Monthly Archives: December 2014

Can you imagine living life without a remote control? Muting the TV to take a phone call? Get up and turn the volume down. Bored with what you are watching? Get up to change the channel.

That’s just one example of a technological revolution that changed everything. Countless other technological areas can trace their roots back to one single, revolutionary product that upped the ante on everyone in that industry. What set different industry standards over the years?  Wondering how things may have evolved without certain products?

Let's look back to how things were once upon a time, and how some of yesteryear’s most revolutionary gizmos are technological dinosaurs by today’s standards. Continue reading →

A few tips on extending the life of your laptop battery.

Don’t run it all the way to empty

While it’s often suggested that a full cycle of power is good for a new battery when it is first in use, doing this often throughout the battery’s life can be detrimental to its longevity.

Keep the temperature down

Excessive heat wears on a battery and will shorten its lifespan. Keeping the vents and cooling systems clear on a laptop can help manage the temperature of a battery and, in turn, extend the life.

Be Efficient with your Operating System

Optimize your operating system by only running programs that are essential to your current tasks, or that are running in the background. Close all other programs. Empty the trash regularly, and delete unused programs and files. Check for viruses and malware regularly, since these can bog down your operating system and use up battery life.

Follow Manufacturer Guidelines

Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for charging and recharging the batteries contained in your laptop. Batteries have charging times, particularly for the initial use, which should be followed for the best operation of the laptop.

Unplug Extra Devices

USB, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi devices connected to a laptop can quickly drain battery power. If you aren’t using these with your current operation, disconnect them.

When using AC Power, Disconnect

If your laptop is going to be staying put for a while, disconnect the battery and rely on AC power alone.  This can give the battery a much-needed rest. Be sure that your computer is completely shut down before removing the battery. Removing the battery while the system is running can have damaging effects.

Empty the Drives

Remove any CDs or DVDs from drives. A drive that is continuously spinning without being used will also drain battery power.

Adjust Backlighting

Brighter lights use more power so consider dimming the lights of the screen. If you can set the the brightness of your screen to the lowest setting as possible, but still comfortable for your use, it will save on battery power.

Plug in for Multimedia Use

Multimedia activity will drain battery power. Watching videos, either online or in the DVD drive, drastically drains battery power. If you’re going to watch a long movie, it’s best to plug the computer in if possible.

Close It When Not in Use

If you are not using the laptop, close it. Conserve battery power when the screen is not being lit and programs aren’t running. Leaving your laptop open when not in use can quickly drain resources, since programs are still running and the the laptop is not hibernating. The screen saver will also appear, draining resources.

Keep it Updated

Make sure updates are consistently downloaded and maintained. Often, new drivers and software are designed to become increasingly efficient. By increasing efficiency, there is usually less of a drain on power resources.

Read more tips on laptop batteries here.

We become accustomed conserving battery life the best we can with the gadgets we use.  Why do those batteries drain? Obviously gadgets use energy, and the energy in batteries isn’t limitless, but what about the actual process of battery drain. Continue reading →

You are typing away in a meeting or in a classroom when you notice that your laptop is nearly out of juice.  Maybe you forgot your power adapter or maybe there isn't an available outlet. But your battery power is dwindling, and you still have stuff to get done.  Why doesn't the battery last as long as it used to?Here are some tips for laptop owners. Continue reading →

During the holiday season, the United States Department of Transportation estimates that long-distance travel increases by 54 percent when compared to other times of the year. And if you’re among the traveling crowd during the holiday season, then you already know that you’ve got one more list to make – and check twice. Yes, in addition to your shopping list, there’s also your packing list!

We trust that you’ve got your everyday clothes and toiletries already on this packing checklist, but here are some of the essentials that you’re certain to need that may not have crossed your mind: Continue reading →

Looking for a replacement battery for an Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop? Are you worried about the battery fitting in your Inspiron 1525?

At Batteryheads we offer TechFuel brand lithium-ion replacement batteries for the Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop.  Our TechFuel Inspiron 1525 replacement battery will fit into the following Dell laptop models:

• Dell Inspiron 1525
• Dell Inspiron 1526
• Dell Inspiron 1545
• Dell Inspiron 1546
• Dell Vostro 500

Batteryheads has been selling the TechFuel Inspiron 1525 replacement battery since 2008 and this battery is one of our top sellers.  It is an extremely stable battery with very few reported problems, but in case you are not satisfied, we have a 30-day money back guarantee and a 1-year warranty.

Our TechFuel Inspiron 1525 replacement battery is a 6-cell, 4400mAh capacity battery.  The dimensions of this battery are as follows: Weight 0.66 pounds, Length 8.1 inches, Height 0.9 inches, and Width 2.2 inches.

We no longer offer the 9-cell extended capacity battery as the Inspiron 1525 (and other compatible Inspiron laptop models) are slender laptops and the 9 cell batteries are thicker and will protrude from the back of the laptop.  We have found that our customers prefer a replacement battery that fits flush with the base of the laptop.

Our TechFuel replacement battery will replace the following original Dell battery part numbers:

•         DELL  312-0625
•         DELL  312-0633
•         DELL  312-0763
•         DELL  451-10478
•         DELL  451-10533
•         DELL  C601H
•         DELL  D608H
•         DELL  GW240
•         DELL  HP297
•         DELL  M911G
•         DELL  RN873
•         DELL  X284G
•         DELL  XR693

We are often asked about the run time of our batteries.  You should get approximately 2 to 3 hours of run time with this standard capacity 6 cell battery, however it is important to remember that the run time will vary depending upon LCD Brightness and other factors not related to the battery such as: features used, battery age & condition, charging habits, the varying temperatures the battery is exposed to, amount of time on standby and actual use time.  Using programs that draw a lot of energy such as adding charts and graphs to a document or watching a movie, will diminish the run time of your battery.

Your employees, students, and community are counting on you to be prepared.  Is your business or organization ready for an emergency?

The American Red Cross has designed Ready Rating to help leaders who think ahead and plan for their businesses, organizations and schools in order to be better prepared for emergencies.  It is a free, self-paced program.  After joining (remember it is free!) you will complete a 123-point self-assessment of your level of preparedness.  This may show areas where there can be improvement.  The Red Cross offers tips, tools, and suggestions to help you be ready to face and respond to potential emergencies.

Preparing for a possible power outage, chemical emergency, earthquake, fire, flood, hurricane, or terrorism can be an overwhelming prospect.  Ready Rating has been designed to help you when “What If?” becomes “What Now?”

Other Helpful Resources:

Year-end inventory is an annual activity every business should conduct. It does not matter if the business sells merchandise to consumers and other businesses or not. Every business needs to know how much paper, pens, batteries, equipment, and other supplies are in stock, in working condition, and how much has been used during the previous year.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, inventory needs to be well managed, which helps businesses reduce the amount of money that is tied up by having too much inventory. Inventory that is not managed well could result in internal theft and reduction in profits. Conducting a year-end inventory helps monitor usage, levels, and identifies any issues with shrinkage.

Here are some tips to help prepare for this year’s end of the year inventory: Continue reading →

Regardless of how they are stored, all batteries gradually lose their charge over time. However, some storage methods will conserve more charge than others will. One of the most important factors affecting the amount of charge a battery will lose during storage is the temperature. Continue reading →