IP3: Power consumption / Sleep cover

Mivo · 05-16-2018, 10:00 PM

I've had my Pocketbook InkPad 3 for a couple of weeks now. I quite like the device and I'm overall happy with the purchase. I have a couple observations/questions, though:

I noticed that when sleeping, the device seems to drain the battery faster than my several years old Kobo Glo (non-HD) does when not sleeping. In fact, I never turn off the Glo and sleep mode is disabled. It lasts for weeks this way. The InkPad 3 loses several percents of battery per day in sleep mode. Peculiarly, the other day it dropped to 20% within a day while sleeping (sleep cover), but I haven't been able to reproduce this, it only happened once. The frontlight and wifi are off on both readers.

To work around the battery draining when in sleep mode, I set the InkPad to turn off after 20 minutes of inactivity. When the sleep cover is closed, the device will still turn off after 20 minutes (this is good). I had hoped that when the sleep cover is opened, the device will automatically turn on. That, unfortunately, isn't the case (I don't know if this is actually feasible). The on/off button is located at the base of the device and it isn't all that easy to press.

It's not a huge deal, but it clashes a bit with how I have been using my other e-ink readers: like books. No booting, just pick them up and read. This doesn't work with the IP3 due to the battery draining faster than is the case with other readers I have used. I have only had 6" readers, though, and it is more powerful. Still, it also has a brand-new 1900 mAh battery vs. the Glo's several years old 1200 mAh battery.

Is Kobo's software better at managing energy or is this just related to the hardware specs and screen size? Is there something I can do to improve the situation? Would using a different reading software help?

On a side note, I had a couple instances where the IP3 would not recognize that it was connected to the computer (had to reboot the device before it worked again) and the clock lags behind. This is with the February 2018 firmware (the currently latest, I believe.

azidhaka · 05-17-2018, 10:03 AM

The InkPad 3 is my second device after PW3, which i sold after buying this.

I find the battery life of the IP3 exceptional, i bought it in March and the factory charge lasted me until a week ago, when i finally connected it (at 23% remaining). This is with around 30 min reading per day, more on the weekend, with auto light and auto comfort light on. Of course, i power it off when not using it - since its startup is so fast, i don't mind.
A month ago i bought the official sleep cover, but its sleep function is not reliable for me and i still turn it off with the button.

trekk · 05-18-2018, 02:47 PM

Battery life on my Inkpad 3 is absolutely awesome, the best I ever had on an ereader.

In sleep mode the Inkpad loses a maximum of 1 % of battery in 1-3 days. On one occasion it lost about 10% in a very short time, but that was because of the magnets in my bag, which accidentely deactivated the sleep mode.

Maybe you have a faulty device. Or there is a corrupted ebook file on your Inkpad, which can't be processed and therefore drains the battery. Or maybe you just have a bag with magnets too?

Mivo · 06-06-2018, 07:20 AM

A few weeks have gone by and I no longer observe these issues. Power consumption in sleep mode is now minimal as reported by others and the massive battery drain seems to have been a one-time fluke. I don't know for sure if this is related to the new firmware update or related to the fact that I plugged it in for 24h, but everything is working great now.

mobama · 06-07-2018, 12:33 PM

One thing I have noticed is that when I read a huge pdf (huge not in terms of MB, but in terms of processing intensity, somehow there are differences), the battery can go empty in a day, just by reading the file, no internet or such.

Maybe you were reading a pdf and not a lighter format?

05-16-2018, 10:00 PM	#1
Mivo Fanatic Posts: 556 Karma: 3531054 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Germany Device: In use: Pocketbook InkPad 3, Kobo Glo, iPad Air 2	IP3: Power consumption / Sleep cover I've had my Pocketbook InkPad 3 for a couple of weeks now. I quite like the device and I'm overall happy with the purchase. I have a couple observations/questions, though: I noticed that when sleeping, the device seems to drain the battery faster than my several years old Kobo Glo (non-HD) does when not sleeping. In fact, I never turn off the Glo and sleep mode is disabled. It lasts for weeks this way. The InkPad 3 loses several percents of battery per day in sleep mode. Peculiarly, the other day it dropped to 20% within a day while sleeping (sleep cover), but I haven't been able to reproduce this, it only happened once. The frontlight and wifi are off on both readers. To work around the battery draining when in sleep mode, I set the InkPad to turn off after 20 minutes of inactivity. When the sleep cover is closed, the device will still turn off after 20 minutes (this is good). I had hoped that when the sleep cover is opened, the device will automatically turn on. That, unfortunately, isn't the case (I don't know if this is actually feasible). The on/off button is located at the base of the device and it isn't all that easy to press. It's not a huge deal, but it clashes a bit with how I have been using my other e-ink readers: like books. No booting, just pick them up and read. This doesn't work with the IP3 due to the battery draining faster than is the case with other readers I have used. I have only had 6" readers, though, and it is more powerful. Still, it also has a brand-new 1900 mAh battery vs. the Glo's several years old 1200 mAh battery. Is Kobo's software better at managing energy or is this just related to the hardware specs and screen size? Is there something I can do to improve the situation? Would using a different reading software help? On a side note, I had a couple instances where the IP3 would not recognize that it was connected to the computer (had to reboot the device before it worked again) and the clock lags behind. This is with the February 2018 firmware (the currently latest, I believe.

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05-17-2018, 10:03 AM	#2
azidhaka Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Bulgaria Device: PocketBook InkPad 3	The InkPad 3 is my second device after PW3, which i sold after buying this. I find the battery life of the IP3 exceptional, i bought it in March and the factory charge lasted me until a week ago, when i finally connected it (at 23% remaining). This is with around 30 min reading per day, more on the weekend, with auto light and auto comfort light on. Of course, i power it off when not using it - since its startup is so fast, i don't mind. A month ago i bought the official sleep cover, but its sleep function is not reliable for me and i still turn it off with the button.

05-18-2018, 02:47 PM	#3
trekk Terraner Posts: 522 Karma: 4207769 Join Date: Aug 2011 Device: Kobo Libra, Aura One, Kindle Oasis 1 & 2 ...	Battery life on my Inkpad 3 is absolutely awesome, the best I ever had on an ereader. In sleep mode the Inkpad loses a maximum of 1 % of battery in 1-3 days. On one occasion it lost about 10% in a very short time, but that was because of the magnets in my bag, which accidentely deactivated the sleep mode. Maybe you have a faulty device. Or there is a corrupted ebook file on your Inkpad, which can't be processed and therefore drains the battery. Or maybe you just have a bag with magnets too?

06-06-2018, 07:20 AM	#4
Mivo Fanatic Posts: 556 Karma: 3531054 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Germany Device: In use: Pocketbook InkPad 3, Kobo Glo, iPad Air 2	A few weeks have gone by and I no longer observe these issues. Power consumption in sleep mode is now minimal as reported by others and the massive battery drain seems to have been a one-time fluke. I don't know for sure if this is related to the new firmware update or related to the fact that I plugged it in for 24h, but everything is working great now.

06-07-2018, 12:33 PM	#5
mobama Evangelist Posts: 432 Karma: 2303460 Join Date: Aug 2017 Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 3, Onyx T76ML, Kobo H2O Edition 1, Kobo Mini	One thing I have noticed is that when I read a huge pdf (huge not in terms of MB, but in terms of processing intensity, somehow there are differences), the battery can go empty in a day, just by reading the file, no internet or such. Maybe you were reading a pdf and not a lighter format?