25-85%

I have recently heeded some advice many people advise (at least on the Internet) and cut back on the charging of my devices.  I throw my laptop around a lot -- I like laying down with it above me -- so it usually isn't in a position where I can plug it in.  I will if I have to, of course.  That's kind of diametrically different from my cellphone, where I use it all day, plug it in at night, and have a fully-charged cell with which to start the day.

But I had been noticing that my lap was going through my battery at a faster and faster rate.  I finally paid to get it switched out, but the acceleration of the battery draining seems as bad as the first battery.  Meanwhile, one thing I've noticed about the new cellphone (which I had to buy in a panic about a month ago because my old phone no longer would get a phone signal) is that it eats through the battery's energy very, very quickly.  I'm pretty sure I was told I got a new phone, but it doesn't seem like it.

These days my laptop runs really hot, especially when I'm not placing it on a level surface like I'm supposed to.  I was playing Zynga Poker once and the left bottom part of my keyboard was scalding hot, the hottest I had ever felt it.  I half-thought the damn thing would light itself on fire.

That was when I finally Googled "the best way to recharge a battery."  (To be completely honest, I think I may have searched for this once before and promptly forgot what I found.)  And what I saw was that one should not fully recharge a battery, (presumably) for a cell or a lap.  That's because you go through the life of a battery when you recharge it to its fullest, or in a "cycle."  It is recommended instead to keep the battery roughly between 20-85%.  Now, I have seen a maximum of 80% at a couple sites.  Also, generally 20% is when you get those "low power" notices, and both my cellphone and laptop switch to power-saving mode automatically once the level gets that low, and I don't want to do that because it seems as though getting that "low power" message itself expends a lot of energy.  So, once it gets down to around 25% or so, I plug both devices in, and I try to do my best to unplug it once it reaches 85%.  I have yet to be fast enough to unplug it at that point, but I have so far been able to stop charging it before it reaches 100%.

Will it extend the life of my batteries?  Who knows?  I just started.  And, unfortunately, it looks as though both batteries are pretty worn out already.  I might be extending their lives, but it might be too late.  Regardless, keeping it between 25-85% seems like a good idea, and I plan on doing that forever more.