Batteries running dry at unusually fast rates

The Magic Mouse may be behind rapid battery drain on Apple's wireless keyboards, support forum complaints suggest. The keyboards are typically said to last several months on a single set of batteries, but after installing a Magic Mouse, battery life may shrink down to a span of two to three weeks or less. In extreme cases, users may have to replace batteries every week.

The source of the depletion is uncertain, as while Apple is in some cases replacing keyboards, it has yet to publicly acknowledge the problem or offer a remedy. It is believed however that the Magic Mouse may be preventing keyboards from sleeping properly, leaving their Bluetooth transmitters constantly active. A stopgap solution involves simply removing the batteries whenever a keyboard is left alone for several hours.

An alternate solution may involve buying the absolute latest wireless keyboard, which is said to have better power management, and depend on just two AA batteries instead of an earlier three.

by MacNN Staff