Note that they say a discharge/charge cycle is equal to a total draining and refilling of the battery - so if you drained it 100% and then charged it, that's one cycle. If you drained it 40% and filled it up, then down 40% again and filled it up, then down 20% and filled it up, that's 100% total, so it's one cycle too, except the up-and-down routine is better for the battery.* Do charge the battery often. The battery lasts longer with partial rather than full discharges.
* There is no memory and no scheduled cycling is required to prolong the battery's life.
* Avoid frequent full discharges because this puts additional strain on the battery. Several partial discharges with frequent recharges are better for lithium-ion than one deep one. Recharging a partially charged lithium-ion does not cause harm because there is no memory. (In this respect, lithium-ion differs from nickel-based batteries.)
* Unlike nickel and lead-based batteries, a new lithium-ion pack does not need cycling through charging and discharging. Priming will make little difference because the maximum capacity of lithium-ion is available right from the beginning. Neither does a full discharge improve the capacity of a faded pack
* A lithium-ion battery provides 300-500 discharge/charge cycles. The battery prefers a partial rather than a full discharge. Frequent full discharges should be avoided when possible. Instead, charge the battery more often or use a larger battery. There is no concern of memory when applying unscheduled charges.
So basically, even if you're real real nice to your batteries, they're limited to 2-3 years of useable life (damn oxygen!!)* The worst condition is keeping a fully charged battery at elevated temperatures
* Avoid keeping the battery at full charge and high temperature. This is the case when placing a cell phone or spare battery in a hot car.
* A lithium-ion battery in use typically lasts between 2-3 years. The capacity loss manifests itself in increased internal resistance caused by oxidation. Eventually, the cell resistance reaches a point where the pack can no longer deliver the stored energy although the battery may still have ample charge.
* Avoid purchasing spare lithium-ion batteries for later use. Observe manufacturing dates. Do not buy old stock, even if sold at clearance prices.
* There are no remedies to restore lithium-ion once worn out.
And two interesting bits that I'm not sure what to think...
I wonder if charging with USB is easier on the battery because of the slower charging rate, as opposed to the twice-as-fast charging from a docking adapter with AC.Generally speaking, batteries live longer if treated in a gentle manner. High charge voltages, excessive charge rate and extreme load conditions will have a negative effect and shorten the battery life.
I'm assuming the Archos battery is a 'smart' battery and monitors it's own voltage - and I wonder if occasinally letting it drain completely and then fully charging wouldn't give us a more accurate battery level readout.Batteries with fuel gauge (laptops) should be calibrated by applying a deliberate full discharge once every 30 charges. Running the pack down in the equipment does this. If ignored, the fuel gauge will become increasingly less accurate and in some cases cut off the device prematurely.
Hell, I have mine plugged in so often I rarely get below half these days, so I'm not even sure how good my battery and gauge are doing.