Never switching it off - is it bad for the reader?

Zorana · 04-10-2010, 11:47 PM

This question has been discussed before, but I could not browse any clear answer, so here I go again: if I never switch off my Sony PRS-900, but only put it into sleep mode, would it be bad for the device?

Switching if off and on again takes time, and waking it for the sleep mode is so quick and easy. Beside, I realized that the battery lasts very long (over two weeks) when I don't shut the reader down, but the moment when I switch it on (in case it had been switched off totally), the indication bar goes down immediately. I am only worried about the impact on the reader. Your comments will be appreciated!

Thanks,

Zorana

Ken401 · 04-10-2010, 11:57 PM

Well, I guess you will charge the battery more often, and that probably shortens its life. I have the 900 as well, and I do not shut the device down fully either. At least this reader has a user replaceable battery if/when that becomes an issue.

Zorana · 04-11-2010, 12:34 AM

Thanks for your reply, but that exactly is my impression - that the battery lasts longer when I keep my reader in the sleep mode. In fact, I use it many times every day, sometimes for hours, sometimes just to check something out very briefly, that is why the sleep mode is so very convenient for me. And if it is only about battery, my issue has been solved. I was more concerned about the machine itself.

SneakySnake · 04-11-2010, 12:38 AM

Yair!

I was wondering the same thing. I only put mine in sleep mode. Is that good enough? or is it like a laptop that likes a proper shut down occasionally?

Mike_73 · 04-11-2010, 06:24 AM

I have never shut down my 505 since I bought it (which is about 1 1/4 year) and never had problems.
I tried on my 600 (just for fun) how shutting down over night impacts battery life. My reading habits provide 7 days of battery life when on stand by. It's about 11 days if I completely shut down over night. But I don't like the boot up time and I guess this could be faster but I suspect that reader verifies that the files on the reader still match up its internal database.

So, I cannot replace any battery in my readers (well, I guess I can, but it's not as easy as on the 900) and never had a problem whether or not I completely shut down or use it in stand by. So I would just go with whatever you prefer, maybe giving the reader an occasional reboot every quarter year.

Zorana · 04-11-2010, 09:00 AM

Thanks, Mike, that is very good to know! It all makes sense, and I think I will go on using my reader in stand by, and reboot it only when I am sure I won't use it for several days.

elcreative · 04-11-2010, 10:50 AM

And I'll agree with Mike on this one... I've never shut my 505 down in over 2 years of use... I read at least an hour per day (usually a lot more) and recharge around 10 days to 2 weeks (battery strip rarely below 2 bars)... I also dislike the wait for full start compared to wake up time.

tulsa · 04-11-2010, 10:58 AM

Stupid question: there's a sleep mode? I have a 900 and never knew this. How do i put it into sleep mode?

Ken401 · 04-11-2010, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorana

Thanks for your reply, but that exactly is my impression - that the battery lasts longer when I keep my reader in the sleep mode.

My point was that you will need to replace the battery sooner as you will use up the battery's charge cycle limits somewhat sooner. Again, not a big deal for the 900.

If not shutting the device down completely causes problems like memory leak or database errors, just do a full shut down or a reset if necessary.

Zorana · 04-11-2010, 11:49 AM

Tulsa, the sleep mode and the shut down switch is the same on the left upper corner of your device. When you slide it to the right and keep for more then 3 secs, it asks you if you want to shut down, and when you press "yes", off it goes. If you just slide it briefly, it will go to the sleep mode.

tulsa · 04-11-2010, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorana

Tulsa, the sleep mode and the shut down switch is the same on the left upper corner of your device. When you slide it to the right and keep for more then 3 secs, it asks you if you want to shut down, and when you press "yes", off it goes. If you just slide it briefly, it will go to the sleep mode.

Ah, ok. Never knew that. I guess I've been putting it into sleep mode all this time while thinking I was actually turning it off. thx for the clarification.

Mike_73 · 04-11-2010, 12:34 PM

Yes, off is actually sleep mode. I think I saw something like this described within the manual, but with most intuitive stuff, most people don't read that part of the manual and just skip to the next part (including me). And I would think that a power on/off switch should be intuitive, or not???

GraceKrispy · 04-11-2010, 08:18 PM

I have had my 505 since late October 2008, and I have never shut it down either. I never really thought much about it. There was a case when i didnʻt read anything on it for about a month *gasp* and it was dead when it came time to turn it on. I plugged it in, charged it up, and didnʻt have that issue again.

Now if it wears a battery off faster to have more charging cycles, then how does that relate to the fact that I guess I am "topping it off" regularly when I hook it up to the computer to download books? Some weeks I do that almost every day, some weeks not at all. Am I wearing my battery out faster that way? is the 505 battery replaceable? I should know that, but canʻt remember...

Ken401 · 04-11-2010, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraceKrispy

Now if it wears a battery off faster to have more charging cycles, then how does that relate to the fact that I guess I am "topping it off" regularly when I hook it up to the computer to download books? Some weeks I do that almost every day, some weeks not at all. Am I wearing my battery out faster that way? is the 505 battery replaceable? I should know that, but canʻt remember...

The 505 battery is not user replaceable without taking it apart.

I don't worry about the little top-off from loading a book, but I don't intentionally charge it until it gets down to one or two bars.

Life is short, just enjoy your reader. You'll probably consider it obsolete before it needs a new battery.

Sorry if this is off topic...

04-10-2010, 11:47 PM	#1
Zorana Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Sony PRS-900	Never switching it off - is it bad for the reader? This question has been discussed before, but I could not browse any clear answer, so here I go again: if I never switch off my Sony PRS-900, but only put it into sleep mode, would it be bad for the device? Switching if off and on again takes time, and waking it for the sleep mode is so quick and easy. Beside, I realized that the battery lasts very long (over two weeks) when I don't shut the reader down, but the moment when I switch it on (in case it had been switched off totally), the indication bar goes down immediately. I am only worried about the impact on the reader. Your comments will be appreciated! Thanks, Zorana

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04-10-2010, 11:57 PM	#2
Ken401 Addict Posts: 218 Karma: 417978 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: St. Louis, MO USA Device: PRS-T1, PRS-950, PRS-505, Nexus 10, Xoom	Well, I guess you will charge the battery more often, and that probably shortens its life. I have the 900 as well, and I do not shut the device down fully either. At least this reader has a user replaceable battery if/when that becomes an issue.

04-11-2010, 12:34 AM	#3
Zorana Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Sony PRS-900	Thanks for your reply, but that exactly is my impression - that the battery lasts longer when I keep my reader in the sleep mode. In fact, I use it many times every day, sometimes for hours, sometimes just to check something out very briefly, that is why the sleep mode is so very convenient for me. And if it is only about battery, my issue has been solved. I was more concerned about the machine itself.

04-11-2010, 12:38 AM	#4
SneakySnake I'm watching you! Posts: 6,113 Karma: 22344652 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sunny Coast Qld, OZ Device: Sony PRS-900(unused lately) iPadAir2, want me Kindle Oasis	Yair! I was wondering the same thing. I only put mine in sleep mode. Is that good enough? or is it like a laptop that likes a proper shut down occasionally?

04-11-2010, 06:24 AM	#5
Mike_73 Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 1323 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, iPad 16GB Wifi, Kindle Voyage, Nexus 6, Razr HD	I have never shut down my 505 since I bought it (which is about 1 1/4 year) and never had problems. I tried on my 600 (just for fun) how shutting down over night impacts battery life. My reading habits provide 7 days of battery life when on stand by. It's about 11 days if I completely shut down over night. But I don't like the boot up time and I guess this could be faster but I suspect that reader verifies that the files on the reader still match up its internal database. So, I cannot replace any battery in my readers (well, I guess I can, but it's not as easy as on the 900) and never had a problem whether or not I completely shut down or use it in stand by. So I would just go with whatever you prefer, maybe giving the reader an occasional reboot every quarter year.

04-11-2010, 09:00 AM	#6
Zorana Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Sony PRS-900	Thanks, Mike, that is very good to know! It all makes sense, and I think I will go on using my reader in stand by, and reboot it only when I am sure I won't use it for several days.

04-11-2010, 10:50 AM	#7
elcreative Wizard Posts: 2,888 Karma: 5875940 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: PRS505, 600, 350, 650, Nexus 7, Note III, iPad 4 etc	And I'll agree with Mike on this one... I've never shut my 505 down in over 2 years of use... I read at least an hour per day (usually a lot more) and recharge around 10 days to 2 weeks (battery strip rarely below 2 bars)... I also dislike the wait for full start compared to wake up time.

04-11-2010, 10:58 AM	#8
tulsa Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 488 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Tulsa, OK, USA Device: Kindle 2, Sony PRS 900	Stupid question: there's a sleep mode? I have a 900 and never knew this. How do i put it into sleep mode?

04-11-2010, 11:49 AM	#10
Zorana Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Sony PRS-900	Tulsa, the sleep mode and the shut down switch is the same on the left upper corner of your device. When you slide it to the right and keep for more then 3 secs, it asks you if you want to shut down, and when you press "yes", off it goes. If you just slide it briefly, it will go to the sleep mode.

04-11-2010, 12:34 PM	#12
Mike_73 Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 1323 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, iPad 16GB Wifi, Kindle Voyage, Nexus 6, Razr HD	Yes, off is actually sleep mode. I think I saw something like this described within the manual, but with most intuitive stuff, most people don't read that part of the manual and just skip to the next part (including me). And I would think that a power on/off switch should be intuitive, or not???

04-11-2010, 08:18 PM	#13
GraceKrispy It's Dr. Penguin now! Posts: 3,909 Karma: 4705733 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: (USA) Device: iPad mini, Samsung Note 3, Sony PRS-650 (rarely used now)	I have had my 505 since late October 2008, and I have never shut it down either. I never really thought much about it. There was a case when i didnʻt read anything on it for about a month gasp and it was dead when it came time to turn it on. I plugged it in, charged it up, and didnʻt have that issue again. Now if it wears a battery off faster to have more charging cycles, then how does that relate to the fact that I guess I am "topping it off" regularly when I hook it up to the computer to download books? Some weeks I do that almost every day, some weeks not at all. Am I wearing my battery out faster that way? is the 505 battery replaceable? I should know that, but canʻt remember...

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