OT--iPod battery, DIY replacement report

[Steve Goldstein]

I own a 1st-generation 10 GB iPod.  I don't use it all that much, 
mainly for about one hour twice a week for language lessons while I 
pedal a stationary bike at the gym.   But, the battery has not been 
holding much more than two hours' charge, and today the battery had 
pooped out after only an hour's use last Thursday (today is Tuesday). 
So, I decided that it was time to install the replacement battery 
that I had purchased from OWC.  It was pretty straightforward and 
relatively simple.

The hardest part was prying open the first corner with the tool that 
is supplied in the kit (a nylon or plastic flat-bladed screwdriver 
shaft).  Once I got it open, sliding toe tool around the side and 
bottom to open the iPod was easy, and removing the shiny metal back 
cover took a little careful tugging to avoid breaking anything. 
Replacing the battery was as easy as unplugging the original and 
re-plugging the replacement.  The directions indicate that the 
battery is fixed to the hard drive with some sticky sponge tape 
strips.  Mine was not that way, so I used some double-sided tape that 
I happened to have to fix the battery to the drive (I think that the 
main objective is to keep it from jiggling around inside when the 
iPod is shaken).  Then, I replaced the back, taking care not to pinch 
the battery wires, and first slipping the case over the FW and 
headphone connectors, and the safety switch.  All-in-all, maybe a 
10-minute job, and would have been 5-minutes if not for having had to 
figure out how to make the first separation of the case with the 
special "tool."    No small parts to get lost in the mechanism, just 
a tiny battery connector to unplug and re-plug and an ornery case to 
get started opening.

I purchased the battery for $30, but got the package deal that also 
included the leather protective case with belt clip for $35.  With 
postage and handling, the bottom line was $40.  Beats Apple's 
replacement charge of $99 or other vendors' charges of $59  or $79. 
It's now about three hours later, and the new battery is all charged 
up and ready to rock and roll.

--Steve