Radio off during Low Battery

[djreedps]

I hate my BlackBerry. I have the 8130 Pearl. I bought it earlier this year. One of the "features" I hate most of all is what happens when it goes into Low Battery mode.

My BB sucks up electrons like crazy, but I think that is a given for faster data networks. But my complaint is that once it gets into a Low Battery condition, the BlackBerry does very bad things. First, other than beeping when I am talking on the phone and showing the LED light indicator, there is no other way I can tell when it goes into Low Battery condition unless I turn the screen on and look at the Low Battery message. Why doesn't it make a loud audible beep even when I am not using the phone to let me know I need to charge it up?

But that is not all. After the BlackBerry goes into Low Battery mode, first of all it turns of the radio. So suddenly when people call me, I don't get their calls!!!! That is SO bad. But then when I find my BlackBerry is in Low Battery mode, usually the next morning, I plug it in to charge it up. So the BlackBerry then automatically restores the radio connection, right? WRONG. The BlackBerry doesn't restore the radio connection even when it is on external power unless I tell it to. Nor does the BlackBerry automatically restore its radio connection after it gets fully charged. BIG MISTAKE, RIM!

So once I plug in my BlackBerry to external power, I should then be able to immediately place and receive phone calls since it can run from external power, right? WRONG. The BlackBerry doesn't allow me to make or receive calls even though it is on an external power source until the battery gets charged enough to no longer be in Low Battery condition. What if your laptop computer wouldn't let you use it until after you charged its battery to a certain level? That wouldn't be acceptable. So why in the world does BlackBerry make you charge it to a certain level to send or receive calls? What if you need to make an emergency call? With BlackBerry, you have to wait 10 minutes for your phone to charge up!

One of the few useful indicators BlackBerry gives during Low Battery is beeping when you are on an active call. However, after I plug my BlackBerry into an external power source, the phone still continues beeping until it gets charged up enough for Low Battery to go away. So even though my BlackBerry has told me its battery is running down and I have corrected that situation by plugging it in, the BB still nags me about the Low Battery condition. That makes no sense at all.

I absolutely hate my BlackBerry. The Low Battery issues are just one of the reasons I hate this phone. My Palm worked much more logically during Low Battery conditions, even though I hated other things about my Palm. There doesn't seem to be any redeeming qualities of BlackBerry as far as I can see. I want to throw my BlackBerry into the ocean and get a phone that doesn't suck this much.

[NJBlackBerry]

I think you should definitely return it, if you can. The BlackBerry is not for everyone.

The BlackBerry has always, and will always, turn off the radio when you let the battery get too low. And until you charge it back to a minimal percentage, it has always kept the radio off. Learn to charge your BlackBerry.

Sounds like you can't live with it, so you should find another device. Do you still have your Palm?

[JSanders]

Wirelessly posted (8310; Category 5)

Make your life easier and simpler. Get a Palm.

[wibbly]

I've always hated the way the BB switches off the radio when it gets near empty. But then I thought about it...

If the radio off means I can still get to my calendar, addressbook, etc for significantly longer, I'd rather forgo what might be only a few mins longer talk or email time. Without a phone OR a calendar to tell me where I should be, OR a phone book so I can call someone with another phone, I'd be REALLY stuffed...

[Cauhauna]

This is true.

In addition, if you REALLY need to make a call, you can.

Simply dial 911 and press End immediately. Make sure it doesn't actually call. This will turn the radio on and give you 5-10 mins of talk or text/messenger time. If on a power source, you can do this repeatedly until the situation is corrected.

[Sandman1967]

No- you are all wrong......... The Palm is soooooooooooo much better.....

Their is BB and then their is nothing!

[003402]

I am not sure I would mess with the 911 calls. I would not want to be on the receiving end of a pissed Firefighter/Police Officer.

As for the radio being off, isn't only like a 15 min to 1/2 hour to charge? If the call that important? You can probably find a landline or payphone if its that important.

[rachamphetamine]

Originally Posted by 003402

As for the radio being off, isn't only like a 15 min to 1/2 hour to charge? If the call that important? You can probably find a landline or payphone if its that important.

[TroyDBrown]

In 3 years my battery has never been allowed to get low enough to turn off the radio.

[customshopkv1]

Originally Posted by TroyDBrown

In 3 years my battery has never been allowed to get low enough to turn off the radio.

I agree....plug in your blackberry at night.

[qc_metal]

Totally agree.

Also, the BlackBerry is a business device, and typically, Calendar, Email, Contacts are more important than receiving or making a phone call.

But yes, if you hate it that much, go back to your Palm. After all, why use a device you don't like?

[dasunst3r]

Are you one of those people who make the battery run low before charging your device? You're not alone -- there are still some folks who think that you have to do that to prevent the memory effect. There is no memory effect on lithium-ion batteries, so stop that! I personally recommend charging every night when you go to sleep.

On my previous phone, if the state of charge is at... say... 20%, the phone would actually turn off a second or two after ringing. That is, the screen, rumble pak, and speaker placed a big enough load on the battery to make the voltage sag down to unsafe levels (and cause the phone to turn off).

[strike2tamu]

Originally Posted by Cauhauna

This is true.

In addition, if you REALLY need to make a call, you can.

Simply dial 911 and press End immediately. Make sure it doesn't actually call. This will turn the radio on and give you 5-10 mins of talk or text/messenger time. If on a power source, you can do this repeatedly until the situation is corrected.

I'm gonna say this is bad advice.

[DallasFlier]

Originally Posted by djreedps

The BlackBerry doesn't restore the radio connection even when it is on external power unless I tell it to. Nor does the BlackBerry automatically restore its radio connection after it gets fully charged.

That's not the way mine works. The few times I've let it get low enough that the radio is turned off, when I put it on charger it turns the radio back on all by itself as soon as there's adequate battery again.

Originally Posted by djreedps

I absolutely hate my BlackBerry. There doesn't seem to be any redeeming qualities of BlackBerry as far as I can see. I want to throw my BlackBerry into the ocean and get a phone that doesn't suck this much.

Then by all means, as others have said, get rid of it and go back to your Palm. Unless, of course, you prefer to come to a BlackBerry forum and whine about how awful they are.

[Johnny909]

My BB is plugged in every night; additionally, I put it on the auto charger during my morning commute to work. The battery never gets below 50%. This may seem a little anal retentive or obsessive compulsive, but it works for me.

[wabbit]

Wirelessly posted

4.5 os runs the radio to zero and don't turn data off at low batt.

[Moov]

I carry an extra charged battery on trips.

[sam123gil]

You have to train your battery. Use until it cuts off. Then give it a full charge. And you'll have better battery life.

[neosnake]

Originally Posted by sam123gil

You have to train your battery. Use until it cuts off. Then give it a full charge. And you'll have better battery life.

No, this is not right for the Li-Ion batteries. Li-Ion battery has no 'memory effect' so charge it anytime you want.

[weirdgod]

Here (Turn Blackberry’s radio ON, even when battery is too low) is a post that offers another solution on the subject of disabled radio with low battery... Instead of dialing 911, you can just install this application...

But I agree - with new blackberry's that use thick USB plug, chances of charging it on random PC are way smaller (if you dont have a cable with you)....