It seems that the best advice for battery longevity on my MacBook Air is to keep the battery cool. It doesn't have powerful fans like the MacBook Pro, so I would think that overheating is even more of a problem on an Air than a Pro. What are the best ways to keep the MacBook Air cool?
Note: this isn't a duplicate of this question since that question (and the answers) deals with how to prevent the fan noise.
Apple only provides a few recommendations.
Use the computer on a hard surface:
Using the computer on a soft surface like a couch, pillow, bed, or your lap can trap heat requiring higher fan activity. Using the computer on a hard flat surface like a table or desk allows for optimal radiation of heat.
Don't block the fans:
Make sure the vents remain unblocked to allow your computer to perform at its best.
On the MacBook Air, the fans are located in back.
Speaking from experience, I would say that you should be cautious of running Anti-Virus apps which actively scan your computer. They are often resource intensive, and I've noticed that these apps can conflict with Spotlight and cause the CPU usage to skyrocket for a long period of time, which heats up the battery.
I got an iLap for my wife, and it works great.
