Digital Camera Battery Shopping

Just a little reminder when shopping for a battery for you digital camera.  If you use the following description, WE CAN’T HELP YOU!  This is a quote, “The battery that I need is small, kinda square, rectangular lithium one.”  WTF?  That pretty much describes half or more of the batteries that go into digital cameras.

So if you are looking for a digital camera battery, at the minimum you need to know the make and model of your camera.  It may be okay if you bring in the battery, but sometimes they don’t cross-reference well.  It works best if you bring the camera and battery into the store.

Does the computer need to be on?

A customer comes into the store holding a digital camera.  She states that she can not get the camera to charge via the USB port on her computer.  We look at the manual to confirm that it is designed to charge via the USB port and indeed it can be charged this way.  So we go through a variety of troubleshooting ideas and we eventually plug the camera into the store system.  As per the instructions, the little blue LED begins to flash, signaling a charging battery.  We are also able to access the memory card and download photos, just to confirm a properly working camera.  The troubleshooting continues with various words of advice coming from all the employees working.  We are at our wits end when the woman asks, “Does the computer have to be turned on for the camera to charge?”.  WTF???

The iGo

There is something mysterious about the iGo vehicle and travel chargers.  People who often appear to be intelligent can NOT understand what they do.  If you have never heard of the iGo chargers, I will explain.  You have an main charging adapter, either 110V or 12V depending on your needs.  They make more “complicated” models, but I want to keep it “simple”.  They also make at least 100 different tips that fit into cell phones, digital cameras, camcorders, iPods, MP3 players; you get the idea.  Now you take the main charger, couple that with one of these tips and, presto, you have an entire charging unit.  The greatest thing about iGos is that you can buy a variety of different tips, put them in your vehicle, purse, etc. and you can charge every electronic gadget you have without bringing each individual charger.

Now, what happens when you explain this to people?  They look at you as if you just gave a dissertation on nuclear physics.  I kid you not, they just don’t get it.  Over and over again, this happens everyday.  Sometimes I wonder if I accidentally lapsed into a foreign language, but I know I didn’t because I only know a little Spanish.