I was disappointed to learn how fast my new laptop sucked its battery dry. The little power indicator window reminded me of someone smoking a cigarette and letting the ash grow to an obnoxious length. So much for King of the Road.
I was ready to resign myself to being Earl of the Extension Cord when I remembered the free quarterly catalog I got a few months back: Power Express . They sell stuff to keep you from making frequent visits to the AC power outlet, such as rechargeable batteries and battery management software.
I ordered the US$79 Ultra Capacity with Charge Indicator battery for my PowerBook 165 (and saved $2 by faxing the order). It took a few charge/deplete cycles to whip it into shape, but now I get a three-hour reprieve from the wall socket, compared with an hour and a half from Apple's standard-issue battery.
Riding on a plane has become a little more bearable, but I'm still not happy: I wish I could afford to plug my RJ-11 connector into the $2-a-minute AirPhone jack.
Power Express: (800) 769 3739, +1 (408) 559 4848, fax +1 (408) 559 5969.
STREET CRED
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