Checking The Battery Level; Optimizing Battery Life - Acer TravelMate 340 User Manual

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Checking the battery level

The computer features battery-low warning signals that are both audible and
visible. When the battery pack is low, the computer emits warning beeps and the
battery indicator flashes at regular intervals. Also, you can check the battery
charge level using the Windows battery meter.
Using the Windows battery meter
The Windows battery meter indicates the present battery level. Simply rest your
cursor on the battery meter (or AC plug) icon on the taskbar to see the present
charge level of your battery.

Optimizing battery life

This section helps you get the most out of battery operation. 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 pack.
• Use Sleep Manager to reserve hard disk space for the Hibernation function.
Keep it running in the background to automatically adjust the Hibernation file
size. See "Sleep Manager" on page 74.
• Use the AC adapter whenever possible so that the battery is reserved for on-
the-go computing.
• Keep the battery pack in the computer powered by 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
pack.
• Disable the parallel and serial ports if no devices are connected to these ports.
You can do this through the BIOS Utility. See "Onboard Devices
Configuration" on page 93.
• Eject the PC card from the card slot when not in use, since the PC card draws
extra power.
• Store the battery pack in a cool, dry place. The recommended storage
temperature for battery packs ranges from 10 to 30 degrees C. The higher the
storage temperature, the faster the battery pack self-discharges.
• The batteries can be recharged about 300 times when used as directed.
Excessive recharging decreases battery life.
• Take care of your battery pack and AC adapter. See "Care and maintenance"
2 Operating on battery power