Tech Q & A

Q: What’s the best way to keep my iPod battery charged? I am worried about memory effect.

A: In the old days, we’d have to occasionally thoroughly drain a gadget’s nickel-based battery before charging it to be sure it recharged to its full capacity. Otherwise, it might “remember” the shortened charge cycle and not recharge fully in the future — the “memory effect.” The Apple iPod uses lithium-based batteries that can be recharged anytime without having to run them down first. They fast charge to about 80 percent of their capacity, then trickle charge until they reach full capacity if you continue charging them. There’s no memory effect to worry about, but keep in mind that all rechargeable batteries eventually need to be replaced.