What is Inside A Smart Battery? by Dan Hagopian
If you have a PDA, MP3, MP4, Laptop, Cell Phone, Smartphone, DVD players, or other electronic device then more likely then not the battery within your device is a high capacity smart battery pack. What is a high capacity smart battery pack? A high capacity smart battery pack is a complex battery... This specialized hardware includes: the connector the fuse the charge and discharge FETs the cell pack the sense resistor (RSENSE) the primary and secondary protection ICs the fuel-gauge IC the thermistor the pc board the EEPROM or firmware for the fuel-gauge IC In...

Batteries and the HP NC6000 Notebook by Victor Epand
The HP nc6000 notebook has the capacity for two batteries -- a 'primary' battery and a 'Multiday' battery (that slides into the same slot used for a DVD/CD drive.) When on battery power the notebook utilizes the primary battery first until it drains out, then it is supposed to switch over to the... You have to tell it to utilize the other battery; I'd guess it's the power and battery options in control panel. ... When the primary battery drained down to zero, all power cut off to the notebook and it immediately shut down.

iPod Battery Capacity by Dan Hagopian
In my last article about the 24 Hour iPod Battery we discussed the true capability of such an iPod battery. Now however, I wanted to speak directly about the primary limitations of current battery technology that makes it difficult to truly get an iPod battery to last 24 hours given the... All iPod batteries including the (iPod 3rd Gen Battery, iPod Mini Battery, iPod Nano, Battery, iPod Video Battery, iPod Photo Battery, iPod 4th Gen Battery, iPod Shuffle, and iPod Classic Battery) have all been specifically designed for a battery rating that will perform a single function – to power...

Tips for Getting the Most Life Out of Your Laptop Battery by Eve Larson
As more and more people are becoming part of the mobile workforce and using laptop or tablet PC’s battery life is often a primary concern. Today’s portable computers use lithium-ion batteries instead of older style nickel-cadmium power sources. In addition to being able to hold a greater charge,... If you find that you are often using the computer with the battery at full charge while connected to the main power supply you may want to remove the battery. ... Discharging the battery regularly is also conducive to long battery life.

Laptop Battery Conditioning and Recycling Laptop Batteries by Victor Epand
New Laptop Battery Tips: This document explains how we recommend you should fully condition your new laptop battery, by using a very simple charging cycle. This will ensure a long run time from your battery and greater lifetime. It is very important that you fully cycle and 'condition' you... Discharge - Fully exhausting your battery's power (operating the computer with your fully charged battery in the laptop and the AC adaptor unplugged). ... It is very common for customers to believe that there is a fault with the battery when actually they have a perfectly good battery, which simply...

Dissecting A Smart Battery – Part 2 by Dan Hagopian
In part 1 of Dissecting A Smart Battery I mentioned that smart batteries have contained within them specialized hardware that when working in concert provides the power necessary to run a device such as a PDA, digital camera, or ipod player. Continuing the dissection of a smart battery this... Before we begin let’s just recap some of the specialized hardware within the smart battery: the connector the fuse the charge and discharge FETs the cell pack the sense resistor (RSENSE) the primary and secondary protection ICs the fuel-gauge IC the thermistor the pc board the...

Integrated Power Management Circuits by Dan Hagopian
Discussing internal battery design would be incomplete if we did not write on the subject of integrated circuits. Batteries for PDAs, MP3s, Digital Cameras, and Laptops have designed within them integrated power management circuits that insure that the deliverance of reliable power is properly... Power management integrated circuits offer other key benefits as well including maximizing battery life between charges, minimize charging times, and improve battery life. ... A real example of a battery pack protector circuit is a Texas Instrument two-cell lithium-ion (Li-Ion) and lithium-polymer...

Maintaining and Troubleshooting Your Laptop Battery by Bill Platt
The actual life of a laptop battery will vary with computer usage habits. For most users, it is not uncommon to experience differences in battery life, of anywhere from just under one hour to over two hours in each sitting. If you are experiencing shorter battery life cycles, say 10 to 15... As far as battery usage goes, it is recommended that you should use the battery once every two weeks, and keep the battery in the system so that the AC adapter can keep the battery charged at all times.

Get an Uninterruptible Power Supply by Bob Rankin
Using an Uninterruptible Power Supply You may have your computer, monitor, printer and other peripherals plugged into a power strip with surge suppression, but that won't help if the power actually goes out. In the event of a power sag or blackout, whether it's for a half-second or half an... If you have a laser printer, I recommend that you DO NOT connect it to an outlet on the UPS that provides battery power, because laser printers suck down LOTS of power and will drain your battery very quickly.

Enhance Your Musical Experience with Noise Cancelling Headphones by Jeffrey Meier
As technology presents us with new and better products for our life everyday, why not enhance your listening experience with noise cancelling headphones? It really is the next logical step in headphones, to remove the external sounds and most importantly protect your hearing. ... Though I will say from personal experience most have a 20-40 hour battery life. ... Still if cost is the primary reason you are selecting these headphones, you could miss out on features that would make you regret the purchase later based on not making an informed choice.