EEVblog #751 - How To Debunk A Product (The Batteriser)

[amspire]

No Batteriser circuit board!

[rich]

Exif date in those promo shots are from November if I'm reading them right. What's strange is they seem to be the only copies of those pics that google knows about.

[Fungus]

UK distributer just listed Batterisers as coming soon. Only £12.99

It doesn't mean a distribution deal. At that price they might just be hoping to buy them in bulk from Batteriser and resell them for a $5 markup.

[miguelvp]

No Batteriser circuit board!

Seems they used a broken one for that picture, maybe the circuit board broke off while inserting it on some device that didn't have enough clearance.

You can see the circuit board on the controller shot.


weird they do get promo pictures but the backers don't get that much detailed pictures.

Edit: also note that the battery seems to need to be loaded backwards inside the sleeve on the picture with the mouse that obviously can't take a AA battery anyways.

[bitwelder]

UK distributer just listed Batterisers as coming soon. Only £12.99!

Interesting to read the phrasing of the product description.
Not "Batteriser extends battery life to x%", but "The Batteriser battery sleeve promises to extend the life of your batteries up to...".
And nowhere else does affirm what the product *does*, other than it 'features an incredibly small circuit board'.
Much more vague and ass-covering.

[rich]

I guess the distributer is as much in the dark as backers.

[Mohan]

Latest from Batteriser facebook page:

Gary Butler I invested a year ago and still waiting for my product from Batteriser!
Like · Reply · April 12 at 9:58am
Batteriser
Batteriser We're waiting on one final go-ahead from some executives who are currently out of the country. Expect the shipping dates soon!
Like · Reply · April 12 at 10:23am

[janekm]

[snip]
Batteriser
Batteriser We're waiting on one final go-ahead from some executives who are currently out of the country. Expect the shipping dates soon!
Like · Reply · April 12 at 10:23am

Bob is in China and can't access his email due to the Great Firewall

[EEVblog]

No Batteriser circuit board!

 

[AmmoJammo]

 

[crispy_tofu]

Are they even serious about this anymore? 

[apis]

"No Batteriser circuit board!"   
"By 2017, we hope to..." 'hope' being the operative word.    

[Brumby]

The military?

Well, maybe their concept can be migrated onto other platforms - possibly weaponised?  I can just see them them rolling out the 'Bulletiser' .... get 800% more range by slipping this little sleeve over each round!

[station240]

UK distributer just listed Batterisers as coming soon. Only £12.99!

http://www.2tech.co.uk/products/batteriser

"The tiny, 0.1 millimetre-thick stainless steel Batteriser sleeve..."
lol it's going to crumple like tin foil.

Still that does mean when it arrives in 2027 and doesn't work 'cause Bob left the PCB out, you can screw it up and toss it in the bin.

[Delta]

UK distributer just listed Batterisers as coming soon. Only £12.99!

http://www.2tech.co.uk/products/batteriser

"The tiny, 0.1 millimetre-thick stainless steel Batteriser sleeve..."
lol it's going to crumple like tin foil.

Still that does mean when it arrives in 2027 and doesn't work 'cause Bob left the PCB out, you can screw it up and toss it in the bin.

At least a PCBless Batteryiser* won't reduce your battery life, purely get them stuck inside your devices...


* (c) that weirdo on Youtube.

[rich]

The military?

Well, maybe their concept can be migrated onto other platforms - possibly weaponised?  I can just see them them rolling out the 'Bulletiser' .... get 800% more range by slipping this little sleeve over each round!

That would work out well for the target - they would just see the muzzle flash lighting up the words "Coming soon! We hope to deliver your bullet in time for the holidays".

[Nerull]

I'm sure soldiers in combat will love it when their radios simply stop working rather than showing a low battery indicator.

[Fungus]

The military?

They've been using the "military" angle for about six months now.

Maybe it's just a sales angle aimed at patriotic crowdfunders. I can't imagine the military wouldn't test their "800%" claims - it's not like it's a difficult test to do.

[drussell]

They've been using the "military" angle for about six months now.

Maybe it's just a sales angle aimed at patriotic crowdfunders. I can't imagine the military wouldn't test their "800%" claims - it's not like it's a difficult test to do.

Yeah, that is all just pure marketing wankery BS... 

There is absolutely no way the military would ever use Batterisers.  Anything they use that should have a boost converter in the power supply will already have one.  There is no need for an add-on accessory booster.

[rrinker]

 Just what the military needs. Pre-mission battery check - yup, full power. Half way into the mission "shit, all our commo equipment is dead"

[Macbeth]

Actually those Batterisers would probably make quite good Chaff. About all they are any use for.

[Nerull]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/04/29/dowsing_for_bombs_maker_of_useless_bomb_detectors_convicted_of_fraud.html

[Brumby]

"I’m glad he was convicted of fraud, because it sends a good message to those who would try to use pseudoscientific claptrap to make a profit: We’re on to you, and we will do what we can to stop you.

And it’s a cautionary tale as well. There are an infinite number of flavors of this sort of nonsense, from astrology to homeopathy, from the antivaccination movement to global warming denial. While you might think some of these are harmless, they all have very serious ramifications: they lead to magical thinking. They tell people it’s OK to stop putting their trust in reality and science, and instead abandon it for nonsense."

"They tell people it’s OK to stop putting their trust in reality and science, and instead abandon it for nonsense." That's what this thread has been addressing since the get-go.

[EEVblog]

The military?

They've been using the "military" angle for about six months now.
Maybe it's just a sales angle aimed at patriotic crowdfunders. I can't imagine the military wouldn't test their "800%" claims - it's not like it's a difficult test to do.

It's a standard technique for such products that aren't really practical. They have to think up new usage cases in order to get the investors excited that it's some unicorn level product idea.
Same thing happened with Solar Roadways, they claimed military uses by dropping them into war zones by drones!
uBeam is another example that has all sort of ridiculous grandiose claims including military as well.

[LabSpokane]

The military?

They've been using the "military" angle for about six months now.
Maybe it's just a sales angle aimed at patriotic crowdfunders. I can't imagine the military wouldn't test their "800%" claims - it's not like it's a difficult test to do.

It's a standard technique for such products that aren't really practical. They have to think up new usage cases in order to get the investors excited that it's some unicorn level product idea.
Same thing happened with Solar Roadways, they claimed military uses by dropping them into war zones by drones!
uBeam is another example that has all sort of ridiculous grandiose claims including military as well.

If Batteroo attempts to sell to the DOD with the grandiose claims they are making now, they are toast.  Complete and utter toast.  I've said it five times, and I'll say it again, Qui Tam.  It is known as the "Lincoln Law" and allows private parties to sue companies who defraud the US Government on behalf of the US Government.  If the Government thinks the plaintiff has a great case, they will take it on themselves and give the plaintiff less in damages, but will absorb the legal costs.   It will take little effort to find a DOD Inspector General who will enjoy suing the crap out of Batteroo, SKTA, or whoever has the deepest pockets, just to make a public example of how *not* to do business with the Dept. of Defense.