For about $66, Apple will replace your iPod’s battery. Fill out a service request and hand over the money. Or you can google up a battery replacement kit, usually for a lot less money, and install it yourself. MacSales, an online 3rd party vendor, offers a suite of do-it-yourself installation videos on its website. The cheapest batteries I have found are at Hong Kong-based Fifth Unit, starting around $6 plus reasonable shipping. I’ve shopped there several times without incident.
Apple recommendations for extending battery life? Shorten your backlight duration–or turn it off alltogether. Pause your iPod when not in use and use your hold button liberally. Keep your iPod at room temperature. Turn off the Equalizer and play back compressed songs with file sizes less than 9MB each.
This is a bit misleading. Apple actually replace the WHOLE ipod with the same model for the price. They don't replace the battery, but the ipod is replaced with another reconditioned one. Why pay for a battery replacement kit when you could get a replacement ipod?
This only applies to ipods with battery problems - if it's got a sad ipod icon then it'll be shipped right back to you.
I have to wonder - given the heat and/or fire hazard presented by faulty batteries, is that really the wisest place to pinch pennies?
I tried one of those cheap batteries you can find on ebay for my mini and was very disappointed. I didn't use apple 'cause they were so expensive and chose the cheap option cause I wanted to save a few bucks. Man was i wrong. the battery was only 400 milliamp hours which is less than (i think) than the one that was installed in my mini at the factory. Furthermore, it was the battery only - no directions or tools to speak of! I chuck the whole thing and went with www.ipodjuice.com who sold me and iPod Battery that had the works: great life (750 mills) great tools (not a scratch!) and even better directions (color pix). If you are going to go this route than go with them.
Hey! I also used the guys from Petra's comment. The battery works great and is even lasting a longer time than it did before. I also just received an email yesterday saying that my battery is now covered by their new 10 year warranty. Great product, no disappointments here!
I've had a few email to my site about battery problems. In fact the iPod reminds me of Microsoft's PC platform. A lot of people have one but wish they had an iMac. As for replacing the iPod battery, I will spend the $66 only because iPods are so freeking small and my hands are so freeking big, it would be like writing a book on a Post-it note pad. If possible I would prefer the Do-It-Yourself method, because once you've mastered this you can make some extra money replacing other peoples iPods.