The smart phone mania has been around for quite some time now but if you just joined the bandwagon, your device, no matter how updated it may be, could still be missing some IQ levels for it to work like a genius. The fact is when you take it out of the box, it is an empty page with default programs and options you need to get used to and interconnect with each other to make it sharper. It is not a device that will make your world an easier place to live in all at once. You need some help and prepping up to do. You need to make it work now since you do not want to get stuck with this device for a year or two functioning like a regular phone. Now, that sounds idiotic.



The ICF-C318 has a nice sleek finish of white gloss, and its compact design is beautifully crafted to match any interior without taking up too much space. It's very handy and easy to use, and with the dimensions of 155 x 82.8 x 151.5mm, you won't have any problems fitting it on your bedside table with the lamp, a bottle of wine, and your favorite pocket book. It's also extremely lightweight with a mere weight of 1.2 pounds, easy enough to carry to different rooms, and even to different places if you're out for travel. However, it does depend on a power supply, but the cobalt properties battery back-up serves great as a savior for power outages and plug problems.

This model has a 8.9-inch touch screen display. It is a LED back-lit display and supports a variety of multi-touch gestures (which was a lot of fun to use!). The screen can be rotated 180 degrees to face outwards. Some of the other features includes a VGA port, 2 USB ports, audio jacks and a memory card reader. Instead of using the usual lithium-ion battery, this model is powered by a lithium facts-polymer battery.

Nickel-Cadium - Ni-Cd batteries is one of the oldest and best performance types of rechargeable batteries but it has a major problem. After a long usage ( a few years), the battery will suffer from the dreaded memory effect. This means that the lifespan usage of the battery will deteriorate as time goes by.

Avoid using replacement that has been on lithium bettery stock for a while. During storage the battery can lose much of its capacity through internal resistance, which damages it and lowers the maximum capacity.

The basic rule of getting a replacement battery is that it should have the same voltage as the original. An 18V drill cannot run on a 12V battery. It can only run on a 18V battery. The other thing is that the physical packaging of a battery can be different from company to company. A 12V Ryobi battery may not fit into a 12V Makita cordless drill unless the battery has the right physical dimensions. So make sure the replacement battery looks the same as the old one before you order it. Also, if you are looking for a replacement battery of the same voltage rating and by the same company, know that battery technology is changing rapidly. An 18V lithium-ion battery has a different physical packaging than a NiCad 18V battery.

There are a couple of more considerations about choosing your cell phone battery which we cover with a later post. And don't forget the holidays are coming up so make sure you take a look at various face plates and extra batteries to enhance your gifts!