Software could be the culprit for your poor battery performance

The biggest downer of MP3 life is the battery crash. Manufacturers are quick to promote long battery life for all their applications, but MP3 players are particularly vulnerable.

For example, when you are listening to tracks ripped from your CD’s, count on maybe 16 hours of listening pleasure. But when DRM is involved, battery life could be cut by 20% or more on your MP3. The protected WMA tracks whack the batteries due to energy needed to check the appropriate licenses and decoding those protected tracks. PlaysForSure and FairPlay DRM  are major culprits.

If you want to maximize your battery life on your MP3,  rely on tracks ripped from your or your friends’ CD collection. Otherwise, know ahead of time and make sure you have your charger or extra batteries for longer listening.