Until new nano lithium technology comes in later in 2009, mobile phone batteries are still notoriously flaky. Just when you need to make an important call the battery indicator tells you the charge is all but extinct. You may have conditioned your battery in line with all of the advice and old wives tales floating around but still have to re-charge yours every day. Short of buying a spare and keeping that charged what can you do?
There are several types of battery in use at the present time and each must be treated differently. There are Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cad), Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) and Lithium-ion. Ni-Cad is old technology and hence only found in ancient handsets, so I will not be covering them in this article. NiMH batteries perform much better than Ni-Cad, typically giving 30% more talk time, but Lithium are thinner and give even higher performance. I will be concentrating on Lithium-ion as it is the most used modern mobile phone battery to date. Check which type of battery your phone has before following any of the following.
The Volt also brings something new to the table in that it is a sporty vehicle. The styling of the Prius is not exactly lithium stock cutting edge however the Volt takes it up a notch. With a sleek body and 21-inch wheels, it is sure to spice up the hybrid market.
When an iPod battery dies, you can easily purchase an iPod mini battery replacement kit, instead of purchasing an entirely new unit. According to Apple, iPods are designed to last for years to come.
Microsoft is soon to release their latest graphic Lithium battery stocks game version of the Xbox with the all new Project Natal which includes a collection of features that are down-right spooky. Just your regular old voice recognition, and face recognition and a virtual character who can also recognize your emotional state. Mix in some drop dead graphics and amazing (I mean jaw dropping) virtual interaction and if you aren't transported back to planet Klingon then you're long due for a Vulcan Mind-meld.
What are your driving habits? What are the longest distances you will be traveling? When driving a pure electric vehicle; if the battery runs out completely with no charging stations available you will be stranded. With the long charge times, it will take some time to make the vehicle usable again. This is where the extended range Lithium mines Ontario Volt becomes more practical. Filling up the gas tank is faster than waiting for the battery to charge.
Memory effect will reduce the life of a battery. Modern Lithium-ion batteries do not suffer from memory effect, although it does occur in Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) units when charged from levels other than 0% of battery capacity. If the (NiMH) unit was fully charged when initially at say 20% capacity, the resulting available capacity would only be 80% of the factory original. Of course every time you charged the battery, the total available capacity would reduce and eventually your mobile phone would prove to be increasingly useless. Nearly all new electronic devices are now powered by Lithium batteries. You should always condition your (NiMH) battery from new.
And that's about it; not so hard, right? So, although lithium ion batteries might keep us on our toes, utilizing these few simple practices will help you keep your batteries performing at their peak for a whole lot longer. Respect your stuff and in return you'll enjoy really great results.