Longing for The Battery Update From Sony

Vienna01 · 07-12-2007, 12:59 AM

Every day I log onto the board looking for a comment that Sony has posted "THE FIX" I am getting very tired of removing the cover to reset etc. If they are delaying the fix to add other less critical things shame on them. I understand that developers like to add FEATURES as well as FIXES but HEH...

If someone will create a step by step tutorial for downloading AND using the universal flasher approach to add a battery fix, I am desperate enough to try it. I am sure that I too will have sweaty palms like some other forum member shared with us.

If SONY would schedule the fix release for us, that would help my angst (sp??). I could even live with several revised schedules, but having no information is not comfortable.

In my view the reader is broken.

SONY do you hear???

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/ima...add1/smash.gif

HarryT · 07-12-2007, 03:52 AM

Could you not recharge using the wall charger? That way you wouldn't have to reset your Reader.

Stingo · 07-12-2007, 06:14 AM

Even if you recharge using the wall charger you still have to go through the turn on turn off trick. Within a day or two you no longer trust the battery bars again.

It is a shame when a manufacturer does not update the software in their product. It is reprehensible when they do, break something and then don't fix it. I can't wait for some viable alternatives in the US market. Sony is winning no loyalty from me.

HarryT · 07-12-2007, 06:31 AM

I'm afraid that I condider this to be a complete "non issue", although I appreciate that it's more important than that to you. My belief is that, once you're reset the meter, it reads correctly until you recharge your Reader again. I only recharge about once every three weeks, and don't consider something that takes no more than a few seconds to do every three weeks to be anything to lose sleep over.

Yes, it's slightly irritating, but no more than that. The Reader is so excellent overall that a bug this trivial certainly doesn't alter my views of it.

Dr. Drib · 07-12-2007, 07:33 AM

...but I do that anyway.

I just plug my unit into the wall - on - and then turn it off and then on again. That's it. I leave it on for about 4 hours.

Keep in mind that I've only charged my Reader about 7 or 8 times since I purchased it toward the end of December, so it's actually hard to remember the PRECISE steps I go through.

However, once the battery is charged, it's - as Harry states - for me, too, a non-issue. It's accurate and lasts about 3-4 weeks depending on how many page turns I get as I read.

I do expect to be charging more as the Reader's battery begins to become less-efficient through age.

How long does your charge last? Also, what exact steps do you go through? And finally, do you feel like your battery is lasting a long time?

Don

athlonkmf · 07-12-2007, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm afraid that I condider this to be a complete "non issue", although I appreciate that it's more important than that to you. My belief is that, once you're reset the meter, it reads correctly until you recharge your Reader again. I only recharge about once every three weeks, and don't consider something that takes no more than a few seconds to do every three weeks to be anything to lose sleep over.

Yes, it's slightly irritating, but no more than that. The Reader is so excellent overall that a bug this trivial certainly doesn't alter my views of it.

even if it's a nonissue for some, it's not a good sign that an expected firmware update is not coming.

NatCh · 07-12-2007, 12:55 PM

Before I did the reflash thing to fix the battery, I got to where I left my Reader on when I charged it from the wall -- that resets the meter, and doesn't add as many extra steps.

HarryT · 07-12-2007, 12:58 PM

Good point!

Vienna01 · 07-12-2007, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm afraid that I condider this to be a complete "non issue", although I appreciate that it's more important than that to you. My belief is that, once you're reset the meter, it reads correctly until you recharge your Reader again. I only recharge about once every three weeks, and don't consider something that takes no more than a few seconds to do every three weeks to be anything to lose sleep over.

Yes, it's slightly irritating, but no more than that. The Reader is so excellent overall that a bug this trivial certainly doesn't alter my views of it.

Maybe I have two problems. The battery issue frequently is accompanied by my reader hanging and displaying FORMATTING. This for a book, for which several- to- many pages have already been read. The book is in main memory AND the book was placed on the reader using PC based Connect SW. Book is not a "DRM'ed Book either; plain old lrf format. I don't believe the book file NEEDS FORMATTING IN THIS SITUATION.

My wife has become the principal user of the reader. She is "computer adverse". Therefore if the reader does anything wrong IT IS a big problem for me. The formatting hang is fixed using the battery reset technique but it stops her reading of course.

A consumer product designed for the masses needs to have the correct battery level display because there are many users who do not read this board. Users are confused by a display that tells them to recharge too often. Yes they can call the help desk but that is asking the user to invest more time/effort into using a "consumer" product.

Many Many people HATE Microsoft's Windows OS. They use it because they have little choice if they wish to use many programs that are not supported by Apple. UNIX variants are still too GEEKY for the average consumer. DO we want reader users to be P.O.ed at the Sony Reader too? For me the BUG is a MAJOR annoyance. For many I suspect it is a turn-off that will result in a turn-off.

If the battery bug was only about the display AND IF the reader was targeted to users who have a higher threshold for pain than the average consumer (like many forum members seem to be) the BATTERY BUG would be a minor issue.

I think I have stumbled onto a few interesting expressions. My opinions of course:
Saying a book is DRMed infers the negativity that it is.
A "turn-off that results in a turn-off " says it all I think.

AM I

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/ima...dead_horse.gif

Nogg · 07-12-2007, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vienna01

Maybe I have two problems. The battery issue frequently is accompanied by my reader hanging and displaying FORMATTING.

Are you saying that your reader hangs when you recharge your reader and then turn it off/on to reset the battery meter?

If so, it sounds like you have a specific issue that needs to be addressed separately.

Could you describe for us exactly what actions cause your reader to hang?

Vienna01 · 07-12-2007, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nogg

Are you saying that your reader hangs when you recharge your reader and then turn it off/on to reset the battery meter?

If so, it sounds like you have a specific issue that needs to be addressed separately.

Could you describe for us exactly what actions cause your reader to hang?

With the reader not connected to the charger it goes into a "formatting" routine that does not end (in a reasonable time) without intervention. Connecting it to the charger and executing the battery fix routine fixes the problem temporarily. As I recall, I did not experience this problem before the Sony official update.

I have been thinking more about the battery bug that I see. In the case w/o the formatting problem when the meter reads half or 1/4 full, I connect the reader to the charger. The red light only is on for a very short time. I then guess that the battery indication was in error-the battery was fully charged. I then return it to my wife's waiting hands. If I connect the charger AND turn the reader on to a page etc, the lighting bolt DOES remain on as long as the charger is connected even though the red light goes out.

BettyE · 07-13-2007, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, it's slightly irritating, but no more than that. The Reader is so excellent overall that a bug this trivial certainly doesn't alter my views of it.

It makes me alter my view of Sony.

I work for an electronics manufacturer and work very closely with the design and QA engineers. If we had a problem that 100% of the users will see because it involves a fundamental function, our engineers would work night and day to solve it. If they found the solution, they would not hold off to consolidate it with other changes.

I expected the problem to be fixed within a week, or a month at the longest. The fact that it is not fixed 5 months later makes me think they don't have a fix.

It also makes me wonder - what kind of testing did they do before the firmware release?

Betty

Nogg · 07-13-2007, 02:08 AM

Are there specific actions that cause the formatting issue to happen? For instance, turning the device on, changing pages, etc?

Also, I know the book itself is in main memory, but do you have a memory card in the device?

I'm not sure what else you've tried to fix the issue, but a "paperclip in the hole in the back" reset might be useful.

Besides that, you could use the flasher to revert back to the original firmware. There are instructions in the main flasher thread.

Your third option may be to call Sony and see how they can help you. You never know, they might actually be able to help.

HarryT · 07-13-2007, 03:14 AM

When you load a book for the first time, you'll get the "Formatting..." message, but it should be a "one time" thing and, even for a large book, take no more than a minute. If you are repeatedly getting it, you appear to have a problem which is completely unrelated to the battery meter issue.

HarryT · 07-13-2007, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vienna01

I have been thinking more about the battery bug that I see. In the case w/o the formatting problem when the meter reads half or 1/4 full, I connect the reader to the charger. The red light only is on for a very short time. I then guess that the battery indication was in error-the battery was fully charged.

It sounds as though you aren't resetting the meter after charging. When the red light goes out, disconnect the wall charger, turn the Reader on, and momentarily re-connect the charger. The meter will immediately jump to "full" and is now reading correctly.

Quote:

If I connect the charger AND turn the reader on to a page etc, the lighting bolt DOES remain on as long as the charger is connected even though the red light goes out.

The "Lightning bolt" simply means that the charger is connected, not that the machine is charging. The red light tells you when it's finished charging.

07-12-2007, 12:59 AM	#1
Vienna01 Old Dog Learns New Tricks Posts: 123 Karma: 142 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Maryland USA Device: Sony PRS-500,PocketBook 301, Sony 650	Longing for The Battery Update From Sony Every day I log onto the board looking for a comment that Sony has posted "THE FIX" I am getting very tired of removing the cover to reset etc. If they are delaying the fix to add other less critical things shame on them. I understand that developers like to add FEATURES as well as FIXES but HEH... If someone will create a step by step tutorial for downloading AND using the universal flasher approach to add a battery fix, I am desperate enough to try it. I am sure that I too will have sweaty palms like some other forum member shared with us. If SONY would schedule the fix release for us, that would help my angst (sp??). I could even live with several revised schedules, but having no information is not comfortable. In my view the reader is broken. SONY do you hear??? https://www.mobileread.com/forums/ima...add1/smash.gif

07-12-2007, 07:33 AM	#5
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 44,737 Karma: 55645321 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	Yes, it may be a hassle to turn it off and then turn it on... ...but I do that anyway. I just plug my unit into the wall - on - and then turn it off and then on again. That's it. I leave it on for about 4 hours. Keep in mind that I've only charged my Reader about 7 or 8 times since I purchased it toward the end of December, so it's actually hard to remember the PRECISE steps I go through. However, once the battery is charged, it's - as Harry states - for me, too, a non-issue. It's accurate and lasts about 3-4 weeks depending on how many page turns I get as I read. I do expect to be charging more as the Reader's battery begins to become less-efficient through age. How long does your charge last? Also, what exact steps do you go through? And finally, do you feel like your battery is lasting a long time? Don

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07-12-2007, 03:52 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Could you not recharge using the wall charger? That way you wouldn't have to reset your Reader.

07-12-2007, 06:14 AM	#3
Stingo Fanatic Posts: 559 Karma: 1334691 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Miami Device: KH2O, KPW2, KDXG, KPW1, K3, S505	Even if you recharge using the wall charger you still have to go through the turn on turn off trick. Within a day or two you no longer trust the battery bars again. It is a shame when a manufacturer does not update the software in their product. It is reprehensible when they do, break something and then don't fix it. I can't wait for some viable alternatives in the US market. Sony is winning no loyalty from me.

07-12-2007, 06:31 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm afraid that I condider this to be a complete "non issue", although I appreciate that it's more important than that to you. My belief is that, once you're reset the meter, it reads correctly until you recharge your Reader again. I only recharge about once every three weeks, and don't consider something that takes no more than a few seconds to do every three weeks to be anything to lose sleep over. Yes, it's slightly irritating, but no more than that. The Reader is so excellent overall that a bug this trivial certainly doesn't alter my views of it.

07-12-2007, 12:55 PM	#7
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Before I did the reflash thing to fix the battery, I got to where I left my Reader on when I charged it from the wall -- that resets the meter, and doesn't add as many extra steps.

07-12-2007, 12:58 PM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Good point!

07-13-2007, 02:08 AM	#13
Nogg Literate! Posts: 256 Karma: 2247 Join Date: Mar 2007 Device: PRS-500	Are there specific actions that cause the formatting issue to happen? For instance, turning the device on, changing pages, etc? Also, I know the book itself is in main memory, but do you have a memory card in the device? I'm not sure what else you've tried to fix the issue, but a "paperclip in the hole in the back" reset might be useful. Besides that, you could use the flasher to revert back to the original firmware. There are instructions in the main flasher thread. Your third option may be to call Sony and see how they can help you. You never know, they might actually be able to help.

07-13-2007, 03:14 AM	#14
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	When you load a book for the first time, you'll get the "Formatting..." message, but it should be a "one time" thing and, even for a large book, take no more than a minute. If you are repeatedly getting it, you appear to have a problem which is completely unrelated to the battery meter issue.

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