iPad out of intensive care

[OneWorld]

I hope I am not tempting providence here, usually as soon as I proclaim triumphantly that something is working so well that I convince myself I lead a charmed life, the thing goes kaputski

I have an ancient iPad2 that has been in regular use for more years than I can remember, but it is still as fast as it was the day I unboxed it, it always works.

Then some weeks ago, it wouldn't charge, or if it did, it would take all night to get to 12% I thought that's that, it's days are numbered, batteries don't last forever and time to buy a replacement.

But something was bugging me - batteries don't go from from perfectly operational to useless overnight, what has changed, I asked myself. Well one profound change was a considerable drop in temperature -0C

My iPad usually lives in the Dining Room which I don't heat except at dinner in the evening, and I use a fan heater to take the chill off the room. So 3 days ago I used the fan heater to warm up my iPad for 5 minutes, which was at 3% battery, and in just 3 hours, I had 100% charge !!!! and now after 3 days, I still have 30%

Knowing a new battery is in the region of £80+ I was on the cusp of throwing my iPad away, and now just warming it up seems to have revived it (crossed fingers) I'm hoping this isn't another case of premature jubilation

[Martin Walker]

It's always good to hear of a cheap fix that keeps old gear working, so thanks for posting this!

[James Perrett]

Knowing a new battery is in the region of £80+ I was on the cusp of throwing my iPad away, and now just warming it up seems to have revived it (crossed fingers) I'm hoping this isn't another case of premature jubilation

This has just reminded me that my electric drill battery was showing some odd flashing lights when I checked it after leaving it in the new studio over a freezing cold night. I've just checked it again after warming it up in the kitchen and all seems fine.

[Wonks]

My iPhone sometimes simply refuses to charge until I power it off and on again.

[Sam Spoons]

I have an iPad 2 and it still mostly works fine but the home button has started playing up. A repair costs anywhere between £30 and £60 but if I can get it done at the low end of that I too think it's worth keeping going. Failing that somebody on the net suggested dribbling IPA around the button in the hope it might help, or there's always the accessibility options and a virtual home button on the screen to keep it useable.

[Wonks]

Failing that somebody on the net suggested dribbling IPA around the button in the hope it might help

Taking it to the pub and spilling beer on it is probably where your problems started!

[Sam Spoons]

What? Nobody told me it was too young to drink...

[OneWorld]

It's always good to hear of a cheap fix that keeps old gear working, so thanks for posting this!

Well day 3 and it still has lots of charge, although I only use it a few hours a day.

OK, we all know batteries suffer with the cold, but I never thought to this extent. I had tried to charge it several times and it never got past 20%

5 minutes in front of a fan heater, 3 hours later I had a full charge and it's lasted 3 days. Incredible. Positive news for once!

[OneWorld]

Failing that somebody on the net suggested dribbling IPA around the button in the hope it might help

Taking it to the pub and spilling beer on it is probably where your problems started!

Who can afford beer and an Apple these days, Musk maybe yeah, but the rest of us, it's the stuff of dreams

[ConcertinaChap]

Failing that somebody on the net suggested dribbling IPA around the button in the hope it might help

Hmmm, not sure about this. I'm getting on a bit as well and consequently tend to dribble IPA around myself a bit and I've concluded it doesn't improve anything very much, especially the IPA.

CC

[Arpangel]

I've got three iPads, from a 2 to the latest, all I can say is they are the most consistently reliable things I’ve ever bought, the early ones are still going as good as the day I bought them.
You must be in shock, given my reputation.

[Martin Walker]

You must be in shock, given my reputation.

I am!

[Arpangel]

You must be in shock, given my reputation.

I am!

So am I Martin.

[ManFromGlass]

So that’s how one get’s surround sound from ipads!