If you've had a customized laptop for a couple of years, you've probably noticed that the battery doesn't hold a charge the way it used to. The fact is that no matter how good the notebook or the manufacturer, the lithium ion batteries built into Apple, Sony, Asus and Acer laptops will eventually begin to hold a charge smaller than the day you purchased them.

But there are things you can do to prevent your laptop battery from completely losing its ability to power the computer. Many MacBook Pro owners have found that their batteries lasted years and still held several hours of an electrical charge by doing the following:

• For long term storage, keep the battery at a 50 percent charge. Keeping it at a fully charged or discharged state could cause it to lose capacity.

• If you use the battery infrequently, make sure to charge it and use up the power completely at least once a month. Apple recommends that MacBook owners "keep the electrons moving". They state that the ideal user is someone who charges the laptop, drains the battery while using it on a train, then plugs it back in when they get to the office or get home.

Something to remember is that the trend among manufacturers is to put built-in batteries in laptops, meaning that they cannot be removed and replaced without sending them to the company for maintenance. So it's a good idea to try getting the most out of the battery that comes with your computer when you order it.