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How to look after your battery
by Stephen Elliot
18.12.06 |
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Although replacing an iPod battery is now considered to be on the same difficulty level as changing a light bulb, it’s still something we’re sure you’d rather not have to do. With that in mind, it’s time to turn our attention to your iPod’s battery. Despite the fact that you may think everything’s working wonderfully, the day will surely come when it decides that enough is enough and it dies on you.
But how long should it last? Apple use high-quality lithium-ion batteries in their iPods (the same type as used in laptops) and the life expectancy for them can range from 300 to 500 charges. Obviously the more you use your iPod, the more you’re going to need to recharge it and the quicker the battery will come to the end of its life. There are things you can do to prolong that moment though, and like anything, the more care you give it, the longer the battery will last.
BACK TO BASICS
A lot of the fundamentals of iPod battery care are obvious, so it makes sense not to use the backlight unless you can really help it, and the Centre wheel Clicker is also happy to leach extra power if you leave it switched on. Playing larger files (9Mb or more) is also a drain on the iPod’s resources, as it has to access the hard drive a lot more, and adding Equalizer settings to songs is one more thing to remember. In fact, just skipping through the iPod’s library uses excessive battery power as, once again, the hard drive is being accessed more than normal. Finally, it’s worth bearing in mind that watching video files or playing games on your iPod is a killer for the battery, so don’t be surprised if your fully-charged battery is suddenly half-empty after a remarkably short space of time.
Also, the battery’s happier if you run it down before charging it up again, so try not to recharge it too often if you’ve only used a small portion of it. Interestingly, when the battery’s completely flat it only takes an hour to regain around 80% of its power, but a further three hours to top it up to the full 100%.
As your iPod’s battery creeps into its old age, you will start to notice the warning signs that indicate that your battery isn’t as sprightly as it once was. If you find that you’re getting less and less play time from a full charge, then it’s time to start looking around for a replacement. It’s also probably a good idea to back-up your iPod’s library or make sure that it’s fully synced with iTunes. Replacing an iPod battery shouldn’t effect the data stored on the hard drive, but it’s better to be safe that sorry.
BATTERY REPLACEMENT
If you don’t want the hassle of replacing it yourself, then there are plenty of reputable companies that are willing to do it for you. If you fancy going down the official route, then Apple do a battery replacement service (image 1) that’ll set you back £49 (or $59 in the US). Shop around though, and you should find it a bit cheaper. In the US, for example, you should check out iPod ResQ (image 2), who are one of the longest serving and most competitively priced companies around.
If you want to get your hands dirty though, then you can buy kits to do-it-yourself. The best service in the UK is probably through the iPod Doctor (image 3), where you can pick up a kit from just £14.99. You get full instructions with the pack and it’s pretty straightforward to do – they even have Quicktime videos that take you through the whole process step-by-step. The iPod Doctor also does a replacement service if you’re worried about damaging your iPod.
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1. It’s a good idea to run the battery right down every month or so and then recharge it back to maximum capacity. You should get longer life out of it if you do. |
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2. Don’t attempt to replace a battery unless you’re fairly confident, as you could ruin your iPod completely. It’s much better to pay the extra money and get it done by a professional. |
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