Friday, January 27, 2012

Kindle How To: Let it sleep!

Kindles need rest just like any other devices, but the *type* of rest varies based on how much use it gets.  What are the types of rest you ask?  Hold/Sleep mode and turning it off.  Everyone has differing opinions on this subject, but this is what I have found and what Amazon CS has told me.

Treat your Kindle like a desktop computer.  You don't want to turn it off and on all the time if you are constantly using it.  By turning it off and on you will cause your Kindle to get slower and it could even die!! However, if you don't turn your Kindle off at least once or twice a week, it can also slow it down and cause it to die.  Such a fine line to walk that you have to be careful.  Below are the two different types of use, and how to decide when to turn it off or when to use hold/sleep mode.

Sleep vs. Off
Sleep will have a picture or advertisement; Off will have a blank screen.


People who use their Kindle for everything or more than casual use (40+ hours a week):
  • Make sure you turn your Kindle on hold during the day, but turn it off at night.
  • Restart your Kindle if you notice it acting up or getting slower.
  • If your Kindle is still acting up at all after you restart it, and you are still under warranty, contact Amazon to get a replacement.
People who use their Kindle casually (under 40 hours a week):
  •  You can leave your Kindle on hold/sleep mode all night, but be sure to turn it off completely at least once a week.
  • Restart your Kindle if you notice it acting up when it has full battery.
  • Hold/Sleep mode is great for majority of your use.
I've had issues with my Kindle in the past and found all of the things above to be true.  It really does depend on how much you use your device.  If you have anything to add to this list, or have found something different, feel free to leave me a comment.  Have a question or did I confuse you? Just ask in the comments! I'd love to hear what everyone else has experienced! Happy Reading!

6 comments:

Connie Keller said...

Wow! I had no idea! Thanks for the info.

Krispy said...

I don't use my Kindle too much right now, but these are great things to know! I left it on for a week once because I didn't realize it wasn't OFF. :P

HilyBee said...

Connie - Such a small thing but very important. :)

Krispy - Most Kindle owners who don't realize there is an off. haha

Cary Caffrey said...

Doh! I've had mine on since I got it.

Thanks for the article

Stephen Winterflood said...

As far as I was aware there was no on off for the screen. It just uses power when it changes what is on it.

Turning wireless off when not in use helps as the Kindle will always use power to detect if there is an internet spot nearby and update itself.

I love my kindle, especially for editing my novels, and did a blog about that recently, so good to see yours here.

HilyBee said...

To turn it off you just hold the sleep/wake button until the screen goes blank. I always keep my wireless turned off unless I'm uploading books. :)