HP Mini 1000 six-cell battery gets examined, frightens other batteries
By Donald Melanson 
posted May 13th 2009 5:46PM
posted May 13th 2009 5:46PM
It's been a long time coming, but the six-cell battery for HP's Mini 1000 netbook is now finally making its way into the hands of some eager users, and jkOnTheRun has taken a minute to give folks an idea of what's in store. As you can see above (and from another angle at the link below), the battery is amazingly even more unsightly than suggested in earlier shots, although it does expectedly deliver the goods when it comes to battery life, with jkOnTheRun managing about six hours on a charge. Of course, you'll have to decide for yourself if that's worth the $100+ price tag, not to mention the cost to your Mini 1000's self-esteem.
I like that shape; it helps prop the laptop up, and it promotes better airflow.
What is the point of making a computer that size, when the battery ruins the profile and nearly doubles the net thickness of the thing?
You want a thin computer so you can slip it into storage pockets or carry it in confined spaces; a protruding battery defeats that purpose.
Dumb.
It makes sense if you're not an idiot and you realize it comes with a normal battery (located in back in the picture) and has an extended-life battery than can be purchased.
Sure, except that other netbooks with 6 cell batteries don't stick out at all. With the right engineering... look at the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE for example...
Exactly... since getting the extended battery, I've noticed that the RAM doesn't heat up as much as it used to. And it propping up the screen really helps in reading the screen.
Are they going to make cases with a bump in them to accommodate this bad joke?
Good question. At least the 6-cell Acer Aspire One still fits the pleather sleeve.
Its.... HIDEOUS
Given the added bulk, weight and $100 one would be better off buying a proper 12 inch laptop. Would never consider that battery on my Mini as it would take the weight up to a near 1.5kg which way too much that I'm willing to carry given the weak performance.
Or one of the many 10 inch netbooks without a battery that sticks out.
it looks quite ok to me though.
Yeah, I actually thought so too. The Dell Mini 10's 6-cell looks worse than this imho...
From the back it looks lopsided. The battery doesn't distribute weight properly, so it's likely to wobble as you type.
Really?? You REALLY think they would make a battery that would cause the laptop to "wobble"? You don't think they have people whose only job is to make sure the stuff they make doesn't "wobble"? jeez... wtf
probably an overreaction, but for some reason the comment just pissed me off..
It doesn't wobble.
Im not sure why they cant design a flat battery that fits flush against the bottom
Gee, maybe it doesn't fit? I really wonder what schools are teaching kids these days!
GET OFF MY LAWN!
im still wondering why they dont make the battery the same size as the the laptop, that way it only adds a little bit to the width.
Thats my point, a flat battery that is flush with the bottom , it can raise it up an inch, but make it flush, flat not have the end jacked up
It would block the fans. And even if there were no fan vents on the bottom, battery shapes don't come in flat shapes like that, excepting the new macbook pro battery.
I've had one of those 6-cells for a while now. They are awesome...make a netbook worth owning. I get 4 hours of battery life on my Macbook, why would I want LESS on a less powerful machine. A little tweaking with Ubuntu and I have been easily getting 8+ with it. Totally worth it.
I've got one too, and I like it a lot. At first I thought the shape would get on my nerves, but the way it props the laptop up makes it easier to type on.
Interesting. What sort of things do you tweak on Ubuntu to get to the 8 hour mark? Is this with WiFi on?
For a while it was going for $88 on the HP site.
Awwww. Engadget, I sent in photos of this batt I took back on March 19th.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehkiteless/sets/72157615551361091/
i was gonna say.. hehe.
had one on my desk at work for nearly a month too :)
I have a 1030NR and the first thing that occurs to me is that it would make it even more difficult to achieve a good viewing angle given the screens already limited range of motion.
I was considering getting a Mini 1000 (soo sexy) when I finally decided to buy a netbook, but the fact that I would have to pay another $80-100 for more than 3 hours of battery life, and deal with a gigantic tumor on the underside had me looking for alternatives pretty quickly.
If you have a Mini already, go for it, extra battery life is always good. If you're still deciding which netbook to buy, get the Samsung N110 or EeePC 1000HE.
The battery make it look like the computer has a wang.
There are some good things with humps. I'm thinking Quasimodo and, um,....
.....Angelina Jolie.
Typing is such a pain on an inclined keyboard though....
The battery design is actually inspired to provide a solid grip for the user when holding the HP Mini with one hand and keying/sliding with the other free hand--i.e. surfing while standing.
I'm firmly on the side of people who are disappointed with the extended battery. I love my HP Mini for several reasons, one of which is that it's small and light. Not so with this big lump on the bottom.
It's a design flaw from the beginning. Most netbooks (and small laptops) put the battery at the back, near (or integrated into) the hinge. There's plenty of room to expand there without throwing off the whole shape of the unit. But the Mini's embedded battery doesn't allow for any growth unless it's downwards and outwards. Hence the awful battery.
I don't understand people saying it helps prop up the screen. Why do you need your screen propped up? If anything, I find I often need to tilt the screen back even more than it can go, so propping it up and angling it forward is just going to make that problem worse.
Also, I would think putting your laptop on a squat pedestal that is smaller than the machine's true footprint would make it sort of unstable and even tippy. I haven't heard anyone complain about this, so maybe it doesn't happen, but it sure looks like it might!
And they still have not fixed the dark web camera problem in the HP Mini.
Their PR department was quick to reply to the Engadget's article talking about the problem. Promising a solution so the issue got closed off, they effectively fooled the Engadget editors, and it was a fine example of diverting and controlling social media.
I'd like to see a follow-up by Engadget.
And I'd love to be able to email the person at HP who said a solution would be coming.
'Cause it still is not working. My next PC will not be HP.
i buy a hp mini 1000 6-cell battery a few days ago.The HP Mini 1000 extended battery on sales for $95.5 after a $30 discount. the Mini 1000 is so fashionable for youngling(is my favorite notebook).detail url:
http://www.diggingshop.com/laptop-battery/hp-mini-1000.htm
this 6 cell was a design after thought. This 6 cell just ruin the whole idea of slim and light. when u carry a small bag that fits only the netbook , it makes all the different with its weight and thickness.