC holds a charge long enough to
fulfill it's current duties- video/game player for the kids on long
airplane rides.


> I've been using "http://www.cellularaccessory.com/" for batteries.
> I try to get an order large enough for free shipping ($79). Use the
> coupon code "gift4u" for an extra 7% savings.
>
> Still they charge $39.95 for that 900mAH battery. I guess I'm used
> to Motorola batteries, where the high capacity 1130 mAH battery is
> only $14.95.


I'll give Motorola props for selling their OEM batts for a reasonable price
compared to other manufacturers- this really reduces the incentive to use
schlockly third-party batteries, much like Kodak's reasonably priced ink-
jet cartridges reduce the incentive to buy off-brand replacements.

Walmart was even selling a line of reasonably priced Motorola-branded
replacement batteries for both Motorola and non-Motorola phones, which at
least offered the security of a trusted brand on third-party batteries. I
haven't seen them in awhile, so perhaps it was a marketing experiment that
didn't work out. If so, too bad- all else being equal, I prefer buying
third party batteries or accessories from a vendor with a reputation to
protect vs. a no-name vendor, since there's an incentive for the known
vendor not to peddle complete and utter crap.