Battery dead? Here have a new iPad

Reports yesterday have revealed that Apple’s battery replacement service for the iPad will actually consist of them replacing the device with a new one (or a refurb at least) for a service fee rather than them replacing the battery.

If your iPad requires service due to the battery’s diminished ability to hold an electrical charge, Apple will replace your iPad for a service fee.

Why is this such news you ask? Well it differs from that of the iPhone whereby they state they will service your iPhone for a fee.

If your iPhone requires service only because the battery’s ability to hold an electrical charge has diminished, Apple will service your iPhone for a service fee.

The thing is, in New Zealand, out-of-warranty battery repairs can be a nightmare to deal with. We know from iPhone experience that we can’t just take our devices to an Authorised Service Provider [read: MagnumMac, Ubertec etc] and have them resolve the issue like they can in the States with the Apple Stores, it is a lot harder here and you generally get sent from pillar to post trying to get it sorted and we may have that same experience again.

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All too familiar?

Over the last few months my iPhone’s battery-life had gotten worse and worse, to the point where I could barely make it through a single day without falling below 20%. Most days, I was charging twice a day. So when I stumbled across a tip on an Apple discussions forum which ‘cured’ my woes I was elated. I’ve been testing this tip for the last week to make sure it wasn’t just a placebo effect, and it definitely works (for me at least). So here it is. Read More

It doesn't want to charge whilst using any of these!

Ok so recently I went on a trip from Christchurch to Dunedin, the perfect opportunity for me to play with my TomTom car kit and really give the tun-by-turn apps a run for their money…. or so I thought.

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The power of stick compels you!

We all know that the battery-life of the iPhone is… well, a bit rubbish. Sure, there are things you can do to boost the time you get between charge cycles and yes, you do get used to charging the thing every night. But what happens if you get stuck somewhere where you can’t charge your phone or if you’re travelling and simply don’t have access to a USB port? We’ve looked before at the Mophie Juicepack which is one solution – but that thing is $160 and boy is it uuuuu-gly! Well, now we’re going to take a look at the Ecosol Powerstick which charges not just your iPhone but almost any other device you may need to inject some juice into. Let’s take a look.

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Rockin around the Christmas tree..

Last week, we looked at iPhone accessories that come in at $55 or under. This week, we’re going slightly up the budget ladder to gifts between $55 and $200. Got your wallets ready? Let’s go shopping!

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Power Up!

The Mophie JP is an external pack that the iPhone fits into at the bottom to power the phone. The advertising claims to double your power supply and I found with a few weeks usage that this is in fact correct. Read More

Battery Life - Tricky to Manage

Battery life on the iPhone is a contentious issue that is endlessly debated in forums the length and breadth of the internets. Apple’s claimed 300 hours standby for the 3GS may be achievable… but you’d have to never turn the screen on and have practically every feature disabled. However don’t dismay – there are some practical steps you can take to boost your battery life and over the next few weeks we will be sharing some tips with you that could have you scrambling for your charger far less often. Read More