How to Keep in Contact on the Go
Cell phones are more than just a way to make calls, they can also be part of an integrated email and messaging system. In fact, it was this idea that really led to the introduction of the smartphone; the simple idea that a mobile computer made a better phone than a simple phone.
What Does a Messaging Phone Look Like?
Where most mobile phones have transitioned into a fairly featureless design consisting of little more than a slab with a screen, messaging phones like the BlackBerry Bold 9700 feature a different design, aiming more at a dedicated messaging user than anyone else. A look at its specifications will show how it differs from other devices:
- Screen: Measuring 2.44 inches diagonally, the 480 by 360 pixel display is optimized for viewing messages. Its smaller size also helps prolong the battery life.
- Keyboard: Rather than relying on an on-screen keyboard, the Bold uses a physical QWERTY keyboard. This enables users to type faster and more accurately than with a virtual keyboard.
- Battery: A removable lithium-ion 1500 mAh battery provides over two weeks of standby time and six hours of talk time on a single charge.
What About Power?
No matter how capable your portable device may be, it can only do its job if it has power; that's where the battery comes in. Li-ion batteries feature high power density and can survive hundreds of recharge cycles without significant degradation. The only catch is that these batteries do eventually degrade over time, and when you're dealing with an older phone like the BlackBerry Bold 9700 that can be an issue. Luckily there are things you can do:
- Replacement: When the original battery starts losing capacity, you can always get a replacement battery which will restore the original capacity. With multiple batteries you can also charge one while using the other so that you can keep the power flowing.
- Extended Battery: An extended battery gives the Bold up to 2400 mAh instead of the stock 1500 mAh capacity. This can keep you going much longer without worrying about running out of juice.
Maintaining Your Battery
While there's no way to prevent battery degradation, you can prevent premature degradation. After all there's no point being stuck with a device that spends all its time on the charger. Lithium batteries do not suffer from the same "memory effect" that nickel-based ones do. That means you can delay the need for battery replacement by charging whenever the level drops below half. Deep discharge cycles can permanently damage a battery, so keeping your Bold charged should be your standard procedure, so you can get the most life out of your battery.