Friday, September 5, 2014

How to Extend Cellphone Battery Life – Accessories & Tips

One of the biggest or most frequent problem that cellphone users will encounter is battery life that is just too short. There are actually many ways to tackle this problem. For instance, you could get a new phone with hardware components designed to maximize battery life. Another way would be to configure your phone using settings that will use the least amount of power.

A third option available to people in need of longer battery life and one that doesn't involve a phone hardware and software is to use accessories. There are a large number available for cellphones that can allow you to use your phone for a lot longer. If you cannot afford a new cellphone at the moment and tinkering with software settings have not gotten you the results you wanted, it may be time to give these accessories a try.

External battery packs can boost the amount of time you can use a cellphone


With an external battery pack, you have in essence a second battery for your cellphone. They are a great alternative when people cannot use a second battery in their cellphone. Many smartphones, especially thin ones, tend to come with non-removable battery, which means that you cannot swap a depleted battery for a fully-charged one.

An external battery pack can be connected to your phone through, for example, USB. They come in many different sizes and shapes. Some are designed to fit into the back of a phone so they appear as one. Others need to connect to your cellphone through a cable. Whatever the means, the cellphone can then draw power from a full battery pack instead of its own depleted internal battery.

The battery packs itself are often times rechargeable like a cellphone battery. Other models can be used only once. Some use regular disposable batteries that you can find in any store and which you can swap in and out depending on your needs.

You can have as many battery packs as you want to give you unlimited amount of cellphone use. However, battery packs do take up space and weight. Some people might find it inconvenient to have to carry battery packs in their purse or whatever. As long as you don't care, external battery packs can be the solution whenever you see a low battery indicator.


An external charger can replenish a battery low on power


There are other accessories available that allow you to recharge your phone battery without having access to a socket. Again, there are many models available. Some are variations of external battery packs, which transfer the power from their battery packs to the phone's internal battery, directly feed the phone with power or both at the same time.

Other models come with small solar panels to convert light into energy, which can be used to charge a battery. It's even possible to have both a charger and external battery pack combined into one. Whatever feature you're looking for, it's very likely there is a model out there that fits your needs. Just remember that more features usually means you'll have to pay more.


Tips to maximize battery life in cellphones


Besides buying accessories and making changes to the hardware and software, you may also want to change the way to use your phone in daily life. For example:
  • Don't let your phone get too hot, because a hot battery will drain faster than a cool battery. Avoid using your phone continuously or for very long. Allow short breaks where you don't use your phone and allow your phone to cool down. You should also stay away from places where the temperature is higher than normal. For example, don't expose your cellphone to sunlight, don't leave your cellphone in a locked car or on top of a hot appliance.
  • Turn off your cellphone whenever possible. For example, if you're underground when riding the train, you usually don't have access to a cellular connection and you may want to turn off your phone to save some power. During a meeting you can also turn off your phone.
  • Try to replenish your battery whenever possible. If you can, you can bring your charger with you and recharge your battery whenever you have access to a power socket. Even if it's just for a short while, it can add up and make a difference at the end of the day.

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Related articles:
  1. How to Make Your Smartphone Run Longer – Software Configuration & Settings
  2. How to Make Your Smartphone Battery Last Longer – Hardware Choices

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