Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!src.honeywell.com!msi.umn.edu!cs.umn.edu!uc!noc.MR.NET!gacvx2.gac.edu!hhdist From: mgaylord@nike.calpoly.edu (HP48SX Free software) Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds Subject: RE: 28 power Study Message-ID: <9012041733.AA612104@nike.calpoly.edu> Date: 4 Dec 90 17:33:55 GMT Lines: 23 To: handhelds@gac.edu Return-path: To: handhelds@gac.edu Hello, Maybe my two cents will help clarify things. I believe the capacitors Bob Peraino was talking about are the parasitic capacitors in the CMOS circuits. ( the bane of EE's unless you are building dynamic memories) Yes CMOS does use more power at higher speeds, but we are concerned with energy which is a function of power AND time. A battey can only supply so much energy. You can draw a lot of power for a short period of time or draw less power for a longer period of time, but you get the same amount of energy. I think Bob's point was that the overhead power loss is the same whether you are crusing at warp speed or at a snails pace, and that the energy used ( excluding overhead ) to run a program is the same reguardless of the speed. The longer you are using overhead the worse off you are inreguard to battery life. Happy in 48 land, Malcolm mgaylord@eros.calpoly.edu