PDA Battery Types

PDA Batteries are a very important part of your PDA device. You can say; if PDA is a car, the batteries are its fuel! To learn more about the different types of batteries available for your PDA on the market, read on.

If you own a PDA, you need batteries to go with it; there is no question about it. Without a battery, your PDA can not function and it is virtually useless. If you purchased your Pocket PC from a dealer or manufacturer, your machine has probably come with a battery. In many cases, you will need a second battery. This could happen due of one of these reasons:

1. You want a replacement battery

2. The battery manufacturer you got with the PDA is not satisfactory and you want another one that�s better. With costs of the PDA batteries becoming more affordable, it is easy to buy a new battery, in case you need one.

Now there is more than one type of batteries for handheld devices. There are some technologies that are used to make cells, which lead to different quality, prices, advantages and disadvantages. You might want to look closely at the different types of batteries and their qualities if you want the best type for your needs

Let's take a brief look at the different types of batteries commonly available for PDA users:

Nickel-cadmium batteries

Nickel-cadmium is one of the most experienced and most widely used rechargeable batteries. Very dependable and "robust", and therefore widely used in backup systems. You can always relay on Nickel-cadmium batteries to do the job. They contain cadmium and have relatively low capacity compared to other rechargeable systems. But this is about the only disadvantage they have. These batteries are cheap and you can often buy two for the price of one!

Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries Handhelds

Nickel-Metal Hydride is a less popular technology, yet available for Pocket PC. There is nothing special about it but also no particular advantages.

Lithium Ion PDA batteries

Li-ion batteries are relatively a new technology. They can offer up to 40% higher power than the Nickel-cadmium & Nickel-Metal batteries, and are much lighter in weight. They also does not lose the power which is a common problem with Nickel-cadmium batteries.

These qualities make Li-Ion battery ideal for portable computers and PDA�s, wireless phones and other handheld devices. So regardless if you have a Palm One, iPAQ, Blackberry or any other device, you can use this battery. These are also one of the more expensive rechargeable batteries. On average Li-ion batteries may cost you three times more than the Nickel-cadmium. So if you�ve got one of these - take good care of her.

However, the only drawback of these batteries is the tendency to explode if subjected or exposed to extreme heat. They also tend to drained too quickly but the chip solution has been developed to overcome the drainage problem.

The most recommended source for buying a PDA battery is the internet. There are dozens of online stores that will let you order the battery(s) you need, in many cases at a lower price than the regular store. In many cases shipping is also free.