Life expectancy of ereaders in general

ereaders · 02-25-2013, 12:38 PM

I am planning to buy an ereader within this week.
Looked at Kobo, Kindle and Sony.
I went to a retail store today and spoke with the Sales/Tech. He told me that nearly all of his customers used ereader would give him the same feedback.
"They only last for about a year. after the first year either the battery or the display performance will drop."
If this is true then I will buy the cheapest model that I can get in the market.
Buy another one once my first one die.
Do you agree?

Sydney's Mom · 02-25-2013, 12:44 PM

I have had kindles since the first. Never had one die (except by stepping on it), but there is always something new. I am locked into the Amazon ecosystem, but fortunately they come out with something new and cheap every couple years. I find my Paper White to be the best ever (but it is the newest!)

Turtle91 · 02-25-2013, 12:45 PM

"You get what you pay for" comes to mind. If the quality of the ereader, and it's rendering of the books, is sub-par, will you enjoy using it for that year??

Personally, I prefer to pay a little more for better quality. That includes an extended warranty (I have kids-who-are-not-so-careful-with-devices syndrome). Then the reader lasts for several years - I still have an iPad 1. I have started eyeing the mini...I think I'll wait until the retina-mini comes out this spring.

Cheers!

AnemicOak · 02-25-2013, 12:46 PM

No, I don't agree they only last about a year.

All of the eInk readers I've purchased going back to 2007 still work fine (the oldest [Sony 505 & Kindle 2] don't get as much battery life as they once did, but are much older than 1 year).

rkomar · 02-25-2013, 12:46 PM

If you're going to be spending a lot of time using it over a year, then getting a model that pleases you rather than annoys you makes sense to me. It all depends on how much you expect to use it.

Graham · 02-25-2013, 12:47 PM

My Bookeen lasted two years, my Elonex only a year, but only because I didn't protect either of those with cases and I had accidents and broke the screens.

My Sony PRS-650 has been in constant use for over two years and feels as good as the day I bought it.

Graham

QuantumIguana · 02-25-2013, 12:56 PM

I've had my Kindle Keyboard since December 2010, it still works fine. I have had to reset it to factory settings a couple times when it started acting up, but that fixed it.

DustyDisks · 02-25-2013, 01:00 PM

Well e-readers and or tablets ether die by homicide or heart failure!

But at least with heart failure most devices can get a transplant!

(New Battery)

Pablo · 02-25-2013, 01:06 PM

My 4 year old Sony PRS-505 is still working, with the same display performance as ever and good battery duration. I am now using a T2, which I bought because I wanted some of the new features, not because the 505 had any problems.

sparklemotion · 02-25-2013, 01:16 PM

None of mine have died on me yet, my oldest is a kindle keyboard from a few years ago. The battery would likely be the thing to die first and like DustyDisks said, they are easy to replace.

patrickt · 02-25-2013, 01:28 PM

I managed to break a Kindle with spectacular carelessness. That isn't unusual for me, I'm still recovering from a badly sprained ankle, and I loaned my Kindle Keyboard to a friend going trekking in Nepal and she swears a porter dropped the bag with the Kindle and broke the screen.

I have no idea of the life expectancy of a Kindle in my hands but I suspect it's like televisions and I'll want a new one before the old one actually dies.

faithbw · 02-25-2013, 02:00 PM

I've had a Sony PRS-350 for almost two years (purchased Fall 2011) and I still get two weeks of battery or more (depending on how often I use it) before I have to charge it. The screen is also in great condition. It's exactly how it was when I was bought. Keep in mind that this was a demo model. So the battery was being used even before I purchased it.

I'm not sure why the salesperson told the OP what he did. The battery on an e-reader will deplete over time but that is the case with any gadget. My iPod Touch 3rd generation doesn't keep a charge as long as it did when I first bought it. I also had a smartphone where I had to replace the battery after a year! To be fair, the phone was pretty awful. So my point is that e-readers have a good life expectancy that is probably comparable to other electronics.

voracious71 · 02-25-2013, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ereaders

I am planning to buy an ereader within this week.
Looked at Kobo, Kindle and Sony.
I went to a retail store today and spoke with the Sales/Tech. He told me that nearly all of his customers used ereader would give him the same feedback.
"They only last for about a year. after the first year either the battery or the display performance will drop."
If this is true then I will buy the cheapest model that I can get in the market.
Buy another one once my first one die.
Do you agree?

My Kindle Keyboard still works fine and that's over a year old. Ditto for my Kobo Touch and Sony T1.

I think it's how you take care of your stuff. Some people are tough on electronics.

ucfgrad93 · 02-25-2013, 02:08 PM

My Kindle Keyboard was given to me on Fathers Day 2011 and it is still going strong. I am very pleased with it.

Yolina · 02-25-2013, 03:05 PM

My Kindle Keyboard and Sony PRS 650 both still working fine after 2 1/2 years

Edit: Fairly heavy use as I read about 200 books a year.

02-25-2013, 12:38 PM	#1
ereaders Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 605396 Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Canada Toronto Device: Sony T2	Life expectancy of ereaders in general I am planning to buy an ereader within this week. Looked at Kobo, Kindle and Sony. I went to a retail store today and spoke with the Sales/Tech. He told me that nearly all of his customers used ereader would give him the same feedback. "They only last for about a year. after the first year either the battery or the display performance will drop." If this is true then I will buy the cheapest model that I can get in the market. Buy another one once my first one die. Do you agree?

02-25-2013, 02:00 PM	#12
faithbw Guru Posts: 618 Karma: 1526148 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: A place where the sun always shines Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Mini 2	I've had a Sony PRS-350 for almost two years (purchased Fall 2011) and I still get two weeks of battery or more (depending on how often I use it) before I have to charge it. The screen is also in great condition. It's exactly how it was when I was bought. Keep in mind that this was a demo model. So the battery was being used even before I purchased it. I'm not sure why the salesperson told the OP what he did. The battery on an e-reader will deplete over time but that is the case with any gadget. My iPod Touch 3rd generation doesn't keep a charge as long as it did when I first bought it. I also had a smartphone where I had to replace the battery after a year! To be fair, the phone was pretty awful. So my point is that e-readers have a good life expectancy that is probably comparable to other electronics. Last edited by faithbw; 02-25-2013 at 02:38 PM.

02-25-2013, 03:05 PM	#15
Yolina Wizard Posts: 1,179 Karma: 11573197 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: London, UK Device: Voyage	My Kindle Keyboard and Sony PRS 650 both still working fine after 2 1/2 years Edit: Fairly heavy use as I read about 200 books a year. Last edited by Yolina; 02-25-2013 at 03:17 PM.

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02-25-2013, 12:44 PM	#2
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,896 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	I have had kindles since the first. Never had one die (except by stepping on it), but there is always something new. I am locked into the Amazon ecosystem, but fortunately they come out with something new and cheap every couple years. I find my Paper White to be the best ever (but it is the newest!)

02-25-2013, 12:45 PM	#3
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,311 Karma: 20171571 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 15/11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	"You get what you pay for" comes to mind. If the quality of the ereader, and it's rendering of the books, is sub-par, will you enjoy using it for that year?? Personally, I prefer to pay a little more for better quality. That includes an extended warranty (I have kids-who-are-not-so-careful-with-devices syndrome). Then the reader lasts for several years - I still have an iPad 1. I have started eyeing the mini...I think I'll wait until the retina-mini comes out this spring. Cheers!

02-25-2013, 12:46 PM	#4
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	No, I don't agree they only last about a year. All of the eInk readers I've purchased going back to 2007 still work fine (the oldest [Sony 505 & Kindle 2] don't get as much battery life as they once did, but are much older than 1 year).

02-25-2013, 12:46 PM	#5
rkomar Wizard Posts: 3,042 Karma: 18821071 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sudbury, ON, Canada Device: PRS-505, PB 902, PRS-T1, PB 623, PB 840, PB 633	If you're going to be spending a lot of time using it over a year, then getting a model that pleases you rather than annoys you makes sense to me. It all depends on how much you expect to use it.

02-25-2013, 12:47 PM	#6
Graham Wizard Posts: 2,742 Karma: 32912427 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: North Yorkshire, UK Device: Kobo H20, Pixel 2, Samsung Chromebook Plus	My Bookeen lasted two years, my Elonex only a year, but only because I didn't protect either of those with cases and I had accidents and broke the screens. My Sony PRS-650 has been in constant use for over two years and feels as good as the day I bought it. Graham

02-25-2013, 12:56 PM	#7
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	I've had my Kindle Keyboard since December 2010, it still works fine. I have had to reset it to factory settings a couple times when it started acting up, but that fixed it.

02-25-2013, 01:00 PM	#8
DustyDisks Old Fart In Training Posts: 534 Karma: 2742476 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Gladewater, Texas Device: K3+3g/KFHD 7"/Nexus 7/Nexus 7.2	Well e-readers and or tablets ether die by homicide or heart failure! But at least with heart failure most devices can get a transplant! (New Battery)

02-25-2013, 01:06 PM	#9
Pablo Guru Posts: 972 Karma: 4999999 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Rosario, Argentina Device: SONY PRS-T2, Kindle Paperwhite 11th gen	My 4 year old Sony PRS-505 is still working, with the same display performance as ever and good battery duration. I am now using a T2, which I bought because I wanted some of the new features, not because the 505 had any problems.

02-25-2013, 01:16 PM	#10
sparklemotion dangerous when cornered Posts: 1,855 Karma: 22891237 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: USA Device: Kobo H2O, Kindle Paperwhite	None of mine have died on me yet, my oldest is a kindle keyboard from a few years ago. The battery would likely be the thing to die first and like DustyDisks said, they are easy to replace.

02-25-2013, 01:28 PM	#11
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	I managed to break a Kindle with spectacular carelessness. That isn't unusual for me, I'm still recovering from a badly sprained ankle, and I loaned my Kindle Keyboard to a friend going trekking in Nepal and she swears a porter dropped the bag with the Kindle and broke the screen. I have no idea of the life expectancy of a Kindle in my hands but I suspect it's like televisions and I'll want a new one before the old one actually dies.

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02-25-2013, 02:08 PM	#14
ucfgrad93 Wizard Posts: 2,370 Karma: 9026681 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2nd Gen	My Kindle Keyboard was given to me on Fathers Day 2011 and it is still going strong. I am very pleased with it.