Battery

The battery is "empty" when it is new. Extended charging "fills" it up for the first time.

Then, in normal use it doesn't get emptied, just lower.

Rechargeable batteries lose their charge over time, even when not connected to anything (self-discharge). Since the batteries are commonly sitting on shelves for extended periods before purchase by the end user, even if they had been charged at manufacture time, they would most likely have lost that charge by the time the end user bought it. That would waste time and energy at the factory, with no advantage to the customer.

Answers so far are correct- however new technology from Varta for one means the cells are fully usable after purchase(they hold charge). Varta make a brilliant cell charger for AA & AAA NiMH cells- 5 mins from flat to fully charged!(15 min charger)- I own two- & no- I don't work for or are paid by Varta!. I just appreciate the convenience after traditional C10 charge of NiCd & NiMH cells- 14-16 hours!.

WOW! That's interesting. Last Februrary I checked a computer made in February 1989, with a soldered-in original battery by Varta, and it still had the correct date in its real time clock! Still running after 20 years! Sounds like Varta is a good company...

To add to present replies:

Ni-Cd batteries had "Memory" of its 1st 2-3 cycle of charge/discharge so these should be fully charged for 12-14 hours & let to discharge to their end point voltage at least 5 cycles.

It may had been overcome laely by latest technology, but it had in past & a battery recharged before its discharge to End-Point for 2/3 times will not work below that point.

About the latest types of batteries being used in Mobile devices like phones, Notebooks, Laptops, Toys may be free of the Ni-Cd bug ????

The batteries for mobile phones these days are, almost without exception, of the lithium cell variety. That being the case, memory effects peculiar to NiCad cells are not relevant here. All you need do with a new Li cell battery is charge it fully and then use it.

Thanks