Getting the Most from Apple Batteries
Have a MacBook, MacBook Pro, PowerBook, or iBook? Here’s the skinny from Apple on how to get the most from your battery:
The battery needs to be recalibrated from time to time to keep the onscreen battery time and percent display accurate. With all iBooks and PowerBook G4 computers, except the aluminum PowerBook G4 (15-inch Double-Layer SD), you should perform this procedure when you first use your computer and then every few months thereafter.
It’s a bit of an involved process, but if you use your battery (something Apple recommends, as opposed to running it plugged in 24/7), it’s probably worth the trouble.
Visit Link • 29 Dec 2008 • 5 Comments • Tags: apple, battery, gear, ibook, laptop, macbook, powerbook
Subscribe to the Feed
Comments
5 Comments.
Thank you for this!
Jason Seifer • 29 December 2008 • 01:12 PM
I recalibrated my battery about half a year ago for my second gen Macbook Pro, and ever since then my battery performance has continued to get worse and worse. When I unplug my laptop I rarely get more than 15 minutes of battery life. I don't know if this weak performance is from recalibration or just the wear and tear of using that battery on a daily basis for about 2 years, but I did not find any immediate benefit from recalibrating my battery. My advice is that if you have never recalibrated your battery before and it is more than two years old, do not bother to recalibrate it and expect your battery to suddenly perform better.
I don't travel with my laptop as often as I used to, so now my laptop just stays at home and is always plugged in. Otherwise I would have bought a new battery about 4 months ago.
Nick Berveiler • 29 Dec 2008 • 02:12 PM
Also take a look at www.apple.com/batteries/ there's also a little .ics file for iCal linked toward the bottom-right of the page.
Mozketo • 29 December 2008 • 07:12 PM
The support article says it's just to make sure that the displayed percentage of your battery remaining is accurate. Is that an understatement? This seems like a lot of trouble for just the display on the menu bar.
Justin • 30 Dec 2008 • 03:12 AM
I could be out to lunch on this because I can't seem to find the article I thought I'd read on Apple's site, but I think this calibration process doesn't apply to new laptops (MacBooks) for some reason. There is either a different one, or it's no longer necessary. Wish I could find the link… sigh…
Grant • 30 December 2008 • 03:12 PM
Add Your Comment