Conserving Netbook Battery
Netbooks have been in the scene for quite some time, and it is known for its lightweight and portable design. Simply put, it can provide computing ability in a very small package. Since this computer is made for portability, there is a need to conserve battery life and to make it last for quite some time without even charging. In addition, some batteries can even last a long day with proper laptop and battery saving configuration. Here are some tips on how to prolong battery life in netbooks.
As a rule of thumb, it would be best to not keep the netbook turned on when such is not in use. Having the netbook in sleep mode will prolong the battery life since it utilizes minimal power as compared to having it turned on the whole time. In addition, the process of sleep mode and activating the netbook only takes a short period of time; roughly ten to twenty seconds. Hence, there is no need to save one’s work continuously which takes a lot of power. The netbook should be configured this way when the lid is closed to take full advantage of the function; with five to ten minutes of sleep mode, battery life can be extended significantly.
Being online the whole time significantly drains the battery; one should only be online when the need arises. Having the wireless wifi adapter on uses up battery more, it would be a waste to have this function on especially when there are no available hotspots. This could extend the battery life from at least thirty more minutes to a full hour.
Considering the netbook processor, the Intel Atom processor was devised in such a way that it can increase productivity while still maintaining efficiency. On some note, running programs that are not in use will waste battery more. As an example, using one online messenger that can connect to all IM networks is a better alternative rather than using three IM applications.
Take advantage when there is a change to use AC power rather than the battery. In this case, that battery can be topped up immediately and the battery will be in full charge when AC power is not used. There is need to worry about over charging since battery technology nowadays are configured in such a way that it stops charging when it is full.
Laptop peripherals such as 3g modems, mouse, Bluetooth, webcam and infrared are culprits for excessive battery consumption. Turn these devices off when not in use. All in all, by doing these battery saving tasks; it will surely increase battery life and productivity in netbooks. Hence, there is no need to continuously plug the netbook every now and then.