Living on Battery Power

The gadget world runs on batteries. And, dead batteries can mean missing a great photo opp, not being able to use a mouse or not watching a DVD.

Many digital cameras can use standard alkaline batteries, as well as one or more long-life types, such as lithium ion. The short lives of alkalines may let you down during extensive shooting, like on a vacation or during a family gathering. Find out what other types you can use by looking in the User Manual for your camera. Typically, I’ve seen alkalines last a matter of hours, while lithium and other batteries have endured an entire week of vacation. You pay more for the longer life, but the difference is worth it.

Did you get a wireless keyboard and mouse to unclutter your desk? Invest now in spare batteries, unless you have a rechargeable unit. Typical battery life for wireless mice seems to be between one and two months. I don’t know about you, but I’m not wild about late-night drives to Walgreen’s. Keep at least one set of spares on hand.

Memory Cards

Many portable devices use memory cards for storage. For digital cameras, cards are the new film. PDAs use them for file storage. Even video cameras are getting in on the act. As the capacity of these cards crawls higher, prices seem to be dropping, particularly for the smaller capacity ones. Standard formats include SD (secure digital), CF (compact flash), Sony’s proprietary Memory Stick and Olympus’ xD. Make sure you know which type your device uses, or take your gadget to the store with you. Look for deals on memory of 128 MB or more. Deals may be in the form of sales or rebates.

Know Your Warranty

There are likely several levels of warranty coverage for your tech toys. Knowing what’s covered for how long can save you a great deal of heartache when a problem arises.

Start with the manual (you do still have the manual, don’t you?). You many have to read some fine print, but it will help define the various coverages you have. For example, my PDA is covered for one year for defects. During that year, I can ship it to the manufacturer for repair at no charge.

If your goodie was purchased in a retail store, that store may provide the first level of warranty service. It doesn’t hurt to call or stop by the store to find out what’s covered and for how long. On-line retailers may also offer initial coverage of units.

New! Improved!

There is one more thing to check on your electronics. This is widespread enough that you may have to do an inspection of your current VCRs, DVD players, television sets, cordless phones and other electronics. Please remove all the adhesive marketing stickers from these devices. They come in form of “New Feature” highlighters, function lists and screen covers. They’re easy to remove. Just start on a corner or edge, and try to roll it off. If it comes up easily, rip it off. If it doesn’t, it was meant to stay.

Enjoy your toys for many seasons to come.