How to make your batteries last longer on holidays

These days it’s easy to stay “connected” while on the road. Today going on holiday doesn’t necessarily mean being far from the computer. If you ask, many would probably say they prefer to be available at a ring tone’s notice. Many travellers prefer keeping in connect with friends and family. Batteries are due however to get low at some point, so here are a few tips to make your mobile and laptop batteries last longer.

If you’re one of those that likes to stay “in touch” while you’re on holidays or travellers then you know already that your battery is likely to die at the worst possible moment. Today many laptops, notebook computers and even the iPad (you have downloaded liligo for iPad, haven’t you?) have the capacity to last up the 10 hours without being connected to a power course. Despite this however it can be rather difficult to find places to re-charge while on the road.

How to make your mobile phone battery last longer:

• For both mobile phones, adjust the brightness of the screen, turning it down will greatly reduce the energy used.
• Set a sleep mode so that the screen turns off after several seconds of not being in use.
• If you’re not using Bluetooth, disable it.
• The same goes for 3G and WiFi. Only connect when you want to use them.
• For the iPhone, go to the setting “Notifications” and deactivate them.
• On all phones, the vibration setting consumes the most energy.

How to make your laptop battery last longer:

• Reduce the brightness of the screen.
• Similar to mobiles, only connect to WiFi and Bluetooth when you need to use them.
• Reduce the amount of time the screen is lit up when you’re not using it.
• Use the “energy saving” setting when using your laptop.
• The more programs open at one time, the more energy is used.
• If you leave your computer for even just 30 minutes, it’s better to put it to “sleep” rather than just leaving it.
• De-fragment your hard drive once a month. This not only reorganizes your files but creates more space as well, also saving energy.

You can find many external batteries on the market as well which are really useful if you plan to be dis-connected for a longer period of time or if you’re unsure of when you’ll be able to plug in your devices on long train rides, flights, etc. How do you save your battery while travelling?

Do you prefer to stay connected or “un-plug” while on holidays?