The PDA Guerilla: iPod battery issue

In July, I wrote a glowing report on my new video iPod. This is the 80 GB model, which actually has just under 75 GB of available space on its hard drive. The unit is still working perfectly, and frankly I do not understand why people are running out to get the iPhone, which is basically an 8 GB iPod with a built-in cell phone but not a sign of any real extra functionality, when they can buy the 80 GB Video iPod for about $325 and a cheap cell phone for less than $100.

In any case, I did run into a battery issue with my iPod recently., I listen to it all day while I work (except when I am on the phone). As I said in my earlier piece, the battery on this iPod can run for at least two days between charges, but I recharge all my devices every night, and we also use the iPod as an alarm clock and so need to have it on its speakers overnight. As a result, I never fully discharge the battery.

Apparently Apple uses a battery technology with chemical memory. After several weeks of use, quite suddenly my battery would not provide a single full day of power. I fixed this by completely discharging the battery purposely and then completely recharging it. Since then the battery has worked purposely. So iPod users, if your battery suddenly loses capacity try a complete discharge. You do have to remember, however, to reset your settings afterward. In particular, the alarm clock defaults to Pacific Standard Time, so if you do not live on the West Coast you need to reset your time zone.