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MOBILE EXTRAS
INTRO
Longer lasting batteries, universal cases and
smelly phones -- Rick Maybury unleashes
this month’s more than usually fragrant assortment of cellphone accessories
COPY
VARTA T422 BATTERY, £49.99
Cellphone batteries tend to be a bit, shall
we say, predictable. That’s not to say they’re not interesting. Far from it, we
reckon cellphone battery packs are tiny miracles of engineering, but for most
mobile phone users they’re the part of a mobile telephone that’s most likely to
let them down and are simply just a nuisance. Phone manufacturers are doing their
bit to extend operating times, but in the end everything rests on the battery
pack.
Varta as one of the world’s leading battery
manufacturers, have been working long and hard to improve the performance of
their products, but they’re not only concerned with a battery’s electrical
properties. Take the new T422. It’s designed to fit most Motorola Flips, TACs
and Flares, but the smooth curved shape is quite unlike the usual ‘chocolate bar’
designs we’re used to. There’s more. As anyone who has one of these phones will
know, fitting and removing the pack requires a certain knack, that is often
acquired at the expense of several fingernails. Varta have re-designed the
latch, making it much easier to unclip. They’ve even patented it, though maybe
that’s not such good news, as it probably means other battery manufacturers won’t
use it.
The T422 is rated at 1300mAh, which is almost
three times the capacity of the standard nickel cadmium packs supplied with
most Motorola phones, yet it’s only about twice as thick. That’s because it
uses Nickel metal hydride (NiMh) cells, which have a higher power density than
nicads. NiMh batteries are also virtually immune to the so-called ‘memory’
effect, which can reduce the capacity of a battery pack by up to 50% in just a
few months. Compared with nicad packs of the same capacity the £50 being asked
for the T422 looks quite expensive, but in addition to being smaller it has the
potential for a longer, more useful life, so it could actually work out cheaper
in the long run.
So far so good, but how well does it work? To
find out we subjected it to a new testing procedure, using the Hahnel Pro 9900 battery
analyser. This puts the pack through a series of controlled charge/discharge
cycles, to fully condition the pack, eliminate any residual charge, and determine
the capacity. It did very well, the average capacity of our sample came out at
1285mAh, which is within a whisker of the spec, and well within the expected
tolerance range. But what will it do for you? A Motorola phone with a standard
pack will just about make it through a working day, with maybe one or two one
minute calls. After six months regular use you’ll be lucky to get through the
afternoon without the low battery bleeper going off. The T422 will see you
through an average working day with ease, and maybe well into the evening as
well, even after several calls, and it should continue to give that kind of
service long after most nicads have popped their clogs. Definitely worth
considering.
THE FACTS
Typical Price £49.99
Features 1300
mAh capacity, high-performance NiMh cells for increased capacity and reduced
memory effect
To fit (T422 Motorola fit, T423 Ericsson
fit) also available for most popular makes and models
Contact Varta
Ltd., telephone (01460) 77470
WHAT CELLPHONE VERDICT 88%
ANDREW UNIVERSAL CASES, £20
At a time when cellphone cases are becoming
ever more elaborate and manufacturers are falling over themselves to keep up
with the tide of new models, Andrew have gone back to basics with their new
Universal range. It’s a simple open ended holster type design, and it’s available
in just three sizes, which Andrew say will suit most current makes and models.
This is good news for dealers too, who will only have to keep a small stock of
cases, rather than trying to cater for every phone on the market.
The case is constructed form a single piece
of thick leather, formed into a U-shape, with elasticated sides. On the back
there’s a spring-metal belt clip. The inside face of the case is lightly padded,
to prevent accidental operation of any buttons on the keypad. There are no
cut-outs or windows, no security strap, and they’re available in any colour you
like, as long as it’s black, but at just £20, who’s complaining? The standard
of construction is very good, and they feel as though they’re built to last. There
are three sizes, 14, 16 or 17cm long, we tried the largest and smallest cases
with a variety of phones, including Ericsson Nokia and Panasonic models, all of
which were a good snug fit. In all cases the ringer was unobstructed, and the buttons
were not affected, though take care when inserting or removing the phone, to
avoid pressing any buttons. A simple, well thought out design, fair value,
worth thinking about.
THE FACTS
Typical Price £20
Features Simple
‘universal’ holster style case in three sizes
To fit most popular makes and models
Contact Andrew
Corporation, telephone (0118) 977 6886, http://www.andrew.com
WHAT CELLPHONE VERDICT 88%
PHONEY OF THE MONTH
POLCO IN CAR PHONE FRESH
This cellphone-shaped air freshener is a passable
copy of the Sony CM-R11, it’s designed to clip to car’s air vent, to help distribute
what’s described as a ‘delightful fragrance’. From a distance it looks quite
convincing. It might even persuade the odd villain to smash in your side window,
to see if it’s real, which will also help rid your vehicle of unpleasant odours.
Incidentally in low concentrations it smells suspiciously like a well-known illegal
herbal substance -- so we’ve been told -- though as yet no-one has been tempted
to try smoking it...
THE FACTS
Typical Price £2.99
Features Neutralises
nasty niffs
To fit
most air vents
Contact Halfords
WHAT CELLPHONE VERDICT 50%
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Ó R. Maybury 1997 1501
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