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    Any good battery meter gadget for vista?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by coolguy, Nov 9, 2007.

  1. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    Can anyone recommend a battery meter gadget for vista, which shows the time remaining. I tried some, but none of them showed up the battery time remaining to empty.

    Thanks in advance.
     
    coolguy, Nov 9, 2007
    #1
  2. Raven322

    Raven322 Notebook Evangelist

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    my favorite

    http://thehobbylounge.com/forum/index.php?topic=1690.0
     
    Raven322, Nov 9, 2007
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  3. Lithus

    Lithus NBR Janitor

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    From their forums:

    And I thought some people here were a little dim-witted.
     
    Lithus, Nov 9, 2007
    #3
  4. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    ScuderiaConchiglia, Nov 9, 2007
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  5. planet_vikram

    planet_vikram Notebook Evangelist

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    % remaining
     
    planet_vikram, Nov 9, 2007
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  6. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    Darn. The OP and lots of OTHER folks are looking for a TIME remaining one.

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Nov 9, 2007
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  7. planet_vikram

    planet_vikram Notebook Evangelist

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    planet_vikram, Nov 9, 2007
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  8. nizzy1115

    nizzy1115 Notebook Prophet

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    i used to use the 2nd one on your list...it worked great. but now i dont use the sidebar at all so its gone...i just hover above the battery icon in the taskbar to tell me now.
     
    nizzy1115, Nov 9, 2007
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  9. eyecon82

    eyecon82 Notebook Deity

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    i also use the 2nd one and find that I like it a lot since it shows time remaining
     
    eyecon82, Nov 9, 2007
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  10. RangerXML

    RangerXML Army of None [TRH]

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    LMAO, WHY...CAN'T...I...INSTALL...THIS! Wait, I'm in XP right now...I should do something to distinguish the two.
     
    RangerXML, Nov 9, 2007
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  11. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    Thanks. I will try gadget 1. From the comments for gadget 2 , it doesn't seem that it displays the time remaining.
     
    coolguy, Nov 9, 2007
    #11
  12. eyecon82

    eyecon82 Notebook Deity

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    what are you talking about?? i just said it did right here

     
    eyecon82, Nov 9, 2007
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  13. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    For some reason sony and other laptops don't show up the battery time remaining. It shows up in dell laptops. Is that vista's fault or sony's fault to not include the time.
     
    coolguy, Nov 9, 2007
    #13
  14. eyecon82

    eyecon82 Notebook Deity

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    well #2 shows time on mine..i have a thinkpad
     
    eyecon82, Nov 9, 2007
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  15. RangerXML

    RangerXML Army of None [TRH]

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    They were talking about pre 1.3 versions of program #2 which didn't show time remaining. If you note the current version we are at version 1.3 now.
     
    RangerXML, Nov 9, 2007
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  16. eNi~

    eNi~ Newbie

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    Does those programs only works with sidebar on?
     
    eNi~, Nov 9, 2007
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  17. eyecon82

    eyecon82 Notebook Deity

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    yep..you need the sidebar gadget for those 2 battery th ings
     
    eyecon82, Nov 9, 2007
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  18. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    Nope the time remaining is 0:00 on mine.
     
    coolguy, Nov 9, 2007
    #18
  19. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    Both 1 and 2 doesn't show the time in mine. 1 says "calculating time" forever.
     
    coolguy, Nov 9, 2007
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  20. planet_vikram

    planet_vikram Notebook Evangelist

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    Then go for google gadgets

    ya sidebar gadget is needed......but u can turn off the actual sidebar and keep gadgets anywhere on desktop....I am sure u know that....just for those who are not aware

    That shouldn't happen.....something's got to do with sony I guess
     
    planet_vikram, Nov 9, 2007
    #20
  21. eyecon82

    eyecon82 Notebook Deity

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    actually, i didn't know that! thanks..how do we do this?
     
    eyecon82, Nov 9, 2007
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  22. planet_vikram

    planet_vikram Notebook Evangelist

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    Drag the gadgets u want from the sidebar to the desktop....then just right click the side bar > close sidebar !!
     
    planet_vikram, Nov 9, 2007
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  23. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    I believe all of the battery gadgets that display the time remaining rely on the battery app running in the system tray (now called notification area under vista) to actually supply the time value to be displayed. Since the Sony battery app does not supply the number, the gadget can't display anything. I don't think any of the gadgets actual calculate the value themselves.

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Nov 9, 2007
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  24. planet_vikram

    planet_vikram Notebook Evangelist

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    You are exactly right !!
     
    planet_vikram, Nov 10, 2007
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  25. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    What sony battery app are you talking about? I thought the battery app is a part of vista.
     
    coolguy, Nov 10, 2007
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  26. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    I believe the Sony "Power Setting Utility" actually provides the battery icon in the notification area. I don't think it's part of Vista. I believe each manufacturer provides their own because I don't think there is any hardware standard for the battery functionality.

    This is why some of the battery icons in the notification area have time readouts and some don't.

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Nov 10, 2007
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  27. eyecon82

    eyecon82 Notebook Deity

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    I don't believe this is true. After doing a clean install from the Vista disc, mine comes with a standard battery icon that does measure time. This is without installing any Thinkpad utilities...hence a "clean Install"
     
    eyecon82, Nov 10, 2007
    #27
  28. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    I see, so there is a default one in Vista. Well then the icon's that DO show the time must be provided by the manufacturers, I guess.

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Nov 10, 2007
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  29. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    The attached snippet below from the microsoft website does provide this information about the battery meter. Hence it's sony, which screwed up the default battery meter in vista.
     

    Attached Files:

    coolguy, Nov 11, 2007
    #29
  30. Nocturnal310

    Nocturnal310 Notebook Virtuoso

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    Currently, no gadget shows battery time remaining for HP laptops .. Can someone recommend any program or gadget?
     
    Nocturnal310, Nov 11, 2007
    #30
  31. planet_vikram

    planet_vikram Notebook Evangelist

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    Did any of the of the one which I posted earlier show time on HP ?
     
    planet_vikram, Nov 11, 2007
    #31
  32. eyecon82

    eyecon82 Notebook Deity

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    hmm...when i unplug my notebook...it takes a few minutes for the time remaining to showup...perhaps you guys arn't waiting long enough? just a guess

    I don't understand why certain notebooks wouldn't support it...it's a simple calculation based on battery capacity and the voltage being drained from it
     
    eyecon82, Nov 11, 2007
    #32
  33. Nocturnal310

    Nocturnal310 Notebook Virtuoso

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    No Vikram... It shows time remaining as 00:00 forever... & i heard other HP guys also saying the same.
     
    Nocturnal310, Nov 12, 2007
    #33
  34. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    For the Sony FZ series (and some others I believe) the time remaining dosen't show up at all!

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Nov 12, 2007
    #34
  35. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    So both sony and HP screwed up the default battery meter in vista.

    Did any of you try out any yahoo widget in sony/hp laptops?
     
    coolguy, Nov 12, 2007
    #35
  36. Steeler7588

    Steeler7588 Notebook Consultant

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    Anyone find something that works yet?
     
    Steeler7588, Dec 21, 2007
    #36
  37. nate_ohio

    nate_ohio Notebook Consultant

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    I have a sony FZ and it shows up fine for me. You just have to go into options and click

    "Do not ask windows to provide remaining time"

    It seems to work halfway decently, it changes with the demand you place on the system.
     

    Attached Files:

    nate_ohio, Dec 22, 2007
    #37
  38. Reason

    Reason Notebook Guru

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    I have a Sony SZ650NC and it shows up time remaining without any settings or third party programs... It's hardware related function.. and all Sony SZ series shows battery remaining time.. But my old Sony FE31M dont...
     
    Reason, Dec 23, 2007
    #38