Run the Battery Down

Whenever you get a new toy powered by a rechargeable battery, such as a laptop, cell phone, iPod, digital camera, etc., before you plug it into the wall or recharge it for the first time, make sure you run the battery all the way down first (to the point where it shuts itself off). Once the battery is completely drained, recharge it for at least 12 hours without using it. The reason for this is because the battery will hold a charge significantly better than if you do not do this.

Some devices come with a battery which has already been discharged completely prior to the charge you receive in the product, but just to be safe, it’s best to run it all the way down. I’m not sure of the exact reason why, but I can attest to the effectiveness of this method with my own cell phone. I have owned four and the one I did not do this on, the battery was completely useless (6 hour standby life) after about 4 months.