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    Battery Time Remaining

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by ScuderiaConchiglia, Feb 2, 2009.

  1. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    Some of us have had issues with (or the inability to see) the battery time remaining indicator on some of the Vaio models (my FZ190 for example). This was due to the fact that the supplied apps from Sony didn't support showing the amount of time remaining.

    I just came across a free app (actually a Vista toolbar) that does its own estimate of battery time remaining, based on its monitoring of the power dropping as the battery is used. It works GREAT on my FZ190 and should work on ANY machine that does not natively support this feature.

    You can find it here: BatteryBar

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Feb 2, 2009
    #1
  2. hamud

    hamud Notebook Evangelist

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    thanks for the program it's very nice and useful
     
    hamud, Feb 2, 2009
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  3. fluffboy

    fluffboy Notebook Evangelist

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    hmm i wonder if it will work on windows 7
     
    fluffboy, Feb 2, 2009
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  4. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    Thanks for the utility Gary.
     
    coolguy, Feb 2, 2009
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  5. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    Rajesh,

    I was thinking of you when I posted this. I knew as an FZ owner you'd like this one.

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Feb 3, 2009
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  6. Garmin

    Garmin Notebook Evangelist

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    How accurate is the battery bar, this looks very good
     
    Garmin, Feb 3, 2009
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  7. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    I don't think anyone has used it long enough to say how accurate it is. But because it monitors the current drop in real time, it should be fairly accurate, provided your current drain is close to linear. (As a battery gets old it starts to get a VERY non-linear drop.)

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Feb 3, 2009
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  8. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    I am using it. It reports some strange numbers immediately after switching to battery power. Then it starts reporting meaningfully.
    It says the battery wear is 3% and the full life-time is 52 mins. I don't know how far these are true. Also the battery that shipped with my FZ loses charge sporadically.
     
    coolguy, Feb 3, 2009
    #8