[GoSteelers]

Any issues with using your Centro batteries at this point? I've got two I'd really like to use but haven't yet. On launch day the advocate at my Sprint store warned not to use them, and that they would be able to tell thus voiding any and all warranties. When asked why he couldn't say. Is this possible?

[kmehr]

I have been using the Centro's battery for 4 days straight. Charges and works very well. I have not had any problems with the centro batteries at all. I could be wrong but I am very certain that they are the exact same bettry as the ones which cam in the Pre.

[Protagonist]

http://forums.precentral.net/palm-pr...cessories.html

They are the same thing. If anyone challenges that, I think we need to see some kind of real proof that counteracts the evidence we have here.

[clevin]

i dont see any problem using it, but i haven't try charging the centro battery in the Pre yet, usb or touchstone.

theoretically, i dont see any difference.

[Littlebuddy]

No problems since day 1.

[d94]

no problems here
both my spares are centro batteries

[rmackay]

I am now on my 3rd touchstone. The first two crapped out when I charged the Pre w/a centro battery in it. The last one is holding its own so far, so long as I only use it when I have the original Pre battery in it. The 1st one crapped out after just a few hours. The 2nd after about 2 days.

The crapped out touchstones exhibit this symptom... constant switching between charging and not charging, creating the charging beep over and over and over.

Robert

[neurocutie]

I am now on my 3rd touchstone. The first two crapped out when I charged the Pre w/a centro battery in it. The last one is holding its own so far, so long as I only use it when I have the original Pre battery in it. The 1st one crapped out after just a few hours. The 2nd after about 2 days.

while I don't doubt your data, it makes little to no sense electrically as being related to the use of a good Centro battery...

[clevin]

The crapped out touchstones exhibit this symptom... constant switching between charging and not charging, creating the charging beep over and over and over.

Robert

thats sounds awfully like what I experienced with my TS at first day, but with stock battery.

I eventually found out that it only works properly when the phone is in a certain position. and It works fine so far. Just haven't try centro battery on it yet.

[dfine1966]

Most people won't see a difference now. The problem is down the line. If you don't know the difference of batteries. This is the explanation that was given to me.

"There is one possibility of battery difference that no one seems to mention. Li-Ion batteries are rated by their total power and their ability to deliver that power...or amperage. A higher "C" rated battery can deliver higher power at any time. The Pre, with it's beefier processor and multi-tasking might be able to draw too much power for a Centro battery. They may have upgraded the Centro battery to a higher C rating.

The risk of using a lower C rating battery is that it may not be able to deliver enough current which could cause a voltage dip, or worse, overheat the battery and cause a runaway condition (ie. fire.)"

So it might be all roses now but later might be when you have a problem. If you overtax your centro battery, that is when the problems might start.

[clevin]

Most people won't see a difference now. The problem is down the line. If you don't know the difference of batteries. This is the explanation that was given to me.

"There is one possibility of battery difference that no one seems to mention. Li-Ion batteries are rated by their total power and their ability to deliver that power...or amperage. A higher "C" rated battery can deliver higher power at any time. The Pre, with it's beefier processor and multi-tasking might be able to draw too much power for a Centro battery. They may have upgraded the Centro battery to a higher C rating.

The risk of using a lower C rating battery is that it may not be able to deliver enough current which could cause a voltage dip, or worse, overheat the battery and cause a runaway condition (ie. fire.)"

So it might be all roses now but later might be when you have a problem. If you overtax your centro battery, that is when the problems might start.

I imagine if its so dangerous, Palm should have official statement already.

also, intense usage doesn't have to be "down the line", they are probably happening everyday now.

Anyway, lets hope there will be a technical official statement sooner than later.

[kill_dano]

I am now on my 3rd touchstone. The first two crapped out when I charged the Pre w/a centro battery in it. The last one is holding its own so far, so long as I only use it when I have the original Pre battery in it. The 1st one crapped out after just a few hours. The 2nd after about 2 days.

The crapped out touchstones exhibit this symptom... constant switching between charging and not charging, creating the charging beep over and over and over.

Robert

Damn! That would kinda suck if it happened to me. I have a centro batt on order and now I'm gonna be paranoid about using the Touchstone.

[Carioca_FL]

I've been using a Centro battery since day one (my wife's got 2 spare batteries for her Centro) and it works fine, charged either with the microUSB cable or the TS. In fact, I just bought on eBay a set of two Centro batteries and a wallcharger for less than $20.

The crapped out touchstones exhibit this symptom... constant switching between charging and not charging, creating the charging beep over and over and over.

Robert

I had the same issue when I tried to use a 3rd party (Monoprice's) microUSB cable, after losing the original one that came with the Pre.
Turns out, though, I hadn't fully inserted the cable into the TS. Reapplying the cable solved the issue.

[dfine1966]

I imagine if its so dangerous, Palm should have official statement already.

also, intense usage doesn't have to be "down the line", they are probably happening everyday now.

Anyway, lets hope there will be a technical official statement sooner than later.

Actually Palm has said not to use the Centro Battery. They told Sprint that and also in the Palm forums, there tech support has said so. The only problem is they have not really given a reason, just that they said you can't use it. You are right, they should make a statement saying you can't use a centro battery in the Palm Pre because the Centro Battery is different because (fill in the blank) It would be ashame that in a month or two people who are using Centro batteries all of a sudden have something bad happen to their phones, and Palm or Sprint didn't put out a statement of why not to use the Centro Battery.

[jbg7474]

Actually Palm has said not to use the Centro Battery. They told Sprint that and also in the Palm forums, there tech support has said so. The only problem is they have not really given a reason, just that they said you can't use it. You are right, they should make a statement saying you can't use a centro battery in the Palm Pre because the Centro Battery is different because (fill in the blank) It would be ashame that in a month or two people who are using Centro batteries all of a sudden have something bad happen to their phones, and Palm or Sprint didn't put out a statement of why not to use the Centro Battery.

They don't really need to tell you why. All you really need to know is that they're not going to stand behind their product if you're using Centro batteries. That's what their statements say. So, if you do it, you take matters into your own hands. It seems okay in the short term, and it may be a good option to have around as an emergency spare, especially if you already have batteries and a charger. No one knows what the long-term impact may be. Palm probably has simply not tested it. They may not know if there are any long term impacts either.

But if something goes wrong with my device, I want Palm and Sprint to fix it. I don't want them to be able to say that the problem was that I used the wrong battery. So I'll be using the battery that came with my phone.

[ame]

Interesting....both the guy at the sprint store I go to, and the Palm rep said DO NOT use Centro Batteries. They'll brick your phone because the Pre battery has a specific smartchip that prevents overcharging or overheating of the battery and phone. So it's interesting that they work.

[ronlongo]

http://forums.precentral.net/palm-pr...cessories.html

They are the same thing. If anyone challenges that, I think we need to see some kind of real proof that counteracts the evidence we have here.

Unfortunately, if you want to use sound scientific thinking we're out of luck. The only evidence we have is anecdotal. Unfortunately, anecdotal evidence is evidence of the worst kind. Any conclusion founded on less than certain premises is equally less than certain. Therefore, there is no "proof".

Oh yeah! A popular opinion survey is not scientific either. It just gagues opinion. Several hundred years ago if you took a survey, the vast majority of people would have said that the world is flat -- but it didn't make it so.

Now I'm not here to counter anyone. The Centro battery may very well be identical to the Pre battery. I just want to put some perspective on this. There really is no way to know with 100% certainty without a statement to the effect from Palm or the actual manufacturer of the batteries (assuming they were manufactured by the same company). Even if everone with a Pre were to use a Centro battery and after 10 years all the Pres continue to work flawlessly, this still does not PROVE that the batteries are identical.

It's just the way that logic works. We can't change that to suite our whims or feelings about things.

[d94]

Interesting....both the guy at the sprint store I go to, and the Palm rep said DO NOT use Centro Batteries. They'll brick your phone because the Pre battery has a specific smartchip that prevents overcharging or overheating of the battery and phone. So it's interesting that they work.

funny how that works because my phone was overheating with the pre battery constantly but not a single time since iv been using the centro battery

[nmoreman]

I decided to try my backup Centro batteries. Both were dead, so when I put them in phone, on charger, got the big red screen. Turned off phone, removed battery, put back, turned on and left it there.

Walked away to give a few minutes to cycle, came back and phone was on.

Reading them, they are the same.

Marketing, they want to sell new, high priced shiney black batteries that aren't available.

No solid info as stated above from Palm, means I now have two back up batteries that I will use when needed, playing music, no charger available, etc.

That is why I have insurance and will take Pre back with original battery if there is a problem now or later.

[GoSteelers]

That's also part of the question. According to the Advocate they would be able to tell whether you were using a Centro battery, or a Pre battery. Since the Pre has been rooted has anyone stumbled across this in the software?