iPod Long Life

The iPod has become a part of our daily lives. We listen to our iPod on the way to work, when we exercise, go to the grocery store, cleaning around the house. I for one can't imagine what I would do if I woke up one morning and my iPod simply would not turn on. Despite its sturdy metal and plastic housing the iPod's intricate electronics and circuitry remain very fragile and good maintenance is required to keep it running as smooth as the day you took it out of the box.

The most common problem with the iPod regardless of the model and generation is the battery. The third generation iPod was especially notorious for battery longevity problems. Over time the iPod does not hold its full charge for more than a few hours sometimes even less. Once your iPod begins experiencing this problem, there is nothing left to do but to either buy a new iPod change the battery which can cost you as much as a new iPod once you factor in the installation costs. Here's a few tips to ensure your battery does not encounter this problem:

* The first time you charge the iPod's battery, leave it plugged in for 24 hours. The iPod will say it is fully charged after approximately 8 hours, disregard the message and leave the iPod on the charge.

* Charge your iPod regularly. Even if you are not using your iPod and it has a 80% charge, charge it. The battery needs to run every two weeks approximately.

The iPod can also suffer from other problems other than the battery. Here are a few more tips to ensure every part of the iPod continues working

* Never keep your iPod in the car overnight. The iPod should be kept at room temperature at all times. Leaving it in the car in cold temperature or excessively warm temperatures can warp the LCD and the components inside.

* Never disconnect the iPod from the computer when the message "Do not disconnect" appears on the screen. When this message appears on the iPod it means the hard drive is currently spinning at 5400 RPM and stopping it abruptly by pulling the connection can result in permanent damage to the iPod hard drive, it can also result in the iPod being wiped clean.

* Handle the iPod cable with care when inserting or removing. The pins inside the iPod are very easy to bend or break. should these pins break these are not easy to repair and are not covered by the iPod's warranty.