Gateway M500, User Manual

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Chapter 3: Managing Power
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Optimizing battery life
Optimizing battery life prolongs the charge/recharge cycle and improves
recharge efficiency. Follow these suggestions to optimize and maximize battery
power:
■ Purchase an extra battery.
■ Use the AC adapter whenever possible so the battery is reserved for
on-the-go computing.
■ Keep the battery in the your notebook when you are using the AC adapter.
The constant trickle charge maintains the battery level to eliminate the
battery self-discharge effect. The charge-in-use function also charges the
battery.
■ Eject the PC card from the card slot when it is not in use because the PC
card uses power even when the card is not in use.
■ Store the battery in a cool, dry place. The recommended storage
temperature for batteries ranges from 50° to 86°F (10° to 30°C). The higher
the storage temperature, the faster the battery self-discharges.
■ The batteries can be recharged about 400 times when used as directed.
Excessive recharging decreases battery life.
■ Take care of your battery and AC adapter. See “Care and maintenance” on
page 5.
Battery-low warning
You never have to worry about battery power as long as you are using the AC
adapter. However, when you operate the computer on battery power, pay extra
attention to the power indicator on the LCD panel.
During a battery-low condition, the power indicator flashes at regular intervals
until battery power is depleted.
Caution Connect the AC adapter to your notebook as soon as
possible. Data is lost when notebook power is cut off during
Standby mode.