A portable data terminal comprising: a housing; a controller operating software and supported by the housing; and a battery well formed in the housing, the portable data terminal characterized in that: a male connector is disposed in the battery well and comprised of a plurality of blade contacts, wherein at least one of the blade contacts is smaller than other, larger blade contacts, the battery well adapted to receive a battery pack for seating in the battery well, the battery pack having a female connector comprised of a plurality of contacts for electrically mating with corresponding blade contacts to electrically connect the battery pack with the male connector when the battery pack is seated in the battery well, such that when the battery pack is unseated from the battery well and disconnected from the male connector, the at least one smaller blade contact is electrically unmated from its corresponding female connector contact before the larger blade contacts are electrically unmated from their corresponding female connector contacts, and wherein un-mating the at least one smaller blade contact provides a signal to the controller of a change in voltage between the smaller contact and the battery pack such that software in the controller begins a shutdown procedure to shut down the portable data terminal. a housing; a controller operating software and supported by the housing; and a battery well formed in the housing, the portable data terminal characterized in that: a male connector is disposed in the battery well and comprised of a plurality of blade contacts, wherein at least one of the blade contacts is smaller than other, larger blade contacts, the battery well adapted to receive a battery pack for seating in the battery well, the battery pack having a female connector comprised of a plurality of contacts for electrically mating with corresponding blade contacts to electrically connect the battery pack with the male connector when the battery pack is seated in the battery well, such that when the battery pack is unseated from the battery well and disconnected from the male connector, the at least one smaller blade contact is electrically unmated from its corresponding female connector contact before the larger blade contacts are electrically unmated from their corresponding female connector contacts, and wherein un-mating the at least one smaller blade contact provides a signal to the controller of a change in voltage between the smaller contact and the battery pack such that software in the controller begins a shutdown procedure to shut down the portable data terminal. a male connector is disposed in the battery well and comprised of a plurality of blade contacts, wherein at least one of the blade contacts is smaller than other, larger blade contacts, the battery well adapted to receive a battery pack for seating in the battery well, the battery pack having a female connector comprised of a plurality of contacts for electrically mating with corresponding blade contacts to electrically connect the battery pack with the male connector when the battery pack is seated in the battery well, such that when the battery pack is unseated from the battery well and disconnected from the male connector, the at least one smaller blade contact is electrically unmated from its corresponding female connector contact before the larger blade contacts are electrically unmated from their corresponding female connector contacts, and wherein un-mating the at least one smaller blade contact provides a signal to the controller of a change in voltage between the smaller contact and the battery pack such that software in the controller begins a shutdown procedure to shut down the portable data terminal.