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Originally Posted by Ken Maltby
So.... you don't have a JetBook Lite (JBL), right?
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Right.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Maltby
You are telling us that you use AA rechargeables in a "camera and external flash", right?
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Right. If you read a little closer, you will see I mentioned I also use AAs elsewhere on a more frequent basis.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Maltby
And this tells us something about battery use for the Jetbook, how again?
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I'm reporting the results I've had with the Eneloops and the poorer results I've had with regular chargeables. Readers can decide for themselves if the Eneloops would be suitable for their usage. Again, if you read a little more closely, I gave the OP scenarios that could determine if the Eneloops or higher capacity would be more suitable for his mother's reading habits.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Maltby
I don't understand how recharging a set of AA batteries is such a big production for you. It only takes a couple of minutes for me to replace the batteries in my JBL and put the used ones into the charger and plug the charger in.
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A set of two or four AAs wouldn't be a big deal. However, I do not have only a set of two or four AAs. My camera uses four AAs and the external flash uses another set of four AAs. I get three to four hundred photos on a set of batteries, depending on how often I use the zoom. The flash eats batteries at a higher rate per shot but doesn't get used as often (I frequently use the flash even in full daylight for shadow fill) so usage is about even between the camera and the flash. I have been known to take 1700 photos over a two day period. 1000 in a day is not unusual. I usually will carry two to four sets of four in my pocket if I'm not lugging my boat anchor...er...purse with me. I keep a few more sets in my luggage so I don't have to remember to pack or unpack when I hit the road (I have ADD so remembering things is a problem for me; having only one kind of battery per size also simplifies my life).
That's just for my Canon. I also have an older HP camera that I keep in my purse for those oddball shots I may need on the fly (candid shots, portable "scanner," etc.; it uses two AAs, something newer small cameras do not anymore). I carry a cell phone without a camera for emergency phone calls only. It stays off until I need it to conserve battery life. My three wireless computer mice use two AAs each as does my computer keyboard. My music keyboard (used infrequently) takes six AAs. Then there are the three analog clocks in my house (readable when I don't have my glasses on) that use one AA each. I'll let you do the math if you really want a total. Btw, this doesn't include the AAAs I use.
So surely you can see now that charging batteries IS a big deal for me, especially if I have to do it every month (non-rechargeables wouldn't be cost effective). It takes roughly 12 hours to charge a set of four batteries (I do not like to charge any faster than 500mA, and prefer 200 mA, to prolong the life of the batteries). The smart charger I use is expensive and having a battery of them would be both expensive and space consuming so minimizing the frequency of battery charges is highly desireable. Also, the life of any rechargeable battery is also dependent on the number of times it gets recharged so not having to charge batteries every month, even though unused, not only saves a huge amount of time, it extends the life of the batteries.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Maltby
If I were someone who could go two or three months without using my ebook reader, I guess I would use a quick one hour charger or use regular primary/throw away batteries. (I can't really picture anyone using an ebook reader that way though.)
Luck;
Ken
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Again, I suggested alternatives to the OP for a scenario similar to the one you suggest. I didn't mention throwaways because the OP specifically inquired about rechargeables (throwaways are environmentally irresponsible). As far as you not being able to conceive someone not using an ebook reader infrequently, keep in mind not everyone is you. I personally plan on using an e-book reader only when away from the house. When at home, I either use my computer screen (zoomed in so I can kick back in my chair and not hover 14" from the screen or my 32" TV at a comfortable TV viewing distance (one of my mice serves as a remote). And as long as the newer e-books have DRM, I'll still be buying paper books.
Again, I must mention quick charging a rechargeable is deadly to its life. It much better to have a set already charged at a safe rate ready to pop in when needed than to drastically shorten battery life with a quick charger. Forcing a current through a battery to charge it creates heat. As long as the charge rate is low enough, not enough heat is generated to harm the battery. But the more current one forces through the battery, the more heat is generated. The more heat, the sooner the battery will fail due to heat related damage. If you use a one hour charger, you may as well throw the batteries on the grill with the steaks and burgers because charging them at that rate will literally barbeque them internally. I had problems with rechargeables when I first started using them because I was using those one hour chargers. I would get only a few charges before they started failing. When I learned better and switched to better and slower chargers, my battery life increased dramatically.