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

[Wytnucls]

Hannah, although perhaps well-intentioned, reports on 'new technology', which usually means the latest iPhone. She has no technical background whatsoever. She would probably have trouble identifying the positive side of a AA battery, never mind questioning Batteroo's wild claims.
She should first contact a qualified EE engineer in Melbourne, who would set her straight about how much energy is left in a spent battery, before writing an inane piece about the Batteroo and Dave 'controversy'.
I don't think that Dave needs to get involved at all.

[EEVblog]

Ask her if she's seen all the videos, what she thought of them. Any remaining doubts? You'll be happy to clear them up.

She wanted a phone call.
I said I was happy to answer any questions by email (so I have proof of the exact correspondence of course)
Haven't heard a peep.

[bookaboo]

A journalist probably won't have a pre-set agenda going into something like this but will spin the story in whatever way they feel will generate click bait. I'd play ball but only via email.

Also, you have to give the general public a fools pardon when it comes to claims like this. It's possible to dismiss batteriser out of hand just using common sense, some basic engineering tests and calculations were needed to do that but joe public can't be expected to do or understand all that.

[FrankBuss]

She wanted a phone call.
I said I was happy to answer any questions by email (so I have proof of the exact correspondence of course)
Haven't heard a peep.

I don't know, your tweets might have sounded a bit aggressive for her ("[write it and] embarrass yourself, silly claims"). Compare this to the slick CEO. I don't care, only facts count, but for many people the appearance is more important, as the success of the Indiegogo campaign demonstrates.

A phone call doesn't sound that bad. You can discuss with her the facts, it might help other people who otherwise would buy the Batteriser.

[GNU_Ninja]

She wanted a phone call.
I said I was happy to answer any questions by email (so I have proof of the exact correspondence of course)
Haven't heard a peep.

Always wise to keep an audit trail. She was probably just looking for a 'soundbite' that could be taken out of context.

[Rasz]

whoa, that sounds like 'better cooperate with me or ill shit on you in print' :/

It did rub me the wrong way.

My reaction is the same. It seems that this journalist was contacted by Batteroo, not the other way around.

They can run with this story, but they will have a hell of a time finding *anyone* with any credibility that will support Batteroo's claims.

hmm, maybe newspaper got the standard Buttsexizer PR blurb, but unlike many others instead of just reprinting or throwing it away someone actually googled, stumbled on Dave video and decided to make a story out of it.
Phone call is not that terrible if you also record.

[Fungus]

It's possible to dismiss batteriser out of hand just using common sense, some basic engineering tests and calculations were needed to do that

No calculations are needed.

Just ask yourself a simple question: Why on earth would everybody be making devices that only use 20% of the battery? (Including big clever companies like Apple according to Batteroo!)

Is battery life not a selling point? Not even in things like flashlights...?

So what's more likely:
a) All the engineers employed in every company in the world are idiots compared to the Batteroo Brothers, or
b) Batteroo is stretching the truth?

Take a good look at the "engineer's workbench" in the Batteriser video before answering. It's all freshly unwrapped and obviously staged. Don't the Batteroo Brothers have an actual lab where they developed the Batteriser and made the prototypes? Why isn't it in the video?


Another simple question is: Why can't Batteroo make a simple video which shows two devices side by side running until they die? What mental process are required to make videos any more complicated than that?

Is it because:
a) Batteroo can't afford two monkeys/flashlights, or
b) They're hiding something?

(You can send those questions to Ms. Journalist, see what she thinks)

[Godzil]

The lab setup is hard to spot for untrained eye, there is a lots of complicated things on the table, so it looks genuine (for an untrained eye ONLY)

The Super Batteroo Bros World is made only of people that are not EE or at least EE aware.

[AmmoJammo]

BTW, they're claiming the "UL Report" they've posted is "a screen shot posted from one of the pages in the UL report"

But they are still "in the process of working with UL to publish the full report"

 

[Rasz]

…………………...- *" \ - "::*'\

oh please please let the IP this was posted from be from SK telecom again

[PA0PBZ]

Solved!

[daqq]

[A crude ASCII drawing of a dong]

Batteriser, is that you?

[TheAmmoniacal]

[A crude ASCII drawing of a dong]

Batteriser, is that you?

Maybe that's where their sleeve is supposed to go?

[jancumps]

The final design drawings have leaked

[Godzil]

I've reported all of these found post

Thanks Batteriser Fan Club for your so adultish manners!

[GNU_Ninja]

The final design drawings have leaked

Nah, it's a self portrait of their chief design engineer

Though I strongly suspect another party was responsible for the recent spamming 

[Godzil]

How do you add someone to the ignore list?!

[firewalker]

I guess the the post of eevblag is the official response of them.

Alexander.

[nessatse]

>

I've reported all of these found post

Thanks Batteriser Fan Club for your so adultish manners!

Don't be too quick to jump to conclusions.  I suspect this is another user that was recently banned/deleted

[firewalker]

How do you add someone to the ignore list?!

Profile -> Modify Profile -> Buddies/Ignore list... -> Edit Ignore List

Alexander.

[Andy Watson]

Don't be too quick to jump to conclusions.  I suspect this is another user that was recently banned/deleted[/size][/font]

Another user who, on more one occasion has claimed to have developed scripts to automate operations on these message boards.

[Howardlong]

How do you add someone to the ignore list?!

Profile -> Forum Profile -> Modify Profile -> Buddies/Ignore list -> Edit Ignore List

First time in my life I've ever had to use the function on any board I've ever been on.

[Howardlong]

Don't be too quick to jump to conclusions.  I suspect this is another user that was recently banned/deleted[/size][/font]

Another user who, on more one occasion has claimed to have developed scripts to automate operations on these message boards.

Indeed, and if that turns out to be the case, I would imagine any remaining support they ever had from anyone will disappear.

[Godzil]

Hum you right, I tell that without any proof, but as it was on all the topic about this subject..

Anyway, sorry Big Batter Raiser Fan it was maybe not your fault.

And thanks for the ignore list, I was searching in the profile pages, but wasn't found, the menu to get there is not obvious

[timofonic]

Oh, that's full of dicks! It seems they were draw with by some dickhead.

IP check, please. We want to have some fun. Are they from Vietnam?

If so: Good morning, Vietnam!



---------  OFTOPIC ALERT---------
Ironically, this gives me lots of nostalgia. ASCII art is very funny, I like nicely done ASCII demoscene too. "Digital: A Love Story" was a great game involving retrocyberpunk stuff with using BBS and other very futuristic topics, I liked it. I really with there were more games like that, even more hardcore geek ones.

Unfortunately, the author went to the manga way, something usually bores me a lot (Satoshi Kon, I miss you). I also liked Ghost in The Shell and Planetes.