iPad How often do you charge iPad?

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by omro

are there no adapters that allow you to take two usb ports and combine them into a single port capable of charging the iPad more effectively?

What you describe has been an accessory to one of my external hard discs. When attaching the hard disc to a single USB port of one of my media players, the hard disc doesn't work. I need a second one. So I put my media player next to my Apple TV, so I can use the USB port of the media player plus the USB port of Apple TV.
So, what you describe technically is possible.

[Rique]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

What you describe has been an accessory to one of my external hard discs. When attaching the hard disc to a single USB port of one of my media players, the hard disc doesn't work. I need a second one. So I put my media player next to my Apple TV, so I can use the USB port of the media player plus the USB port of Apple TV.
So, what you describe technically is possible.

+1 - I have an external 2.5" drive (actually, it is an enclosure for a 2.5" drive - I put my old Macbook Pro drive into it when I upgraded) - and it came with a real funky cable, which had two USB connectors at one end. It took me a while to realize that I needed to plug both in so the external drive could get enough power from USB.

[Lotus Esprit]

When it gets down to between 10 and 20 percent of battery life left.

[Mercury]

I'm an overnight charger, the battery is usually between 5-30% by the end of the day, and I don't take any special precautions to extend battery life. I try and remember to put it in aeroplane mode when I'm underground on the tube, but I only seem to remember one in ten times.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by scottjl

if the ipad receives 500ma it will trickle charge slowly when it is in sleep mode (screen is off) and can get a full charge from 0 to 100% in about 8 hours. it will not charge while the screen is on and the ipad is in use, this includes directly using the ipad, transferring files, syncing, etc. the screen must be off. when the screen is on it will say "not charging" because it is not charging at that time. it is charging when the screen is off.

I left my iPad backing up (with screen on) for over 24 hours, so it must have been receiving enough current to charge, otherwise it would have drained the battery. This is from an oldish ThinkPad, which I'm sure doesn't have any fancy high-powered USB ports.

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by Rique

+1 - I have an external 2.5" drive (actually, it is an enclosure for a 2.5" drive - I put my old Macbook Pro drive into it when I upgraded) - and it came with a real funky cable, which had two USB connectors at one end. It took me a while to realize that I needed to plug both in so the external drive could get enough power from USB.

It can actually vary whether or not you need to connect both e.g. on the drive enclosure I have they say to try just using the main usb connector on its own first and then connecting the 2nd if needed.

[davebalme]

I'm primarily using my iPad (WiFi off) to read comics through Comic Zeal, and books through readMe and I'm generally getting 9 ~10 hours use from a charged battery.

[nursedude]

I generally charge overnight so the iPad is ready to go first thing in the am. There should have been an option in the poll for the amount of time wifi is on that falls between always and sometimes (perhaps - usually?). I have my wifi on at home most of the time but at work don't have access to a wireless network so I turn of wifi. In the am I power up and download the BBC news and USA today so I have something to read on break.

Off topic: Does anyone know of any other news apps that provide good content offline?

Rob

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You certainly are a "power user", in the sense that you're using a lot of power .

As I've said in another thread, my iPad spends most of its time in "airplane mode", with WiFi and 3G turned off. In that mode, reading for an hour uses about 2% of the battery, and I only recharge once a week, at which time the battery charge is normally around 30-40%.

Hmm. I've been watching a lot of Dr. Who on my iPad. Never occurred to me to go to Airplane Mode while doing that. Even on the airplane. I don't have 3G, so in a way I'm always in Airplane Mode.

But it occurs to me that in addition to lessening the need for recharging, your approach also means that the battery will last longer overall, since there will be fewer full recharges per <insert time period.>

My iPad and my iPhone go on the charger every night, whether they need it or not. The iPad battery is astounding. I've never gone below 40% of the charge, even with intense usage. It looks to me like I'm getting more than an hour of use for 10% of the battery charge. I could probably go 3 or 4 days between charges.

My iPhone 4, on the other hand, seems to be using more charge than my previous iPhone G3. I am pretty sure I could get 12 hours of usage out of my iPad, but would expect half that out of the iPhone, assuming identical use.

[93terp]

Originally Posted by Harmon

Hmm. I've been watching a lot of Dr. Who on my iPad. Never occurred to me to go to Airplane Mode while doing that. Even on the airplane. I don't have 3G, so in a way I'm always in Airplane Mode.

The Wi-Fi only iPad does not have an Airplane Mode option.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by 93terp

The Wi-Fi only iPad does not have an Airplane Mode option.

Turning WiFi off has the same effect on the WiFi-only version.

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Turning WiFi off has the same effect on the WiFi-only version.

I haven't been doing that & so far have crashed no airplanes.