Yahoo Finance writer gets the Facepalm of the year award for PS3 ignorance

[Queasy]

W.T.F.

Sony PlayStation 3
It's all fun and games until the battery dies. Unlike its competitors, which use replaceable AA batteries, the PS3's remote control is glued shut. When the battery goes, Sony customers have to blow $55 on a new controller. Sony says there's an "environmental benefit" since gamers don't have to toss their batteries on a regular basis, but Isidor Buchmann, president of battery-equipment maker Cadex Electronics, says captive batteries are becoming common because it's cheaper for companies to eliminate the battery housing and hatch.

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

I don't get it...what is the facepalm for? The PS3 controller battery is not user replaceable. Now, I don't think you need to go chuck it out when the battery is dead, but you still have to pay Sony to replace the battery for you.

I greatly prefer using my own rechargeable batteries in my 360 controller VS the PS3 controller's non-user replaceable batteries.

 

[Queasy]

Three reasons:
1) The instruction manual shows you how to open your PS3 controller to remove the battery. Replacement batteries can be found pretty cheaply online. The controller is not "glued shut."
2) You can still use the controller plugged in directly to the PS3.
3) It is poorly worded. On first reading it makes it sound like every time the battery runs down on the PS3 controller you need to buy a new one. A better choice of words would have been something like "die" or "no longer functions."

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

Three reasons:
1) The instruction manual shows you how to open your PS3 controller to remove the battery. Replacement batteries can be found pretty cheaply online. The controller is not "glued shut."
2) You can still use the controller plugged in directly to the PS3.
3) It is poorly worded. On first reading it makes it sound like every time the battery runs down on the PS3 controller you need to buy a new one. A better choice of words would have been something like "die" or "no longer functions."

Ah, I see...thanks for the clarification! :thumbsup:

That PS3 charging cord is way too short though.

 

[R Nilla]

Also, it's confusing to refer to the controller as the "PS3 remote control" when there's an official Sony Blu-ray remote for the PS3 that is a traditional remote control (and uses AAs).

 

[Deeko]

On top of that, I've had a PS3 with 4 controllers for about 3 years now, still rollin just fine. Constantly swapping batteries in my Gamecube controllers was beyond annoying.

 

[Beev]

When I read that I immediately got the impression that he meant it isn't rechargeable. He's a very poor writer.

 

[mugs]

When I read that I immediately got the impression that he meant it isn't rechargeable. He's a very poor writer.

It definitely could be read that way.

 

[ivan2]

he got it right, if it involves unscrewing and ordering from ebay, it's not a feature.

 

[Thraxen]

he got it right, if it involves unscrewing and ordering from ebay, it's not a feature.

That's ridiculous. Lots of devices have battery compartments that are screwed shut, and it's certainly a lot better than, for example, Apple portable devices which typically don't have user replaceable batteries. We're talking about something you may have to do every 2-3 years (maybe less), not that big of a deal.

 

[MStele]

he got it right, if it involves unscrewing and ordering from ebay, it's not a feature.

He got it wrong. He wrote that if your battery dies, you have no alternative but to pay for a new controller, which is wrong. I agree that ordering a battery from the internet is no quick fix, but it is an option.

 

[erwos]

The bigger problem is that you can't really just slap in a new battery if the controller's battery runs out. Not all of us sit close enough to our consoles to run the USB cord and play, which is kind of the point of a wireless controller to begin with. Sony manages to compound this problem by not powering the USB ports when the console is "off", so it's not like they're charging up during downtime.

I'm not saying the problem is fatal or that it makes the controller unusable, but it's not ideal.

 

[ivan2]

That's ridiculous. Lots of devices have battery compartments that are screwed shut, and it's certainly a lot better than, for example, Apple portable devices which typically don't have user replaceable batteries. We're talking about something you may have to do every 2-3 years (maybe less), not that big of a deal.

opening the battery compartment on a child's toy that was designed for replaceable battery is a lot different than taking apart the whole thing to replace the battery. the main draw being you have to replace the battery with one that isn't even being sold in stores, and that's doable to your average consumer.

 

[Thraxen]

The bigger problem is that you can't really just slap in a new battery if the controller's battery runs out. Not all of us sit close enough to our consoles to run the USB cord and play, which is kind of the point of a wireless controller to begin with. Sony manages to compound this problem by not powering the USB ports when the console is "off", so it's not like they're charging up during downtime.

I agree with this. I personally prefer the 360 or Wii methods. Gives you more options. With the PS3 I don't both playing with the cord attached, I just switch to new controller. With the other two I just swap out the batteries. I've got a drawer nearby with rechargeable batteries ready to go.

 

[ManBearPig]

this sounds weird, but one thing that amazed me about the ps3 (my first 'next gen' system) was that the controller worked so well, i didnt need a battery pack (i remember my friends playing 360 and for some reason the battery packs annoyed me), the charge lasted so long, and how much easier it is to not have to be tethered to the console, so to speak.

/sidenote

i agree with erwos about how lame it is that my controller doesnt charge when the unit is off, though.

 

[Sheep]

When I read that I immediately got the impression that he meant it isn't rechargeable. He's a very poor writer.

Ditto--that's exactly how I read it. He makes it sound like once the batteries are drained after one charge, you need to buy a new controller.

If someone who knows about video games reads it that way, odds are a good portion of the ignorant masses will read it that way too and it will sway their opinions.

 

[mugs]

opening the battery compartment on a child's toy that was designed for replaceable battery is a lot different than taking apart the whole thing to replace the battery. the main draw being you have to replace the battery with one that isn't even being sold in stores, and that's doable to your average consumer.

You raise a good point - that the battery is not sold in stores. I don't know if you can buy Sony branded batteries for the Sixaxis/DS3 anywhere, or if you have to go with third party batteries. It's silly to include the replacement instructions if they don't sell the replacements. I think we can all agree that the article could have been worded better - you don't have to throw away the controller when the battery dies, but swapping out the battery takes more effort than should be required.

I agree with this. I personally prefer the 360 or Wii methods. Gives you more options. With the PS3 I don't both playing with the cord attached, I just switch to new controller. With the other two I just swap out the batteries. I've got a drawer nearby with rechargeable batteries ready to go.

+1 to this. I like being able to swap batteries between games if it starts flashing.

 

[Thraxen]

You raise a good point - that the battery is not sold in stores. I don't know if you can buy Sony branded batteries for the Sixaxis/DS3 anywhere, or if you have to go with third party batteries. It's silly to include the replacement instructions if they don't sell the replacements. I think we can all agree that the article could have been worded better - you don't have to throw away the controller when the battery dies, but swapping out the battery takes more effort than should be required.

Yeah, it does seem odd that they don't sell them here, maybe as more people start to experience failures they'll sell them. They apparently sell them in other places because you can see some on eBay that are packaged as PS3 controller batteries.

Either way, I still disagree with the author of the article. Not only is it a flat lie that the controller is glued shut, it's not even difficult to change. You just unscrew the back and swap it out. The most "difficult" part is making a $5 purchase on eBay. Throwing the controller away instead is simply absurd.

 

[Dari]

Has anyone here actually had to replace the battery? If it's such a big deal, order one and store it somewhere safe...

 

[Thraxen]

Has anyone here actually had to replace the battery? If it's such a big deal, order one and store it somewhere safe...

No, not yet. I'm thinking that may be why there aren't any at the retail level here. The failure rate is probably very low. But we're getting to the point in time where I would expect to start seeing more battery failures.

 

[hans030390]

To anyone complaining about the short USB cable included with the PS3, you can buy long ones on Monoprice for super cheap.

Also, most people don't realize you can just buy batteries for cell phones on eBay. They think, "My phone and/or battery is screwed up. Better get a new phone", because if you CAN get batteries through the manufacturer or service provider, they're usually expensive. I'm sure the same is true for the PS3 controller...only difference being it's harder to take apart than a cell phone (but apparently comes with instructions on how to do so).

On top of that, I'd rather have a device with rechargeable batteries built in so that I don't have to buy a rechargeable pack or batteries for the controller. Thankfully the PS3 controller has LONG battery life and never gives me troubles at all. Would rather take all of that any day over the "choice" to have something else...since I'm going to be paying extra to have that functionality anyway. I think Sony has the best retail price on their controllers considering what they offer. Everything else feels like I'm getting ripped off even more than I already am.

As for the writer...wow.

 

[spidey07]

No, not yet. I'm thinking that may be why there aren't any at the retail level here. The failure rate is probably very low. But we're getting to the point in time where I would expect to start seeing more battery failures.

Mine died and it's probably less than 2 years old. I just ordered another controller, not a big deal but it should have lasted longer than that. Bad design.

 

[ivan2]

Mine died and it's probably less than 2 years old. I just ordered another controller, not a big deal but it should have lasted longer than that. Bad design.

dude u wanna send me the one that died?

 

[biggestmuff]

The instructions for "replacing the battery" that have been mentioned aren't for replacing the battery. The instruction show how to disassemble the controller to allow for removal of the battery for disposal. That's why the instructions are at the back of the manual under the section title, "When disposing of the wireless controller".

Question; what's the Sony part number for the new battery?

 

[RESmonkey]

Two things. Yahoo. Finance.