Glo Glo Battery Problems

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by TechniSol

Well, I've been discussing the issue with the Glo being put into sleep mode by a magnetic cover in such a way that the beams are interrupted by the cover, inside pocket or flap, etc., prior to it completing the transition into sleep mode(or more accurately prior to the neonode IR shutting down). Conversely, sleeping the Glo manually, without blocking the IR, and allowing it time to shut down before placing it in the same magnetic sleep cover should eliminate the heavier drainage, if the IR remaining blocked is the trigger for the drainage. (I think it keeps the IR LEDs on?)

Hmm. Actually, I've been discussing
- A Glo
- Manual sleep mode with slider (no sleep cover)
- IR beams interrupted when putting Glo into sleeve before it fully sleeps
- Gives lots of ridiculous battery drain
- Is solved by waiting after sleeping Glo manually before putting Glo into sleeve...

But yes, I still think your hunch/educated guess is what's happening.

Originally Posted by samhy

I was going to do that over the weekend and give you a report on Monday. So that's what I'll do

Thanks Samhy!!

Originally Posted by samhy

My first test last night:
- I used the slider to sleep the Mini
- I tried to drop a balled handkerchief on the screen at the same time (the book cover was starting to show but wasn't fully displayed)
When I checked in the morning there was no drain, even though a small decrease could have been expected (the battery is stuck at 56% since the last 42 hours).

Nice!

Originally Posted by Peakcrew

Right, firts, the results of my long test of sleeping my "old model" Touch. 22 hours sleeping with the beams interrupted: drop from 43% to 42% battery, according to the display. I am therefore willing to say that there is no sign of any behaviour exhibited by the later Touches and Glo(e)s in my model.

Nice again! So, it seems, both the Mini (using the Glo firmware, right?) and the old Touch models do not experience the same battery drain or the same IR interruption...

Originally Posted by John F

And it is only happening in the latest firmware?

I don't think I've seen the battery drain. I have a Glo with 2.1.5.

Well I'm not sure about that. I remember getting the 2.4.0 update and hoping it would solve my battery problem. I was on... eehh.. 2.3.2 ? I think, before that, with the same battery drain. I can't remember if I ever tested with 2.1.5. Or wait, does that one even exist for the Glo?

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by Shai-Hulud

For the purposes of testing the new Touch power issue, I do a quick slide of the power switch to enter sleep mode and once the screen clearly displays "Sleep Mode" for a few seconds the case is closed.

Okay, this is exactly what I do when I do not get battery drain.

Originally Posted by Shai-Hulud

I deem this to be sufficient since printing the status out to the screen should be the last task the device performs before actually sleeping [...]

Yes I would too.

Originally Posted by Shai-Hulud

Otherwise you may remember from previous threads that I'm a believer in "off" saves more power than "sleep"? So when I finish reading I slide the power slider until the unit displays "power off" although I also have the "power off after..." option enabled to catch those occasions when I've temporarily slept the unit intending to come back and something interrupts my plans.

Yes, okay.

But, are you saying that if you slide the slider briefly and patiently wait until the device is really of, and only then close the case (that perhaps touches the screen), you still get battery drain? Is perhaps your screen dirty? As in, something on there that interrupts the IR beams, causing the same screen touching battery drain problem?

Or is the only difference that you have your power off settings enabled...??

[Peakcrew]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Nice again! So, it seems, both the Mini (using the Glo firmware, right?) and the old Touch models do not experience the same battery drain or the same IR interruption...

It certainly seems to be the case. Also, John F is conducting a deliberate beam-interrupt test on his Glo that has not exhibited any of the problems to date - another useful datum, I think.

[Peakcrew]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

But, are you saying that if you slide the slider briefly and patiently wait until the device is really of, and only then close the case (that perhaps touches the screen), you still get battery drain? Is perhaps your screen dirty? As in, something on there that interrupts the IR beams, causing the same screen touching battery drain problem?

Or is the only difference that you have your power off settings enabled...??

I'm glad you have been away a few days, Mrs_Often - you've just picked up something I had missed! Just when I thought we were getting to the bottom of things ...

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by Peakcrew

It certainly seems to be the case. Also, John F is conducting a deliberate beam-interrupt test on his Glo that has not exhibited any of the problems to date - another useful datum, I think.

Indeed. Thanks John

[murg]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Hmm. Actually, I've been discussing
-

Well, discussing is a multi-person activity. If a single person is discussing something, they are either crazy, using a mobile phone, or Hamlet.

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by murg

they are either crazy, using a mobile phone, or Hamlet.

Damn it, you found me out!

[Peakcrew]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Nice again! So, it seems, both the Mini (using the Glo firmware, right?) and the old Touch models do not experience the same battery drain or the same IR interruption...

I may have an unfortunate update here - my Touch has just gone into black-screen and demanded recharging. That means it has dropped from 42% to recharge in two days, equating to about six hours/200 pages reading with one word-lookup. However, the book I am reading is image-heavy, something I don't think I've used before. Do images use more battery power?

[Peakcrew]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Damn it, you found me out!

So the _ in your name actually means "Hamlet"?

[John F]

Originally Posted by John F

I'll try tonight. I have a piece of plastic, 1/2", that when I drop it on the screen, causes a selection.

1) I'll note the battery level
2) put the plastic on the screen
3) slide the switch to put it into sleep mode
4) leave it alone overnight
5) remove the piece of plastic
6) wake it using the slider switch
7) note the battery level

Sound right?

Went to bed, it was at 42%, 7 hours later, it was at 14%. Read for 45 minutes this morning, and then it shutdown saying it needed to be charged.

Again, this is a Kobo Glo with 2.1.5 firmware. The plug-in is also installed.

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by John F

Went to bed, it was at 42%, 7 hours latter, it was at 14%. Read for 45 minutes this morning, and then it shutdown saying it needed to be charged.

Again, this is a Kobo Glo with 2.1.5 firmware. The plug-in is also installed.

Thanks for that!

Battery drain thus not specific to 2.3.2 and later.

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by Peakcrew

I'm glad you have been away a few days, Mrs_Often - you've just picked up something I had missed! Just when I thought we were getting to the bottom of things ...

Originally Posted by Peakcrew

So the _ in your name actually means "Hamlet"?

Originally Posted by Peakcrew

I may have an unfortunate update here - my Touch has just gone into black-screen and demanded recharging. That means it has dropped from 42% to recharge in two days, equating to about six hours/200 pages reading with one word-lookup. However, the book I am reading is image-heavy, something I don't think I've used before. Do images use more battery power?

Hmmmmmm

[Shai-Hulud]

Originally Posted by Peakcrew

We now seem to have enough information to hypothesise ...<SNIP>... This does not seem to be the case in the older Touch models; we have no information regarding Mini models.

Just to throw a spanner in the hypotheses, my old touch had intermittent power issues where it would enter into a race condition (?) trying to slip from sleep into full power off. The net result would be the same as I see happening on the newer models (extreme power consumption) just far less frequently/reliably. This is why I got it swapped out for another model (hence getting the new Touch) and how I became involved in the latest discussions on Glo/Touch power issues.

[Shai-Hulud]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

But, are you saying that if you slide the slider briefly and patiently wait until the device is really of, and only then close the case (that perhaps touches the screen), you still get battery drain?

Sadly yes with all reasonable precautions taken (tested when set to sleep only).

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Is perhaps your screen dirty? As in, something on there that interrupts the IR beams, causing the same screen touching battery drain problem?

No. I'm pretty fastidious about keeping the screen clean. And even if it was grubby, it would be a pretty stupid flaw to have a touch driven device that didn't like being touched! (Not actually an issue I'm sure since the original Touch didn't suffer from this).

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Or is the only difference that you have your power off settings enabled...??

When I conducted my tests I had it set to 'sleep only' for the purposes of making a direct comparison with you and others. In normal use I do have both power saving state options enabled. Just as well since a full power off after use is the only way I can get a usable battery life at present.

[Shai-Hulud]

Originally Posted by John F

Went to bed, it was at 42%, 7 hours later, it was at 14%. Read for 45 minutes this morning, and then it shutdown saying it needed to be charged.

Again, this is a Kobo Glo with 2.1.5 firmware. The plug-in is also installed.

I've experienced the bad power issue with the 2.1.5 firmware (no plug-in though). I've tested with 2.1.x. through every firmware release thus far with the same results. The only difference is the fonts are still rendered ok on the 2.1.x release.