Your cell phone
keeps you connected to both your contact list and the entire world through mobile Internet data--but only so long as it can keep a charge. We'll review tips on ensure your cell phone has a charge whenever you need to use it.
Read the Manual
First, do what many cell phone users fail to do--read the manual that came with your phone. (If you threw it away, refer to the manufacturer's website--most of them provide manuals for your phone in a PDF download.) All manuals come with tips and tricks on best maintain your battery. This information is most important when you first purchase a new cell phone. Some types of batteries have specific instructions on first-time use, and your manual will tell you how you should proceed if your battery requires special handling out of the box.
Battery Standard Operating Procedure
Your cell phone's battery is designed for regular recharge, so plug it in overnight when needed and it should be ready to go by morning. Do not, however, leave a cell phone plugged into the wall charger for long periods of time; this constant exposure to high voltage can damage the battery.
If you won't be using your cell phone for an extended period of time--say, an overseas trip--disconnect the battery from the phone before you leave. Your phone is making an electrical connection with the battery contacts even when it is turned off, and batteries are not designed to be left in this manner without a recharge.
Buy Additional Batteries
Every rechargeable battery has a set number of "cycles"--power drain and recharge--that it can undergo before it starts to lose its maximum capacity. Most batteries are rated for between 400 and 500 cycles, so if you do a complete drain-and-recharge on a daily basis, you will start to hit this ceiling after only a year.
One way to extend your battery life is to buy additional batteries, and to cycle them in and out of your phone. This extends battery life in two ways. Obviously, fewer cycles per battery means a longer period of time before you hit that recharge ceiling. However, some batteries can last through more cycling if the cycling is not as frequent--so two batteries may give you more than double the lifetime of a single battery.
Use Alternative Chargers
Finally, consider alternative methods of getting power into your phone. You can charge most cell phones off a USB cable from your laptop computer, and laptop batteries store much more power than a cell battery can. This won't affect your lifetime charge ceiling, but a convenient, always-available method of charging your cell phone may allow you to charge it less frequently on an as-needed basis.
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