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| ==Explanation== | | ==Explanation== |
− | Most {{w|smartphone|smartphones}} (except {{w|IPhone#Battery|iPhones}} and a few others) use replaceable batteries. So it's often possible to buy additional batteries and use them as a backup in case there is no external power source available to recharge the phone. Otherwise it's possible to buy a charging device (also with batteries) that could be connected via cable to the phone to recharge the internal battery. Since there is no cable in the comic picture [[Cueball]] probably shows a battery that could replace an empty one in the phone.
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− | Cueball gets stressed when his phone is at low battery because the device may run out at any moment, interrupting his activities. In an effort to prevent stress, Cueball decides to carry a backup battery so he can just replace the current battery when it runs low. Cueball realizes that the backup battery itself is prone to depletion, and so he carries a second. He then comes to the same realization for the second backup battery, and indeed every subsequent battery he can carry. Finally this would lead to an unending series of backup batteries, hence his speech is cut off, becoming unending as well. | + | A backup battery is a source of energy that may be used to recharge an electronic device. Backup batteries for phones are typically similar in size, shape and energy capacity to a smartphone. Cueball gets stressed when at low battery because a low battery may run out at any moment, interrupting activities being done with the phone. |
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− | What Cueball never grasps is that his irrational need to hoard a supply of batteries tending to the infinite is the real cause of his stress. In reality, he only needs to consider the maximum amount of time that he spends between recharging his phone, and divide that by the average lifespan of a phone battery, and round up that figure to get the minimum number of batteries required to avoid a power outage (multiplied by 1.5 if the mere state of running low causes stress). If he charges up his phone and backup batteries every night, he would only need 2 to 3 backup batteries, tops.
| + | In an effort to prevent stress, Cueball decides to carry a backup battery. This way he can recharge his phone should its battery run low. Cueball realises that the backup battery is itself prone to depletion, and so carries a second. He then comes to the same realisation for the second backup battery, and indeed every subsequent battery he can carry. This leads to an unending series of backup batteries, hence his speech is cut off, becoming unending as well. |
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− | The title text says that Cueball's backpack will turn red if it is less then 20% of it is filled with batteries, similar to the battery indicator on a smartphone when at low battery to warn the user. Cueball probably gets similarly stressed when that happens, perhaps requiring a backup backup-battery backpack. Most backpacks do not have this function.{{Citation needed}} It is unclear by what mechanism the backpack turns red or detects that it should do so. | + | The title text talks says that Cueball's backpack will turn red if it is below 20% of its energy capacity, which the same thing happens to the battery indicator on an iPhone when at low battery to warn the user. Cueball gets similarly stressed when that happens, perhaps requiring a backup backpack. |
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− | That [[Randall]] has issues with low battery power on cell phones can be seen in the earlier comics [[1373: Screenshot]] and [[1802: Phone]] and in the later comics [[1965: Background Apps]] and [[2680: Battery Life]].
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| ==Transcript== | | ==Transcript== |