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After the iPod hit the market, it seemed as if Apple could do no wrong. Now everyone, regardless of their software camp, could enjoy one of Apple's classically cool and beautiful toys. It wasn't until about 12 months after the iPod's launch, when it came time to replace the first set of iPod batteries, that Apple hit a bump in their groove.

The iPod isn't built for easy battery replacement like a cell phone. In order to replace the iPod battery, the casing must be completely removed, exposing all of the internal components and introducing risk of damage.

Apple initially offered a battery replacement service for $249. They later offered a one year extended warranty for $60 that covers the battery. However, it's important to note that when Apple sends the replacement, it will be in a refurbished model iPod, not your original. Today you can find qualified iPod repair shops to replace the battery for as little as $59 or do-it-yourself kits between $19 and $39 depending on the model.

The caution with the do-it-yourself (DIY) kits however, is that the iPod wasn't designed for the average user to change the battery. Plenty of people have been able to change their iPod batteries without problem while countless online forums divulge a long list of complications faced as a result of users trying to change the battery.

Many specialty iPod repair shops will do the replacement for little more than the cost of the battery itself. Some offer additional incentives such as consumer-friendly lifetime battery replacement program. Under the program, the company will replace the battery once a year for life. Even better, your iPod is back in your hands within 48 hours with 30% more power than Apple's original battery.

Should you choose to replace the battery yourself, there are a few tips you'll want to keep in mind:

- Some models like the iPod Nano require soldering directly onto the board. Be sure to check the details of the battery replacement before sending off for a DIY kit.

- Have a small thin tool on hand to pry apart the casing. Once the screws that hold the case together are removed, you still need to apply some force to open it and reveal the circuitry. Many have damaged their cases by trying to pry their iPods apart without the proper tools. Many replacement batteries come with special tools to help pry the case open.

- When disconnecting the battery, don't remove the rubber pad located on the hard drive.

Regardless of the battery complications, people still love the fun and freedom that the iPod offers. Do a little research before deciding how to handle your battery replacement as it's a routine that you'll need to repeat about once every year. Even if you're not thrilled about the fact that your iPod will need to go through major surgery every year, there are customer-friendly iPod specialty companies available to make the process smooth and simple.

The author is a freelance copywriter. For more information about ipod repairs and ipod parts, visit www.iPodMods.com.

Picture yourself way out in the middle of nowhere and you do not have any access to power. You have no electricity to operate your computer, you cannot watch TV and worst of all your electric hairdryer will not come on. The good news is portable solar energy can help you out and run all of the gadgets we mentioned and much more. Solar panels are used by individuals and business all around the world to furnish power for your house or building. This article will take a look at why solar power can play an important role in your future.

A lot of the solar power devices make use of photovoltaic cells. When exposed to light these cells will produce electricity. These panels have two different layers that are made of different materials. When light goes through these layers one becomes positively charged while the other has a negative charge. This provides the current. The solar electricity this makes can be used however you like. There are variables on how much electricity the panel will put out. It depends on things like how strong the sun is and the size of the panels.

You can get small panels that will only provide enough power to run items that do not demand a large amount of electricity. When you go looking around for portable solar power you will notice that they have different watt ratings. To pick the right panel you will need to know how many watts you will be using. Take a look at the output rating, as this should let you know how many watts the panel will produce. The larger the solar panel the more output you have in most cases.

You can even get a panel that you can take with you when you go hiking or camping. You can carry it around on your back wherever you go and use it at your campsite. You can charge up your equipment while you are enjoying the scenery around you. You need to remember that these portable solar panels work best in bright sunlight. This may not be the best situation for your laptop or camera, as they usually should not be placed in direct sunlight.

Portable solar power can make life easier when you want to get off the beaten path. As technology advances you can expect the price to drop and the quality to increase. Thanks to modern day advancements you can now carry your power with you no matter where you choose to go.

For more information on solar power try visiting http://solarlifepower.com/ where you will find lots of tips, advice and resources about topics such as solar electric solutions

100,000,000 iPod owners and counting! A remarkable tribute to Apple's iPod music player - no question! I wonder how many of these iPod owners know how their iPod battery works. Understandably most people don't really care as long as it does. However I am interested and I'm sure there are others out there as well who want to know how their iPod battery actually delivers power to their iPod.

Most people would never realize how complex an iPod battery is nor would they realize how many components can be found within their iPod battery. For starters your iPod battery is made up of highly specialized battery components including:

• iPod battery connector
• iPod battery fuse
• iPod battery charge and discharge FETs
• iPod battery cell pack
• iPod battery sense resistor
• iPod battery primary and secondary protection ICs
• iPod battery fuel-gauge IC
• iPod battery thermistor
• iPod battery pc board

These components together allow your iPod battery to function so that you can listen to music while doing the various activities of your day. Before we can delve deep into each of these ipod battery components I want to make sure that we understand that these components together work in an effort to produce electrical current to supply to the iPod.

iPods require electrical power in order to function. iPods’ draw electrical current on demand from your iPod battery. However your iPod battery is not a storage house of electrical energy but instead your iPod battery is your iPod’s internal electrical “factory” that creates electrical energy through a process known as an electrochemical energy conversion and subsequently your iPod battery delivers electrical current to your iPod. The electrochemical energy conversion is a process of replenishing of electrons and it is this electron replenishment that causes the chemical conversion to take place and create the electrical energy byproduct. To understand electrochemical conversion let’s see how electricity is created in the first place.

Electricity is a property of subatomic particles which couples to electromagnetic fields and causes attractive and repulsive forces between them. This repulsive force between the subatomic particles creates an electric current; the flow of electric charge transports energy from one atom to another. Electrical current is measured in amperes, where 1 ampere is the flow of 62,000,000,000,000,000,000 electrons per second!

Inside your iPod battery engineers have designed a constant state of disequilibrium, which cause a continuous flow of electrons. When electrons move between the atoms (atoms are made up of particles called protons, neutrons, and electrons) a current or flow of electricity is created. But how is this current of electricity created to begin with? This comes back to our electrochemical conversion. In order to create electrical energy (or a constant state of disequilibrium, which cause a continuous flow of electrons) there must be an electrochemical system which includes the electrodes and the electrolyte housed within your battery. Electrons flow from one electrode to another and the electron flow is conducted by an electrolyte. In ipod batteries for example an electrochemical system can be comprised of the electrodes consisting of Carbon/Graphite for the negative electrode and Lithium cobaltite for the positive electrode. Between these electrodes is an electrolye which can be a highly conductive solution consisting of lithium hexafluorophosphate. The electrolyte solution is a chemical compound that when dissolved in a solvent (i.e. water) forms a solution that becomes an ionic conductor of electricity. Hence the electrochemical conversion!

Once the electrochemical conversion begins then the balance of the ipod battery’s specialized hardware components I mentioned above can be put to work transferring and monitoring the iPod battery and the iPod – all for the sole purpose of delivering power to your iPod.

© Dan Hagopian
You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included with link. Dan Hagopian of http://www.batteryship.com is a known electronics author that specializes in portable power gadgets. His work can be found on the BatteryShip blog at http://www.batteryeducation.com He frequently writes about pda batteries, ipod batteries, general battery technology for our mobile world, new fuel cell technology and interesting power related inventions. For further information please visit http://www.batteryship.com where you can also find PDA battery replacement kits, smartphone batteries, twoway radio batteries, barcode scanner batteries, camera batteries, and camcorder batteries.

If you own a PDA, you need batteries to go with it. No question about it. Without a battery, your PDA can't function and it practically useless.

If you bought your pocket pc from a dealer or the manufacturer, than your machine will probably already come with a battery straight out of the box. In many cases you will want ot either get a second battery. This can happen due to one of these reasons:

1. You want a replacement battery to back you up

2. The battery the manufacturer gave you with the PDA is not satisfactory and you want another one. With today's affordable PDA battery costs, it's easy to acquire a new battery fast.

Now there is more than one type of batteries for handheld devices. There are a few technologies that are used to make the batteries, and that leads to different qualities, prices, advantages and dis-advantages. You should take a close look at the different types of batteries and their qualities so you choose the best type for your needs. Let's take a brief look at the different types of batteries available for PDA users:

The old school battery - Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) PDA batteries

NiCd is one of the most proven and most widely used rechargeable batteries. Very dependable and "robust", thus used widely in backup systems. You can always relay on NiCD batteries to do the job. They contain cadmium and have relatively low capacity when compared to other rechargeable systems. But that is just about the only disadvantage they have. These batteries are cheap and you can often buy 2 for the price of one!

Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMh) pocket pc batteries

The NiMh technology is a less popular technology, still available for pocket pc's. No particular advantages here.

The new technology for handheld batteries - Lithium Ion (Li Ion) PDA batteries

Li Ion batteries are a relatively new technology. They can deliver %40 more capacity than the respective NiCd battery, and are much lighter in weight. They also don't have a "memory" – the tendency of NiCD batteries to lose capacity over time and recharges.

These qualities make LiIon batteries the perfect battery for PDA's, notebook computers, wireless telephones and other handheld devices. So no matter if you have a Palm One, an iPAQ, a Blackberry of any other device, you can use this battery. They are also one of the more expensive rechargeable technologies. They may cost 3 times more than the NiCd batteries. So if you get yourself one of these - take good care of it.

The only disadvantage these batteries have, is the tendency to explode if subjected to extreme heat or are drained too fast. But smart solution have been developed to overcome the phenomena, such as smart covers that nutralize the dangers.

The most recommended source for getting a PDA battery is to buy them online. There are dozens of online stores that will enable you to order the battery you need, in many cases at a lower price that the regular store. In many cases the shipping is free.

Find out more about PDA batteries in Jane Ling's website - www.pdaonlinecenter.com. We also talk about how to find the best PDA battery replacement for your handheld device.