About Batteries

iRex' electronic reading devices use lithium-ion batteries as their primary power source. Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable batteries that are popular for usage in portable electronics, like PDA's, cell phones and laptop computers. These batteries are known for their high power density in contrast to other batteries like Nickel-based ones. This means the battery gives you more power at a lower weight. Lithium batteries can be recharged whenever you like, without needing a full charge or discharge, but just like any other rechargeable battery lithium-ion batteries will eventually need replacement.

Battery-life, battery-lifespan and charge-cycles

There is some terminology you need to know when it comes to batteries. When we talk about battery-life we are talking about the amount of time you can use the battery after it has been fully charged. The battery-lifespan is the total amount of time your battery will work before it needs replacement. When a battery is discharged and recharged to the equal of 100% of its capacity we talk about a charge-cycle. When you, for example, use and recharge the battery twice for only 50%, this also equals one charge-cycle.

First usage and battery-life

To achieve the maximum battery-life it is required that you fully charge and use the battery for about five times. Over these first five charge-cycles you will see the battery-life improve. When you leave your device uncharged for a long period of time, it may again need a number of full charge cycles to get back to its old level. To keep the battery-life at its maximum level we recommend fully using and recharging the battery at least once a month.

How to get the best out of your battery-life

The way you use your device determines the battery-life. Using a WiFi connection or writing with the stylus requires more power than reading a book. You can improve battery-life during a charge-cycle by making sure your stylus is placed in the device and the WiFi background connect is turned off. Also make sure to always use the latest software version. Software updates may contain important features that can improve battery-life.

Batteries and memory

External memory resources like memory cards and USB sticks require additional power from the battery as long as they are connected to the device. This means that even when you don't use the external memory, it still drains your battery. Therefore it is better to put the files you frequently need on the main memory and have the memory card removed if it is not being used.

Battery life specification

Battery life of our products as mentioned in product documentation and on our website is based on a book-reading usage pattern. The book reading usage pattern is based on one page-flip per minute without usage of the stylus, no WiFi connections and no memory cards in the device. More advanced usage patterns are likely to consume more power and may reduce battery life significantly.

Battery-lifespan

A lithium-ion battery like the ones used in iRex’ products can deliver its maximum battery-life for a long time. After 400 charge-cycles the battery should still be able to achieve 80% of the maximum battery-life. Temperature can also influence the battery-lifespan, therefore it is best to use your device at temperatures between 0º and 35ºC (or 32º to 95ºF). The best storage temperature for products with a lithium-ion battery is room temperature. Heat, for example in a hot car, can strongly degrade the battery's performance and lifespan.

Battery replacement

Lithium-ion batteries have a long battery-lifespan, but as any other battery this is not infinite and your battery eventually may need replacement. When replacement is needed depends on use and your personal preference. You may choose to replace the battery when the battery-life is only a few hours, or wait until it does not hold enough energy to power your device at all. Replacement of the battery must be done by iRex Service with iRex certified spare parts. Replacement by others will result in loss of warranty and may damage your device beyond repair.

Warranty

The one year warranty on iRex' electronic reading devices includes replacement of a defective battery. After the first year you can request a battery replacement from iRex Service for 75 Euro or 84 US$. iRex will make sure your battery is disposed in an environmentally-friendly manner.

Checklist

• Use your iLiad regularly;
• Make sure your battery is fully charged and used for at least five times when it is new or unused for a longer period of time;
• Keep the stylus in the device and don't use the WiFi connection if they are not required;
• Only use memory cards or USB-sticks for files that cannot be stored on the internal memory;
• Don't put the device in extremely cold or hot places, like your car when it's hot.