1. Clean that screen

You’ve got a gorgeous screen on that iMac, but it’s covered by dust, debris and who knows what else. You may be tempted to use a bottle of glass cleaner — but don’t. That can harm the screen. My recommendation is to use Klear Screen kits, along with their microfiber cloth. They remove the debris while protecting the finish. If you don’t use Klear Screen, make sure whatever you do use is designed for glossy screens. For laptops, I highly recommend Radtech’s Screensavrz to prevent transfer of oils from the laptop keyboard onto the screen.

Let’s not even talk about that keyboard and how dirty it is. If you can shake it out, go ahead and do it. Then give it a good wipe with a safe, keyboard-specific cleaner.

2. Check the hard drive and keep it running right

Your hard drive stores your digital life and is a common point of failure in Macs. When’s the last time you checked the status of yours? Lion’s recovery partition makes this extremely easy. Hold down command-R at startup, and choose the recovery partition so that you can run Disk Utility on your main drive. For more information, check Apple’s detailed site about Lion Recovery.

Computers running operating systems older than Lion will need to boot from a CD or external hard disk to fully check the computer’s hard drive and perform minor repairs. If you want, you can also use third-party programs to expand your recovery and repair options.

Both Tech Tool Pro 6 and Drive Genius 3 have background monitoring of your hard drive to give you early warnings of problems, but if you want a free simple SMART warning program, check out the free SMARTReporter. Advance warning of a hard drive failure can be crucial to saving your data.

3. Replace that surge protector and test the battery backup

Do you know how old your surge protector is? Are you using one? If you don’t know when you bought it and you don’t know the amount of joules it protects against, it’s time to get a new one. Remember that a power strip isn’t necessarily a surge protector. One well-placed electrical “event” can turn that wonderful Mac into a glorified paperweight. As a general rule, when you get a new Mac, it’s also time for a new surge protector. I prefer name brand protectors from providers I trust such as Belkin, APC, and Tripp-Lite.

Similar to a surge protector, battery backups (UPS) tend to be set it and forget it. But batteries have limited life spans, and you don’t want to find out your battery is bad the hard way. It’s time to test the battery. Save your work and unplug your UPS from the wall. Did your Mac stay up? If it didn’t then your battery may be at end of life. Some vendors have software that will check the battery’s health and provide for graceful shutdowns during a power outage.

4. Clean up your cables

While you’re behind your Mac or on the floor checking your UPS and surge protector, do you know what each of those cables back there do, or if you still even need them? Organizing cables isn’t just about aesthetics. Disorganized cables tangled together creates the potential for chain reaction disasters: Pull too much on that iPod, and the entire string of computers and hard drives comes tumbling down. I’ve seen it, and it isn’t pleasant.

It’s time to trace those back, get rid of the ones you aren’t using and organize the rest. Lifehacker had a great article about how to get these under control. Oh, and you might as well dust that area, too, while you’re at it.

5. Check those logs

Your Mac has a little black box that records all sorts of problems and errata. Open up your Console app and it’s all there. It might be an application crash, a slowdown, or just general weirdness. For those of us who have trouble reading the logs and what they mean, Log Leech is well worth the $10. It makes your logs more Mac-like, and easy to find.

6. Lighten your load

Like many of you, I’m embarrassed with the collection of old manuals, disks and obsolete tech in my basement. It’s time to get rid of it. Old disks and manuals can usually be donated to libraries for their inventory or their big tent sale. While Apple has a recycling program, it’s limited to certain items, but your local Goodwill will usually take most items via the Reconnect partnership with Dell as will most Best Buy  locations.

These six tips will ensure that your Mac has a happy and healthy 2012. Anything you would add?

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Shopping time is almost up for this year’s holiday season, but shipping deadlines have yet to elapse completely, and stores will still be plenty busy. In this week’s installment of our ongoing series, we’re looking at power accessories for Apple devices that could make great last-minute gifts and/or stocking stuffers.

Best backup battery: Just Mobile Gum Plus. There are a lot more solid options in this category than there were, say, a couple of years ago. But the Just Mobile Gum Plus wins for a number of reasons, including its high capacity (4400 mAh, enough for up to three charges for your iPhone), good looks and small, easily pocketable or stowable design. The Gum Plus is $69.95 plus shipping.

Best iPhone battery case: Mophie Juice Pack Plus. The iPhone battery case market is likewise crowded, but there are a few that have stood the test of time, and the Mophie Juice Pack Plus is one of them. Even considering the unfortunate recall that happened this year with its iPod touch model, the Juice Pack Plus is the best-in-class when you’re looking for something for your iPhone 4 or 4S extra battery life needs, because of its 2000 mAh capacity and pass through volume and sleep/wake controls. The Juice Pack Plus retails for $99.95.

Best charging adapter: PlugBug. The PlugBug from twelveSouth is a clever and invaluable add-on for people with a variety of Apple mobile devices. It’ll help convert your MacBook adapter so that it can also do double duty and charge your iPhone or iPad at the same time from the same outlet. Plus it can act as a standalone iPad charger and comes in an eye-catching red design that makes it harder to miss when you’re doing that final visual sweep of your hotel room. At the Apple store online, the PlugBus is $34.95

Best charging cable: The Magic Cable Duo. Innergie’s clever little cable with in-line, swappable 30-pin Apple dock connector and micro USB is able to charge pretty much any modern mobile device, including the above-mentioned Mophie Juice Pack Plus, as well as any Apple iOS gadget. The Magic Cable Trio adds mini USB to the mix, but we’re willing to bet that for most up-to-date gadget geeks out there, the Duo will cover all the necessary bases. The Magic Cable Duo sells for $19.99 on its own.

That’s our list, but feel free to argue our choices or voice your own suggestions in the comments.

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Apple helpfully sent out an email with detailed instructions, but if you haven’t registered your device, you picked it up second-hand or you’ve since changed your Apple ID, you won’t have the instructions. So, in any of those cases, you will want to find out if your device is eligible by checking the model first.

The iPod nano (1st gen) came out in September 2005 and was sold through December 2006. It has a flat, white or black plastic front, and a shiny metal back case, and it is tall and thin with a small rectangular LCD at the top of the device and a click-wheel control interface. You can see exactly what it looks like in the pictures attached to this article.

Once you’ve determined that yours is indeed the right kind of iPod, you’ll need to check the serial number on the back of your device, because Apple will ask you for that information when you’re going through the replacement unit ordering process. It’s located at the bottom rear of your device, on the metal back casing. See exactly where in the picture below.

With that information, you have everything you need to go through the replacement ordering process on Apple’s website. Apple says that a replacement unit will be sent out about six weeks after you send in your old nano. Apple sends you a box after your eligibility is determined, which you then use to ship your recalled device to them free of charge.

The unit that replaces your current nano will be a 1st gen model as well, according to statements made by an Apple spokesperson to Mashable. But having them replaced is a good idea even if you no longer use your nano and it’s just lying in a closet somewhere, since at the very least, you’ll get a fresh battery that should mean you’ll have another usable iPod sitting around as back-up for at least five years hence.

Apple says that personalized nanos (those with messages engraved on the back) will be replaced with clean, generic casings, so you’ll also at least be getting a brand new outer shell, too. It’s rare to see one of those shiny metal backs in pristine shape, so that’s also a good reason to get a replacement. Plus, the battery won’t overheat and burn you if you do use it, something which actually happened in around 60 incidents in Japan and prompted an earlier recall there.

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iOS 5.0.1 is reportedly designed to address battery issues users are experiencing under iOS 5, which affects multiple devices, though the most vocal group to date has been new iPhone 4S users. Users who have complained about these issues on Apple’s official support forms are the group that Apple appears to be targeting for this round of pre-release test invitations.

The emailed invitation comes with the same caveats attached to the developer software previews; specifically, “review and use” of the software in question is “strictly confidential,” and customers who do choose to upgrade to 5.0.1 will not be able to downgrade to 5.0, though upgrading to the full release version of 5.0.1 (and all later updates) is possible.

Other additions in 5.0.1 include the inclusion of multitasking gestures for first-generation iPads, as well as Siri voice recognition and dictation improvements for Australian iPhone users and a new way for developers to choose what does and doesn’t remain on a device for their apps to access, even when storage space is running low.

Apple has already released two betas of iOS 5.0.1 to developers, and told users on Nov. 2 to expect a public release within the next “few weeks.” 9to5Mac also says that Apple has issued a memo to retail store staff instructing them to tell customers to wait for the update if they come in complaining of battery problems.

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This is welcome news for afflicted device owners, many of which were very vocal iPhone 4S users who contributed to a huge thread on Apple’s discussion board, and left us comments here, too, when we posted about the issue. Apple hasn’t recommended any steps that can be taken immediately to fix or lessen the problem, but general battery saving tips will no doubt help the situation.

In a related move, Apple also released iOS 5.0.1 beta software for reigistered iOS developers on Wednesday, which is said to fix “bugs affecting battery life” according to MacRumors. That the software is already being tested is good news, and should mean Apple can stick to its timeline of “a few weeks” as per its official statement.

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Placing your iPhone in Airplane mode will maximize the life of your battery for listening to your music, watching movies or playing games, as it disables all network and cellular services. But that’s an extreme solution, so check out the following general tips for making that last 10 percent of juice last as long as you need it to:

• Under Settings > Brightness, disable Auto-Brightness and adjust brightness down to a tolerable level. Especially if you’re not using your device for lengthy reading sessions, you should be able to get away with a fairly dim display.
• Under Settings > Location Services, turn off Location Services. Note that apps that use location like Maps won’t be able to find you if you do this.
• Under Settings > Wi-Fi, turn Wi-Fi off.
• Under Settings > General > Network, turn off Enable 3G and Cellular Data.
• Press the Home button twice (quickly), press and hold any app’s icon in the tray that appears, then tap the red “x” to shut down running apps.
• Under Settings > Notifications, turn off Notifications.
• Under Settings > Phone, turn off FaceTime.
• Under Settings > Sounds, turn off Vibrate, Lock Sounds and Keyboard Clicks.
• Power off and then power back on your iPhone.

Even if you do all of the above, you’ll still be able to make and receive phone calls, as well as send and receive SMS messages. Data services are required to review your visual voice mail list, however, so you’ll need to call your voice mail box manually to retrieve messages. But if you find yourself in a situation where your battery is approaching or already into the red zone, and you need it to stay on for at least a couple more hours, this is the way to make sure that happens.

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I first thought I could get by using just my Apple battery charger and the batteries that come with it, but that proved woefully inadequate. For one thing, the Apple charger is quite particular about its charging, and often you’ll come back to find a flashing amber light, indicating that the charge wasn’t successful for some reason. For another, those Apple batteries don’t keep their charge long, so there’s no use preparing backups.

So to ensure my Apple Wireless Keyboards, Trackpads, Mighty Mice and third-party peripherals always have power at the ready, I’ve created the following three-point plan:

1. Too many batteries is impossible

I always seem to think I have enough batteries to satisfy all my needs, and then I end up needing more. Obviously, don’t go crazy, but always try to have at least four more batteries on hand than you have actual need of for devices. I’m primarily talking about rechargeable, NiMH batteries, but it never hurts to have a supply of alkalines for backup, too, in case you get caught between charging cycles.

2. Low self-discharge is your best friend

People who may have ditched rechargeable batteries years ago because of the headaches of cycling, battery memory, and batteries that rapidly lose charge have a good reason to come back. Low self-discharge batteries are now available, which can retain up to 85 percent of their charge for up to a year. They also often come pre-charged, so you can use them right away, and newer batteries don’t have the same problem with charge memory as their predecessors.

My personal recommendation for good low self-discharge batteries are the Powerex Imedion variety. They carry a high-capacity compared to most (2400mah) and should be longer-lasting in digital devices like cameras and computer peripherals.

3. Two chargers is better than one

Getting a good battery charger will always help you keep thing properly powered up. Again, Powerex is a good, dependable brand in my experience. Their chargers are a little more expensive than most, but they provide a wealth of customizable options so that you can extend the life of your batteries and save money in the long run. The WizardOne is a good place to start, providing four charging slots for either AA or AAA NiMH batteries, with a backlit panel that lets you select charge/discharge rates and perform advanced tasks like complete battery cycling and break-ins for new batteries.

But in addition to a good charger, I also have a bad one. The Duracell 15 Minute Charger actually does what it claims to, but it makes a lot of noise and gets quite hot. Note, however, that frequent use will degrade the quality and life of your batteries (hence the “bad” descriptor), which is why I use the Duracell for emergencies only (like when my keyboard dies and I’m on a tight deadline).

Batteries are probably the biggest limiting factor when it comes to the enjoyment of consumer electronics, which is why having a good battery plan in place is crucial for gadget-lovers. Now that I’ve shared mine, do you have any other suggestions to add?

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The Air is marketed around the idea of portability, of which battery life is a major component.  A “long-lasting battery” is one of the four major features mentioned in Apple’s advertisements for its slim notebook. Ars claims that they weren’t intending to test the notebook’s interaction with Flash, while investigating these claims, but couldn’t ignore the obvious problems when the plugin, not pre-installed on the MacBook Air, is added to the mix:

Having Flash installed can cut battery runtime considerably—as much as 33 percent in our testing. With a handful of websites loaded in Safari, Flash-based ads kept the CPU running far more than seemed necessary, and the best time I recorded with Flash installed was just 4 hours. After deleting Flash, however, the MacBook Air ran for 6:02—with the exact same set of websites reloaded in Safari, and with static ads replacing the CPU-sucking Flash versions.

Ars is clear to state that, with light web surfing, users should be able to enjoy a full workday on a single charge. But heavy Flash usage, such as gaming and video, will usually require carrying your power adapter. In fact, many won’t encounter enough Flash through regular usage to merit a major problem if they don’t have the plugin installed, not with the success of HTML5.

As web developers debate over whether to use HTML5 (suggested by Jobs & widely considered more efficient) or stick with Flash, Apple continues to make the decision easier by not including Flash in its new machines, and now we see why. Adobe can’t be enjoying the media attention this latest development will bring to its web video and interactive media platform. Now that I’ve seen that it might actually impede performance, I’m going to try going without Flash entirely. Who else is jumping ship?

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iPhone 4 is “packed to gills:”

• 6 hours 3G browsing
• 10 hours Wi-Fi browsing
• 10 hours video
• 40 hours music
• 300 hours standby
• 40% Improved talk time

It’s yet to be seen if the A4 in the iPhone is comparable to the A4 in the iPad, but with hands on experience with the performance of the iPad, I’m sure this phone is going to be smoking fast.

Apple marketing is focused, correctly, on user features, so much so that the A4 chip is not even mentioned on the iPhone 4 technical specifications page. Apple’s attitude seems to be that the user shouldn’t have to know or care what chip is in the iPhone, or what speed it runs at, as long as the phone is fast and responsive and does what the user wants it to do.

Recording and editing HD video is taxing even on desktop CPUs, so the ability to do it right on the phone is impressive. If anything speaks to the abilities of the A4, its porting a version of iMovie to the App Store. Seeing the A4 in the keynote today reminded me of John Gruber’s impressions of his demo of the iPad back in January:

“And our next thought: What happens if Apple has figured out a way to make a CPU like A4 that fits in an iPhone? If they pull that off for this year’s new iPhone, look out.”

The inclusion of the A4 chip brings desktop class performance to the iPhone.

Though some critics like to vilify Apple for its practice of building devices with inaccessible batteries, the benefits definitely outweigh the consequences for such a tradeoff. The MacBook Pros are rated for up to eight hours of battery life, the iPod nanos get up to 24 hours of audio playback and the new iPad is touted to go for 10 hours on a single charge. But what happens when your iPad doesn’t get a great charge anymore? Similar to programs in place for the MacBook Pros and iPhones, Apple has announced its iPad Battery Replacement program and it’s not a bad option, all things considered.

The rules are pretty simple. If your iPad no longer holds a charge as good as it used to, you can pay Apple a service fee ($99 plus $6.95 shipping) and it will replace it. Of course, if your iPad is damaged because of an accident, neglect, liquid contact or if there is another hardware issue, then Apple reserves the right to say “No, sorry.” Fortunately though, unless your glass screen has been smashed, Apple is rarely picky on these types of issues. If your device turns on and displays what its supposed to on the screen and can connect to a computer to sync, it’s pretty much eligible for a battery replacement.

What is interesting about the iPad Battery Replacement program is that Apple outright acknowledges that your data will not be preserved because you will receive a replacement iPad. In reality, this is what usually happens with an iPhone replacement as well, but its refreshing to know Apple is actually acknowledging this now. Replacement devices (iPad or iPhone) are technically considered “refurbished” but, as a company who puts extra care into every little detail of the experience, refurbished to Apple means “almost new” to most users. As is the case with iPods and iPhones (and will likely be the case with the iPad) the “refurbished” unit will come with a new exterior case so even if your previous unit did have a few superficial scratches, you’ll end up with a fresh and clean device.

Arranging for a replacement can be done by calling AppleCare or through Apple’s website. Additionally, users can get service through the Genius Bar at their local Apple Store. Once the initial iPad demand settles, Apple Stores will begin to carry additional iPads as “service parts” which means that, should you need a battery replacement, you can simply walk into an Apple Store, pay your fee and walk out with your replacement.

If you’re not keen on paying Apple such a price for a battery replacement or you’re one who doesn’t sync their device and therefore do not want to lose all your apps and settings, you can look into third party service providers for battery replacement options. These will likely be cheaper than going through Apple, but this route means you will lose the benefit of getting a nice, new and clean scratch-free exterior.

What are your thoughts on Apple’s built-in batteries and their replacement plans? Have you had your iPhone or iPod replaced because of battery issues? Do you think their plan is fair? Sound off in the comments and share your thoughts!

Well, last night, Apple released version 1.1 of the Aluminum Keyboard Firmware via Software Update. And as a man almost ready to buy Energizer shares (anything to try to win back the cost of paying for high-performance batteries every week) its description sounded very promising.

“This firmware update improves battery performance of the 2007 aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard when used in combination with other bluetooth devices (eg. Magic Mouse, some bluetooth headsets) and addresses an issue with the 2007 aluminum Apple Keyboard and the 2007 aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard where a key may repeat unexpectedly while typing. The update also addresses other issues.”

Promises Promises; the Aluminum Keyboard Firmware Update

I can’t say I’ve ever experienced the “key repeat” problem but I most certainly have watched in dismay as my keyboard greedily depleted — in record time — every expensive battery I put in the thing. (Remember that scene in My Stepmother is an Alien when Celeste sucks the flashlight batteries dry? Exactly the same.)

Coincidence?

Not unexpectedly, the update required a restart — but that was a trifling inconvenience in return for longer battery life! In fact, it was only a few days ago I put in a fresh set of expensive Lithium batteries and I wasn’t eager to have to buy more any day soon. Imagine my surprise when the following message popped-up.

Shocking! Annoying, too. Prior to the update I could coax 9-14 days out of my batteries. The current batteries have been in for only three days and I’m being told they’re on the way out? Surely that’s no coincidence.

So what’s happening here? Bad batteries? Or could it be that Apple’s update has made things worse?

Mixed Results

I headed back to the Apple Support pages to see what was being said. The experience of other Magic Mouse / Wireless Keyboard owners is so far somewhat mixed. Here’s what Creator2456 reports:

Did the firmware update […] The keyboard also REFUSES to stay powered on after the update. Already tried several batteries so it is not a power problem. The LED will light when I press the power button and then turn off within 5 seconds without pairing or anything.

Conversely, here’s a more ebullient comment from Xorgoo:

It works ! My alu keyboard (3 batteries) is reborn! 1% lost during the night, compare to 10% before.

And then there’s this warning from Freekarrot:

This update won’t work on recent 2-cell AWKs, which are heavily affected by the bug as well. Letting out an update just for one of the affected devices is ridiculous. It means they know what the problem is and how it is solved, but they either don’t know or refuse to acknowledge that ALL AWKs are affected!

Conspiracy theories aside, I really don’t know what to make of this sort of incompatibility. (I’m not sure what else to call it — ‘Not Playing Nicely Together-ness” doesn’t sound very smart; perhaps “malfunction” is better?)  I understand Apple doesn’t develop its own Bluetooth drivers (that responsibility is left to Broadcomm, the manufacturers of all Bluetooth radios in Apple’s machines) but even so, for their own equipment to behave in such a flaky, unreliable manner really isn’t the ‘Apple Way’ to which I have become accustomed. It’s all supposed to ‘Just Work’, right?

Think about it; if Microsoft were to build a bluetooth keyboard and mouse that, individually, worked just fine but, together, played very silly games with battery-life, we would be so quick to tut-tut and shake our heads. We would chuckle, too, adding ever-so-smugly (in the manner many Mac-heads are wont to do when commenting on Windows-PC-based problems) “Well, what do you expect from Microsoft?”

Just prior to the Firmware update, the now-very-happy Xorgoo complained;

More Than 100 days, more than 300 posts, and… nothing.
Apple, you have to do something.
And you should at least give us some news.
Do you think time will cure the trouble ? It won’t…

Well, Apple has done something. We now we have an update, but judging from my own initial experience and fresh comments on the Apple support pages, problems remain. Of course, one is a poor sample — my batteries may have already been too far-gone to benefit from the updated firmware. Maybe.

So now it’s over to you. Have you tried updating your firmware? Has it made any sort of difference? Share your findings with me in the comments below. And please… no comments about how we should ditch our Apple keyboards. I don’t care how shiny your Logitech is.

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If you have a first-generation iPod nano (the one that looks like a slimmed-down version of the iPod video and comes in only black and white), you may be able to get a replacement or a fix from Apple, depending on what kind of symptoms your device is exhibiting.

Specifically, Apple acknowledged via a knowledge base article that the early nanos have a tendency to display battery overheating problems, an issue that it seems like every one of its production mobile devices is accused of at one time or another. The article posted by Apple does admit to the problem in the 1G nanos, but it sure goes out of its way to downplay its significance, as is evident from the following passage:

Apple has determined that in very rare cases, batteries in the iPod nano (1st generation) sold between September 2005 and December 2006, may overheat and prevent the iPod nano from working and deform it.

Apple has received very few reports of such incidents (less than 0.001 percent) and the issue has been traced to a single battery supplier. There have been no reports of serious injuries or property damage. Additionally, there have been no reports of such incidents with any other iPod nano model.

Discoloration, overheating, and case deformity near the battery are all symptoms of the problem, so it should be fairly easy to tell if your model is affected. Remember, though, that there’s overheating and then there’s just plain heating, which is something all Apple devices do even when in fine working order.

Interestingly, if you do a quick and dirty Google search for nano overheating woes, you find no shortage of pages like this that seem to indicate that Apple users were well aware of the tendency a full four years before Apple decided to acknowledge them. If you bought your device in 2006 and you paid extra for extended AppleCare service, you may still be covered, but it’s unclear whether devices not under warranty will be eligible for replacement.

If I was the suspicious type, I’d think it highly unusual that Apple would wait this long to acknowledge a problem that seems to be fairly well-documented in the past. Even if it is providing replacements for those without AppleCare, which seems to me unlikely without an official announcement of an extension of eligibility, the timing means that many nano owners will already have ponied up for a newer model, or an iPhone.

If you have an affected model iPod nano, do us a favor and contact AppleCare and let us know how Apple responds.

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A little over ten days ago Apple launched a shiny new Apple and the Environment microsite showcasing the company’s commitment to greener production and business practise. So I thought it would be appropriate to take a leaf (pun intended) from Apple’s book and look at ways to be more energy efficient in my daily computing.

Mac OS X has some great power-saving features for MacBook users, but there are simple things you can do to squeeze those precious extra minutes of useful life out of your battery. And, to prove it to myself, I’m doing all of my writing today on my MacBook Pro in my garden, without the power cord. Oh yes, I’m living life on the edge, people!

Some of these tips are screamingly obvious; others contribute only modest energy savings. In aggregate, though, these tips can help you get significant life out of a single charge. So here they are, presented in no particular order of importance.

1. Dim the screen

Relatively speaking, that LED panel uses a fabulous amount of power, and, most of the time, simply doesn’t need to be so super bright. Turn it down to a comfortable level where you don’t have to squint to see what you’re doing.

2. Dim the Keyboard

The optical fiber backlighting in the keyboard can sometimes be brought to life even when you can see the keys perfectly well. When that happens, you can probably afford to turn it down a bit.

3. Stop Playing DVDs/CDs…

Your optical drive uses a motor. And a laser. They exhaust batteries in no time.

4. …and Stop Playing Video/Music from the HDD

Sorry, I know you stopped using your Optical Drive, but playing music or video is a power-guzzling process irrespective of where the source files happen to be.

5. Spin Down That Disc

Avoid doing anything that requires the hard drive to spin. Be mindful of the applications you run, and avoid those which require lots of read/write activity. Also, pop in to your System Preferences → Energy Saver and select “Put the hard disk(s) to sleep whenever possible.”

6. Go Easy on Your CPU

You can’t put the CPU to sleep, but you can go easy on it. Cycles spent crunching numbers equals battery drain. Quit anything you absolutely do not need. Mail, iCal, iTunes and goodness knows what else, even when hidden, are claiming CPU cycles.

7. Select the Right Video Card

If you own a late 2008 model MacBook Pro or later, you’ll have two graphic chips at your disposal. There’s the NVIDIA 9600, ideal for web browsing and text editing, or the more powerful 9600M, a better choice for gaming and video editing. In your System Preferences, choose Energy Saver and select Graphics: Better Battery Life. This will tell Mac OS X to use the 9600 chipset rather than its power-crazed big brother.

8. Internal Fans

Your MacBook should do a decent job of managing its own internal cooling, but if you’re competent doing this yourself, you might consider using a tool like smcFanControl to spin those things down. Just don’t blame me if you melt your MacBook as a result. (Seriously, if you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t even try this tip!)

9. Switch Off the Radios

Your Wi-Fi and bluetooth radios don’t have to be on all the time, do they? If preserving power matters to you, turn them off.

10. Ditch the Mouse

If your bluetooth radio is turned off, you can pack away that wireless Mighty Mouse. Using a wired Mighty Mouse? You should pack that away, too; that laser is sucking-up the juice.

11. Unplug That iPod!

If you keep your iPod or iPhone connected to your MacBook, remove them. Even if you’re not actively syncing them (and you’re not — if you followed my advice, iTunes is turned off by now) they’re keeping their own batteries topped-up via that good old USB copper. Your MacBook’s battery will thank you for unplugging them.

12. External Drives

If you’re using USB-powered external hard drives for backup/storage, unplug them (but be aware this means your backup routine may be disrupted!) Even if you’re not using your external drive all the time, remember that if you invoke an Open or Save As dialogue, those connected storage devices will spin-up on the off-chance you want to use them. If you don’t, that was power wasted!

13. Close the Lid

If you are going to be inactive for a while, consider putting the machine to sleep (or if you’ll be inactive for a long time, go one better and shut-down completely.)

14. Plan Ahead

If it’s at all practicable, plan what you are going to do before you even power-up your MacBook.

So there you have it. Combine these tips into your daily mobile-compute and you ought to see some serious improvements in productive, working battery life. Also, remember to let your battery fully drain at least once a month.

How well did I do here in the garden today? I squeezed about four hours out of my battery before I had to plug in. Give it a try, you might be surprised at just how much power your little lithium friend can muster.

How do you maximize battery life? Short of actually plugging in to the nearest wall or carrying spare batteries (that’s cheating!), what tips have I missed from this list? Share them in the comments below.

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My own experience is that the iPhone charges in far less time than it normally would, and then only lasts about 12 hours on standby with my average daily usage of around three hours talk/browsing/gaming time. That’s probably a full 12 hours of standby off of what it used to be able to handle post-updating.

The behavior seems to indicate that the iPhone isn’t recognizing or using the full capacity of the battery anymore. I’ve tried resetting the phone, but I haven’t done a full restore, since I’d rather wait and see what kind of fix Apple comes up with before I lose all my data and settings. Also, support forum posters indicate that doesn’t correct the problem.

Other problems include a sticky battery indicator, which sometimes also won’t go below 100 percent after a full charge, and a huge additional drain when using Push features. My temporary fixes include turning off Push altogether, and charging the phone whenever I’m near an accessible power outlet, since the battery indicator can no longer be trusted.

Hopefully, Apple can solve this quickly with a x.x.1 release, but until then, drop by the support forums and answer the questions Apple is asking about the problems to help expedite the process. You might even be able to get one of the “Battery Life Logging” profiles Apple is distributing to gauge the extent of the problems. If you’re experiencing similar issues, please share in the comments with specific details.

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The Juice Pack Air is light. When protecting the iPhone it adds just over two and one half ounces to the weight of it and half an inch to the height, a bit over an eighth of an inch to the width and a quarter inch to the depth. The case is mono-color with a glossy finish and comes in black, white, and (Kansas State and Minnesota Vikings fans, rejoice) purple. Unlike Mophie’s standard Juice Pack, the Air version fully protects the iPhone.

As with most hard cases, there are cut-outs for the various buttons and the audio jack, although not for the dock connector. The speakers are blocked, but the Air uses a sound channel to deliver the sound to the front instead of the bottom. I actually heard better with my Air than without it! The standard Apple dock connector is replaced with micro USB, instead of the more popular mini USB connector, which passes the charge through to the iPhone and battery. When the Air is attached, the iPhone does not fit into most other docking or pass-through accessories. Fortunately the case is literally a snap to remove.

Style is great, but does it actually get the job done? Yes! Without the Juice Pack, my own year-old iPhone 3G battery depletes itself after about 12 hours of heavy use. During tests, I was able to get about 24 hours of use out of my iPhone before needing a recharge of the iPhone and Juice Pack.

A four-dot blue LED display on the Mophie gives an indication of approximately how much of the battery is left. Like a brave soldier, the Juice Pack sacrifices itself before the iPhone taps its own internal battery. The Juice Pack can also be turned off to allow the iPhone battery to drain first. The Air version of the Juice Pack holds much less of a charge than the original, but just like the Macbook Air, you have to sacrifice something to achieve a svelte figure.

But I’m afraid power doesn’t come cheap. The Mophie Juice Pack Air retails for $79.95, which is a bit more than buying a battery pack separately from a hard case, but it is a great value in that the two are combined together. If your iPhone battery isn’t lasting you long enough and you don’t need a fancy case, the Mophie Juice Pack Air is a great choice.

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As a general rule, you should calibrate your battery every month or two to keep it running in top form.

To calibrate your laptop’s battery:

1. Plug your laptop in and let it charge completely (your battery icon in the menu bar will be completely full and the charger’s connector light turns green).
2. Keep the laptop plugged in for another two hours (after it is fully charged).
3. Disconnect your laptop from power. Use it until it falls asleep from low battery.
4. Turn off the laptop and let it “rest” for about five hours.
5. Plug your laptop back in and let it fully charge.

It is completely fine to use your laptop during all of these steps (except, of course, when the computer is asleep).

Calibrating your laptop battery every few months is a great way to ensure you get the longest life out of it. If you’ve had your laptop for a little while and want to know the current maximum capacity of your battery, you can use the free coconutBattery utility.

coconutBattery isn’t just a tool which shows you only the current charge of your battery – it also shows you the current maximum capacity of it in relation to the original capacity your battery had as it left the factory. You also get information about the battery-loadcycles (how often did you fully load your battery), the current charger (coconutBattery even warns you if you plugged in a wrong charger for your Notebook) and last but not least information about the age of your Mac.

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