I charge my Kindle whenever the battery icon shows that it is down about 20%; I have never waited until the battery low warning comes on to charge it. Just my preference!
The Kindle has a lithium polymer battery. Others here may disagree with me, and I am certainly no expert, but from what I have read, frequent, "shallow" charges are better than letting the battery discharge until it is almost empty. Here is a quote from an article about charging the lithium-polymer battery in a MacBook that I think applies to this type of battery in general:
Quote:
Avoid full discharges unless calibrating.
Frequently draining the battery all the way or nearly all the way will put additional strain on the battery. With older NiMH battery technology this was common “must do” because of memory problems with the battery remembering where it was recharged from, reducing its capacity. Now, with a Lithium-Ion/Polymer battery, this isn’t the case. Its better for the battery to be partially discharged and recharged again than giving it a full discharge and bringing it back.
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(The full article can be read at
http://www.interrupt19.com/2008/03/3...ong-as-it-can/ )
Holly