Battery life! - Page 16

Stinger · 06-14-2010, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jelbee

I'm incredibly confused by this. I've been led to believe that the Kobo does not use energy while it is stationary on a single page/image. Thus, I don't understand how "powering down" (using the power to change the page to the cover of the book) and then "powering on" (using the power AGAIN to change the image a couple of times as it boots up) could make the battery last longer...

The big advantage of eInk screens is they do not require power to maintain the screen once it's been written (no refresh rate). But you gotta remember that the screen isn't the only thing drawing power. While the Kobo is powered up, the system is still ON... it's just sitting there idle (think: your computer sitting there powered up, but using 0.5% CPU power). The system still needs to be responsive to button presses, so that means either polling or waiting for an interrupt to be triggered.
Then there are numerous other things that will draw small amounts of power, such as refreshing the volatile RAM, keeping the clock running, etc (minor things 'under the hood').

Hope that helps

artificial · 06-14-2010, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jelbee

I'm incredibly confused by this. I've been led to believe that the Kobo does not use energy while it is stationary on a single page/image.

I can't say with any certainty, but my speculation is that the while in a 'stationary' state (powered on, but left unattended) the Kobo Reader continues to use a small amount of power to hold information about the current book state in RAM.

I think it was Stinger who compared it to a computer that is in sleep mode: the computer uses much less power than while it is asleep, but still consumes a small amount of power.

Another possibility is that the Kobo Reader has some sort of 'memory leak' under certain circumstances, a background process that continues to run even while the Kobo is unattended and therefore drains the battery over time.

Kobo have stated on their Facebook discussion forum that the new firmware update will fix issues with poor battery lifespan, which suggests that there is some sort of memory/processing bug that is draining the battery unnecessarily: if they plug the memory leak the battery life will be extended. Again, pure speculation on my part!

EDIT: Snap! Stinger beat me to the punch.

corona · 06-17-2010, 02:09 PM

So I exchanged my Kobo because of the battery life issue. The brand-new one they gave me is even worse. I can use it for a couple of hours a day for two or three days -- about .8 kiloflips, let's say, 'cause I have the font set big -- and then it needs charging. The red light behaves just like it did on the original, i.e. inexplicably. The promised kiloflip specification -- 8 -- I understand, even if it's honoured in the breach, but what about the promise of, what was it, three weeks? Is that with the power switched off?? Whatever.

artificial · 06-17-2010, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corona

So I exchanged my Kobo because of the battery life issue. The brand-new one they gave me is even worse.

I'm sorry the hear that Corona

I guess this shows that battery problems are widespread, and not just a phenomenon that's limited to a few units.

Hopefully the firmware update will go some way towards improving your battery life.

imrejude57 · 06-17-2010, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thrasher

I had a similar experience. My battery went to almost zero after about 4 days and maybe 400-500 page flips. The charging process is very confusing. I charge it and maybe after 30 minutes the red light switches on, although the gauge does not show it's fully charged....

can someone tell me where the guage is??? I see the red & blue light but was unaware of any guage..thanks

stephenb · 06-17-2010, 06:50 PM

It's in the bottom left-hand corner when you bring the menu up.

imrejude57 · 06-17-2010, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephenb

It's in the bottom left-hand corner when you bring the menu up.

just a blonde moment lol

J. Strnad · 06-18-2010, 09:26 PM

If you read the article linked to in the thread "Kobo VP replies to issues" you'll find this about the short battery life:

"This was a software problem rather than a hardware one. Even when the device is in sleep mode, there is a negligible amount of activity on the device. The bug: in some situations, power consumption wasn’t tapering off as much as it should have when the device went into sleep mode. We found the bug and fixed it, so people should be able to get the 8,000 page turns they were expecting."

Orochi · 06-19-2010, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by artificial

..........Based on my results, I feel confident in saying that (in my case, at least) turning off the device significantly increases battery life, perhaps even doubling it..........[/I]

Artificial posted this on June the 10th, and I have to say after trying the same thing this past week, I came to the same conclusion.

While I haven't bothered to try to count page turns, I read for about the same amount of time each week and I have also, at the very least doubled
my time between charges, by turning the Kobo "off" when I am not reading.

This is very significant, and valuable, at least until the firmware update on June 28th.

batkinson001 · 12-31-2010, 01:48 AM

resurrecting this topic.

if it takes a while to calibrate the battery is there any way to completely drain it, i can't seem to use it further once it brings up the 'battery is low please charge' message, which is usually at just under 10-15% battery (hard to tell).

I do know that the kobo like any other electronic device falls short of their listed battery life....

question is... how short?

zoran · 12-31-2010, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by batkinson001

if it takes a while to calibrate the battery is there any way to completely drain it, i can't seem to use it further once it brings up the 'battery is low please charge' message, which is usually at just under 10-15% battery (hard to tell).

I was afraid of short battery life, when I got my standard reader. After
some time it was better and better. Now I do not look at indicator. Except
once a week. When it comes to 1 or 2 lines, I charge it. I second that
you should not let it drain.

Quote:

I do know that the kobo like any other electronic device falls short of their listed battery life....

Same as always. But, if you could read 3 books, it is fine. If it takes more
than 2 weeks, even better. Give it few more recharge cycles to stabilize.

themarshalls6 · 01-10-2011, 11:33 AM

I am hoping somebody who knows more about this technology can help me. I was given a Kobo (wifi version) for my birthday in November. Charged it overnight, loaded a couple of books and PDF's, put it in my purse, 5 days later took it out and the battery was dead. Thought maybe it wasn't fully charged after all, charged it overnight again, checked to make sure the battery was showing full, put it in my purse, a week later - dead again. Returned it to the store and got a new one, repeated the whole process - same result. Consulted Kobo support - they said return it. Returned it again, 3rd Kobo, same problem. So I have to assume there is something in my purse that is draining the battery. Is this possible? I have a cell phone and a GPS in there as well, all functioning normally.

DaleDe · 01-10-2011, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by themarshalls6

I am hoping somebody who knows more about this technology can help me. I was given a Kobo (wifi version) for my birthday in November. Charged it overnight, loaded a couple of books and PDF's, put it in my purse, 5 days later took it out and the battery was dead. Thought maybe it wasn't fully charged after all, charged it overnight again, checked to make sure the battery was showing full, put it in my purse, a week later - dead again. Returned it to the store and got a new one, repeated the whole process - same result. Consulted Kobo support - they said return it. Returned it again, 3rd Kobo, same problem. So I have to assume there is something in my purse that is draining the battery. Is this possible? I have a cell phone and a GPS in there as well, all functioning normally.

If you power it all the way down do you see this? It is likely that something in your purse is pushing buttons on the unit causing it to drain the battery. Is there a sleep mode that you can put it in to lock the unit from button pushes? I would doubt it is any other device causing this.

Dale

G0AT · 01-10-2011, 12:36 PM

As DaleDe suggested, this is likely happening due to buttons being pressed while in your purse, and yet I still find this amazing.

Try charging the unit fully and leaving it out on a counter for a week to see if the same thing happens. In that case, the best solution for you would be a case for the Kobo.

You can purchase a case, or you can use a DVD case like I do. I lined an old dual-DVD case (approximately one-inch thick) with felt from the dollar store. The Kobo fits snugly inside. You can then customize the exterior to anything you like. I simply cut a piece of a nice wrapping paper to the DVD slip-cover size.

themarshalls6 · 01-10-2011, 12:55 PM

Thanks for the quick replies. I am almost positive that the unit was fully powered down when I put it in my purse, ie not just in sleep mode. However, I will try the DVD case idea and see if that helps. I was actually planning on making a padded slipcover for it, if I could ever get it to work. I made one for my daughter's Kobo before she left for Switzerland and her unit works perfectly.

01-10-2011, 11:33 AM	#237
themarshalls6 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kobo	kobo dying with NO page turns I am hoping somebody who knows more about this technology can help me. I was given a Kobo (wifi version) for my birthday in November. Charged it overnight, loaded a couple of books and PDF's, put it in my purse, 5 days later took it out and the battery was dead. Thought maybe it wasn't fully charged after all, charged it overnight again, checked to make sure the battery was showing full, put it in my purse, a week later - dead again. Returned it to the store and got a new one, repeated the whole process - same result. Consulted Kobo support - they said return it. Returned it again, 3rd Kobo, same problem. So I have to assume there is something in my purse that is draining the battery. Is this possible? I have a cell phone and a GPS in there as well, all functioning normally.

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06-17-2010, 02:09 PM	#228
corona Addict Posts: 324 Karma: 25168 Join Date: May 2010 Device: kobo	So I exchanged my Kobo because of the battery life issue. The brand-new one they gave me is even worse. I can use it for a couple of hours a day for two or three days -- about .8 kiloflips, let's say, 'cause I have the font set big -- and then it needs charging. The red light behaves just like it did on the original, i.e. inexplicably. The promised kiloflip specification -- 8 -- I understand, even if it's honoured in the breach, but what about the promise of, what was it, three weeks? Is that with the power switched off?? Whatever.

06-17-2010, 06:50 PM	#231
stephenb Member Posts: 18 Karma: 82 Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: Kobo, Amazon Kindle 3	It's in the bottom left-hand corner when you bring the menu up.

06-18-2010, 09:26 PM	#233
J. Strnad Guru Posts: 915 Karma: 3537194 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo, Kindle 3, Paperwhite	If you read the article linked to in the thread "Kobo VP replies to issues" you'll find this about the short battery life: "This was a software problem rather than a hardware one. Even when the device is in sleep mode, there is a negligible amount of activity on the device. The bug: in some situations, power consumption wasn’t tapering off as much as it should have when the device went into sleep mode. We found the bug and fixed it, so people should be able to get the 8,000 page turns they were expecting."

12-31-2010, 01:48 AM	#235
batkinson001 Kobo App user Posts: 35 Karma: 256 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1	resurrecting this topic. if it takes a while to calibrate the battery is there any way to completely drain it, i can't seem to use it further once it brings up the 'battery is low please charge' message, which is usually at just under 10-15% battery (hard to tell). I do know that the kobo like any other electronic device falls short of their listed battery life.... question is... how short?

01-10-2011, 12:36 PM	#239
G0AT Addict Posts: 201 Karma: 1937857 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ottawa Device: Kobo	As DaleDe suggested, this is likely happening due to buttons being pressed while in your purse, and yet I still find this amazing. Try charging the unit fully and leaving it out on a counter for a week to see if the same thing happens. In that case, the best solution for you would be a case for the Kobo. You can purchase a case, or you can use a DVD case like I do. I lined an old dual-DVD case (approximately one-inch thick) with felt from the dollar store. The Kobo fits snugly inside. You can then customize the exterior to anything you like. I simply cut a piece of a nice wrapping paper to the DVD slip-cover size.

01-10-2011, 12:55 PM	#240
themarshalls6 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kobo	Thanks for the quick replies. I am almost positive that the unit was fully powered down when I put it in my purse, ie not just in sleep mode. However, I will try the DVD case idea and see if that helps. I was actually planning on making a padded slipcover for it, if I could ever get it to work. I made one for my daughter's Kobo before she left for Switzerland and her unit works perfectly.