iBatt - 2.0

Hi

I have used iBatt for quite some time but using it with my Intel-based MacPook Pro has proven to be a hit & miss affair. The feature I find most useful is the Graph which is permanently selected.

When I say 'hit & miss' I mean the iBatt information panel and twin dials always display correctly BUT either the information is missing and/or the dials don't work in about 9 out of 10 launches. Very frustrating. I was miffed to learn there was no ongoing support yet the developer is still asking for payment.

Just recently I discovered a pattern to iBatt working only sometimes. If I switch the Graph option off, the next time I launch iBatt the table fills with data and the dials work. It is only then that I activate the Graph. Before I shutdown iBatt I always switch the Graph option off.

I am not suggesting that this is the same problem that other users are experiencing but my solution works for me an my MacBook Pro, at least it has yet to fail.

I conclude that attempting to launch iBatt, having previously selected the Graph option, somehow prevents the table populating with data and the dials from working. I am sure that this is a software bug which the developer ought to fix if he intends to receive payment for this discontinued, not fully functional product. REGARDS Phil

PS - Give my solution a try and see if it works. Let me know the outcome.

I've found that I can't quit from the dock - only from the menu.

Version 2.0 doesn't work on Powerbook G4, OS X 10.4.8. Crashes on startup. I've sent the crash report to the developer, but haven't heard back yet. Unfortunately, I paid for the upgrade before I tried it.

This utility doesn't work with the MacBook!

iBatt is an interesting application, and certainly provides some cool output (the graphs and the online database/grading system are both nifty). However, whatever mechanism it uses for long-term data storage absolutely sucks. The more you run it, the slower it is to start, until it takes a good five or ten minutes to start up (while completely messing up the performance of the rest of the system). Eventually, it reaches the point where it is essentially unusable.

I would recommend iBatt for once-off use, but if you really want to monitor your battery usage over time, better to use something like Capacity Meter - what it lacks by comparison to iBatt in its ability to monitor data in real time, it more than makes up for in its ability to start in real time.