Mobile Battery Maintenance is so 2005

Is it a myth? Is it really best to wait for your mobile devices' batteries to fully deplete before you recharge them? This sagely advice has been floating around for years, but is it true or just hearsay? Battery technology has recently made some great advancements, ushering in a new-school of mobile battery maintenance practice.

So, is it best for your mobile battery to fully deplete before you recharge it? To put it simply: No. Due to recent battery technology advancements, it's no longer necessary to let your battery drain before a recharge, unless you're still using that old 2005 Motorola flip phone. In 2006, the Lithium-ion battery was introduced to the market, replacing the Nickel-Cadmium battery as the most widely used mobile battery.

NiCd batteries will have a longer overall lifespan if you follow the depletion method, because a "memory effect" wears down an NiCd battery over a period of a few hundred recharges. In other words, NiCd batteries are designed to carry a finite amount of charges. Therefore, it's recommended that users fully drain these batteries before they recharge, and then charge the battery to 100%, in order to maximize battery usage.

With the Lithium-ion battery, which is now equipped in most mobile device technologies, there is no memory effect issue. Apple, for instance, explains the supreme benefit of using Lithium-ion batteries on their website, "Lithium-ion polymer batteries have a high power density, and you can recharge a lithium-ion polymer battery whenever convenient, without requiring a full charge or discharge cycle." This makes it possible to charge your mobile battery in shorter bursts when it needs it, without any negative effect of its overall life span. Just to be safe, Apple does recommend that Lithium-ion batteries be fully charged at least once every month to keep the electrons fired up and ready to go.

We're still waiting for the ability to charge batteries wirelessly, but until then, we'll settle for the improved Lithium-ion batteries. Mobile technology is becoming more attractive for businesses looking to implement mobile workplaces. To learn more about how to maximize your device's battery life, and even integrate a 'bring your own device' work environment, call Computerware at (703) 821-8200 today!