Consumer Report: BN/Amazon e-reader battery life claims are essentially meaningless

[John F]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Good general point about battery life. What is the minimum we want before we feel constrained? If I get a week of reading (say 20 hours of active time or 1500 page turns) then I'll never feel restricted by my reader's battery. But at, say, ten hours of reading (thinking of a tablet PC) I'll start to feel tied to an outlet.

I would say a month (reading 4 hours a day, seven days a week, 4.4289 days per month).

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by iandix

it's funny how when the Kindle has the best battery life .. it was very important

The Kindle was the first ereader to grab the media, and thus the mainstreams fancy. The battery life at that time was considered astounding. Thats why it was bandied about.

But now that it's gone through several generations and there are other devices with great battery life too, no, it's not that big of a deal.

Whether it lasts 4 weeks or 8, it's enough for the even the most rabid reader.

[=X=]

Originally Posted by iandix

it's funny how when the Kindle has the best battery life .. it was very important, now that it's the nook .. well

But let's be honest where on earth do you people live if you need to go months without access to a power point??

Well the SONY has always had a better battery life than the Kindle and that has always been well known.

My take any eReader that last 2wks on a charge should be more than enough. The nook classic problem was that it lasted only 1wk or less.

Personally I think SONY's metric of page turning was the best measure.
=X=

[Penforhire]

Sony lost that edge with the IR touchscreen models. I feel it is a good trade but my 650's life is definitely lower than my 505's.

[khalleron]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Sony lost that edge with the IR touchscreen models. I feel it is a good trade but my 650's life is definitely lower than my 505's.

Which is one of the reasons I'm still clinging to my 505.

For all the people telling me what battery life should be good enough to satisfy me, I have one thing to say.

Pfffffffffft!

I love my 505 because it's like a *book*. When was the last time you had to charge a book? I can throw it in my purse and forget about it for weeks at a time.

Having to remember to charge it, even once a week, would make it far less book-like and far more cellphone-like. Which is why I gave away my PRS-600 and kept my 505.

A month between charges would satisfy me - a week would be far too short.

As with so many things, YMMV.

[astra]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Sony lost that edge with the IR touchscreen models. I feel it is a good trade but my 650's life is definitely lower than my 505's.

It is the other way around for me.
505 never exceeded 2 weeks and at the very beginning only. After 3 years the battery life dropped down to 5-6 days.
650 lasts for 3 weeks. The key to this is that I can now shutdown 650 over night or any long (let's say 6+ hours) periods of time. Starting up takes 30 seconds but doesn't deplete battery like it did with 505.

[EowynCarter]

I was actually disappointed with the orizon holding only one week.

I like not having to worry too much about recharging. I have no problem with leaving for one week end with the cybook and noting to charge it. And that's appreciated. Maybe you don't need months, but weeks is sure nice

[astra]

Originally Posted by astra

It is the other way around for me.
505 never exceeded 2 weeks and at the very beginning only. After 3 years the battery life dropped down to 5-6 days.
650 lasts for 3 weeks. The key to this is that I can now shutdown 650 over night or any long (let's say 6+ hours) periods of time. Starting up takes 30 seconds but doesn't deplete battery like it did with 505.

ETA.

Not shutting down 650, allowed me 15 days at the first charge.
I read 2 hours per day, no more. Also, I am a slow reader. On the other hand I do use dictionary and search functions.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

B&N owns the most brick and mortar bookstores. This doesn't really affect what's available on an e-reader, though.

So you actually think that on the B&N website, under nook, where the first item under The NOOK Advantage is "World's Largest Bookstore Over 2 million titles including books, kids' books, magazines & newspapers–just a touch away! ", they are talking about things that aren't available on the ereader?

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

So you actually think that on the B&N website, under nook, where the first item under The NOOK Advantage is "World's Largest Bookstore Over 2 million titles including books, kids' books, magazines & newspapers–just a touch away! ", they are talking about things that aren't available on the ereader?

Seems like an odd claim. Amazon states 900,000 ebooks for sale, and 1.8 million free. I wonder if the B&N claim includes the free ones.

[khalleron]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

Seems like an odd claim. Amazon states 900,000 ebooks for sale, and 1.8 million free. I wonder if the B&N claim includes the free ones.

B&N includes the 3 million free books available through Google Books.

So does Kobo, so does Sony. I'm not sure anyone of them can truly claim to be the 'biggest' - but then, neither can Amazon.

It's a marketing claim. As with everything else, you have to read the fine print.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by khalleron

B&N includes the 3 million free books available through Google Books.

So does Kobo, so does Sony. I'm not sure anyone of them can truly claim to be the 'biggest' - but then, neither can Amazon.

It's a marketing claim. As with everything else, you have to read the fine print.

OK, but when it comes to digital content, exclusive contracts are the only thing that stands in the way of every store selling all the titles. And B&N is still the only one claiming to be the biggest.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

Smart. Very smart.

Companies play all sorts of games with reporting battery life, and it's not limited to just ereaders. This is true of just about any electronic device with a battery.

[Penforhire]

(<-- eyeballs his humble pie) There is observer bias I hadn't considered. I read probably four hours a week day on average, at least six on weekends, and I am a fast reader (many page turns). Might explain the difference we see.

[khalleron]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

OK, but when it comes to digital content, exclusive contracts are the only thing that stands in the way of every store selling all the titles.

Only when Amazon supports epub - Kindle owners don't have easy access to Google Books.

Perhaps B&N can claim to be the biggest because they offer both Google and Smashwords books?