[stcredzero]

I wish more laptop manufacturers would do exactly this. Most power-packs are just pure obfuscations for the purpose of extorting money from consumers.

How about a "dustbuster" style hand-vac with replaceable batteries? That would be awesome!

[zandorg]

When a portable phone's battery runs out, it's cheapest just to buy a new phone!

[cdr]

Huh? My phone cost $140, and it was a pretty cheap model. Batteries are $20.

[barrkel]

Obviously it depends on what kind of a phone we're talking about. A cheap phone might be a Nokia 1208, i.e. about $40 new.

[zandorg]

I meant a landline phone, not a mobile.

My Mum bought a BT cordless phone for a landline, and the batteries were 40 pounds. A new phone only cost 25 I think, so she bought a new one when it ran out.