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Ghambit · 07-03-2007, 02:01 AM

This is my first post... great forum you have here btw

Anyways, IMHO the REAL problem with with portable-media devices these days is simply POWER supply. Until we solve this issue, we will never truly get what we want. To me, e-ink was simply a bandaid that created a niche market where one ultimately wont be needed once the underlying issues are resolved. (underlying issue being the power problem)

Now... this being said. There IS a relatively simple thing you can do to increase your usage time: Make your OWN power supply! The ones included in most every device we use these days are substandard, antiquated, and in many ways too "safe" for their own good. Making your own after-market custom power supply grossly enhances the usefulness of small electronics.

For now, Lithium-polymer is the best per-dollar option we have at this time, until more exotic forms like fuel-cell, microfusion, room temp. superconductivity, etc. are realized.

Let's use the Iliad as an example. If I'm not mistaken it uses a standard 3.7Volt lithium-Ion system. If you were to simply replace that with one layer of 3.7V lipolys along the case you could increase the capacitance to about 12000MaH. That's probably 10-times what they give you stock.

This simple addition would cost probably about $100 MAX not including the charger (which runs about $30). It would only add about 6oz. to the weight (maybe even less w/cell protection removed) and 3mm of thickness to the case (again, maybe even less).

Assuming you get 10 hours on 1200maH, obviously 12000mAh gets you 100hours of non-stop use. This is a conservative figure seeing as how these cells recharge somewhat on their own. With e-ink being more "on-demand" power-wise, it's likely 100 hours of use is a very conservative figure.

Let's go further and assume you're enterprising enough to add a small solar-cell to your Iliad's case. Even at minimum a $10 1x2inch 3V 20mA solar cell could keep your Iliad fully charged assuming you use it 4 hours out of every day and it's always in a light-source. Go bigger and obviously things get better.

Anyways, if I had enough dough to purchase an Iliad... this is precisely what I'd do. You could remove the backing and simply add a spacer or 3mm gasket around the edges and install your homemade lipoly battery back neatly inside, obviously with longer screws. My charger would simply be integrated into my A/C powersupply and the solar cell(s) w/voltage regulators would go in the unused "deadspace" on the lower part of the front panel.

If this doesnt appeal to you it's easy enough to simply build a small "power-block" in a similar manner and just plug it into your eReader as an external DC source... just like we do with laptops today. Personally, I'd rather just mod the case the measly extra 3mm.

anyone with me on this?? Heck, apply this same thought to the new Asus "Eee" or that uBid tablet PC and you've got a 15hr computer assuming 5000mAh buys you 5 hrs.

07-03-2007, 02:01 AM	#28
Ghambit Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: none... yet	"simple" solution(s) This is my first post... great forum you have here btw Anyways, IMHO the REAL problem with with portable-media devices these days is simply POWER supply. Until we solve this issue, we will never truly get what we want. To me, e-ink was simply a bandaid that created a niche market where one ultimately wont be needed once the underlying issues are resolved. (underlying issue being the power problem) Now... this being said. There IS a relatively simple thing you can do to increase your usage time: Make your OWN power supply! The ones included in most every device we use these days are substandard, antiquated, and in many ways too "safe" for their own good. Making your own after-market custom power supply grossly enhances the usefulness of small electronics. For now, Lithium-polymer is the best per-dollar option we have at this time, until more exotic forms like fuel-cell, microfusion, room temp. superconductivity, etc. are realized. Let's use the Iliad as an example. If I'm not mistaken it uses a standard 3.7Volt lithium-Ion system. If you were to simply replace that with one layer of 3.7V lipolys along the case you could increase the capacitance to about 12000MaH. That's probably 10-times what they give you stock. This simple addition would cost probably about $100 MAX not including the charger (which runs about $30). It would only add about 6oz. to the weight (maybe even less w/cell protection removed) and 3mm of thickness to the case (again, maybe even less). Assuming you get 10 hours on 1200maH, obviously 12000mAh gets you 100hours of non-stop use. This is a conservative figure seeing as how these cells recharge somewhat on their own. With e-ink being more "on-demand" power-wise, it's likely 100 hours of use is a very conservative figure. Let's go further and assume you're enterprising enough to add a small solar-cell to your Iliad's case. Even at minimum a $10 1x2inch 3V 20mA solar cell could keep your Iliad fully charged assuming you use it 4 hours out of every day and it's always in a light-source. Go bigger and obviously things get better. Anyways, if I had enough dough to purchase an Iliad... this is precisely what I'd do. You could remove the backing and simply add a spacer or 3mm gasket around the edges and install your homemade lipoly battery back neatly inside, obviously with longer screws. My charger would simply be integrated into my A/C powersupply and the solar cell(s) w/voltage regulators would go in the unused "deadspace" on the lower part of the front panel. If this doesnt appeal to you it's easy enough to simply build a small "power-block" in a similar manner and just plug it into your eReader as an external DC source... just like we do with laptops today. Personally, I'd rather just mod the case the measly extra 3mm. anyone with me on this?? Heck, apply this same thought to the new Asus "Eee" or that uBid tablet PC and you've got a 15hr computer assuming 5000mAh buys you 5 hrs.