new EU directive concerning battery replaceability

zerospinboson · 10-10-2008, 02:58 PM

Quote:

1. This Directive shall apply to all types of batteries and
accumulators, regardless of their shape, volume, weight, material
composition or use. It shall apply without prejudice to
Directives 2000/53/EC and 2002/96/EC.

New EU-wide directive (officially to be implemented before 20080926): It will no longer be allowed for companies to sell 'tech devices' without replaceable batteries.
As an example, T-Mobile will no longer be allowed to sell iPhones, and iPods will also be barred from the markets.

More relevantly, this will probably also affect both the iLiad and DR1000. (and just about any other reader that i can think of, if i cared :-P)

ericshliao · 10-10-2008, 03:05 PM

I heard of that EU directive, too. But I havn't read it. Wondering how will iRex respond to the regulation.

Greg Anos · 10-10-2008, 03:31 PM

CyBook passed.

axel77 · 10-10-2008, 03:41 PM

Note that when a directive is (in contrast to a regulation) affective in the EU, its not yet "valid law". Only the nations themselves are then required to turn this into national law in a given time frame. So this might yet take some time until being really effective. There are only rare cases where a costumer can call upon a direct effect of a directive when suing their nation for not fullfilling the directive within time.

However it looks like over short or long, it is coming!
I personally approve this directive btw :-)

EDIT: 2 things I'm wondering about:
* Where exactly does that directive tell about user-exchangeable batteries.

* Suppose my iLiad as at the end of life, what do I do with it? Since the battery is a highly toxic part, and unseperatble from the rest of the device, where do I put it to?

Shaggy · 10-10-2008, 04:29 PM

My understanding is that this is more about removable batteries than replaceable ones. IOW, the EU is more worried about environmental issues with disposing of tech devices that have irremovable batteries. It doesn't necessarily address the consumer rights angle with DIY replacement of batteries during the lifetime of the product.

Complying with this by designing a removable battery may imply that user replacements will be available (and I hope that's what companies do), but not necessarily.

Is there some sort of grandfather clause for existing devices on the market, or is the EU planning on killing future sales of existing devices when this takes effect (I assume the former)?

axel77 · 10-10-2008, 05:33 PM

we have so many grandfather clauses for everything, would surprise me if it is any different here.

zerospinboson · 10-10-2008, 05:36 PM

yes, all devices produced before sept or so (so all old stock) can still be sold.. just for newly produced ones

orwell2k · 10-12-2008, 09:12 AM

The directive seems to be oriented towards the waste disposal aspects of batteries and accumulators (not such a bad thing), and having non-removable batteries (or difficult to remove is the devices are sealed) means more chance of the unit being disposed of with batteries and all. There is an allowed exemption for "small" producers, so I guess that's a case by case decision.

Regardless, I think it's a good thing to minimise environmental impact as well as give user the flexibility to have additional batteries that can be changed (although removable and user-changeable are different things, I guess). Having an Acer n10 PDA that is sealed, with a crappy 4-5 hour battery life and losing all installed data from the internal memory of the battery does go, then I support more user flexibility with batteries.

As cumbersome as some of the EU practices can be (I'm from Australia originally, and we have a fairly blasé approach to environmental issues), at least they're trying to be a bit green. Not sure how effective their measures really are in the end, but everyone seems fairly familiar with trying to dispose of things like batteries a little better (lots of collection points, my work has a special disposal program, etc.).

Anyway, just my $0.02 worth...

axel77 · 10-12-2008, 04:43 PM

Especially if you write in big letters "Easy on the eyes, easy on the environment" on your homepage, having non-environmental friendly way to handle batteries seems like a little hypocritical.

ProDigit · 10-22-2008, 01:04 AM

The step from the batteries used today, and separate batteries isn't very big.
Iphone or whatever other device can easily be remade with removable batteries.

I just wished they would put a standard on those batteries. There are so many types and forms, even though most electronic devices can run on 3,7V, 2000mAh batteries perfectly fine..

If you ever visited a battery shop (even if online), you can see that certain batteries with the same name, but different supplier,can still be totally different in shape, size, and power..

EowynCarter · 04-15-2009, 08:24 AM

Speaking of that.

Has anyone experiance with sending illiad for replacement battery ?
Time needed ? Cost ? Where to send the device ?

I'm thinking of getting an irex as a "home reader" , but given the price, i mean to use it longer than the two / three years of battery life.

Evi1d33d · 04-15-2009, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Speaking of that.

Has anyone experiance with sending illiad for replacement battery ?
Time needed ? Cost ? Where to send the device ?

I'm thinking of getting an irex as a "home reader" , but given the price, i mean to use it longer than the two / three years of battery life.

From what I heard it's about $100 to replace the battery after your warranty run out. Or you can diy and replace it with better batteries for $30.

Shaggy · 04-15-2009, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Speaking of that.

Has anyone experiance with sending illiad for replacement battery ?
Time needed ? Cost ? Where to send the device ?

I'm thinking of getting an irex as a "home reader" , but given the price, i mean to use it longer than the two / three years of battery life.

My understanding is that the only options are to replace it yourself or send it to iRex. They have a battery replacement service, but it is fairly expensive. I can't find the price on their site right now, but if I recall it's something like 79.95 (either euros or dollars). Contact their tech support and they'll send you a box to put the unit in and ship it back to their headquarters. Turn around times vary with them, they're a pretty small company. I've heard of units being repaired/serviced within a week or two, but I've also heard of much longer times as well if they are really busy or parts are on back order.

I believe that you should get longer than two/three years of battery life though. My v1 is about two years old now and is still going strong, and I know people who have v1s that are a lot older than mine that don't have any issues yet.

Shaggy · 04-15-2009, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evi1d33d

From what I heard it's about $100 to replace the battery after your warranty run out.

That sounds about right. The number I remembered was 79.95, but if that's in euros then it works out to right around $100 US.

EowynCarter · 04-15-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evi1d33d

From what I heard it's about $100 to replace the battery after your warranty run out. Or you can diy and replace it with better batteries for $30.

How hard is the diy method ? Where to get battery ?

And unless you're unlucky, the warrenty will expire before the battery dies.
If they don't make sure the baterry are removable, they should at least provide free service for it.

10-12-2008, 09:12 AM	#8
orwell2k Addict Posts: 357 Karma: 1112 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Euroland Device: PocketBook 360°, BeBook (Hanlin V3), iRex DR1000S, iPad	Sounds OK... The directive seems to be oriented towards the waste disposal aspects of batteries and accumulators (not such a bad thing), and having non-removable batteries (or difficult to remove is the devices are sealed) means more chance of the unit being disposed of with batteries and all. There is an allowed exemption for "small" producers, so I guess that's a case by case decision. Regardless, I think it's a good thing to minimise environmental impact as well as give user the flexibility to have additional batteries that can be changed (although removable and user-changeable are different things, I guess). Having an Acer n10 PDA that is sealed, with a crappy 4-5 hour battery life and losing all installed data from the internal memory of the battery does go, then I support more user flexibility with batteries. As cumbersome as some of the EU practices can be (I'm from Australia originally, and we have a fairly blasé approach to environmental issues), at least they're trying to be a bit green. Not sure how effective their measures really are in the end, but everyone seems fairly familiar with trying to dispose of things like batteries a little better (lots of collection points, my work has a special disposal program, etc.). Anyway, just my $0.02 worth...

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10-10-2008, 03:05 PM	#2
ericshliao Guru Posts: 976 Karma: 687 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: Dell X51v; iLiad v2	I heard of that EU directive, too. But I havn't read it. Wondering how will iRex respond to the regulation.

10-10-2008, 03:31 PM	#3
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,509 Karma: 37057604 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	CyBook passed.

10-10-2008, 03:41 PM	#4
axel77 Fanatic Posts: 584 Karma: 914 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: iliad	Note that when a directive is (in contrast to a regulation) affective in the EU, its not yet "valid law". Only the nations themselves are then required to turn this into national law in a given time frame. So this might yet take some time until being really effective. There are only rare cases where a costumer can call upon a direct effect of a directive when suing their nation for not fullfilling the directive within time. However it looks like over short or long, it is coming! I personally approve this directive btw :-) EDIT: 2 things I'm wondering about: * Where exactly does that directive tell about user-exchangeable batteries. * Suppose my iLiad as at the end of life, what do I do with it? Since the battery is a highly toxic part, and unseperatble from the rest of the device, where do I put it to?

10-10-2008, 04:29 PM	#5
Shaggy Wizard Posts: 4,293 Karma: 529619 Join Date: May 2007 Device: iRex iLiad, DR800SG	My understanding is that this is more about removable batteries than replaceable ones. IOW, the EU is more worried about environmental issues with disposing of tech devices that have irremovable batteries. It doesn't necessarily address the consumer rights angle with DIY replacement of batteries during the lifetime of the product. Complying with this by designing a removable battery may imply that user replacements will be available (and I hope that's what companies do), but not necessarily. Is there some sort of grandfather clause for existing devices on the market, or is the EU planning on killing future sales of existing devices when this takes effect (I assume the former)?

10-10-2008, 05:33 PM	#6
axel77 Fanatic Posts: 584 Karma: 914 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: iliad	we have so many grandfather clauses for everything, would surprise me if it is any different here.

10-10-2008, 05:36 PM	#7
zerospinboson "Assume a can opener..." Posts: 755 Karma: 1942109 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Local Cluster Device: iLiad v2, DR1000	yes, all devices produced before sept or so (so all old stock) can still be sold.. just for newly produced ones

10-12-2008, 04:43 PM	#9
axel77 Fanatic Posts: 584 Karma: 914 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: iliad	Especially if you write in big letters "Easy on the eyes, easy on the environment" on your homepage, having non-environmental friendly way to handle batteries seems like a little hypocritical.

10-22-2008, 01:04 AM	#10
ProDigit Karmaniac Posts: 2,553 Karma: 11499146 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Miami FL Device: PRS-505, Jetbook, + Mini, +Color, Astak Ez Reader Pro, PPW1, Aura H2O	The step from the batteries used today, and separate batteries isn't very big. Iphone or whatever other device can easily be remade with removable batteries. I just wished they would put a standard on those batteries. There are so many types and forms, even though most electronic devices can run on 3,7V, 2000mAh batteries perfectly fine.. If you ever visited a battery shop (even if online), you can see that certain batteries with the same name, but different supplier,can still be totally different in shape, size, and power..

04-15-2009, 08:24 AM	#11
EowynCarter Wizard Posts: 4,337 Karma: 4000000 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Paris Device: Cybooks; Sony PRS-T1	Speaking of that. Has anyone experiance with sending illiad for replacement battery ? Time needed ? Cost ? Where to send the device ? I'm thinking of getting an irex as a "home reader" , but given the price, i mean to use it longer than the two / three years of battery life.

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