Does anyone get tired of watching their battery life drain away in their mobile devices or laptops? Nothing is more annoying then hearing that dreaded alert that your battery is critically low while in the middle of a conversation or a movie.

First thing first, when you purchase a new electronic device that runs on a lithium battery, it is wise to find a way to disable many applications that run in the background or stay open after launching and closing them. For smart phones I recommend finding an app that “kills” these programs from running. You will see an increase in battery life right away.

Another great habit is to be sure your charger is not plugged into the wall before attaching it to your device. Many people just leave the charger plugged in to the wall and just attach their phone when they come home. This is slowly killing your battery.

Every time you connect a phone to a live charger (already plugged in), the battery takes a “jolt” of electricity every time. When you first connect the charger to your phone and then plug it in to the wall, you are not zapping your battery and will get a much longer battery life and daily usage.

I have never had to buy a new battery for my phones for as long as I can remember. I got this lesson once from an electrician on a job site when I worked with an architectural firm.

Finally, the most obvious way a battery will drain fast is the display lighting. If you have a bright screen and it stays lit for a longer period of time, your battery will lose it’s juice quickly. To adjust the brightness and display timer, go to your device’s menu. I recommend setting your screen’s light to shut off after 10 seconds of inactivity and keep the brightness set somewhere between 60-80 percent.

I hope some of these tips will increase the life of your batteries. If you have any questions or suggestions for a Tech Talk subject, send me an email.

Clinton Randall is the Webmaster of advocate360.org and can be reached by email at clintonrandall@civitasmedia.com. You can find him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/clintonrandall or follow him on Twitter @clintonjrandall. His column, Tech Talk, discusses all aspects of the technology world. Viewpoints expressed in this column are solely those of the author. The Daily Advocate does not endorse these viewpoints or the independent activities of the author.