You purchase your fancy new cell phoneThe
battery lasts forever, but after
a couple of months the battery doesn't last as longStill the capacity
it has gets you byAfter a year though, the thing hardly holds a
chargeWhat was it that you did that causes this?Many
people think that they haven't properly cared for their battery, and
that's the reason it will no longer hold a chargeThey think that if
they had properly discharged their batteries before recharging them, it
would've made a differenceWhile this is true for the old Ni-Cad
batteries we used to use, this is not true for the lithium-ion
batteries that are used in the cell phones we use todayWhat
does matter is the age of the battery, the temperature they are stored
at, and the amount of power left in them
while they are storedThe cooler the environment the battery is kept
in, the less of a rate it will lose it's capacity as long as it's not
extremely low temperaturesAnother thing to note is the rate of
charging and discharging the battery also reduces the capacityWith
these things in mind, here are some tips to giving your cell phone
battery longer life.

• Don't charge your battery all the way full unless you really have toKeep the charge as low as possible but with enough of a charge so that you won't run out of power during the day
• Keep your phone coolAvoid leaving it in a hot carInvesting in a case to carry the phone away from your body heat may be a good idea as well.
• Avoid using quick chargersMany car chargers rapidly charge batteriesThe cheap chargers you find on eBay these days are notorious for damaging batteriesOnly use a charger that charges the phone at a slower rate.
• Unplug the phone immediately once it's finished chargingThis will prevent exposure to excessive heat.
• When storing the phone or battery, discharge the battery as much as possible and place it in a cool environment.