Pocket Pro battery issue?

[mrsquash]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

I've yet to get mine, but after reading the documentation etc could the mp3 player be running in the background?

Good theory. I could easily have accidentally turned on either the mp3 or the text-to-speech function when I first started playing with the Pro shortly after I received it.

But after trying (just now) to use those features for the first time, I don't think that was it. When I tried the mp3 player (the "Music is playing..." option), it gave me an error message: "Please choose music file!". Since I haven't put any mp3s on it, I don't think I could have inadvertently triggered that back when I had my problem.

The text-to-speech thing is out, too, since if you try to run it without earphones plugged in, it gives an error message saying: "Please insert earphone!". I plugged earphones in and it worked fine after that (with an epub).

Whatever the cause of my initial problems (and I'm inclined to think it was probably something stupid that I did), the Pocket Pro now holds a charge well. As long as I turn it off between uses, anyway.

I've been hesitant to leave it on unattended again until I heard of others' experiences with that. But I haven't heard anything yet, so perhaps I'll give it another shot sometime soon, maybe after I get an extra battery (if that turns out to be possible).

[Morlac]

Originally Posted by mrsquash

I've been hesitant to leave it on unattended again until I heard of others' experiences with that. But I haven't heard anything yet, so perhaps I'll give it another shot sometime soon, maybe after I get an extra battery (if that turns out to be possible).

I've noticed several times that if I leave my PocketPro on but unattended for a significant period (like an hour), it doesn't respond quite right when I come back When it happens, it's as if the keyboard is locked without actually showing the message -- pressing buttons makes the battery/power light flash as if it's thinking, but the screen does not change. Usually I end up having to turn the machine off and back on. One time I tried actually hitting the power button briefly, as if I was trying to turn the lock on/off. The lock message came up at that point, but I couldn't get it to unlock again. Still ended up having to turn the machine off. (This is with the original firmware update installed.)

So I've just been turning off the machine when not in use, too. Anybody else seeing odd behavior when leaving the PP unattended?

Also, if there actually is a problem when the battery drains completely, it could become almost unavoidable. After all, most batteries drain slowly even when not in use. So even with the reader switched off, if you just didn't use it for a long enough period and it was already relatively low on power, you could cross the threshold without knowing it.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by mrsquash

I've been hesitant to leave it on unattended again until I heard of others' experiences with that. But I haven't heard anything yet, so perhaps I'll give it another shot sometime soon, maybe after I get an extra battery (if that turns out to be possible).

I am on my second week (and third e-book) with no battery drain issues. I leave mine with a locked screen most of the time as I discovered unwanted page flips with the cover closed.

I noticed that it took a long time charging from my desktop computer USB socket and switched to the charger supplied. I Recharged again this last weekend even though the battery meter still read Full.
Again, the time to the "Remove Plug" symbol was hours.
It seems that proper conditioning is important.

[griffonwing]

I updated my firmware as soon as I received my unit.

However, I have not experienced any of the lockups. Many is a night that I'll be reading in bed, close the cover and set it on the bed beside me. In the morning, I wake up, put the reader in my coat pocket, take it to work, and during lunch, I pull it out, open the cover, continue reading the page, and when I hit NEXT, a second later, I am on the next page. No hiccups or stalls.

The only negative thing about my reader is the peeling rubber skin.

[SDRebel]

Originally Posted by Xerxes

This thread here has me scared to take the plunge. O_o

I think only a handful of people have had issues (one of them being me )...you might want to try it. I liked it while it was working.

[93terp]

Originally Posted by theducks

I noticed that it took a long time charging from my desktop computer USB socket and switched to the charger supplied. I Recharged again this last weekend even though the battery meter still read Full.
Again, the time to the "Remove Plug" symbol was hours.
It seems that proper conditioning is important.

I too have noticed the same behaviour. I also found that on my first full battery charge that it took quite a while for the battery meter to go from 4 bars to 3 bars, but it took much less time to go from 3 bars to 1 bar.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

I've yet to get mine, but after reading the documentation etc could the mp3 player be running in the background?

The mp3 player shuts off automatically if the headphones are removed. Not locking the keyboard and then accidentally pushing the keys through the cover can run the battery down.

Dale

edit: corrected Note locking to Not locking. Sorry for the confusion.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Morlac

I've noticed several times that if I leave my PocketPro on but unattended for a significant period (like an hour), it doesn't respond quite right when I come back When it happens, it's as if the keyboard is locked without actually showing the message -- pressing buttons makes the battery/power light flash as if it's thinking, but the screen does not change. Usually I end up having to turn the machine off and back on. One time I tried actually hitting the power button briefly, as if I was trying to turn the lock on/off. The lock message came up at that point, but I couldn't get it to unlock again. Still ended up having to turn the machine off. (This is with the original firmware update installed.)

So I've just been turning off the machine when not in use, too. Anybody else seeing odd behavior when leaving the PP unattended?

Also, if there actually is a problem when the battery drains completely, it could become almost unavoidable. After all, most batteries drain slowly even when not in use. So even with the reader switched off, if you just didn't use it for a long enough period and it was already relatively low on power, you could cross the threshold without knowing it.

I think there are probably two or more levels of internal battery saving shutdown. I have noticed that I sometimes have to hit the next button a couple or even 3 times to make the unit come to life but seldom, if ever, have to shut it down, unless it locks up (which is rare).

Battery depletion over time due to internal discharge is not quite the same as running the battery down with an external load. I would not expect internal discharge to destroy a battery but it may take a long time to get it back. If the unit is truly off and started with a full charge or nearly so I would expect more than 6 mos to possibly a year before a full discharge. Batteries are generally shipped with about a 40% charge or more to avoid problems with shelf life.

Dale

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by 93terp

I too have noticed the same behaviour. I also found that on my first full battery charge that it took quite a while for the battery meter to go from 4 bars to 3 bars, but it took much less time to go from 3 bars to 1 bar.

I know my 1994 Oldsmobile Aurora Classic (that was a fabulous car) was quirky that way. It would take forever to have the gas gauge go to 1/2 full... and then it would take 1/4 the miles to go to empty. My solution: fill up when it showed half a tank. My 2004 GMC Canyon is the same way (another fabulous and ultra-reliable vehicle).

I have no reason why the battery gauge acts this same way... but it is a fact. This is why I keep asking purchasers to use the gauge only as a rough guide. Recharge when it gets just below 1/2 on the gauge! This IS in the FAQ sheet.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

The mp3 player shuts off automatically if the headphones are removed. Not locking the keyboard and then accidentally pushing the keys through the cover can run the battery down.

Dale

Robertb
Please, could you ask the factory if the keypress on a locked keypad indeed draws battery power?
I routinely place my PEZ (closed cover) in the stuffed pocket of my Laptop case. Pressure on the keys is likely

[slayda]

Originally Posted by Morlac

I've noticed several times that if I leave my PocketPro on but unattended for a significant period (like an hour), it doesn't respond quite right when I come back When it happens, it's as if the keyboard is locked without actually showing the message -- pressing buttons makes the battery/power light flash as if it's thinking, but the screen does not change. Usually I end up having to turn the machine off and back on. One time I tried actually hitting the power button briefly, as if I was trying to turn the lock on/off. The lock message came up at that point, but I couldn't get it to unlock again. Still ended up having to turn the machine off. (This is with the original firmware update installed.)

So I've just been turning off the machine when not in use, too. Anybody else seeing odd behavior when leaving the PP unattended?

Also, if there actually is a problem when the battery drains completely, it could become almost unavoidable. After all, most batteries drain slowly even when not in use. So even with the reader switched off, if you just didn't use it for a long enough period and it was already relatively low on power, you could cross the threshold without knowing it.

I upgraded to the latest and still have this same problem (appears to be locked when I haven't locked it and must reboot to continue). This usually happens after some hours of use. However mine has never registered less than 4 bars. When it happens once, it will "seeming lock" again rather soon. The only "fix" I've found is to recharge.

Yesterday I ran TTS (from a full charge) until it stopped. Then recharged over night. I'll see how it does now.


EDIT: Did it again after a couple hours reading. Just seemingly locked up & had to reboot.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by theducks

Robertb
Please, could you ask the factory if the keypress on a locked keypad indeed draws battery power?
I routinely place my PEZ (closed cover) in the stuffed pocket of my Laptop case. Pressure on the keys is likely

sorry, typo on my part. I meant Not locking.

[SDRebel]

Originally Posted by SDRebel

I think only a handful of people have had issues (one of them being me )...you might want to try it. I liked it while it was working.

for those following my saga.... I will now get a new unit since the previous one was "not repairable"

[UchihaNaru]

Hi, I'm not sure if I have a battery problem. Just need to clarify.

As the website state, the battery should last about 8000 page turns.

I got my PP on monday, and I charged it for more than 12 hours. So I have been using it the past few days, and the maximum no. of pages I turn would have been at most 1000 pages. I put the PP on keylock when I'm not using it, but from what I read, seems like keeping the PP on a particular page does not use battery.

Whatever the case, I'm currently missing one bar (out of four), and I read on another page that when it is 2 bars down, it is time to charge since that's when the battery will go downhill.

So it seems that my battery is not going to reach the 8000 pages that it claimed to be able to perform, not even half of it. It that normal?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by SDRebel

for those following my saga.... I will now get a new unit since the previous one was "not repairable"

Cool! I'm getting a refund since they didn't seem to want to send mine back as it was (which was working normally) -- remember I changed my mind about the return. So no I think I'll just standby til I see the money show up and then decide what to do.