How to Care for Your Battery

[CybaCowboy]

Wirelessly posted (RIM BlackBerry Curve 8300: BlackBerry8300/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/122)

Most modern electronic devices these days use Lithium-based batteries, which unlike older types of batteries, must be looked-after a very specific way to ensure the maximum usage times and life of your battery...



This guide is here to help you do just that.



Firstly, when you buy your device with a lithium-based battery, you should charge it for a SOLID 24 hours (even if the device says it's fully charged) - this will ensure that you will get the maximum usage times out of your device/battery; try not to use your device during this time.



Once you have done this, you will guarantee the maximum usage times out of your device/battery, however you may have to charge your device/battery 5 or 6 times (as outlined below) before this becomes apparent...



Now, with everyday charging, you should NEVER (I repeat, N-E-V-E-R, E-V-E-R) run your device/battery all the way down and where possible, you should try and keep it above 50%.



HOWEVER, this does NOT mean that you should leave your device/battery on the charger 24/7 - with the exception of the first charge, you should remove your device/battery from the charger once it says 100%, where possible...



Finally, if you are storing/not using your device/battery for an extended period of time (about a month or more), you should charge your device/battery up to 100%, then run it down to 50% and repeat this on a monthly basis, for every month that you are not using or storing the device/battery - this includes if your device is switched off.



If you do these things, not only will you guarantee the maximum possible usage times out of your batteries/device, but you will ensure the long-term life of your batteries... I have known a number of people who look after their batteries correctly to get up to four years before needing to replace their batteries, and even then it's debatable!



This information applies to ALL lithium-based batteries...

Admins, please make this a "sticky"?

[BESadmin]

How to maximize battery power

Battery power can be maximized by following these simple suggestions.

• Use BlackBerry smartphone shortcuts to access common system features quickly. Search this forum for "Tips & Trick to find all the shortcuts for your device. Using shortcuts allows you to do the same things on your BlackBerry smartphone more quickly and efficiently, while saving battery power.
  Some common shortcuts include the following:
  • To delete a highlighted item, press the Delete key.
  • To select or clear a check box, press the Space key.
  • To view available values in a field, press the Alt key.
  • To switch applications:
    1. Hold the Alt key and press the Escape key.
    2. Continue to hold the Alt key and highlight an application.
    3. Release the Alt key.
  • Set the Auto On/Off option to turn off the BlackBerry smartphone at a time of day when you are not using it (such as at night), and turn on again at a time of day that you are ready to use it (such as in the morning just before you wake up). Battery power is saved by turning the power off at times when the BlackBerry smartphone is not being used. To set the Auto On/Off option on the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps:
    1. On the Home screen, open Options.
    2. Select Auto On/Off.
    3. Specify the on and off times.
    Tip: Set the BlackBerry smartphone to turn on just before you need to use it, (such as a few minutes before you wake up in the morning) so that the BlackBerry smartphone has a chance to receive the email messages sent to you during the time that the BlackBerry smartphone was turned off. This way, the email messages have already been received when you are ready to read them.
  • When a particular wireless connection is not needed, use the Manage Connections application on the BlackBerry smartphone to turn off the connection. For example, if you do not need to use Bluetooth® technology, you can use Manage Connections to turn the Bluetooth connection off. To turn the Bluetooth connection off on the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps:
    1. On the Home screen, open Manage Connections.
    2. Click Bluetooth.
    Note: Using Manage Connections, turn the mobile wireless transceiver off when you know you are out of range of the mobile network. Turning the mobile wireless transceiver off prevents the BlackBerry smartphone from continually attempting to locate the mobile network, which uses a lot of battery power.

[CybaCowboy]

Wirelessly posted (RIM BlackBerry Curve 8300: BlackBerry8300/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/122)

Excellent addition to this thread BES Admin!



BTW, I noticed that by turning off bluetooth on my BlackBerry Curve 8300, my usage times have almost DOUBLED (literally)!



On some devices, it doesn't make much of a difference turning off bluetooth (Sony Ericsson products are usually pretty good), however on other devices (eg. my BlackBerry Curve 8300 and most Motorola mobile phones), the difference in usage times can be HUGE!

Just be aware that the difference of enabling/disabling bluetooth can vary from product-to-product, make-to-make or model-to-model...

Some are better than others, but the easiest way to find out if it will make difference is to test it - see how long you get with it on, then see how long you get with it off (you may need to do this a few times to get a clear picture).