Q: I recently purchased a Griffin iTrip FM transmitter for my 10-month old first generation iPod mini. Should I expect the battery to be drained at a higher rate when using the iTrip? I have noticed that after fully charging my iPod and then using the iTrip for a period of about 30 minutes, the battery has drained to half of its capacity! Is this typical, or is my battery starting to show signs of aging?
– Anonymous
A: The iTrip does, in fact, draw power from the iPod, and you should expect to see (minor) degradation in battery life. However, your specific case sounds extreme.
It sounds like your battery may have begun to degrade, or that it’s just not accurately reflecting its power level. Because your iPod is still in warranty, you may be eligible for a replacement iPod if your iPod only lasts for 50% of its quoted battery life. To find out whether there’s really a problem, leave your iPod in repeat mode on any playlist (without the iTrip), and see if it dies in less than 4 hours (half of the 1st-generation mini’s quoted 8 hour life).
If it does, contact Apple (or go to an Apple Store) and see what they can do.
