~~MY LIFE~~

Wouldn’t it be perfect if there is a notebook computer that weighs less than a kilogram and has a battery life that never ceases? Imagine carrying it around while travelling without needing to charge the notebook after every few hours.

Both the Lenovo X200 (top) and Dell E6400 offer long-lasting battery power.

For now, ultra-mobile PCs (UMPC) seem to fit most mobile professionals’ need for portability, but not so much the dream of having everlasting battery to keep them productive on the go.

Well, some might argue that the eight hours of battery life offered by some of the latest UMPC models is good enough. Still, wouldn’t it be useful to have the battery lasting longer, especially when you are a heavy multimedia user? Computer usage habits make a difference on battery life, so you might not experience the same battery life as promised by the manufacturer.

Battery life remains one of the key concerns for notebook users, and manufacturers are trying hard to feed the need to keep batteries running for a long time after each charge.

The majority of notebooks in the market are pre-loaded with power management software. This feature works with Windows’ (XP and Vista) power management utility to conserve energy and extend battery life. Users just need to create a power plan and get the right balance of performance and battery life. There is also the option of throttling central processing unit speed to conserve energy.

Leading the way in providing batteries that offer fast charging and long life is Dell Computers. For now, Dell’s latest 14.1-inch Latitude E6400 has the longest battery life of 19 hours if you combine a nine-cell battery with the optional 12-cell battery. The provided nine-cell battery on its own can last about five hours.

Another model offering long-lasting battery power is the 12-inch Lenovo X200. This machine, equipped with enhanced battery stretch feature, promises 9.2 hours of battery life.

In the UMPC category, Asus Tech offers the Eee PC 901 and 1000 with six-cell batteries which provide a longer battery lifespan of up to 7.8 hours.

As competition gets hotter, the battery factor could well be decisive in enabling a brand to gain more grounds in the PC market.