Tech Talk: Battery Life | Video

Jerame Novak | 2/23/2012

Battery power. Sometimes it can last a while, sometimes not. Just ask Ben Berg. "If I used it a lot, maybe a couple days, but if I didn`t use it a lot, it could last a couple weeks."

Hannah Weber says battery life can be much shorter than that, which can be a hassle. "All day long. It`s on the charger all day."

Cell phones, laptops and music players all have one thing in common: rechargeable batteries. While they might not last forever, there are some ways to get the most out of your battery`s life.

Austin Binstock, a manager at Best Buy recommends to set your battery before you use it. "Well, right away when you first get a device, you definitely do want to drain it all the way. And then charge it up all the way and continue to do that for at least the first three to four charges. After that, you can pretty much do whatever you want."

Once your battery is set up, you still have to pay attention to where you use your device.

"Well, when you actually have your devices outside in the cold weather, it definitely does take a toll over time. It`ll actually lessen up the charge from what they can hit with the highest capacity and how long it actually will last. Also, just having it our in the warmer weather too, it will have a negative effect on the battery as well," Binstock said.

One of the most important aspects is where you plug it in

"Also, you can do a few other things as far as making sure you do charge it through say, a wall outlet versus your car or your computer. Because that will actually have a positive effect on your battery," Binstock said.

Binstock warns that even with the best precautions, not all batteries will last forever. "With batteries in general, basically over time they will just drain. It`s just kind of the nature of all batteries. So sooner or later, you will always have to replace a battery."

On average, most batteries will last about two to three years. But with some care and planning, you just might get even more life out of your battery.

Two ways to save laptop battery power are: turn off your wi-fi when you aren`t using it and dim your screen. Many laptops also have power saving settings in the control panel.

This website has some more ways to conserve your laptop`s battery life. The posting is a little older, but many of the tips still apply.

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