10-06-2012, 01:42 PM | #1 |
Guru
Posts: 944
Karma: 1490348
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Norman, OK
Device: Sony PRS 350, 900, 950; Kindles (ALL of them!); Kobo Aura One
|
PW battery
So I had it the PW fully charged yesterday.
Downloaded 4 books via 3g. Read for about 5 hours. Got an issue of the WSJ delivered to me via 3g. Played around with settings a bit and organized collections. All with screen light at 12. Now the battery is at about 35-40%. What are your experiences like? |
10-06-2012, 02:11 PM | #2 |
Nameless Being
|
I read 3 or 4 hours with the screen on at level 12 to 14 with WiFi constantly ON and my battery is down to approximately 70-80%.
If you are constantly running 3G due to WiFi issues, that is probably draining your battery pretty fast. You might want to activate Airplane mode. Also, it takes a bit out of the battery to index books, even just a few like you downloaded. I doubt we will see anything like the BS battery capacity that Amazon advertises. No way. But we should be able to at least read a few hours each day for several days. |
10-06-2012, 03:39 PM | #3 |
Layback feline
Posts: 3,034
Karma: 6980745
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: USA
Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"
|
Something I dislike of the Kindle PW: to turn wifi off, is all or nothing, including 3G ... via airplane mode
|
10-06-2012, 03:44 PM | #4 | |
Nameless Being
|
Quote:
I wish WiFi and 3G could be set separately, even though WiFi overrides 3G when WiFi is available. |
|
10-06-2012, 03:48 PM | #5 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,243
Karma: 7400001
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Circling Earth @ Mach .83
Device: Elipsa 2E, Sage, Forma, Libra 2, Clara 2E, Kindle Oasis3, Voyage
|
Yes, it can. When in a book, tap on menu, then "shop Kindle Store" and it asks if you want to turn Airplane Mode 'off.' [Cancel or OK] Perhaps not ideal but it can be done.
|
10-06-2012, 03:53 PM | #6 |
Nameless Being
|
Cool to know, thanks! Still a little Airplane icon in the book menu strip at the top of the page that simply turns it on and off would be nice, Amazon. Or you listening Amazon?
|
10-06-2012, 10:07 PM | #7 |
Nameless Being
|
After about 6 hours of reading with WiFi on and light level about 14 I'm down to approximately 2/3 charge (67%). Simple math suggests about 18 to 20 hours from full charge to a total discharge. Not very good if this rate of discharge holds up, especially since you should never discharge it below 30%. So it this rate I will get about 12 hours from full to 30%, so charging will be done quite often.
Next test I'll try using Airplane mode. |
10-06-2012, 10:51 PM | #8 | |
Wizard
Posts: 2,426
Karma: 6561538
Join Date: Nov 2007
Device: Kindle PW 2013, HDX 2013, Galaxy S5 2014
|
Recharge signal
Quote:
I presume the PW will give a signal at the same level. I've been loading books and playing around with all the controls for the last 2 days. Now all my books are loaded and I just gave it a full charge. I'll let you know when the signal goes off. I keep WiFi on all the time for autosyncing. My Kindle Fire 1st Gen averages 5:30 hrs:min and lasts 5 days; and Kindle Kbd WiFi lasts 33 days. Last edited by sirmaru; 10-06-2012 at 10:59 PM. |
|
10-06-2012, 11:34 PM | #9 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,243
Karma: 7400001
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Circling Earth @ Mach .83
Device: Elipsa 2E, Sage, Forma, Libra 2, Clara 2E, Kindle Oasis3, Voyage
|
|
10-06-2012, 11:41 PM | #10 |
Treasure Seeker
Posts: 18,708
Karma: 26026435
Join Date: Mar 2010
Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices
|
|
10-06-2012, 11:47 PM | #11 |
Guru
Posts: 944
Karma: 1490348
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Norman, OK
Device: Sony PRS 350, 900, 950; Kindles (ALL of them!); Kobo Aura One
|
So, after dropping to about 35% percent yesterday, I was reading over dinner (well, plus a break from work) for almost 3 hours. WIFI on, not 3g. In a bright place, so I had brightness almost all the way up. The kindle was completely drained at the end.
Put it back to recharge (charging now). But, by this first estimate, it has about 8-10 hours with 3g and a screen turned at the max. Maybe 12-15 hours with wifi and a screen half-way. And that's a generous interpretation. That's at most half of what I was getting with the KT with the lighted cover. With wifi/3g and the light always on, I was getting about 30 hours. And that was not very impressive. All in all, I am really not impressed with battery life of any of the ebook readers I have had. The various SONYs and the Kindles... under normal usage, I have ALWAYS had to recharge about twice a week. Granted, all of them had magazine subscriptions and I have always used 3g more than wifi because I am lazy... But this PW seems to be a 'charge every second day' device, so far. Hopefully something is skewed in my observations. |
10-07-2012, 01:21 AM | #12 | |
Nameless Being
|
Quote:
|
|
10-07-2012, 11:34 PM | #13 |
Nameless Being
|
I estimate that I got about 12 hours going from a full charge to about 30%. I kept WiFi on and the light level was about 14 most of the time. Since it is not a good idea to allow Lithium Ion and Lithium Polymer batteries to drain too low, then I'm looking at recharging every 2 or 3 days.
Amazon claims: "A single charge lasts up to eight weeks, based on a half hour of reading per day with wireless off and the light setting at 10. Battery life will vary based on light and wireless usage." That translates into 28 hours with no WiFi and light level at 10, so I guess 12 hours with WiFi and light level at 14 is about what should be expected. Still...that is a lot of recharging and that means a shorter life for the battery. |
10-08-2012, 09:10 AM | #14 | |
Wizard
Posts: 2,426
Karma: 6561538
Join Date: Nov 2007
Device: Kindle PW 2013, HDX 2013, Galaxy S5 2014
|
Extending battery life
Quote:
Charging too frequently will hit that limit faster. However, few of us will ever get close to that 500 charge number. Amazon keeps introducing new models and all of us here go for them and then discard the old models. I leave WiFi on all the time to keep my units in continuous sync and keep the PW light at level 22 (default) of the possible 24. My Kindle Fire 1st Gen was shipped to me on Nov 14, 2011. My Kindle Fire HD 7" will be shipped on Oct 25, 2012, at which time the other Fire will be going to my daughter. I have had 89 full charges on that one - far short of the 500 limit. My Kindle Kbd WiFi 3rd Gen replacement was delivered on Sep 8, 2010, and has only had 29 full charge cycles - way under the 500 limit. I'm still keeping that for my wife's use. I did a full charge on my PW and the battery icon shows only about 10% used in 2 days. Remember, I use it only in the day on a rocking chair by the living room window. I use my Kindle Fire at my desk in my Computer Room in the evening. I really doubt any of us on this Forum (active early adopters) will ever see an eReader discarded due to battery failure from old age. Last edited by sirmaru; 10-08-2012 at 09:22 AM. |
|
10-08-2012, 09:19 AM | #15 |
Addict
Posts: 219
Karma: 1009108
Join Date: Dec 2008
Device: Gave up on PW. Using Kindle Keyboard.
|
I haven't wanted to jump into this one because I'm also having pink/blue clouds and didn't want to appear to be 'piling on', but yeah, the battery life sucks. I haven't done specific measurements, just that gut instinct stuff--my KK went weeks and weeks (wifi on) without me even having to think about charging it. PW has already had to be charged up multiple times in six days of not very regular reading (and it was plugged in during my initial book load). I usually have backlight around 12 or lower. I suppose in the back of my head I'm hoping my screen-replacement unit will also have better battery life. For now, at least with my current unit, this really is feeling like the worst of all worlds in terms of product quality.
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
iLiad iLiad Battery Hacks: Part 2 -- 35 hours of battery life! A how-to guide. | jharker | iRex Developer's Corner | 107 | 11-15-2013 08:15 AM |
PRS-650 Battery going? | catsknit | Sony Reader | 3 | 08-09-2012 02:18 PM |
O Battery life, battery, wherefore art thou, battery life? | DeusExMe | Amazon Kindle | 30 | 02-21-2012 06:28 PM |
Battery help | Tazzers | Sony Reader | 22 | 07-01-2010 05:24 PM |
PRS-500 battery problem, but the battery's not the problem | ZachC | Sony Reader | 7 | 01-11-2010 11:46 PM |