New Microsoft Tech Makes Battery Changes a Breeze

On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 13:46:35 +1000, son of a bitch
<bitchin_2008@yahoo.com> wrote:

All you need is 4 Diodes and put them on 20 year old Battery Radio and
it will work.
Click to expand...
Not at all.

The rectifier trick will only work if you insert ALL the cells the
SAME way. If you insert half the cells one way and the other half the
other way, you will get a 0V battery.

You could, of course, add a rectifier for each cell. You'd have to
figure out a way to deal with the voltage drop, though. 1.4V drop for
each 1.5V cell is not exactly practical.
--
RoRo
 
On 3/07/2010 7:21 PM, tim.... wrote:
"Paul Gotch"<paulg@at-cantab-dot.net> wrote in message
news:yrt*H85ct@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk...
In comp.arch.embedded Tim Wescott<tim@seemywebsite.com> wrote:
It doesn't quite meet the "not obvious" criteria -- it makes you wonder
why Microsoft is even bothering with a patent.

Because they can and because they appear to be only licensing it
royalty free for certain classes of devices. That is to say certain
ones that don't compete with the thing they developed it for which
appears to be wireless keyboards and mice.

Can you see anybody buying a product because of this USP?

I can't.

It's a nice gimmick, but not one that translates into money IMHO.

tim
Click to expand...
It would elminate warranty returns by people who've put batteries in the
wrong way. Equipment damaged that way wouldn't usually be covered by
warranty, but just determining that that was the cause of the failure
costs money.

Sylvia.
 
Don McKenzie wrote:
Tim Wescott wrote:
On 07/02/2010 02:55 PM, Don McKenzie wrote:
New Microsoft Tech Makes Battery Changes a Breeze

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365995,00.asp

On Thursday, Microsoft announced a technology called InstaLoad,
which will allow you to insert a battery into electronic devices
any way you please.

The InstaLoad technology will be licensed on a royalty-free basis,
Microsoft said. Duracell was named as a partner for the technology,
as well as several manaufacturers of electronic devices, including
ClearSound's hearing aids, NovaTac's LED flashlights, and Black
Diamond's headlamps for mountaineering.

It doesn't quite meet the "not obvious" criteria -- it makes you
wonder why Microsoft is even bothering with a patent.

Just wonder how tested against little children and preying fingers they are.
Click to expand...
Just how many children do you know with preying fingers ?

Did Micro$oft test them to the nth degree like they did with Vista?
:)
Click to expand...
Likely better than your proof reading.
 
On 2010-07-02, Tim Wescott <tim@seemywebsite.com> wrote:
On 07/02/2010 02:55 PM, Don McKenzie wrote:
New Microsoft Tech Makes Battery Changes a Breeze

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365995,00.asp

On Thursday, Microsoft announced a technology called InstaLoad, which
will allow you to insert a battery into electronic devices any way you
please.

The InstaLoad technology will be licensed on a royalty-free basis,
Microsoft said. Duracell was named as a partner for the technology, as
well as several manaufacturers of electronic devices, including
ClearSound's hearing aids, NovaTac's LED flashlights, and Black
Diamond's headlamps for mountaineering.

It doesn't quite meet the "not obvious" criteria -- it makes you wonder
why Microsoft is even bothering with a patent.
Click to expand...
It's stick they can beat smaller players with to get the smaller
players to share patents, or profits, with Microsoft.
It doesn't matter if the patent is invalid or not unless you have
enough money to stand up to M$ in court.

It's not the first time they've been granted an invalid patent.

If someone had come to me and said "I want a battery holder that will
accept an AA cell inserted in either direction and correct the polarity"
I'd have designed something similar, but possibly in different
materials.

One thing's I've seen before is they gave it a name that has very
little to do with what the technology does. Was "Rightway" taken?


--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news@netfront.net ---
 
"Sylvia Else" <sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:898ehsFs4fU1@mid.individual.net...
On 3/07/2010 7:21 PM, tim.... wrote:
"Paul Gotch"<paulg@at-cantab-dot.net> wrote in message
news:yrt*H85ct@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk...
In comp.arch.embedded Tim Wescott<tim@seemywebsite.com> wrote:
It doesn't quite meet the "not obvious" criteria -- it makes you wonder
why Microsoft is even bothering with a patent.

Because they can and because they appear to be only licensing it
royalty free for certain classes of devices. That is to say certain
ones that don't compete with the thing they developed it for which
appears to be wireless keyboards and mice.

Can you see anybody buying a product because of this USP?

I can't.

It's a nice gimmick, but not one that translates into money IMHO.

tim



It would elminate warranty returns by people who've put batteries in the
wrong way. Equipment damaged that way wouldn't usually be covered by
warranty, but just determining that that was the cause of the failure
costs money.
Click to expand...
do you think that anybody returns a 9.99 mouse under the warranty?

tim

Sylvia.
Click to expand...
 
Don McKenzie wrote:
larwe wrote:
On Jul 2, 5:55 pm, Don McKenzie <5...@2.5A> wrote:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365995,00.asp

On Thursday, Microsoft announced a technology called InstaLoad,
which will allow you to insert a battery into electronic devices
any way you please.

People where I work are kicking themselves that we did not think of
this. It's such an obvious idea.

After sending this info onto to a few private associates, some didn't
understand how it worked, I found this page to be a much better
explanation:
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/licensing/instaloadoverview.mspx
Click to expand...
Brilliant, just frigg'n brilliant!
Surely someone has done it before, somewhere, in some obscure product?

Dave.

---------------------------------------------
Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:
http://www.eevblog.com
 
On 2010-07-03, Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote:
On 3/07/2010 7:21 PM, tim.... wrote:
"Paul Gotch"<paulg@at-cantab-dot.net> wrote in message
news:yrt*H85ct@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk...
In comp.arch.embedded Tim Wescott<tim@seemywebsite.com> wrote:
It doesn't quite meet the "not obvious" criteria -- it makes you wonder
why Microsoft is even bothering with a patent.

Because they can and because they appear to be only licensing it
royalty free for certain classes of devices. That is to say certain
ones that don't compete with the thing they developed it for which
appears to be wireless keyboards and mice.

Can you see anybody buying a product because of this USP?

I can't.

It's a nice gimmick, but not one that translates into money IMHO.

tim



It would elminate warranty returns by people who've put batteries in the
wrong way. Equipment damaged that way wouldn't usually be covered by
warranty, but just determining that that was the cause of the failure
costs money.
Click to expand...
Most battery compartments are constructed so that only the positive
nipple can contact the positive terminal. The cost is a fractuion of a
cent's worth of plastic to build hedges either side of the +ve contact.



--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news@netfront.net ---
 
On 3/07/2010 8:08 PM, David L. Jones wrote:
Don McKenzie wrote:
larwe wrote:
On Jul 2, 5:55 pm, Don McKenzie<5...@2.5A> wrote:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365995,00.asp

On Thursday, Microsoft announced a technology called InstaLoad,
which will allow you to insert a battery into electronic devices
any way you please.

People where I work are kicking themselves that we did not think of
this. It's such an obvious idea.

After sending this info onto to a few private associates, some didn't
understand how it worked, I found this page to be a much better
explanation:
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/licensing/instaloadoverview.mspx

Brilliant, just frigg'n brilliant!
Surely someone has done it before, somewhere, in some obscure product?
Click to expand...
My 8 yo Canon camera have half of it implemented, if you put the battery wrong way around it doesn't make contact.

Dave.

---------------------------------------------
Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog& Podcast:
http://www.eevblog.com
Click to expand...
 
"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:898f6bF1fsU1@mid.individual.net...
Don McKenzie wrote:
Tim Wescott wrote:
On 07/02/2010 02:55 PM, Don McKenzie wrote:
New Microsoft Tech Makes Battery Changes a Breeze

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365995,00.asp

On Thursday, Microsoft announced a technology called InstaLoad,
which will allow you to insert a battery into electronic devices
any way you please.

The InstaLoad technology will be licensed on a royalty-free basis,
Microsoft said. Duracell was named as a partner for the technology,
as well as several manaufacturers of electronic devices, including
ClearSound's hearing aids, NovaTac's LED flashlights, and Black
Diamond's headlamps for mountaineering.

It doesn't quite meet the "not obvious" criteria -- it makes you
wonder why Microsoft is even bothering with a patent.

Just wonder how tested against little children and preying fingers
they are.

Just how many children do you know with preying fingers ?

Did Micro$oft test them to the nth degree like they did with Vista?
:)

Likely better than your proof reading.
Click to expand...
That says a lot about your reading, Woddleypoo.

"little children and preying fingers"

And, a conjuction. HTH, you fuckstained retard.
 
On 3/07/2010 7:59 PM, tim.... wrote:
"Sylvia Else"<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:898ehsFs4fU1@mid.individual.net...
On 3/07/2010 7:21 PM, tim.... wrote:
"Paul Gotch"<paulg@at-cantab-dot.net> wrote in message
news:yrt*H85ct@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk...
In comp.arch.embedded Tim Wescott<tim@seemywebsite.com> wrote:
It doesn't quite meet the "not obvious" criteria -- it makes you wonder
why Microsoft is even bothering with a patent.

Because they can and because they appear to be only licensing it
royalty free for certain classes of devices. That is to say certain
ones that don't compete with the thing they developed it for which
appears to be wireless keyboards and mice.

Can you see anybody buying a product because of this USP?

I can't.

It's a nice gimmick, but not one that translates into money IMHO.

tim



It would elminate warranty returns by people who've put batteries in the
wrong way. Equipment damaged that way wouldn't usually be covered by
warranty, but just determining that that was the cause of the failure
costs money.

do you think that anybody returns a 9.99 mouse under the warranty?
Click to expand...
Where does it say that this is limited to use in mouses costing $9.99?

Sylvia.
 
"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:898f6bF1fsU1@mid.individual.net...
Don McKenzie wrote:
Tim Wescott wrote:
On 07/02/2010 02:55 PM, Don McKenzie wrote:
New Microsoft Tech Makes Battery Changes a Breeze

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365995,00.asp

On Thursday, Microsoft announced a technology called InstaLoad,
which will allow you to insert a battery into electronic devices
any way you please.

The InstaLoad technology will be licensed on a royalty-free basis,
Microsoft said. Duracell was named as a partner for the technology,
as well as several manaufacturers of electronic devices, including
ClearSound's hearing aids, NovaTac's LED flashlights, and Black
Diamond's headlamps for mountaineering.

It doesn't quite meet the "not obvious" criteria -- it makes you
wonder why Microsoft is even bothering with a patent.

Just wonder how tested against little children and preying fingers
they are.

Just how many children do you know with preying fingers ?

Did Micro$oft test them to the nth degree like they did with Vista?
:)

Likely better than your proof reading.
Click to expand...
That says a lot about your reading, Woddleypoo.

"little children and preying fingers"

And, a conjuction. HTH, you fuckstained retard.
 
"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:898f6bF1fsU1@mid.individual.net...
Don McKenzie wrote:
Tim Wescott wrote:
On 07/02/2010 02:55 PM, Don McKenzie wrote:
New Microsoft Tech Makes Battery Changes a Breeze

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365995,00.asp

On Thursday, Microsoft announced a technology called InstaLoad,
which will allow you to insert a battery into electronic devices
any way you please.

The InstaLoad technology will be licensed on a royalty-free basis,
Microsoft said. Duracell was named as a partner for the technology,
as well as several manaufacturers of electronic devices, including
ClearSound's hearing aids, NovaTac's LED flashlights, and Black
Diamond's headlamps for mountaineering.

It doesn't quite meet the "not obvious" criteria -- it makes you
wonder why Microsoft is even bothering with a patent.

Just wonder how tested against little children and preying fingers
they are.

Just how many children do you know with preying fingers ?

Did Micro$oft test them to the nth degree like they did with Vista?
:)

Likely better than your proof reading.
Click to expand...
That says a lot about your reading, Woddleypoo.

"little children and preying fingers"

And, a conjuction. HTH, you fuckstained retard.
 
Rod Speed wrote:
Don McKenzie wrote:
Tim Wescott wrote:
On 07/02/2010 02:55 PM, Don McKenzie wrote:
New Microsoft Tech Makes Battery Changes a Breeze

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365995,00.asp

On Thursday, Microsoft announced a technology called InstaLoad,
which will allow you to insert a battery into electronic devices
any way you please.

The InstaLoad technology will be licensed on a royalty-free basis,
Microsoft said. Duracell was named as a partner for the technology,
as well as several manaufacturers of electronic devices, including
ClearSound's hearing aids, NovaTac's LED flashlights, and Black
Diamond's headlamps for mountaineering.
It doesn't quite meet the "not obvious" criteria -- it makes you
wonder why Microsoft is even bothering with a patent.

Just wonder how tested against little children and preying fingers they are.

Just how many children do you know with preying fingers ?
Click to expand...
G'day Rod. do you need a couple of whooooooshers to use?

I'm praying some of those prying fingers aren't preying on the unfortunate.

--
Cheers
Oldus Fartus
 
"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> writes:

Don McKenzie wrote:

Just wonder how tested against little children and preying fingers they are.

Just how many children do you know with preying fingers ?
Click to expand...
All of them...
--
As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should
be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours;
and this we should do freely and generously. (Benjamin Franklin)
 
In article <v_DXn.495$lS1.131@newsfe12.iad>, altzone@gmail.com says...
Don McKenzie wrote:
larwe wrote:
On Jul 2, 5:55 pm, Don McKenzie <5...@2.5A> wrote:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365995,00.asp

On Thursday, Microsoft announced a technology called InstaLoad,
which will allow you to insert a battery into electronic devices
any way you please.

People where I work are kicking themselves that we did not think of
this. It's such an obvious idea.

After sending this info onto to a few private associates, some didn't
understand how it worked, I found this page to be a much better
explanation:
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/licensing/instaloadoverview.mspx

Brilliant, just frigg'n brilliant!
Surely someone has done it before, somewhere, in some obscure product?
Click to expand...
Great another item to make items be REPLACED more often.

Considering the amount of battery operated equipment where I have had
to clean or re-bend the contacts to make it work, this looks like a
scheme with VERY flimsy mechanical mounting.

The actual forcing I have seen putting batteries in the RIGHT way
round in many pieces of equipment, tends to distort the terminals.

I don't see these terminals lasting more than 2 insertions, and for
quite a few pieces of equipment the extra tracks uses up space used by
other tracks/components on the other side. Generally the battery
compartment area is kept clear of tracks (possibly a ground plane)
to avoid ingress of foreign objects or knives to extract batteries.

This as usual may well make more problems than it causes, for
minimal benefit.


--
Paul Carpenter | paul@pcserviceselectronics.co.uk
<http://www.pcserviceselectronics.co.uk/> PC Services
<http://www.pcserviceselectronics.co.uk/fonts/> Timing Diagram Font
<http://www.gnuh8.org.uk/> GNU H8 - compiler & Renesas H8/H8S/H8 Tiny
<http://www.badweb.org.uk/> For those web sites you hate
 
Oldus Fartus wrote
Rod Speed wrote
Don McKenzie wrote
Tim Wescott wrote
Don McKenzie wrote

New Microsoft Tech Makes Battery Changes a Breeze

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365995,00.asp

On Thursday, Microsoft announced a technology called InstaLoad,
which will allow you to insert a battery into electronic devices
any way you please.

The InstaLoad technology will be licensed on a royalty-free basis,
Microsoft said. Duracell was named as a partner for the
technology, as well as several manaufacturers of electronic
devices, including ClearSound's hearing aids, NovaTac's LED
flashlights, and Black Diamond's headlamps for mountaineering.

It doesn't quite meet the "not obvious" criteria -- it makes you wonder why Microsoft is even bothering with a
patent.

Just wonder how tested against little children and preying fingers they are.

Just how many children do you know with preying fingers ?

G'day Rod. do you need a couple of whooooooshers to use?
Click to expand...
Fraid not, Joyce.

I'm praying some of those prying fingers aren't preying on the unfortunate.
Click to expand...
Down, fart.
 
Don McKenzie Inscribed thus:

larwe wrote:
On Jul 2, 5:55 pm, Don McKenzie <5...@2.5A> wrote:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365995,00.asp

On Thursday, Microsoft announced a technology called InstaLoad,
which will allow you to insert a battery into electronic devices any
way you please.

People where I work are kicking themselves that we did not think of
this. It's such an obvious idea.

After sending this info onto to a few private associates, some didn't
understand how it worked, I found this page to be a much better
explanation:

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/licensing/instaloadoverview.mspx

this is brilliant, takes a bit of reading to understand how it works,
but it allows batteries to be inserted into any gear either way
around.

all done in the connection contacts, no circuitry involved.

Cheers Don...
Click to expand...
This technique was tried 20 years ago. It requires precision moldings
with sprung ends which make it expensive.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.
 
Rod Speed wrote:
Don McKenzie wrote:

Just wonder how tested against little children and preying fingers they are.

Just how many children do you know with preying fingers ?

Did Micro$oft test them to the nth degree like they did with Vista?
:)

Likely better than your proof reading.
Click to expand...
6 moths ago I couldn't speel Injuneer, now I is one!
:)

Cheers Don...





--
Don McKenzie

Site Map: http://www.dontronics.com/sitemap
E-Mail Contact Page: http://www.dontronics.com/email
Web Camera Page: http://www.dontronics.com/webcam
No More Damn Spam: http://www.dontronics.com/spam

These products will reduce in price by 5% every month:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/minus-5-every-month.html
 
On Jul 3, 1:12 pm, Paul Carpenter <p...@pcserviceselectronics.co.uk>
wrote:

Considering the amount of battery operated equipment where I have had
to clean or re-bend the contacts to make it work, this looks like a
scheme with VERY flimsy mechanical mounting.
Click to expand...
I think you need to look a bit closer. The contacts are mechanically
one-piece with no tangs sticking out. The spring force is provided by
the leads.

What isn't shown in the pictures - and I ASSUME this to be true - is
that once the lead hits the PCB it goes through a right angle and is
either soldered to a significant length of meaty PCB trace, or clamped
to a contact area by the screws that keep the housing together. The
Wii controller uses a very similar mechanism (among other devices of
course), minus the polarity-agnosticism, and it seems very robust.
Passes all our tests anyway.
 
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/licensing/instaloadoverview.mspx
this is brilliant, takes a bit of reading to understand how it works,
but it allows batteries to be inserted into any gear either way around.

all done in the connection contacts, no circuitry involved.

Cheers Don...
Click to expand...

Does this really arouse you guys? heh, I guess its a good idea, though I
wonder about inline battery holders w/ 2 or more batteries inline..

DOS came from CPM
Windows came from.. debatable
XBox came from PlayStation
Zune came from iPod
Bing came from google,
and so on..

but, for once microsoft research comes up with an original!! er, wait.. lets
not forget 9V batteries have had this 'technology' from day 1.
 
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