Comment on The Steam controller was ahead of its time
vithigar@lemmy.ca 1 day ago
I disagree about the batteries. Give me replaceable AA cells any day over a built-in Li-ion. Rechargeable AAs are readily available and quickly swappable if you keep hot spares. Much better option for long term serviceability.
Rubanski@discuss.tchncs.de 1 day ago
Swappable Li-Ion cells like 18650s are even better. I find recharging AAs too slow
rowinxavier@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I think the availability of AA batteries is higher, 18650 is much less standard than AA in most people’s homes. I would rather have options, so saying AA but having a swappable battery tray is how I would go, but I like kludgey stuff anyway.
That said, I just did a battery replacement for a lithium pouch on some TWS headphones and it was a fairly simple process. Making it a port rather than soldered wires would make it much easier and would make battery replacement a quick and routine task. Hopefully more companies will more towards ports for batteries and maybe even a standard port that is the same for a given voltage/amperage combination so swapping out can be done with confidence.
vithigar@lemmy.ca 23 hours ago
Microsoft did something like this with xbox controllers. There are additional contact points inside the battery chamber for a li-ion pack, so you could use a pair of AAs or their rechargeable pack that just fits into the same space.
GiuseppeAndTheYeti@midwest.social 22 hours ago
Going to bat for xbox or Microsoft right now is a death sentence on the internet so by internet law I have to downvote you. Sorry, it’s just the way things go…
That said, I agree. Being able to buy a $30 plug and play pack with rechargeable battery packs or being able to buy rechargeable AAs or just normal AA batteries is the best of all the current first party options.
No1@aussie.zone 13 hours ago
If you have spares to swap in, then it doesn’t matter how long it takes to charge.
(Which would be 2 hours if you charge at 0.5C)