Battery Indicator

silverraven · 04-08-2010, 12:24 PM

OK, this is probably going to be a stupid question, but I am confused. My mom has a Pocket Pro. I did not put the latest firmware on it. It's working fine. But, the battery indicator only shows gray with a lightening bolt in it. I haven't seen it myself, this is according to my mom. I even had her plug it up for a few hours (wall charger) and after unplugging it still is gray with the the lightning bolt.
Any one have any ideas? I told her to just let it stay plugged up for a few more hours to see what it does.
S

Robertb · 04-08-2010, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverraven

OK, this is probably going to be a stupid question, but I am confused. My mom has a Pocket Pro. I did not put the latest firmware on it. It's working fine. But, the battery indicator only shows gray with a lightening bolt in it. I haven't seen it myself, this is according to my mom. I even had her plug it up for a few hours (wall charger) and after unplugging it still is gray with the the lightning bolt.
Any one have any ideas? I told her to just let it stay plugged up for a few more hours to see what it does.
S

Dear Silverraven:

IF the unit is being charged and is also OFF, you will see a gray with a lightning bolt on the screen even though it is off. When the device is "on" you will see a gray with lightning bolt where the battery charge life indicator is located. Only after you are charged and unplugged will these go away.

IF the unit is charged and totally unplugged and you are seeeing this... that would not be normal and a fast call to 1-866-368-8788 or an email to support@astak.com should be made. She should charge OVERNIGHT 8-12 hours.

theducks · 04-08-2010, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverraven

OK, this is probably going to be a stupid question, but I am confused. My mom has a Pocket Pro. I did not put the latest firmware on it. It's working fine. But, the battery indicator only shows gray with a lightening bolt in it. I haven't seen it myself, this is according to my mom. I even had her plug it up for a few hours (wall charger) and after unplugging it still is gray with the the lightning bolt.
Any one have any ideas? I told her to just let it stay plugged up for a few more hours to see what it does.
S

12 hours (continuously) on charge for the first few charges to calibrate the indicator. Short initial charges confuse

things.

The lightning bolt should not be showing if the unit is not being charged.

That said, the unit may have locked up and is not refreshing the screen.
Gently press the reset button (in a hole) on the back with a dull pointed object for a few seconds.

silverraven · 04-09-2010, 02:17 PM

OK, so she charged it for 12 hours last night. It showed full battery this morning. She read for about 30 minutes today. She locked the keyboard. Came back about an hour later to read, and kept getting 4 beeps. It wouldn't do anything else. She called me. I had her plug it into the wall. I had her leave it for a couple minutes, then unplug it again. After unplugging it, it would turn on, but then gave her the low battery warning.
So, what is going on? The only thing different is I got a Transcend 8gb card to replace the 2gb card that came with it.
Any ideas? I haven't talked her through reset yet, was kind of hoping to avoid anything very complicated for her.
S

theducks · 04-09-2010, 03:32 PM

Sorry, but Latest firmware is only true at the time of install

Not knowing when you got this latest firmware requires asking these questions.
Dec 09, Mar 10, Apr 10 ?
The Mar 10 was pulled because of reported issues, including rapid battery drain.

I use the Dec 09 version to read EPUB, lock screen frequently with no battery charge issues (multi week with thousands of page turns on a charge)
I suggest your mother call Astak Support since the PEz is in her possesion and can perform the tasks suggested by Astak support and report the results.

DaleDe · 04-09-2010, 04:26 PM

How old is this unit? Generally it needs to be run down a time or two to calibrate the gauge. It may be that you will not have any further problem once it knows where zero is.

Dale

jusmee · 04-09-2010, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

How old is this unit? Generally it needs to be run down a time or two to calibrate the gauge. It may be that you will not have any further problem once it knows where zero is.

Dale

Actually, I would have hoped that the detection of a battery too low to allow turn on would be independent of the battery gauge. The electronics in the reader will have an absolute minimum voltage specification, and protection against operation below that voltage should against a known voltage reference (not some vague 'calibration' against a partially charged battery). It's an easy, simple, and cheap electronic circuit.

DaleDe · 04-09-2010, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jusmee

Actually, I would have hoped that the detection of a battery too low to allow turn on would be independent of the battery gauge. The electronics in the reader will have an absolute minimum voltage specification, and protection against operation below that voltage should against a known voltage reference (not some vague 'calibration' against a partially charged battery). It's an easy, simple, and cheap electronic circuit.

It is and it does, that is why there is still enough power to beep at you and flash the lights. The problem is that there is no warning for the user other than the battery gauge thus it seems to be on full until it fails.

Dale

jusmee · 04-09-2010, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

It is and it does, that is why there is still enough power to beep at you and flash the lights. The problem is that there is no warning for the user other than the battery gauge thus it seems to be on full until it fails.

Dale

Oh, I see what you were getting at then. I still prefer my other theory that it gets in a state that runs the battery down fast. Just from my own experience, I know my battery gauge, and how it changes with regard to battery, fairly well by now. I know my unit works with just one bar left. However, I had mine go from full - 4 bars, to unable to power on, within a couple of idle hours.

silverraven · 04-09-2010, 05:49 PM

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be so vague. I'm just very upset about this. I got the unit March 11 of this year. I put on the Dec 09 firmware. It was working fine until this new SD card was installed.(I kept it and played with it for a few weeks before sending it to my mom) It has been charged for twelve hours 2 times. I understand it will take a few times to calibrate the battery indicator. What worries me is the 30 minute run time. Then it being so dead it won't even turn on.
I would have her call tech support but she is 83 years old and quite frankly can't handle calling any tech support. If no one here has any suggestions I will have to call tomorrow and then relay directions for her. That is just the way it is with older people.
Could a bad SD card cause this?
Thanks for any help
S

jusmee · 04-09-2010, 06:02 PM

If you want to eliminate the SD card, why not just copy some books to the internal memory (it will hold weeks and weeks of reading at least), remove the card, and see what happens?

theducks · 04-09-2010, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverraven

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be so vague. I'm just very upset about this. I got the unit March 11 of this year. I put on the Dec 09 firmware. It was working fine until this new SD card was installed.(I kept it and played with it for a few weeks before sending it to my mom) It has been charged for twelve hours 2 times. I understand it will take a few times to calibrate the battery indicator. What worries me is the 30 minute run time. Then it being so dead it won't even turn on.
I would have her call tech support but she is 83 years old and quite frankly can't handle calling any tech support. If no one here has any suggestions I will have to call tomorrow and then relay directions for her. That is just the way it is with older people.
Could a bad SD card cause this?
Thanks for any help
S

There was a thread a long while back that polled users on size and brand of SD card (trying to pin down battery issues with the first couple of releases). I believe they discovered that a locked keypad was only being ignored if the key was pressed, thus draining the battery if the key had pressure), that was corecte before the Dec release.
Next question: What format of book EPUB, LIT ... ? (the old process of elimination trick

)

silverraven · 04-09-2010, 06:39 PM

Quote:

I believe they discovered that a locked keypad was only being ignored if the key was pressed, thus draining the battery if the key had pressure), that was corecte before the Dec release.

Uh, I'm gonna blame it on the allergy medicine I am on for making my brain slow, but I think I lost you on that one. Which key had pressure? I really hope Transcend wasn't one of the 'bad' brands, I just ordered 3!
All the books have always been epub. I've got so many readers that I have to maintain that epub is just easier cause all of them read epubs.
The reader is charging (again) and I had her remove the SD card. We'll see what happens next.
S

theducks · 04-09-2010, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverraven

Uh, I'm gonna blame it on the allergy medicine I am on for making my brain slow, but I think I lost you on that one. Which key had pressure? I really hope Transcend wasn't one of the 'bad' brands, I just ordered 3!
All the books have always been epub. I've got so many readers that I have to maintain that epub is just easier cause all of them read epubs.
The reader is charging (again) and I had her remove the SD card. We'll see what happens next.
S

Any of the ones on the front (weight on the cover might also press the keys).

Absolutely no problems reading, locking epubs here. I use "Patriot brand", so I can't answer. Maybe someone else here that uses your brand will speak up.

silverraven · 04-10-2010, 10:21 AM

I had mom remove the SD card after charging last night, and talked her through loading books straight to the internal memory. She read for 3 hours last night. When she was through reading she went ahead and totally turned the reader off instead of keyboard lock. Battery is still full.
So, it is either the SD card, or the keyboard lock not functioning. I know the 2 GB card that came with it was used with keyboard lock with no problem. Which leads me to believe that it is the SD card. Am I thinking right on this? I looked for a thread on what specific brand of SD cards to buy, but I couldn't find one. Do the cards have to be a certain brand or class? Do higher GB cards drain the battery? I thought the Pocket Pro could use an 8 GB sdhc card. I think it is a class 2. I have a newer Transcend 8GB Class 2 SDHC card in my 6" EZ Reader and am having no problems. Could it be the age of the card? The one my mom has is about 3 years old.
It's all a mystery. I hate to have her try the card in the reader again. It can't be good for the battery to drain it like that. I'm open for any other ideas anyone has.
S

04-08-2010, 12:24 PM	#1
silverraven Guru Posts: 967 Karma: 3438612 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle 4NTB x 4	Battery Indicator OK, this is probably going to be a stupid question, but I am confused. My mom has a Pocket Pro. I did not put the latest firmware on it. It's working fine. But, the battery indicator only shows gray with a lightening bolt in it. I haven't seen it myself, this is according to my mom. I even had her plug it up for a few hours (wall charger) and after unplugging it still is gray with the the lightning bolt. Any one have any ideas? I told her to just let it stay plugged up for a few more hours to see what it does. S

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04-09-2010, 02:17 PM	#4
silverraven Guru Posts: 967 Karma: 3438612 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle 4NTB x 4	OK, so she charged it for 12 hours last night. It showed full battery this morning. She read for about 30 minutes today. She locked the keyboard. Came back about an hour later to read, and kept getting 4 beeps. It wouldn't do anything else. She called me. I had her plug it into the wall. I had her leave it for a couple minutes, then unplug it again. After unplugging it, it would turn on, but then gave her the low battery warning. So, what is going on? The only thing different is I got a Transcend 8gb card to replace the 2gb card that came with it. Any ideas? I haven't talked her through reset yet, was kind of hoping to avoid anything very complicated for her. S

04-09-2010, 03:32 PM	#5
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,763 Karma: 54401244 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Sorry, but Latest firmware is only true at the time of install Not knowing when you got this latest firmware requires asking these questions. Dec 09, Mar 10, Apr 10 ? The Mar 10 was pulled because of reported issues, including rapid battery drain. I use the Dec 09 version to read EPUB, lock screen frequently with no battery charge issues (multi week with thousands of page turns on a charge) I suggest your mother call Astak Support since the PEz is in her possesion and can perform the tasks suggested by Astak support and report the results.

04-09-2010, 04:26 PM	#6
DaleDe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,470 Karma: 13095790 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7	How old is this unit? Generally it needs to be run down a time or two to calibrate the gauge. It may be that you will not have any further problem once it knows where zero is. Dale

04-09-2010, 05:49 PM	#10
silverraven Guru Posts: 967 Karma: 3438612 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle 4NTB x 4	I'm sorry, I don't mean to be so vague. I'm just very upset about this. I got the unit March 11 of this year. I put on the Dec 09 firmware. It was working fine until this new SD card was installed.(I kept it and played with it for a few weeks before sending it to my mom) It has been charged for twelve hours 2 times. I understand it will take a few times to calibrate the battery indicator. What worries me is the 30 minute run time. Then it being so dead it won't even turn on. I would have her call tech support but she is 83 years old and quite frankly can't handle calling any tech support. If no one here has any suggestions I will have to call tomorrow and then relay directions for her. That is just the way it is with older people. Could a bad SD card cause this? Thanks for any help S

04-09-2010, 06:02 PM	#11
jusmee Wizard Posts: 1,047 Karma: 203682 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Libre 2	If you want to eliminate the SD card, why not just copy some books to the internal memory (it will hold weeks and weeks of reading at least), remove the card, and see what happens?

04-10-2010, 10:21 AM	#15
silverraven Guru Posts: 967 Karma: 3438612 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle 4NTB x 4	I had mom remove the SD card after charging last night, and talked her through loading books straight to the internal memory. She read for 3 hours last night. When she was through reading she went ahead and totally turned the reader off instead of keyboard lock. Battery is still full. So, it is either the SD card, or the keyboard lock not functioning. I know the 2 GB card that came with it was used with keyboard lock with no problem. Which leads me to believe that it is the SD card. Am I thinking right on this? I looked for a thread on what specific brand of SD cards to buy, but I couldn't find one. Do the cards have to be a certain brand or class? Do higher GB cards drain the battery? I thought the Pocket Pro could use an 8 GB sdhc card. I think it is a class 2. I have a newer Transcend 8GB Class 2 SDHC card in my 6" EZ Reader and am having no problems. Could it be the age of the card? The one my mom has is about 3 years old. It's all a mystery. I hate to have her try the card in the reader again. It can't be good for the battery to drain it like that. I'm open for any other ideas anyone has. S

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