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The battery on my 4 year old iBook G4 (12" screen) is on the last of its last legs, to the point that unplugging the AC adapter occasionally causes the computer to completely shut down with no warning whatsoever. So I need a new one. My question is, how cheap can I go? I don't want to pay $130 for a new one from Apple (seriously, I love their hardware and OS but they can stick their markups on replacement parts up their ass), but I don't trust a "slightly used" battery for $40, either. What's a good online supplier for replacement laptop batteries, and how much should I reasonably expect to pay for one that's going to last a few years?

Hi, Red. I know almost nothing about laptops, but what I do know is that my mom was recently looking for a battery replacement for her old VTech cordless phone, and my online searching would have been fruitless were it not for the Battery Canada website that specializes in batteries. I ordered from them, got my order quick, and the replacement batteries worked great.

Anyways, I was fortunate enough to keep the website bookmarked; and, on a hunch, I searched to see if they have laptop batteries. Lo and behold, they do; here in particular is a page for batteries for a bunch of Apple laptops, including several iBook G4s: http://www.batterycanada.com/apple_laptop_batteries.htm They seem expensive, too, though (maybe more so with the shipping). Maybe it will not be helpful at all, but on the off chance it may help you, I tell you anyway.

You don't want a used battery. LiIon chemistry ages regardless of use.

OWC is a reputable shop for all things Macintosh; a new battery won't be inexpensive, though.