Posts tagged Battery at The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

Posts with tag battery

Kensington battery packs for iPhone

Posted May 7th 2008 10:15AM by Mat Lu
Filed under: Accessories, iPhone

As someone who regularly runs his iPhone battery all the way down I was interested when Kensington announced two new external batteries for the iPhone. The standard battery pack and charger is a larger stand-alone battery that connects to the iPhone via a dock cable and offers "playing time up to 100 hours of music; 21 hours of video; 6 hours of talk." Personally, however, I find the smaller mini battery pack (pictured right) more intriguing since it simply plugs into the dock connector and offers up to 3 hours extra talk time.

The standard battery pack is available for $69.99 while the mini battery pack is $49.99.

[via Engadget]

New MacBook Air battery $129, installation free at Apple

Posted Jan 16th 2008 1:15AM by Mat Lu
Filed under: MacBook Air

As Dave noted earlier, one significant downside of the new MacBook Air is the non-replaceable battery. Well it turns out that's not exactly right. Our blog brothers at Engadget have learned from Apple that you can get the battery replaced by Apple for the same $129 that a MacBook (Pro) battery costs and Apple will install it for free. It's not nearly as good as a user-replaceable battery since this doesn't allow you to take a spare on the road, but at least it's nice to know that you can do something once the original battery stops holding a full charge.

Travel reminder: Spare laptop batteries now verboten in checked bags

Posted Dec 31st 2007 3:30PM by Michael Rose
Filed under: Portables, Odds and ends

Planning a big trip in the new year? Someplace, I dunno, kinda hilly and foggy? If you're bringing along spare batteries for your laptop, take note of new FAA regulations starting January 1: lithium batteries, such as the Li-ion packs that power the MacBook Pro, are no longer permitted in checked baggage due to a remote risk of fire. Two extra batteries may be carried in carry-on luggage, but spares should be packed in individual clear plastic bags to reduce the short-circuit risk; the FAA also has other tips for safe packing.

While I understand that the FAA has to err on the side of caution, this restriction seems faintly ridiculous to me. Still, if you're not in the mood to argue with TSA staff when you travel (never a good idea), there are always alternatives.

[via CNET]

MacBook Pro Battery Update 1.3 is available

Posted Oct 3rd 2007 8:10PM by Dave Caolo
Filed under: Software Update, Macbook Pro

Apple has released Battery Update 1.3 for the following Macs:

MacBook Pro (15-inch)
MacBook Pro (15-inch Glossy)
MacBook Pro (15-inch Core 2 Duo)
MacBook Pro (15-inch 2.4/2.2GHz)

According to Apple, the update "...addresses battery performance issues with the 15-inch MacBook Pro." You can read all about it here.

Thanks, Stu!

Replacement iPhone battery kit

Posted Jul 31st 2007 6:00PM by Mat Lu
Filed under: Hacks, iPhone

Our pals at Engadget have turned up what appears to be the first third-party iPhone battery replacement kit. It comes from Brando, a Hong Kong company that is reasonably well known in the mobile accessories aftermarket. The kit includes the instructions, a screwdriver, a case opener, and the battery. Unfortunately, replacing the iPhone battery looks to be a considerably bigger challenge than on an iPod, as the battery is soldered to the motherboard and the iPhone is rather tougher to crack. If you want to get a sense for how difficult this will be, check out the iPhone take-apart video we posted earlier. In short, even though I've done an iPod replacement, I wouldn't even begin to think about doing an iPhone myself. Needless to say, this will violate your warranty.

The Brando replacement iPhone battery kit is available for $20.

Let the iPhone class-action lawsuits begin

Posted Jul 28th 2007 4:55PM by David Chartier
Filed under: Hardware, iPhone

I hope somebody somewhere made a bit of cash from betting on when the first iPhone class-action lawsuit would appear, cuz this one gets us off to a strong start: Gizmodo is reporting that Jose Trujillo has filed a lawsuit over one of the most hotly debated un-features of the iPhone: its non-removable battery. Quoting from the lawsuit:

The battery enclosed in the iPhone can only be charged approximately 300 times before it will be in need of replacement, necessitating a new battery annually for owners of the iPhone.

How anyone could think the iPhone battery's longevity could be any different from the plethora of other Lithium ion-based devices we've been living with for so long is beyond me (especially since it's been officially put to rest time and time again), but I guess in today's world, someone had to fill the village idiot's shoes by using lies and mis-information to bring a lawsuit against this moment's hot new gadget. Anyone want to place bets on just how far this might get?

[via The iPod Observer]

iPhone battery a ticking time bomb?

Posted Jul 20th 2007 12:00PM by Victor Agreda, Jr.
Filed under: iPhone

No, not exploding batteries. I'm talking about 12-18 months from now, when thousands upon thousands of iPhone batteries, completely sealed from consumers, will begin to lose their juice. Sheldon Liber, on our sister site Blogging Stocks, suggests that in about a year, Apple is going to be dealing with a lot of unhappy campers who will have to surrender their iPhones for a bit while a new battery is transplanted into their tiny tech wonders.

Of course, we now have warranty info, which means you really shouldn't worry until next July, right? Something Sheldon misses is the fact that, for another $30 or so, they'll give you a loaner. That should put a stop to the whining-- mostly. It will certainly ease the sting of a 3-day turnaround. But when you can get a replacement BlackBerry battery for less than $10 in many cases, once again users may complain about the "Apple tax."

Macworld clears up confusion around iPhone 'charge cycles'

Posted Jul 12th 2007 10:27PM by David Chartier
Filed under: Hardware, iPhone

In addition to confirming a widespread bug in the iPhone's charging meter, an Apple representative spoke with Macworld's Jason Snell to clear up some confusion surrounding the term 'charge cycle.' A lot of media outlets and iPhone haters are running a little too far with Apple's rating on the iPhone battery of '400 charge cycles,' assuming that, after plugging the phone in 400 times to charge up, the battery is dead or useless. As Snell states in his article, this couldn't be farther from the truth.

To summarize: a charge cycle is defined as draining the battery and charging it back up - not simply plugging in to top off when you get home from work. According to Snell, charing your iPhone's battery up 25% is equivalent of spending 25% of a charge cycle - not the entire cycle. Further, after 400 charge cycles the battery is in absolutely no way dead or useless, nor is it in need of a warranty replacement or support from AppleCare. After those 400 cycles the battery's total capacity simply drops to about 80%, just like an iPod and many other lithium-based batteries. In other words: unless you're completely draining your battery every day and charging it back up completely every night, you shouldn't have anything to worry about for the life of your iPhone.

While it may still be a bummer for some ultra-mobile users that the iPhone's battery isn't user-replaceable on the fly, it should still offer plenty of juice for the typical user's habits for many years to come.

[via Daring Fireball]

Apple says iPhone battery charging problem is a fixable firmware issue

Posted Jul 12th 2007 9:16PM by Mike Schramm
Filed under: Hardware, Software Update, Apple, iPhone

Randall from Wireless Info sent us the news that Apple has acknowledged the iPhone battery issue is in fact a bug that will be fixed in a future software update. A few days ago, WI noticed that even after sitting in the charger for 12 hours, their iPhone battery gauges didn't show a full charge. After conducting an informal survey, they found that the problem was widespread, and now Apple has confirmed the bug.

And since Apple says it's just a firmware problem, then the batteries should all be OK (although WI also says Apple is replacing faulty batteries anyway, so chances are that if you want to replace your iPhone, you can still do that). At first, WI said that the non-charge-showing phones were operating on a shorter battery life, but after a few cycles apparently they're running just as well.

So that's one fix Apple can throw in the iPhone's first big patch. What's next?

iPhone battery warranty, replacement information

Posted Jul 2nd 2007 5:30PM by Dave Caolo
Filed under: iPhone

Apple released information on the iPhone battery's warranty today, as well as the cost of a replacement.

Out of the box, your iPhone's battery is covered for 1 year. Apple intends to release Apple Care for iPhone sometime this summer (allegedly). Customers of Apple Care for iPhone will be entitled to a new battery IF the one they're using drops to below 50% of capacity before their Apple Care runs out.

Otherwise, a new one will cost you $79US. One other note: Apple states that they get rid of dead batteries in "...an environmentally-friendly manner." So don't get all excited, Greenpeace.

Apple announces iPhone now delivers up to 8 hours of talk time, new glass display

Posted Jun 18th 2007 9:20AM by David Chartier
Filed under: iPhone

Talk about last minute upgrades: In a press release today, Apple has revealed a number of significant upgrades to both the iPhone's battery life and touch screen. Instead of what I believe was around 5 hours of video/talk and 16 hours of audio playback, Apple has updated the iPhone's battery life rating to the following numbers: up to 8 hours talk time, a whopping 250 hours of standby (over 10 days), 6 hours of internet use, 7 hours of video playback and 24 hours of audio playback. Of course, just like any other mobile phone, these numbers can vary depending on various factors like intermittent use and network configuration (whether features like Wi-Fi or the speakerphone are enabled, etc.).

In addition, Apple has changed the spec of the original 3.5" plastic surface of the iPhone to "optical-quality" glass, which should bring some smiles to those who were concerned about the durability of the phone's primary feature and user interface.

This is quite the update to drop on anxious customers less than two weeks from launch. I can only wonder what other tricks and unknown or upgraded features (PUSH email? HSPDA instead of EDGE?) Apple could be waiting to announce.

Update: Interestingly, this latest press release also mentions the iPhone's pricing - again at $499 and $599 for 4GB and 8GB, respectively - but makes no mention of contracts being involved with those prices. Since Apple dropped the "2-year activation required" language from their ads after originally airing them, this might offer more hope to those who aren't able to renew a contract just yet to get the discounts.

Update 2: Commenter Greg points out that Apple's competitive chart shows the Nokia N95 as a no-WiFi device, when it actually does do WiFi. We hope this error will be corrected in short order.

Battery Update 1.2 for Intel laptops

Posted Apr 27th 2007 5:15PM by Michael Rose
Filed under: Portables, Software Update

Ah, the Friday software update... how it brightens up the weekend. Just off the bench, Battery Update 1.2 is currently downloadable in Software Update. The firmware update is for all Intel laptops and promises better performance. Reuters is now reporting that Apple has acknowledged issues with some MacBook and MacBook Pro batteries, and Apple has posted an extended support page for battery replacements.

After Battery Update has been installed, the battery firmware will be updated for each battery you place in your laptop (either at startup, wake from sleep, or when you put the battery in). Hopefully this will improve battery life and reduce swelling...

Thanks Justin Andrew & Chris

Is it cheaper to fake a battery repair than to buy new?

Posted Mar 20th 2007 4:00PM by David Chartier
Filed under: Hardware, MacBook, Blogs

Notebook batteries aren't cheap these days, and our own Conrad Quilty-Harper from across the pond (of both TUAW and Engadget fame) blogged a little experiment to give his MacBook some new mobile legs. With a total of 11 parts replaced in six months (which is far more than required to put a machine to sleep for good), he decided it was time Apple threw him a bone and called support for a battery replacement. The Apple rep told him that if he didn't return his old 'n busted battery upon receiving the shiny new one, they would charge him £71 (~$138 USD). Fair enough, but a trip to the UK Apple Store online revealed that new batteries off the shelf cost £99 (~$192) - and that's quite a difference in price no matter where you hang your hat.

Now we aren't sure if the math works the same way in other countries or even the US, and we don't exactly condone calling Apple for no good reason to score or even swap out for a new battery, especially since Apple could very well charge you anyway for making a bogus call and sending them a perfectly functioning battery (i.e. - pull this stunt at your own risk). This might be useful, however, if you're truly experiencing power issues whilst untethered and saving every penny on a replacement counts.

MacBook goes up in flames

Posted Mar 12th 2007 1:00PM by Dave Caolo
Filed under: Apple, MacBook

Yes, we've seen this before, and Apple has issued a battery recall. We thought this was all taken care of. Maybe the guy who owns the crispy MacBook at right failed to replace his flagged battery?

Not so. The computer's owner, mattyb, states that his MacBook did not contain a recalled battery, and that it was sleeping on a shelf when he and his girlfriend were roused in the middle of night by the smell of smoke and burning. Sure enough, the MacBook and the magazine that had been sitting next to it were the culprits.

mattyb also says that the MacBook's battery had been exhibiting flaky behavior for some time before the incident (like rapid discharge, an "X" icon, etc.).

Oops. It's like Deja Vu all over again.

[Via Engadget]

FastMac To Release MacBook Replacement Battery

Posted Feb 11th 2007 8:15AM by Mat Lu
Filed under: Accessories, Hardware, MacBook

A while back, we were asked in one of the Ask TUAW columns about a replacement battery for the MacBook. While there were options for the MacBook Pro, until now nothing was available for the MacBook. But now FastMac has announced TruePower models for both the Black and White MacBooks. FastMac claims "up to 5% more capacity" and the batteries feature "sensors in the integrated circuit inside the battery that detect undesirable levels of swelling and/ or a short circuit [and] will power off the battery in certain extreme conditions."

These replacement batteries are due to ship "in 30 days" for $99.95 (versus $129.00 for the official model from Apple).

[Via Digg]

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Kensington battery packs for iPhone

New MacBook Air battery $129, installation free at Apple

Travel reminder: Spare laptop batteries now verboten in checked bags

MacBook Pro Battery Update 1.3 is available

Replacement iPhone battery kit

Let the iPhone class-action lawsuits begin

iPhone battery a ticking time bomb?

Macworld clears up confusion around iPhone 'charge cycles'

Apple says iPhone battery charging problem is a fixable firmware issue

iPhone battery warranty, replacement information

Apple announces iPhone now delivers up to 8 hours of talk time, new glass display

Battery Update 1.2 for Intel laptops

Is it cheaper to fake a battery repair than to buy new?

MacBook goes up in flames

FastMac To Release MacBook Replacement Battery

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#	Blogger	Posts	Cmts
1	Dave Caolo	49	0
2	Cory Bohon	45	5
3	Mat Lu	36	4
4	Erica Sadun	32	1
5	Scott McNulty	32	1
6	Michael Rose	29	19
7	Brett Terpstra	21	0
8	Mike Schramm	19	4
9	Robert Palmer	12	20
10	Steven Sande	11	7
11	Christina Warren	6	18
12	Joshua Ellis	6	4
13	Nik Fletcher	3	1
14	Chris Ullrich	2	1
15	Jason Clarke	1	1
16	Lisa Hoover	1	1
17	Victor Agreda, Jr.	1	3