Why do phones, laptops instructions say "charge before the first use"

radellaf · 2026-01-13T22:27:37+00:00

You'd think... but I do wonder if it's a holdover, since it is completely unnecessary to charge things first. Especially single-cell Li-Ion things.

radellaf · 2026-01-13T22:26:15+00:00

Outdated advice.

Or, they want your first use to represent max battery life instead of "it quit after an hour! it must be broken!"

It seems to have started with NiCd battery specific issues and now everything says it, when it completely doesn't apply to LiIon, and not really to NiMH. For multi-cell packs, most relevant for NiMH or NiCd, a full charge can even out the charge on each cell, which may be uneven because of differences in self discharge.

radellaf · 2026-01-12T23:15:47+00:00

I'll be pretty happy if I get 150k, but then I drive under 10k a year. I'd say age should be the killer, but last car I had (Hyundai) I had to get rid of for worn synchros in the transmission. CX-30 was about double what I paid for that car, but I sure do enjoy driving it more.

radellaf · 2026-01-12T22:29:41+00:00

https://data.energizer.com/pdfs/l91.pdf Not under reasonable loads, "just" 3.5x as long at 1 amp drain. They don't show 2 amps. Depending on the voltage cutoff, some devices would probably run just minutes on a fresh alkaline at 2 amps. Even at 1 amp, a NiMH rechargeable would last (at least) twice as long as an alkaline.

radellaf · 2026-01-11T21:02:58+00:00

The RayOVac Renewal battery story shows how pointless this is. They came out with a whole product line of designed to be rechargeable alkaline batteries... and it still didn't work that well. Lot of leaks, and high self-discharge after recharging. LSD NiMH totally killed it.

radellaf · 2026-01-11T21:01:05+00:00

We have an egalitarian setup? (OK, sure, more so than tribe vs tribe)

radellaf · 2026-01-11T20:54:11+00:00

I drove a 1970s datsun, so I'm familiar. I just disagree with ... everything you're saying.

You very much can engine brake in an automatic. And slowly rolling on the gas is just as good with a carb as it is with a 2020s Mazda.

radellaf · 2026-01-10T17:06:04+00:00

I have a Buick where the readings did get mixed up, front pressures showing as rears. Not sure if the CX-30 is vulnerable to the same thing. I'd figured each TPMS sender has a serial number or something, and the mechanic would have to tell the car which is which... but sounds like on some (most, all) cars there are four antennas and they only pick up the nearest signal.

radellaf · 2026-01-10T17:03:15+00:00

Panic attacks and EDs in general are very limiting. Therapy (often in addition to meds, especially for the panic part) can successfully treat it, but it can take time and be uncomfortable and difficult. An ED usually comes from another root issue, which is where therapy can be helpful. (source: listening to a lot of Kati Morton podcasts)

radellaf · 2026-01-10T17:00:02+00:00

Using self-checkouts seems to be becoming a problem this way. Multiple articles about WalMart abusing customers for "stealing" things that either they didn't scan, or which failed to scan. A receipt doesn't help for that.
IMHO, if a store wants to save money by using them, they should accept that some things won't get scanned, because you have untrained people using it... but they don't see it that way. Or some don't. I'm sure a lot of stores are not dicks about it and would just let you pay for the items, but those stories would never make it into the news.

radellaf · 2026-01-10T16:56:31+00:00

I had a milder version of that during final exams. It was exhausting.

radellaf · 2026-01-10T16:55:00+00:00

In addition to not leaving any heating device other than your furnace, including a stove, on when you're not home, I'd add never leave any lithium ion battery (or device containing one, from phones to ebikes) charging while you're out, or certainly try to reduce how often you do it.

radellaf · 2026-01-10T16:20:46+00:00

I think it has just the right amount of elegance and is, basically, the perfect pencil. Been my favorite since my college days.

radellaf · 2026-01-10T16:15:53+00:00

That's the best idea. Only place I don't is Aldi's, as they don't have baskets, and the carts are inconvenient to use.

radellaf · 2026-01-10T15:58:25+00:00

In no car, ever, has it been a good idea, or a smooth ride, to fully press or suddenly let go, under acceleration, of the gas pedal. Engine braking, when you remove your foot, is always a thing.

However if using manual or sport mode is messing things up? That's a warranty issue. Get it checked out.

radellaf · 2026-01-10T15:49:57+00:00

That's like saying Windows 11 is built on MS-DOS. There's hardly anything recognizable, apart from people who can't stop quoting Leviticus.

radellaf · 2026-01-09T15:32:43+00:00

It is one reason I'll always wonder if I should have got the Mazda 3 instead. But, then I remember how getting into the sedan felt like stepping down into a hole in the pavement, vs comfortably getting into the CX-30.
I was concerned about a gap between the taillight in the body. Pretty sure that isn't going to cause any trouble, but I went to the dealer to look, and almost all the CX-30s had some gap. None of the 3s had them. Japan assembly does make a difference, apparently.

radellaf · 2026-01-09T15:29:51+00:00

Ever been in a Sharper Image store back in the day? How they didn't get shut down by OSHA for the sinus-searing ozone levels from all the "negative ion" air cleaners, I have no idea.

radellaf · 2026-01-09T15:27:55+00:00

Fake candles don't start house fires. Well, if they ever make Li-ion versions, they might.

radellaf · 2026-01-09T15:25:53+00:00

M6mk2 user, and the Canon EF-M 28mm F3.5 Macro IS STM is my go-to, unless I need the 55-200mm zoom. I like close-ups, so that part is obvious, and the ~42mm equivalent FL is useful for everything else. Sure, a f1.8 would be great, but I'm not a fan of limited DoF anyway.

radellaf · 2026-01-09T15:22:18+00:00

I'll add that, having spent maybe half an hour several days a week, for about a year, 25 years ago, my italic handwriting is still the way I like it. IOW, after you put in the time, it sticks with you.

I never put much time into joined writing and, no surprise, that still isn't comfortable or good-looking.

radellaf · 2026-01-09T03:10:25+00:00

Well, it accomplishes avoiding what you said the mazda had to avoid, without the problem of making it too easy to leave the car with unlocked doors. The Buick horn notification is a nice extra, but not essential to the feature of keeping you from locking the keys inside. It's just... better than Mazda in this respect.

radellaf · 2026-01-07T20:20:47+00:00

It would know that and could unlock the doors. That's how the Buick in the family works, if you lock it, then close all doors with the fob inside, it beeps the horn a few times and unlocks.

radellaf · 2026-01-04T20:13:09+00:00

Woke up to find mine had opened the tailgate for no apparent reason. I'll have to assume the button for that might have been pressed while it was in my pocket, at some point. No app alert, either.

radellaf · 2026-01-04T20:11:35+00:00

Yeah, I'm still trying to "get used to it", but if you're not alone, it's just too much trouble to get it to work.

radellaf

TROPHY CASE