I don't know what it is about the e-reader community- there just seem to be people with insane expectations for performance.
My laptop lasts 2 hours at best. My cellphone -- usually specifically designed for low power consumption when it's not being used -- goes maybe 5 days without charging, tops, if I don't actually make any calls. Up until now that was the best that could be expected from a piece of technology.
I don't have a Sony Reader, I have an iRex iLiad, and it has to be recharged after 8-10 hours of continuous use, which is more than enough for me. You'll find a lot of users complaining on the forums about it, but honestly, it was designed as a tablet replacement, not an e-book. For the touchscreen and other features, I'll happily take the battery limitations. But some iLiad owners moan and groan and threaten to dump the iLiad... for a Sony Reader!
Knowing what I know about the Sony's battery life, I NEVER expected that anyone would actually COMPLAIN about how SHORT it is. To me, that's insane. I mean, it's crazy. Even if your Reader gets "only" 2 weeks of battery life, how can you complain? Give me one good example of another electronic device -- any electronic device more complicated than a wristwatch -- that can stay constantly turned on, ready to go at the touch of a button, without draining the battery, for two weeks! Let alone the month that most people get.
The Sony Reader has set a new standard for power-efficiency in devices. The only thing even remotely comparable would be one of the other e-books, like HanLin's. For now, the Reader is where it's at.
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