HiFi Blog: digital audio goodness

“Oh no, the battery doesn’t hold a charge like it used to”—frequent portable audio forums and you’ll be hearing this a lot. The batteries that power your portable audio device can last longer and be more efficient provided you treat them carefully. What follows is a list of the best resources on the matter.

Battery types, performance, and charging tips

Battery types, performance, and charging tips: Quick recaps of the main battery type (Lithium-ion, Nickel-Metal Hydride, Nickel Cadmium) and their characteristics; defines the dreaded (but thankfully non existant in Li-ion) “memory effect’”, and lists a few battery “do’s and don’ts”.

Batteries in a Portable World & battery University

Isidor Buchmann is the man when it comes to batteries – a short look at his bio will convince you; he runs a company that designs and manufactures battery analyzers and chargers. He has written a handbook on rechargeable batteries for non-engineers and made it available online in its entirety (you can already see he’s a commendable man): “Batteries in a Portable World”. From the hanbook’s TOC:

The battery handbook addresses the strengths and limitations of the modern battery. It illustrates which battery chemistry is most appropriate for each application. You will learn about charger technology, battery maintenance to prolong battery life and methods to restore weak batteries with a battery analyzer.

Buchmann also maintains the Battery University website, a collection of essays covering most aspects of battery use – think of it as parts of his handbook written in condensed form. For example, “How to prolong lithium-based batteries” is a must read for portable device owners. Most portable devices nowadays (the iPod included), use Li-ion and will most likely continue to do so in the future.

Apple’s Batteries section

Finally, Apple has got a whole “Batteries” section on their website, with nice, easy-to-comprehend article and graphs. They’re focusing on Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) batteries since these power their laptop and iPod line, but as we’ve already said, chances are more than high that a Li-ion battery powers your portable source too.

On the Apple Support section, there’s also a FAQ on iPod batteries and a list with tips and tricks to get the most out of your iPod’s battery.