[Ti] Overly-modest TiBook battery

[Pete Zimowski]

I had similar problems with the original battery in my 
born-in-February-2001 TiBook 500.  It would run for around an hour with 
aggressive power-saving in place (slowed-down processor, 1/2 screen 
brightness, etc.).  It finally reached the point where, at about 30% 
remaining (on the icon), I would get a reserve power warning, or the 
thing would just quit.

I tried resetting the power manager, running the battery down to zilch, 
but the thing was just really frustrating me.

So, I spent the $129 on a new battery (the last TiBook battery in stock 
at the Chicago Apple Store the day I was there).

Wow!  What a liberating experience!  I "commute" from Maine where I 
live to Cincinnati, where I'm based (I'm an airline pilot).  I used to 
worry about getting fully charged before the 1.5 hour flight home.

No more.  I'll bet this thing will get over 4 hours, with no energy 
saving activated.  I don't know for sure, but is it possible that the 
new battery I bought gets REALLY good life in the TiBook 500, as it has 
a slower processor, less video capability than the newer TiBooks that 
the new battery is designed for?

Anyway, my advice is to get a new battery if your old one is 2-3 years 
old, as someone else mentioned.

Pete