PRS-300 Sub-zero reading

Kat81 · 01-19-2010, 05:54 AM

Hi everybody!

I got my PRS-300 for Christmas, and am really happy.

I do a lot of reading on the train and bus when going to work, and it's really nice not having to carry some big book in my purse.

From time to time I have to stand outside waiting for my train or bus to arrive, and at this point this is the only thing that is less practical with an e-reader: it's the middle of the winter, and according to the user manual the operating temperature for the reader is 5 to 35 °C (not the typical temperature range in Norway at this time of year...

). Have anybody had any experienses using their reader in temperatures below this?

Best regards,
Katrine.

Bremen Cole · 01-19-2010, 05:59 AM

You could perhaps do it for a few minutes, but no more. It is just not good for consumer electronics to be used at such temps. My first iPod really hated cold temps, and over time I think it damaged it.....

ArcticBoy · 01-19-2010, 06:42 AM

Hi Kat81,
We both live in the same country, maybe even the same city.
Oh yes, I have been carrying my PRS-600 in my backpack with me and (like you) been freezing my b*** off waiting for the bus or the train lately. With temperatures down to - 20 °C the reader has been quite chilled when I have picked up from my backpack to read on the bus or the train, but it has never failed. I have not seen any problems at all, on the other hand the reader has never been completely frozen either.

Keep Cool !!

ArcticBoy

spideog · 01-19-2010, 06:44 AM

Personally I'd have more trouble using it in 35°C than 0°C.

It will take time before the internals actually get down to 0°C after you take it out of your bag anyway. The main issue will be taking it from one extreme to the other and then condensation occurring. The electronics won't care too much about being cold, the battery and screen will though.

June · 01-19-2010, 06:45 AM

I don't know how bad it is for the e-reader, but I have been known to read outdoors in sub-zero (centigrade) temperatures. The screen refresh gets more slow after it cools down, and the pages are not as crisp, but more washed out. I'm guessing it puts a strain on the electronics, and maybe whatever plastics there are in the e-ink screen, not to mention battery.... (thinking metal and glass are ok with cold).

Anyhow, I've been reading away while babysitting kids outdoors in -25 to -30 C and my reader is still functioning....

spideog · 01-19-2010, 06:55 AM

The electronics will love the cold.

The eInk and battery will probably not though, and that will be where they are being careful with the temp ratings of +5.

Glass going from cold to warm is very bad, especially for any electronics that may be close by that bit of glass.

ardeegee · 01-19-2010, 08:39 AM

In this recent cold snap in the US, I used my 300 some in below freezing temps (around mid-20s F is probably the coldest that I used it.) Page turns were maybe slightly slower, but nothing else. The battery held up fine. (In my ancient but still great Sony F707 camera, the battery simply does not work even in the 30s F)

lilac_jive · 01-19-2010, 08:50 AM

When I use mine in the cold, it slows down and doesn't refresh well. Once it warms back up it is fine. I would try to keep it out of the cold for extended periods of time, just in case.

DixieGal · 01-19-2010, 08:58 AM

Instead of the backpack, try to keep it in an inside warm pocket close to your body. The less you stress the glass with extremes, the better, I would say.

Not a prob in Alabama, but in the same reason for not stressing the glass with extremes, I would not leave it in the car in summer.

Kat81 · 01-20-2010, 06:51 AM

Thanks for all the replies!

I'm thinking that I'll be a bit careful, seeing as the thing is brand new and quite expensive and I wouldn't want to damage it... Guess I'll wait until the temp rises a little bit. Maybe I'll get more daring next winter.

- Kat.

ctol · 01-21-2010, 10:46 PM

Kat81 one thing you might try to keep your reader from freezing is to try using some of those hand warmer pads in your back pack. If you put them in a nonflamable sock or something of that sort you will be able to keep the contents of your backpack warm even in subzero weather. There are some that work off of batteries or air activated. Some of the products at either one of these sites might be of use for you. Or you can use one of the many available search engines to help find something more suitable for your needs. Hope this advice helps.

http://www.campingsurvival.com/handw...FSkZawodezPv0A

http://www.safetycentral.com/inreushanbod.html

01-19-2010, 05:54 AM	#1
Kat81 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Oslo, Norway Device: PRS-300	Sub-zero reading Hi everybody! I got my PRS-300 for Christmas, and am really happy. I do a lot of reading on the train and bus when going to work, and it's really nice not having to carry some big book in my purse. From time to time I have to stand outside waiting for my train or bus to arrive, and at this point this is the only thing that is less practical with an e-reader: it's the middle of the winter, and according to the user manual the operating temperature for the reader is 5 to 35 °C (not the typical temperature range in Norway at this time of year... ). Have anybody had any experienses using their reader in temperatures below this? Best regards, Katrine.

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01-19-2010, 05:59 AM	#2
Bremen Cole Wizard Posts: 1,115 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas Device: iPad	You could perhaps do it for a few minutes, but no more. It is just not good for consumer electronics to be used at such temps. My first iPod really hated cold temps, and over time I think it damaged it.....

01-19-2010, 06:42 AM	#3
ArcticBoy hooked on books Posts: 15 Karma: 106 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Norway [59°54′45″N 10°44′45″E] Device: Sony PRS-600	Hi Kat81, We both live in the same country, maybe even the same city. Oh yes, I have been carrying my PRS-600 in my backpack with me and (like you) been freezing my b*** off waiting for the bus or the train lately. With temperatures down to - 20 °C the reader has been quite chilled when I have picked up from my backpack to read on the bus or the train, but it has never failed. I have not seen any problems at all, on the other hand the reader has never been completely frozen either. Keep Cool !! ArcticBoy

01-19-2010, 06:44 AM	#4
spideog Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 648 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-300	Personally I'd have more trouble using it in 35°C than 0°C. It will take time before the internals actually get down to 0°C after you take it out of your bag anyway. The main issue will be taking it from one extreme to the other and then condensation occurring. The electronics won't care too much about being cold, the battery and screen will though.

01-19-2010, 06:45 AM	#5
June Addict Posts: 306 Karma: 4508151 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Scandinavia Device: Kobo Libra, Oasis 1&2 and others	I don't know how bad it is for the e-reader, but I have been known to read outdoors in sub-zero (centigrade) temperatures. The screen refresh gets more slow after it cools down, and the pages are not as crisp, but more washed out. I'm guessing it puts a strain on the electronics, and maybe whatever plastics there are in the e-ink screen, not to mention battery.... (thinking metal and glass are ok with cold). Anyhow, I've been reading away while babysitting kids outdoors in -25 to -30 C and my reader is still functioning....

01-19-2010, 06:55 AM	#6
spideog Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 648 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-300	The electronics will love the cold. The eInk and battery will probably not though, and that will be where they are being careful with the temp ratings of +5. Glass going from cold to warm is very bad, especially for any electronics that may be close by that bit of glass.

01-19-2010, 08:39 AM	#7
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	In this recent cold snap in the US, I used my 300 some in below freezing temps (around mid-20s F is probably the coldest that I used it.) Page turns were maybe slightly slower, but nothing else. The battery held up fine. (In my ancient but still great Sony F707 camera, the battery simply does not work even in the 30s F)

01-19-2010, 08:50 AM	#8
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	When I use mine in the cold, it slows down and doesn't refresh well. Once it warms back up it is fine. I would try to keep it out of the cold for extended periods of time, just in case.

01-19-2010, 08:58 AM	#9
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Instead of the backpack, try to keep it in an inside warm pocket close to your body. The less you stress the glass with extremes, the better, I would say. Not a prob in Alabama, but in the same reason for not stressing the glass with extremes, I would not leave it in the car in summer.

01-20-2010, 06:51 AM	#10
Kat81 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Oslo, Norway Device: PRS-300	Thanks for all the replies! I'm thinking that I'll be a bit careful, seeing as the thing is brand new and quite expensive and I wouldn't want to damage it... Guess I'll wait until the temp rises a little bit. Maybe I'll get more daring next winter. - Kat.

01-21-2010, 10:46 PM	#11
ctol Groupie Posts: 152 Karma: 303523 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Arizona Device: Nook, Fire Tablet, Windows RT Tablet Windows Phone	Kat81 one thing you might try to keep your reader from freezing is to try using some of those hand warmer pads in your back pack. If you put them in a nonflamable sock or something of that sort you will be able to keep the contents of your backpack warm even in subzero weather. There are some that work off of batteries or air activated. Some of the products at either one of these sites might be of use for you. Or you can use one of the many available search engines to help find something more suitable for your needs. Hope this advice helps. http://www.campingsurvival.com/handw...FSkZawodezPv0A http://www.safetycentral.com/inreushanbod.html

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