One of the main benefits of the recently released Windows 7 is the reported 10%-20% improvement in battery life brought about by the new program from Microsoft. Still though, even with this reduction in power consumption brought about by Windows 7, any other methods of extending the life of your notebook’s battery are always welcome.
We recently featured an easy to use battery monitoring application called BattCursor for Windows Vista. BattCursor keeps the user well aware of the status of your battery, while also showcasing battery saving features such as automatically dimming the computer display or turning off Aero. BattCursor is also compatible with the new Windows 7, and will be helpful in improving upon the battery saving benefits already allowed by newest version of Windows.
Another way to boost the battery life of notebooks featuring both Windows 7 and Windows Vista is the use of a small tray utility called Aerofoil. Aerofoil will automatically disable the Windows Aero Glass interface and optionally switch Windows Power Plans, Windows Sidebar and sound off when your notebook is running on it’s battery.