As a pure gadget, the iLiad is extremely attractive, but the big disadvantages for me over the standard 6" readers are
a) Price
b) Battery life
c) No charging from USB.
With price I can just take a deep breath and accept it, but the combination of poor battery life and not being able to charge it from my laptop when travelling seem very restrictive.

When travelling, using FBReader to read text or PalmDoc files stored on a CF card, with wireless disabled and the stylus stored (which I understand disables the touchscreen), what is a realistic expectation for endurance?

Are there any options for recharging on the go, similar to the PowerToGo sleds for Palm devices, which act as an external battery pack?

What capacity battery is currently being supplied in the UK (either in Borders or at http://www.iliadreader.co.uk/, and is there any difference there between the book and regular editions?

I'd say that worst case on a new device with a fresh battery, no stylus usage, no wifi, running custom apps (haven't tested FBReader's effect on battery life, if any), you can expect at minimum 10 hours on a charge.

I'm confused on the point of USB charging. You want to charge your book reader with a laptop, but a laptop battery typically last ~3 hours (less when charging something). How do you charge the laptop?

Maybe it's because I always have access to a power outlet when traveling, but I never saw USB charging as all that useful for anything.

Maybe it's because I always have access to a power outlet when traveling, but I never saw USB charging as all that useful for anything.

Its only real benefit is a reduction in the number of chargers you have to carry around. The fact that so many devices these days have standardised on mini-USB cables for charging is certainly convenient.

The humanity is really missing a standard 5/12V power bus.

When I think about how many transformators we are having on a standard desktop in office its just redicolous. I'd really whish for some 5/12V sockets in the wall, and 1 big 230AC -> 5/12V DC transformator in cellar. Im sure the increased power-loss in the cables in the walls due to the lower voltage and thus higher current (R*I^2) is by far compensated by not having dozends and dozends of little transformators online all the time, everyone with its own powerloss.

Its just so strange every little electronic device has to come with an adaptor to the 230V bus... which is usefull for high-energy-usage devices, but not at all for electronics.

Its only real benefit is a reduction in the number of chargers you have to carry around. The fact that so many devices these days have standardised on mini-USB cables for charging is certainly convenient.

That's definitely true. It's really nice now that my mp3 player and both my cell phone and my wife's cell phone all take the same charger. Although, we're still stuck with her Palm needing a specialized charger (she has an older model).

You can't do that with the iLiad though. The power requirements for charging it are higher than what USB is capable of. Even if you added a mini-USB plug to the device, you can't charge it's battery off of the current that USB provides. The iLiad is more like a laptop in that sense. You can use it to power other things via USB, but you can't charge it's main battery that way.

I'd say that worst case on a new device with a fresh battery, no stylus usage, no wifi, running custom apps (haven't tested FBReader's effect on battery life, if any), you can expect at minimum 10 hours on a charge.

Hmm. That's right on the edge of what I'd consider good enough. Damn, hoping for a definate answer one way or the other :)

I'm confused on the point of USB charging. You want to charge your book reader with a laptop, but a laptop battery typically last ~3 hours (less when charging something). How do you charge the laptop?

Maybe it's because I always have access to a power outlet when traveling, but I never saw USB charging as all that useful for anything.

Two reasons.
First, as HarryT said, to reduce the number of specialised power cords to hump around. Pretty much everything new nowadays can be charged from a standard A->B USB cable. iPod, Palm, BlackBerry, GPS, even a PSP with a different cable, all can be charged from the laptop.
Secondly, for transatlantic flights and hanging around in airtports. I've got a fully charged laptop in my bag that isn't doing anything useful, but I can use it as an extremely expensive external battery to extend the life of the devices I'm actually using. I'm carrying it anyway, so why not get some use out of it?

Is the power adapter universal voltage, btw? The iliadreader page doesn't say one way or the other.

That's definitely true. It's really nice now that my mp3 player and both my cell phone and my wife's cell phone all take the same charger. Although, we're still stuck with her Palm needing a specialized charger (she has an older model).

One of these might do the trick:
http://www.expansys.com/p.aspx?i=101810

I charge a T3 from USB and it works fine.

Is the power adapter universal voltage, btw? The iliadreader page doesn't say one way or the other.

Might not work on the 3rd planet of Alpha Centauri, but yes, it works fine with both 110v and 230v.