better batteries?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
One thing I could definitely benefit from is a better battery for my Powerbook. I have two and am thinking about getting a third battery because when I travel and need to use it on planes or in airports i don't get nearly as long per battery as i would like.



I do high level audio production on my powerbook so i need it running at full steam or my audio breaks up.



Anyone know if apple is working on or has the ability to make powerbook batteries that last 5 hours when the computers are running at full tilt?



is this even possible?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Don't know but that is definitely one my biggest hang ups with my 12 and 15 inch. They get really crappy battery life! I mean Apple has consistently gotten worst since my old Lombard. 4:20 down to 1:45 is one hell of a spiraling jump down into the abyss. If they can't fix the energy consumption issue they sure can sure in hell give me an additional battery slot.
  • Reply 2 of 11
    With current battery tech this isn't possible. A battery the size of the ones on the PB will not ever give you 5 hours of battery life if you need your computer running all out. It just won't happen. Sorry to give you the bad news, but I'm assuming that you knew this already and just didn't want to face the facts. Getting another battery is going to be your best bet, sorry.
  • Reply 3 of 11
    escherescher Posts: 1,811member
    While we're on the topic of long battery life, which has required swapping batteries since the the TiBook superceded the Pismo PBs: Do current 12-inch PowerBooks and iBooks support sleep-swapping of batteries? Or do we still have to shut them down to swap batteries?



    Escher
  • Reply 4 of 11
    Get one of the ones that are external and you put in a case and put your laptop on top of it. Those can last a lot longer than apples internal batteries.



    macaddict16
  • Reply 5 of 11
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Escher

    While we're on the topic of long battery life, which has required swapping batteries since the the TiBook superceded the Pismo PBs: Do current 12-inch PowerBooks and iBooks support sleep-swapping of batteries? Or do we still have to shut them down to swap batteries?



    Escher




    I sleep-swap all the time. No worries.



    HTH
  • Reply 6 of 11
    If I remember correctly, a 3rd part manufacturer released Tibook battery upgrades that provided(for some models) up to 50% better battery life.



    What type of external battery solutions are there? I wouldn't mind lugging around something the size of an external HD, if it gave me 8 hours battery life \
  • Reply 7 of 11
    Lowering your screen brightness will save mondo battery without impacting audio performance



    Turn off airport and bluetooth as well (if not required) and you'll get more juice



    As well as the 10.3.2 update on SU, there's a Battery Update for most iBooks/PBs



    There's also the Gilligan option or Solar charging cases
  • Reply 8 of 11
    I can't seem to find them online anywhere, but the external batteries were pretty thin and went under your entire laptop, and then plugged into the power port. I always thought they looked really neat as long as you use a case with your book. I thought i remember seeing that the got more than 8 hours of battery life, but i could be wrong.



    macaddict16
  • Reply 9 of 11
    escherescher Posts: 1,811member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by machem

    I sleep-swap all the time. No worries.



    Thanks, machem. But you've got a 15-inch PowerBook. The earlier 12" iBooks didn't have a large enough built-in battery to sleep-swap batteries. And I seem to remember that the Rev.A 12-inch PB couldn't sleep-swap either. So I'm specifically wondering about the newer 12" iBook G4 and Rev.B 12-inch PB.



    Escher
  • Reply 10 of 11
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Macaddict16

    I can't seem to find them online anywhere, but the external batteries were pretty thin and went under your entire laptop, and then plugged into the power port. I always thought they looked really neat as long as you use a case with your book. I thought i remember seeing that the got more than 8 hours of battery life, but i could be wrong.



    macaddict16




    VST made thin (NiMH, as I recall) batteries for the PB 1400 and 3400.
  • Reply 11 of 11
    pbg4 dudepbg4 dude Posts: 1,611member
    I've seen the extra large batteries advertised in the back of MacWorld magazine, but those are all for the Ti PowerBook line. I have yet to see any 3rd party power products for the Al line.
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