[blackbird_1.0]

ever since i've got my ipod it seems like sometimes the battery drains real fast

i thought it might be b/c of how cold my family keeps the house, but i dunno

also how do i set my ipod so it'll turn off in the least amount of time

thanks

[SupahCoolX]

To maximize battery life: Turn off the EQ, keep the backlight off, don't skip past songs too much (just let it play), turn off Sound Check, and avoid songs longer than (I think) 30 minutes. For temperature to affect the iPod, it would have to be well below normal room temperatures (check the manual, it's probably something like 32º).

Just as a test, charge the battery up all the way, unplug it, hit play and leave it alone. Then time how long it takes before it shuts off from lack of battery power. You should get somewhere around 8-10 hours for a first-gen iPod, and 6-8 on the newer models.

Also, remember that batteries can't survive an infinite number of charging cycles. If you completely discharge/recharge your iPod two or three times a day, for example, don't expect the battery to maintain its full quality for more than a year or two.

[alligator]

Deep discharges are hard on the life of a lithium battery. I have heard this isn't good to do.

[spatterson]

What about battery memory? Can charging your battery daily or every time you want to throw more songs on it eventually kill your battery?

[CIA]

With lithium-Ion batteries, you want it charged as much as possible. There is no memory effect with the batteries in the iPods. I know people who rarely let the charge status go below 50%. The same goes for most cell phone batteries. I keep both my iPod and cell phone plugged in nearly all the time. My cell phone bat (lithium-Ion) is 3 years old and works almost as well as the day I bought it.
Older, nickel metal hydride batteries do have a memory effect, and work best when fully discharged and then recharged. Lead-Acid (ala Powerbook 100) should never be fully discharged, as it can kill the battery forever.
Most people are still stuck thinking in the nickel metal hydride days, when in fact those batteries are becoming rare. If it says Li-ion on the battery, leave it plugged in whenever you are not using it.

[spatterson]

Thanks CIA! Puts things in perspective!