Unofficial iPod Battery Week

Or at least that's what it seems to be turning into. Two vendors this week announced major iPod battery initiatives.

First, the people at FastMac publicly announced their TruePower batteries for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gen iPods. TruePower promises charges that last two to three times as long, and a battery that lasts through nearly seven times as many charging cycles, as the OEM iPod LiON battery. If the TruePower claims are true, or even half true, this is great news for iPod owners, especially starting at $29.95. Mini, 4th gen, and iPod Photo batteries coming soon.

The folks at TechRestore have taken a different tack. Their iPod Battery Freedom lifetime battery replacement service offers 24 hour turnaround battery replacement for as long as you own your iPod for a one time fee of $99 plus $12.99 S&H on subsequent replacements. You don't even have to get up from the computer to ship them your 'Pod; for an additional $19.99, they'll schedule overnight pickup anywhere in the U.S. It will take a couple of replacements for this to pay for itself, but you can't beat the convenience.

For those interested in the full range of available iPod battery options, the iPod Battery FAQ has a nice rundown.