Circle pad Pro to last a million years on each AAA battery

[KamaItachi]

Not quite, but Joystiq (www.joystiq.com) is reporting that according to the manual, the new add-on will last up to 460 hours (http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/08/rumor-3ds-circle-pad-pro-runs-for-480-hours-on-one-aaa-battery/) of playtime on a standard AAA battery. Sounds good when compared to the average 6-8 hours for the regular 3DS battery.

Currently the Circle Pad Pro is set to be released some time in January, but has already been bundled with Monster Hunter 3G and is set to launch with Resident Evil: Revelations in Europe.

Personally I'm holding out hope for a Nyko battery pack/circle pad add-on, as I've been very happy with their battery pack.

[Ravenlock]

Yeah, the Nyko battery pack is great - doesn't just extend battery life as promised, but actually makes the 3DS more comfortable to hold. I enjoy playing games for a long time much more with it than I did before.

I just hope their circle-pad/battery add on will be of similar quality. I've been a little wary of Nyko's controllers in the past.

[muddi900]

I do not know what the Ampere-Hour rating of an average AAA battery is, but I am assuming it's 500mAh alkaline battery.

So, 500 mAh/460 h ~ 1mA load

I do not know why they need an extra battery for such a tiny load.

[digitalErich]

It's probably because the 3DS doesn't have any ports that output any amount of power.

[Ravenlock]

Yeah, that sounds like a reasonable explanation.

I don't have any problem with the AAA solution, but I'm not taking my Nyko battery pack off to put this grip on and lose the extra battery life. Unless the Nyko version of the circle pad with the integrated battery pack sucks. In which case I'll be sad.

[muddi900]

It's probably because the 3DS doesn't have any ports that output any amount of power.

So where does the Circle Pad Pro attach to?

[digitalErich]

Sorry, that was bad wording on my part. I was saying that whatever port(s) the 3DS does have for input do not also output power (maybe).

[Ravenlock]

I was actually trying to figure that out. Where WILL the circle pad attach?

I had thought maybe it slotted into the game slot (and then had a piggybacked game slot of its own), but looking at the pictures (http://gamerant.com/3ds-circle-pad-pro-battery-life-jeff-120272/) that's clearly not the case. I haven't read anything that describes how it actually connects to the system.

EDIT: Picture number 4 here (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-30-3ds-circle-pad-pro-thumbstick-release-date) shows a much better view of it empty, and I still don't have a clue.

[muddi900]

Sorry, that was bad wording on my part. I was saying that whatever port(s) the 3DS does have for input do not also output power (maybe).

That's believable, but still weird.

[muddi900]

Could it be that it's wireless?

[digitalErich]

Could it be that it's wireless?
Hah, this is probably it.

Edit: Then again, that seems like a little too much usage from a single AAA battery for any form of wireless.

[Ravenlock]

I dunno, I find wireless hard to believe if it lasts that long on a AAA battery. I've never had a bluetooth headset for a phone last more than a few days on a charge if I was using it regularly, have you? There's less data being communicated here, sure, but enough less to get 460 hours? 19 days of continuous use?

[muddi900]

It could work exactly like a TV remote, sending pulses using that NFC type thing 3DS has...


I am genuinely curious now.

[JayVe]

The circle pad pro sends signals via IR. The 3DS has an IR receiver on the back. Like a TV remote, it blinks a little IR LED.

[muddi900]

Figures, the reason for the long batter life.

[JayVe]

Figures, the reason for the long batter life.

It is a clever use of simple tech IMHO.

[Ravenlock]

I honestly had no idea IR was sophisticated enough to transmit analog control signals. Shows what I know.

[muddi900]

All wireless signals are analog signals. :p

[Ravenlock]

A good point. #imanidiot :p