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I was a pebble watch Kickstarter backer and had picked orange. They just recently started shipping the orange models.

I thought I was running Android v2.4 but that is my software number not my OS version. My phone lists the firmware version as the Android OS version which reports as v2.1 and I would need OS v2.3 or higher to work with the pebble.

I will be getting a new phone in a month or so and it should work just fine then, my fail!

This is an old trick to save batteries from draining when you don’t have an on/off switch and don’t want to take out your batteries between usages.

Plus I take a few current measurements to show the current usage is ~200uA when not used for charging. This stand-by current is just to power the circuit when not being used.

An on/off switch would have prevented this ~200uA stand-by current but would have complicated the build and increased the product price. So slipping in a bit of paper between two batteries or an end connector does just the same as a switch. This trick brings the stand-by current to 0A and the batteries are good even a year later instead of being dead.

Yes, taking the batteries out works and is better but is more difficult and you have to find your batteries when you need to use your MintyBoost.

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Video: Product Review

Video: Testing & Teardown

Links:

LED datasheet

Product website CandelabraBulb.com or just search Amazon for Sexy LEDs

Another great YouTube channel that reviews LED blubs is ElectronUpdate’s YouTube channel

Features:

Candelabra bulb style in E12 sockets

4 Watt LED with 50 Watt equivalent light output 400 Lumens

Style is flame or round tip

Comes in gold or silver base

Dimmable

Life span is 12 years at 6.8hrs/day or 30,000 hours.

80% more efficient then incandescent

Soft, warm white light (2700 k)

Hidden heat sink

Return on Investment:

5 watt x 6 hours per day usage x 365 days = 10.95 kWh.

At 12 cents per kWh it will cost $1.32 a year to operate.

Subtract that from the $10.50 cost to run a 40 watt bulb saves you $9 per yr.

I have 16 bulbs so I will save $144 per year.

The current cost for 16 bulbs is ~$416 so I would get 100% ROI in 2.8 years.

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