Fix Your Own iBook / Powerbook Batteries

File this one under: Only do this if your warranty is expired and you really cannot afford to just buy a new battery.

Cult of Mac Blog's Leander Kahney posts about cracking open the casing of an iBook battery to discover what appears to be simple AA rechargeable batteries inside (they aren't; but they do look like them), and he notes that the PowerBook's battery is similarly constructed. Very cool to see.

But, then, it gets really cool when he links to this AppleFritter forum thread, which includes a nice discussion of finding replacements for these little rechargeable wonders and methods for repairing your own ailing batteries. Pretty cool. If you should decide to do this though, be very careful. Under the wrong conditions, batteries can explode, you know.