Re: [NTLK] card blanks

From: Peter H. Coffin (hellsop_at_ninehells.com)
Date: Fri Apr 02 2004 - 22:17:40 PST


On Fri, Apr 02, 2004 at 08:06:34PM -0800, Martin Joseph wrote:
> On Apr 2, 2004, at 6:24 PM, Peter Cameron wrote:
>
> > Martin Joseph wrote:
> >> Blanks? We don't need no stinkin blanks, we got memory, and modems,
> >> and ethernet and WIFI and Bluetooth!
> > Blanks don't pull power like those things though. And a blank
> > helps
> > keep dirt out when the slot isn't in use.
> True, of course they provide no useful function either...
>
> I have run my newts with the modem installed since my 120, and have
> never seen any diminished battery capacity while the modem is not in
> use.
>
> My memory card is also required at this point on the 2100. I think the
> "power drain" theory is specious.

FWIW, My Etherlink III card (when totally idle) draws a measurable but
trivial amount of power. The 2100 I use is drawing about 84 mA without
the card with backlight on, and about 88 mA with it after the card has
been put to sleep by the OS. During the first 5 seconds after insertion,
when the card is active but doing nothing, the Newt pulls a total load
of 142 or so mA. So, yeah, if someone really wants to wring those extra
10 minutes out of a set of batteries, using the card blanks may help.

Personally, I can't be arsed either.

-- 
Premature optimization is the root of all evil.
		-- Sir Tony Hoare
-- 
This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all inquiries
Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/
WikiWikiNewt for all kinds of articles: http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/


This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Apr 02 2004 - 23:00:01 PST