The gadgets you love don’t always love you back, at least when it comes to battery life. But you can get more from your laptop, your iPod, your phone, and other devices with these 10 techniques.
Only a few things ever need D batteries, but who has them handy when you need those things? If you’ve got some slightly more handy C NiCd rechargeable batteries around, you only need a few quarters to turn them into makeshift Ds. You won’t get the same longevity, and you’ll have to part with up to $1.50 for a bit, but it works, and it might just turn you into the family hero when you rescue that seemingly useless big-lens flashlight.
If you haven’t hit the Update button since you got your iPod, old or new, fire up iTunes and do so. The newest firmware, in many cases, can boost your NiMh battery life. Also, keeping the Hold switch in place when you’re not actively using it saves you from accidentally playing your whole collection, and wasting another charge cycle.
It’s a help to the environment, and your checking account, to use rechargeable batteries instead of letting your Wifi remotes and other gadgets eat through AAs. But the grocery store brands and accessories often don’t seem worth the hassle.
Having a view of the whole scene you’re shooting is one of the digital camera’s big advantages over film-based models, but powering that tiny little LCD takes quite the toll on your little batteries. If you’re running low, or know you’re going to be without a recharge for some time, turn the screen off and shoot through the optical viewfinder. You’ll save battery time, and might find a new perspective on focus and framing.
When the batteries in your electronic devices run down, try swapping their positions to squeeze every last drop of juice from them. For devices with two batteries, then, simply put battery A into battery B’s place and vice versa. If the device has three or more batteries, shift them all one position.
One battery in the sequence will drain more quickly than the other because the device pulls more from the lifepo4 battery in that position. Switching them around puts the battery with more remaining power in the high-drain position.