One of the biggest positives with the new 6.8-inch Kindle Paperwhite that Amazon launched last October has been its battery life. At 10 weeks, that is clearly among the best in its class and is the highest with any Kindle device so far. However, that figure is strictly as per test conditions, which according to Amazon, is achieved if you are reading off the Kindle for half an hour each day. Also, the wireless has to be kept off and the front light set at 13.
While E Ink displays typically last longer than an LCD or OLED panel owing to the emissive nature of the latter two, manufacturers often tend to overhype the power saving attribute of the e-paper tech to the point of claiming it to last weeks on end. Unfortunately, that might only be partly true as there lacks a more practical method of measuring the battery life of an E Ink enabled device, the sort of what we have for smartphones, tablets, laptops, or other such devices.
Also, while the above mentioned parameters are the minimum to be met to see the battery lasts 10 weeks or anything in its vicinity, there sure are several other factors that too have to be taken into account to see the battery last that long. For instance, something seemingly as insignificant as the ambient temperature can also impact battery performance negatively. If you are living in a region where it is too cold or too hot, the device could end up using more battery power.
Similarly, direct exposure to sunlight can also cause the battery to drain faster. So, for those who’d prefer to do most of their reading out in the sun or make the most of the otherwise brilliant E INK Carta 1200 display, all of that could come at the cost of some battery power.
Apart from the above, here are a few other reasons that too can lead to faster battery drain on a Kindle device.
The wireless feature of the Kindle may be great for downloading new reading material but is also a battery guzzler. Keep it off or use the airplane mode and see the difference. You might even consider plugging into a computer to transfer new e-books. This will not only save battery power but instead, can gain a few more ounces of the juice as well in the process. At the least, keep it turned off when not in use.
Keeping the front light off or minimizing the brightness can also be a great way to save on battery power. So, unless it’s dark or dim lighting conditions, keep the backlight down if not turn it off completely and see how much of a boost it alone can have on the battery life.
Adding more e-book titles at the same time means more work for the processor as it indexes it all to ensure faster search operations. So, until all of it is indexed, the processor is at work, which translates to a steady stream of battery drain. This is also the reason Amazon recommends keeping your Kindle plugged in during large downloads. This will have you covered if you are using the Kindle’s Wi-Fi feature for downloading or compensate for the extra juice the processer will need to index all of your latest e-books.
The longer the Kindle is kept on, that naturally means a steady battery drain. So, when you are done reading, put it to sleep, or you can even shut it down completely if you aren’t likely to use it for a while. These apart, Amazon also recommends using the provided charging apparatus or recommended accessories for charging the Kindle.
Stick to the above and see if you can achieve the 10-week battery life span for the new Kindle Paperwhite.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
