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MS Design Lets You Put Batteries In Any Way You Want

Posted by timothy on from the dis-orientation dept.

jangel writes "While its strategy for mobile devices might be a mess, Microsoft has announced something we'll all benefit from. The company's patented design for battery contacts will allow users of portable devices — digital cameras, flashlights, remote controls, toys, you name it — to insert their batteries in any direction. Compatible with AA and AAA cells, among others, the 'InstaLoad' technology does not require special electronics or circuitry, the company claims."

1 of 453 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Dodge this by Animaether · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is specifically for battery compartments with a physical parallel configuration, rather than a series configuration.
    ( 'physical configuration' as in the batteries laying side-by-side, rather than end-to-end, so the batteries' poles never directly touch eachother; unrelated to the electrical circuitry's configuration )

    I'm trying to recall the last time I've seen a physical series configuration; but I just realized my old-ass flashlight counts as one.
    ( it's been replaced years ago by a proper wind-up for emergency cases and a decent Maglite-like one with a rechargable set for more frequent/high intensity beam use )