Playlist Magazine [ http://playlistmag.com/ ] has an excellent cover story today with some really easy and useful tips to prolong the battery life of everyone’s favorite digital music and media player. I know, I know, in real life, the iPod doesn’t get what Apple says you should get in terms of hours and songs played, but I can tell you that it’s pretty close in my experience, but sometimes even 10 hours of straight play time isn’t enough to sate your hunger for music, podcasts, and episodes of Saturday Night Live. (Or in my case, 10 hours of leaving it on in your suitcase. Yeah, silly me.)
So while the tips include some simple and free things you can do, like using the Hold button to make sure that your iPod doesn’t get inadvertantly turned on while in your bag or in its case and keeping your iPod warm (something I wish I knew the time I left it in the car overnight in the middle of January), they also include some pretty decent ideas that cost money, like buying a new high-capacity battery and installing it (or having it installed) or buying an external battery pack to lengthen the life of your iPod. All this and more, and a definite must-read for all iPod owners and enthusiasts!