Harald Thon

We were surprised by the many disparate sources of a notebook's battery drain. The complex interplay between software, components and peripherals during the tests we ran provided the basis for a checklist of what to do and what not to do to get the most out of any notebook's battery charge.

OEM spin aside, notebook battery lives just are not up to what consumers and business want. Industry group Mobile PC EBLWG says laptops that run eight hours on a charge will be available by 2008. But how do they expect to pull the feat off and what can you do in the meantime to squeeze more life out of your notebook's battery? Keywords

Averatec's AV3220H1 ultra-portable notebook packs a mobile AthlonXP 2000+ and weighs just over 4.4 pounds for only $1000. How does the performance of this very cost-efficient device stand up against pricier systems, such as the Asus S5200N?