Eight ways to prolong your MacBook's battery life

So you’ve just dropped a pile of cash to acquire a new (or new to you) piece of Apple goodness, and—like any responsible owner—you want to know how to make that lithium-based battery inside your MacBook last as long as possible. Here are eight ways to help you get the most out of your purchase and keep your battery healthy to a ripe old age.

1. Discharge your battery before storing it. If you're going to store your battery or MacBook for a prolonged period of time, it's a good idea to discharge the battery to 40% of the maximum capacity and keep it in a cool place. Heat is the number one cause of battery life degradation among Lithium-based batteries. Places to avoid include hot cars, volcanoes, most beaches, and the Sun.
2. Use and charge your MacBook battery at room temperature as much as possible. Using your computer and charging your battery at temperatures over 95°F (35°C) can permanently reduce your battery capacity, while temperatures below 50°F (10°C) will slow down its electrons and reduce your battery’s ability to transfer electricity. Try to use your computer at or around 71°F (22°C) to get the longest life out of your battery.
3. Calibrate your battery at least once a month. Calibrating your battery helps to keep your battery monitor accurate and prevent your computer from turning off before the battery is actually dead. It also keeps all those electrons inside your battery moving and active. Visit Apple’s battery calibration page for information on how to properly calibrate your MacBook. Remember, iBooks, and MacBook G4s have a different calibration process than later model MacBooks, so be sure to use the correct one!
4. Add a battery calibration reminder to iCal. Battery calibration isn't exactly a pressing concern for many people, especially when life starts to get busy and stress enters the picture. Adding a reminder to iCal will help you
5. Recharge your battery after only a partial discharge. Several partial discharges and recharges are easier on your Lithium-based battery than a full discharge and recharge. Unlike the older Nickel-based batteries, Lithium-based batteries have no memory and can’t be ruined by charging a partially dead battery. Deep discharges (i.e. draining your battery down to and through the reserve battery power) put a lot of strain on your battery and will reduce its overall life, so be kind and recharge your computer often.
6. Download an app to monitor your battery health. The paid application Watts (USD$6.95 the publisher's website) is the most comprehensive option available as of the publishing of this article, and actually replaces the standard Mac OS X battery monitor in addition to providing information on battery health, battery life, the number of load cycles used, and even the number of load cycles intended for your battery type. Alternatives include Coconut Battery and iStat Pro. Although these options are less powerful than Watts, they're also free, and perform the essential functions without putting a strain on your pocketbook.
7. Track your load cycles and optimize your battery use. While we're all loathe to see the capacity of our laptop batteries dwindle, the fact remains that they were meant to be used, and will inevitably die. However, by tracking how many times you’ve fully discharged and recharged your battery, you can lengthen your battery’s life by keeping tabs on how much strain you’ve put on your battery and using its remaining life wisely. All of the apps listed above provide information on how many load cycles your battery has used, and nearly all MacBook batteries are rated for at least 300-400 load cycles before they hold only 80 percent of their original capacity. Apple states that MacBook Pro and MacBook Air batteries are rated for up to 1000 load cycles, but there's some doubt as to the truth of that claim.
8. Remove the battery when running on fixed power. While the new technology of new MacBooks make this a non-issue, iBooks and older MacBooks tend to charge the battery constantly, thus reducing the overall life of the battery. Take it out when you're connected to a fixed power source to give it a break from all of that charging.

Given the consumable nature of laptop batteries, you will inevitably face the death of your beloved battery. However, by following these few simple steps you can prolong your battery’s life until you’re able to afford an upgrade and re-purpose that MacBook as a dedicated-digital cookbook.