How to get the most from Li-Ion batteries

Six tips for getting the best possible life out of the Li-Ion batteries inside your smartphone, tablet or notebook.

I'm sitting at my desk and I'm surrounded by devices that owe their lifeblood to Li-Ion rechargeable batteries. And as most devices are now built in such a way that replacing the battery is tricky – if not almost impossible – so you want to get the best possible lifespan out of that battery.

How much of a difference can taking care of the battery make? Well, I have both a second-generation iPod nano bought around December 2006 and a first-generation iPod touch bought in 2008 that are both still on their original batteries and are still going strong.

So, how do you get the most out of Li-Ion batteries?....


Read more at: How to get the most from Li-Ion batteries | ZDNet


You may also like to see: How to Generate a Battery Usage Report in Windows 8 and 8.1
 
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Interesting article Brink. Thanks for posting!

Greetz,

Rover
 

My Computer

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    Windows 8.1 Pro x64 Media Center Edition
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    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Made
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 750
    Memory
    6 GB
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    Iiyama ProLite B2481HS-B1
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    I also own the following Microsoft devices:
    * Surface Pro 2 128 GB
    * Windows Phone HTC 8X
I still use a old I-pod nano 2006 sounds about right ,some time its left in my car for weeks at a time ,outside temps sometime go as low as -20C,othertime it in the house ,or just in my coat pocket ,I usually only charge it after it has gone dead,and many times have charged it in the car on cold winter days .
there was a time[maybe 2 yrs ] the device was rarely used
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win8.1.1 enterprise
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    Hinze57
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    AMD FX 6100 6core 3.30gHz
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    gigibyte ga-78lmy-s2p
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    updated enterprise apr 2/14
Just ran the report

powercfg /batteryreport /output %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\battery_report.html

Never did that before on my Laptop. Interesting.

According to it,

AT FULL CHARGE AT DESIGN CAPACITY
ACTIVE CONNECTED STANDBY ACTIVE CONNECTED STANDBY
Since OS install 1:35:58 - 2:53:50 -

Bummer. But I leave it plugged in 24/7 just about.
I have had this laptop about 4 years now.

My Surface Pro, which I have had for about 8 months
is 3:25 - 3:36
And I use this more than any of my other PC's.
But it shuts down at about 8% charge left, and it does not stay plugged in 24/7

Good post Brink.
 
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    Self Built
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    ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77
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    CORSAIR 8GB 2X4 D3 1866
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    EVGA GTX680 4GB
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    ASUS 24" LED VG248QE
    Hard Drives
    SAMSUNG E 256GB SSD 840 PRO -
    SAMSUNG E 120GB SSD840 -
    SEAGATE 1TB PIPELINE
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    CORSAIR GS800
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    CORSAIR 600T
    Cooling
    CORSAIR HYDRO H100I LIQUID COOLER
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    THERMALTA CHALLENGER ULT GAME-KYBRD
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    RAZER DEATHADDER GAME MS BLK-ED
    Antivirus
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    APC 1000VA -
    LGELECOEM LG 14X SATA BD BURNER -
    CORSAIR SP120 Fans x 3 -
    NZXT 5.25 USB3 BAY CARD READER -
    HAUPPAUGE COLOSSUS
Hi Tepid,

Interesting post you made there. Very helpfull!!!

Do you by any means know the maximum number of Cycle Counts for the Surface Pro (2)?

Greetz,

Rover
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64 Media Center Edition
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Made
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 750
    Memory
    6 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD HD 7750
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Iiyama ProLite B2481HS-B1
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1x 120 GB SSD Samsung 830;
    1x 1.5 TB HDD Seagate;
    1x 2 TB HDD Western Digital;
    1x 3 TB HDD Seagate
    1x 80 GB SSD Vertex 2
    PSU
    Corsair CX 600
    Case
    Corsair Carbide 300R with Side Window
    Cooling
    Intel RTS2011 LC
    Keyboard
    DasKeyboard (blue switches)
    Mouse
    Wacom Baboo Tablet Pen & Touch
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbit FullDuplex Fiberglass
    Browser
    IE11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    I also own the following Microsoft devices:
    * Surface Pro 2 128 GB
    * Windows Phone HTC 8X
No, but I have gone through a lot so far.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self Built
    CPU
    I7-3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77
    Memory
    CORSAIR 8GB 2X4 D3 1866
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX680 4GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS 24" LED VG248QE
    Hard Drives
    SAMSUNG E 256GB SSD 840 PRO -
    SAMSUNG E 120GB SSD840 -
    SEAGATE 1TB PIPELINE
    PSU
    CORSAIR GS800
    Case
    CORSAIR 600T
    Cooling
    CORSAIR HYDRO H100I LIQUID COOLER
    Keyboard
    THERMALTA CHALLENGER ULT GAME-KYBRD
    Mouse
    RAZER DEATHADDER GAME MS BLK-ED
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    APC 1000VA -
    LGELECOEM LG 14X SATA BD BURNER -
    CORSAIR SP120 Fans x 3 -
    NZXT 5.25 USB3 BAY CARD READER -
    HAUPPAUGE COLOSSUS
Ok. I just checked mine and I am at 83 cycle counts in 4 months. How many did you use?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64 Media Center Edition
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Made
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 750
    Memory
    6 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD HD 7750
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Iiyama ProLite B2481HS-B1
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1x 120 GB SSD Samsung 830;
    1x 1.5 TB HDD Seagate;
    1x 2 TB HDD Western Digital;
    1x 3 TB HDD Seagate
    1x 80 GB SSD Vertex 2
    PSU
    Corsair CX 600
    Case
    Corsair Carbide 300R with Side Window
    Cooling
    Intel RTS2011 LC
    Keyboard
    DasKeyboard (blue switches)
    Mouse
    Wacom Baboo Tablet Pen & Touch
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbit FullDuplex Fiberglass
    Browser
    IE11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    I also own the following Microsoft devices:
    * Surface Pro 2 128 GB
    * Windows Phone HTC 8X
I forgot about when I got my Surface, so I revised the numbers above.

8 months in......
Cycle Count is 179
Current estimate of battery life based on all observed drains since OS install
Since OS install 3:21:50 - 3:38:00 -

This may be off by a touch cause I reloaded this tablet when 8.1 was released.
But I think I used, I'll have to check, [DEL]WZOR[/DEL] WZT official 8.1 ISO at the time.
I have to reload again, reset this thing using recovery partition and load 8.1 from store, or hunt down MS ISO (not wzt), though cause something thinks I am still using some part of Preview Release.

Edits:
I checked and corrected the dates in earlier post
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self Built
    CPU
    I7-3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77
    Memory
    CORSAIR 8GB 2X4 D3 1866
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX680 4GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS 24" LED VG248QE
    Hard Drives
    SAMSUNG E 256GB SSD 840 PRO -
    SAMSUNG E 120GB SSD840 -
    SEAGATE 1TB PIPELINE
    PSU
    CORSAIR GS800
    Case
    CORSAIR 600T
    Cooling
    CORSAIR HYDRO H100I LIQUID COOLER
    Keyboard
    THERMALTA CHALLENGER ULT GAME-KYBRD
    Mouse
    RAZER DEATHADDER GAME MS BLK-ED
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    APC 1000VA -
    LGELECOEM LG 14X SATA BD BURNER -
    CORSAIR SP120 Fans x 3 -
    NZXT 5.25 USB3 BAY CARD READER -
    HAUPPAUGE COLOSSUS
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