Pocket PC Home

5 Ways To Prolong Battery Power For Your PDA Or Pocket PC

Batteries are a necessary evil for the luxury of owning a handheld portable computer.  If there is one complaint about the new handheld devices from Palm, iPAQ and Dell Axim, it's that the battery power is consistently drained the more you work-naturally, far more than just a personal organizer.  What can you do to prolong battery power?  Here are 5 tips that might help.

1.Let There Be (No) Light

If you're planning on an hour lunch and just want to kick back to some MP3s, then reduce the light from the display.  Some devices offer the option of turning off the screen, while others at least allow you to adjust the brightness level.  If you're not going to view anything for a while then give the display (and batteries) a much needed rest.

2.Keep Track Of Battery Inventory

There is PDA software available that allows you to measure the battery life of your PDA or Pocket PC.  Software known as SPB Pocket Plus allows you to predict battery time; AE Uptime tracks battery time and SPC Benchmark can do a benchmark of the battery life.  Knowing how much time you have left well in advance will let you know when to turn the device off and when is the best time to use it.

3.Juice Your Batteries Up With A Battery Extender

Battery extenders can extend battery life from 2-3 additional cycles, depending on the battery and handheld device.  They also come with an on and off switch to prevent power leakage when the device is off.  Along with rechargeable batteries, this is the most efficient way to power your portable PC.

4.Turn Off The Beam

Some Palm devices have the option to turn off the beam receive function.  Turning it off spares battery life and is not required unless specifically using the feature to receive data.   

5.Just Wait It Out

Companies continue to explore the latest in portable computer technology.  Newer experimental models are showing promise in reducing the power required to light a display screen.  Of course, while PDAs and Pocket PCs are upgradeable in hardware and software, the display will always be part of the system.  If battery power is concern, you might want to wait it until next season.