Brief Hands-On Report--Apple released Battery Update 1.2 for MacBook and MacBook Pros

Battery Update 1.2 is available for download via Software Update if you have a MacBook or MacBook Pro or as a stand-alone updater from this Apple Web page. According to Apple,

Battery Update 1.2 updates battery firmware and improves battery functionality.

After Battery Update has been installed, each battery you insert into your MacBook or MacBook Pro will be updated automatically. Your computer's power cord must be connected and plugged into a working power source.

Installation of Battery Update 1.2 requires Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later.

The Battery Update 1.2 supports the following products:

MacBook
MacBook (Late 2006)
MacBook Pro (15-inch)
MacBook Pro (15-inch Glossy)
MacBook Pro (15-inch Core 2 Duo)
MacBook Pro (17-inch)
MacBook Pro (17-inch Core 2 Duo)

Battery Update 1.2 places a file in the System/Library/SystemConfiguration folder called BatteryUpdater.bundle. The BatteryUpdater.bundle will check to see if a battery needs to be updated on startup, wake from sleep, and when a battery is inserted. If in these cases there is no AC power supplied, it will then wait until AC power is present and then check to see if the battery needs to be updated. If the battery needs to be updated it will update it automatically. Wait 30 seconds before you validate the installation.

We downloaded Battery Update 1.2 via Software Update and installed it in our 15" MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo. We decided to restart and when we did it took longer than normal at a blue screen during the startup process, possibly applying the firmware update to our battery. Then, startup proceeded normally. We haven't noticed any appreciable change in battery life. [Bill Fox]