Firmware 6.3 and its bugs!

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Even if you don't use the Overlay Icon, you had mentioned you use Big Ass Battery Manager Pro earlier. First use Settings \ More \ Device and note the percentage of the battery energy left before you do your Full Charge.

Then tap BABMP in the Notification Bar and make sure the BABMP Main screen reads the same percentage left as the previous reading. If not, do a Shutdown to correct the BABMP Main screen.

Then look at the Main screen on the "Screen" line. It records Usage Time in hours:minutes:seconds. Note the hours:minutes right before you do a Full Charge. Report it back here and I can tell you if your firmware is within the proper time usage range before you need a Full Charge.

My biggest battery energy usage app is "Amazon Kindle" which is the eBook reader for Amazon ebooks.

It was at 61% when I charge it last night. It started out at 94% that's only after 3 hours of reading.

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by Blossom

It was at 61% when I charge it last night. It started out at 94% that's only after 3 hours of reading.

You are charging with too much juice left in the battery. I never charge unless its under 20% and usually go right down to 15% with occasional usage down to 10%. You can set BABMP to notify you at 10% under Preferences.

If you are getting 3 hours and only using 30% of the energy, using 60% of the energy should get you 6 hours reading time. That's better than I get. Of course I also play Genie chess on it and check the weather frequently using AccuWeather (an energy beast) and The Weather Channel.

Let it drop to 15% and make sure the BABMP Main screen shows the same percentage as the Device screen. If not, do a Shutdown to get the proper numbers. Then read off the "Screen Time" on the BABMP Main screen. I have a hunch it will be huge compared to your present usage time.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by Blossom

It was at 61% when I charge it last night. It started out at 94% that's only after 3 hours of reading.

I concur with sirmaru -- you are charging with too much charge remaining. I suspect that the battery calibration is way off as a result. You really should use the battery down to 15%, power off (not sleep) and fully charge. Repeat this once more.

Originally Posted by sirmaru

You are charging with too much juice left in the battery. I never charge unless its under 20% and usually go right down to 15% with occasional usage down to 10%.

Actually with Lithium batteries it is best to charge at 50% or greater remaining charge as it will prolong the battery's lifetime. periodically you can let it discharged nearly all the way, but I wouldn't do that too frequently.

I will say that Android devices seem to fluctuate in how the battery registers. My phone will go for weeks using about the same amount of drain with the same amount of usage, then for no apparent reason start draining extremely fast. A reboot usually corrects its attitude.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Actually with Lithium batteries it is best to charge at 50% or greater remaining charge as it will prolong the battery's lifetime. periodically you can let it discharged nearly all the way, but I wouldn't do that too frequently.

I will say that Android devices seem to fluctuate in how the battery registers. My phone will go for weeks using about the same amount of drain with the same amount of usage, then for no apparent reason start draining extremely fast. A reboot usually corrects its attitude.

Yes, quite right - as compared to NiMh or NiCad but I have been told that when a lithium battery is sporatic to let the percentage reduce further (less than 50%) and perform a full charge. This is a one-time function, not a routine. Is this not correct?

[jsh1120]

Originally Posted by Skydog

Yes, quite right - as compared to NiMh or NiCad but I have been told that when a lithium battery is sporatic to let the percentage reduce further (less than 50%) and perform a full charge. This is a one-time function, not a routine. Is this not correct?

What you're saying is basically correct. Even Apple provides the same advice for the iPad (though they don't emphasize it.) The standard advice is to drain from full to 15% and repeat about once a month. And don't use a charger other than one rated at the same level as the charger supplied by Amazon. Slow charges can mess up the discharge profile used by the battery monitor.

For more than you ever wanted to know about battery management and an explanation of why the battery monitor is not like a car's fuel gauge, see the following article and others at the same website.

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/a..._ion_batteries

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by jsh1120

What you're saying is basically correct. Even Apple provides the same advice for the iPad (though they don't emphasize it.) The standard advice is to drain from full to 15% and repeat about once a month. And don't use a charger other than one rated at the same level as the charger supplied by Amazon. Slow charges can mess up the discharge profile used by the battery monitor.

For more than you ever wanted to know about battery management and an explanation of why the battery monitor is not like a car's fuel gauge, see the following article and others at the same website.

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/a..._ion_batteries

This is what I do. I let it drop to charge level twice a month and charge it around 45% to 60% other times. The battery has always been accurate. I've always gotten 3 days from a single charge till 6.3.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by jsh1120

What you're saying is basically correct. Even Apple provides the same advice for the iPad (though they don't emphasize it.) The standard advice is to drain from full to 15% and repeat about once a month. And don't use a charger other than one rated at the same level as the charger supplied by Amazon. Slow charges can mess up the discharge profile used by the battery monitor.

For more than you ever wanted to know about battery management and an explanation of why the battery monitor is not like a car's fuel gauge, see the following article and others at the same website.

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/a..._ion_batteries

I am pretty knowledgeable regarding batteries -- which is why I've grown weary of responding to threads/complaints from individuals who are charging their Fires with one-amp chargers.

My Fire's battery seems to stay fairly regular and stable. But my Motorola Atrix battery is all over the chart. I suspect it has to do with the Motorola implementation of Android 2.3 on the Atrix.

Yes, do a deep cycle recharge only about once a month or as needed, otherwise recharge when it gets down to around 50%.

[sirmaru]

Total battery life is irrelevant for technology gadgets. ALL my technology gadgets have been discarded for OBSOLESCENCE - not for failure of the Lithium battery.

When the Kindle Fire 2 is introduced, my Kindle Fire 1 will be in the garbage.

On my NowBible the instruction booklet says that 500 charges will end the battery life. Thus, more frequent charges will end that battery far quicker than deeper charges.

As it is, I have noticed that once every 2 months or so my Kindle Fire does its own deep discharge down to 1% without me even using it. However, its back to normal after the next full charge.

Finally, to measure usage time expended, the BABMP Main Screen is the best guide using the Screen Time shown there. "Days" of use are irrelevant.

If Blossom is getting 3 hours of reading for 30% of discharge, that is an excellent result. If she read down to a use of 90% of discharge, that would be 9 hours of reading. I only get 5.5 hours of reading using 85% of discharge.

[Anabran]

Hmm.. Amazon Those sneaky devils!!
Apparently I must have left my Wi fi on for longer than I though the other day for indeed My system is now showing 6.3

Oh well still running smoothly with Go launcher etc thankfully.

[beej231]

Originally Posted by Anabran

Hmm.. Amazon Those sneaky devils!!
Apparently I must have left my Wi fi on for longer than I though the other day for indeed My system is now showing 6.3

Oh well still running smoothly with Go launcher etc thankfully.

LOL. They got you!

[Anabran]

Originally Posted by beej231

LOL. They got you!

LOL!! Must be a conspiracy with Autodesk
Funny how a "need internet connection" demand from Sketchbook pro "forced" me to take the kindle back online long enough for Amazon to sneak in
the back door.


But so be it I have tested most of my games and Alkido book reader is running great .
Im even running a new high tech them on GO launcher so far so good over here.

[ApK]

Thankfully neither my wife nor I have noticed any significant issues with 6.3, other than the occasional grey icon. She reads on it, I don't, but neither of us have noticed changed in battery life or any other untoward behavior.
Still it would be nice if a fix updated is out presently.

By the way, I found a workaround to having to restart the device to get manually downloaded files in he book and document folders to show on shelves: Force stop the Kindle App from Setting|Applications. When it's started a gain, new book files will appear as expected. I don't know how good a practices this is, but it is a bit faster than restarting.

ApK

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by ApK

By the way, I found a workaround to having to restart the device to get manually downloaded files in he book and document folders to show on shelves: Force stop the Kindle App from Setting|Applications. When it's started a gain, new book files will appear as expected. I don't know how good a practices this is, but it is a bit faster than restarting.

ApK

It works! K to you! This is actually faster then the old method. I don't think it will hurt anything. I clear the data of the Kindle app nightly for cover regeneration.