Smartphone controlled AA batteries

[KirstinS]

Thiseems like an excellent idea for gadget geek (like myself)

Tethercell makes any AA battery-powered device controllable via smartphone

I can think of a couple of ebike uses immediately for those with IOS or Andoid powered smartphones

1)For you lights in winter. I have four lights so four switches to find and flick whilst wearing gloves in the dark. Fiddly business.. How much cooler if you they all simply turned on when you walk up to your bike. You can even a set time period, like a morning and evening commute, so if you are within Bluetooth range at home, during the night for example, they will not turn on.

2) I would have thought the circuitry could somehow be hacked in the low voltage parts of the controller wiring as a security measure. If you/your phone are not in range then it wont work


Yes if your phone goes flat then your lights go out and the motor dies…..but hey there is always a downside !

Any other ebike applications spring to the collective pedelec hive mind ?

Kirstin

 

[jackhandy]

Looks like a useful bi of kit, that: Lots of uses where you need to remotely switch something on or off - anything installed out of sight springs to mind.

I trust it latches once the command is sent; otherwise I can foresee unfortunation when bluetooth drops out, as it has a nasty habit of doing.

 

[mike killay]

Frankly I think it a nonsense.
They have not raised $6,000 yet need nearly $60,000 in the next 44 days.
Bet it doesn't happen. It will raise problems replacing one AA cell with an AAA cell

 

[KirstinS]

@mike interested I why you believe the battery is an issue ? An AAA battery plus gizmo fit in same space as the AA battery would.

And I would take that gentlemans bet as well - once these kick starters hit the tech press , as this has, they tend to accelerate. Also usually get a flurry at the end. And finally it's a very small target in grand scheme of things

 

[mike killay]

Well the reason I say it is because they have that big gadget show going on in the USA at the moment with all sorts of different ideas. This is just one of many and does not offer any real advantage except for a small niche. Also it is entirely dependant upon an expensive phone which many people do not have. Further, the more gadgets that rely on smart phones to operate, the greater the caning that the smart phone battery will get. They are poor enough already!

 

[john h]

thank god myself and neptunes ecigs, only use one battery the thought of the phone wanting a smoke.

 

[KirstinS]

True much gets lost in the enormity of CES

And I accept your point on smart phone batteries

Don't really accept point on niche market as not all have smartphones. In uk we hit the 50% mark in may 2012 ie half of all mobile phone users have a smart one. That figure only going one direction.

Plus I'd bet that anyone geeky enough to want these does not have some old Nokia brick in the pocket !

 

[KirstinS]

And what's wrong with niche market anyway

That's where all uk ebikers reside !

 

[GaRRy]

@mike interested I why you believe the battery is an issue ? An AAA battery plus gizmo fit in same space as the AA battery would.

Fine for a single battery item. But what about one with more than one as its recommended you change them ALL at the same time for the same type/make/batch which wont be possible if one of them is AAA and the rest are AA.

 

[rog_london]

Plus I'd bet that anyone geeky enough to want these does not have some old Nokia brick in the pocket !

Don't nok the old Nokia! Ten days or more on a charge against some smart phones which don't do much better than ten HOURS....

Rog.

 

[GaRRy]

Don't nok the old Nokia! Ten days or more on a charge against some smart phones which don't do much better than ten HOURS....

Rog.

Yep still wish I had one of these as a Phone.

NOKIA 6310I MINT USED ONCE MOBILE PHONE UNLOCKED 6417182202827 | eBay

try getting £50 for a 5 year old plus smart phone (and the 6310i has not been made since 2005).

 

[Haku]

I think that bluetooth battery is a good idea but not suitable for gadgets that draw a lot of power from their batteries, the AAA will be the weak link in the chain.

And just because tech is old it doesn't mean it's worthless, my 40gb mp3 player is about 8 years old but I could get near £100 for it on eBay, but I still like my iRiver too much which is why I have an identical 2nd as a backup

 

[Scimitar]

It's a crap idea for one simple reason - the AAA cell is about a third of the AA cell it replaces, in terms of capacity. This means the device is governed by the lifespan of the weakest battery - the AAA cell.

 

[stuvy]

It's a crap idea for one simple reason - the AAA cell is about a third of the AA cell it replaces, in terms of capacity. This means the device is governed by the lifespan of the weakest battery - the AAA cell.

exactly what he said!

when i first clicked the title i thought it would be an extra battery for a smart phone not the other way round.

If it was going to succeed then the main battery people would be on it like a rash by now