The search for truth in the universe will not be making a stop at your laptop’s battery meter.

Everyone knows that a car’s fuel gauge lies. It has to. When the needle slides over to the big E, it’s common knowledge that the gas tank isn’t exactly empty. Nope. There’s still a smidgen left, maybe enough to drive 20 miles or so. No need to panic.

Yes, mankind puts up with the falsehoods of the fuel gauge. People also seem to tolerate the fact that the needle seems to move a little slower from Full to mid-point than it crashes from mid-point down to the big E. Nope, that’s not your eyeballs deceiving you. As a recent article points out, most of the meters in your life mislead you.

Your laptop and cell phone battery meter is a thief of the truth. From the article:

When your phone still (apparently) has lots of charge left, you’re more likely to use it. People who think their phone’s going flat will make fewer, and shorter, calls. And that makes phone companies sad.

There is a motivation here. It’s not the science behind the meter, but rather the psychology behind the user that demands digital perjury. I don’t see anything wrong with that. As long as you accept it, fine. But do keep in mind that when that battery meter gets down to the red zone, and Windows or OS X warns you that it’s time to plug in or turn off, do so at once!