Brand new kindle 2, what to do?

[Winter9]

No, it hasn't arrived yet ... But I thought I would ask so that I am ready to go when it does hopefully on tuesday..

When it arrives... What is the first thing I have to do?

What is the correct way to charge the battery? Should I charge it fully the first time? And after the first charge, how do I continue to take good care of the battery? What is the normal correct way to charge it? For example.. should it run out completely, charge 80 % etc etc ??

Thank you

PS. Something else I should be avare of the first time I use it??

[Scheherazade]

I charged mine completely before the first use, though I have seen it said that the battery works best between a 60-80% charge.  These are -not- batteries you want to run the charge completely out on.  When the Kindle tells you it needs to charge, you're pretty much as low (or even lower) than you want to go with it and should plug it in.  I charge at 40% or there abouts every time.  You don't really want to keep the charge topped off every night either.  Unless you're planning on needing the full charge for some reason, let it run down to at least half.

Don't keep whispernet on.  There's no real reason to unless you're getting blogs.  You can turn it on relatively quickly when you need it.  Don't shut your Kindle all the way off.  This is a waste of time and actually uses up more of the battery's power.  The screensaver uses very little (if any) power.  Once a page is drawn it's there and it doesn't have to do anything to keep it displayed.  Any battery will drain slowly even if you don't use it, but I have a K2 here I haven't charged/used in a month or more and it barely has a sliver of the battery gone even with the screensaver up.

Kindles don't suffer from screen burn in, but they do ghost images.  This is perfectly normal unless it's to a horrible degree and can be especially prevalent when showing graphics on the page.  The flash you see when turning pages (don't worry, you get so used to it you won't even notice it and it's far less distracting than having to turn a page in a book) is the Kindle resetting the page so it can draw a new image.  I think of it like an etch-a-sketch.  The black flash is the shaking of the screen so that it has a clear slate to draw the next one on.  But sometimes you will see slight ghosting from the previous screen, especially in the top and bottom info bars since they don't do full refreshes to make page turns quicker.  A quick ALT-G will redraw the screen and remedy this if it really bugs you.  I'm a bit of a stickler for it and always used to ALT-G after waking my K2 up.  My DX doesn't seem to do it as much or not so noticeably.  But page turns while reading books should not really ghost, it's usually just images.  It's most noticeable when you shut the Kindle off completely, which you really shouldn't have to do anyway

Keep in mind that you will see some more significant battery drain if you buy tons of books all at once.  The Kindle has to index books when you purchase them to make them searchable, and this can use a significant amount of power and sometimes people will question their battery life not knowing that the Kindle has been working away for hours trying to index the 500 books they loaded on it the first night.

You'll want a cover if you don't already have one.  I know I am very nervous using my Kindle naked.  I would use mine and slip it back into the box until my cover came for it, and didn't even use my DX much at all for the week I had to wait for my cover (though I had my K2 so it was easier, nobody will expect someone with a brand new one and only Kindle to do that, it's impossible!)

[Winter9]

Thank you I think a leather cover will arrive the day after I get my kindle, my oberon will take longer time I suspect, so I ordered a amazon cover..

what is alt-G?

[DramaMama]

When I got my kindle last May...and the battery was already half charged.  A friend of mine just got one a few days ago and he had to charge it immediately.

The above advice is good:  
Don't leave the wireless on unless you are currently using it...but do turn it on every few days for updates and such.
Don't manually turn it off....let it sleep.
Don't charge every night, just when needed.
Don't let it totally run out as a rule.  (Don't stress about it when it does happen though, once in a while is fine.)

It does take longer to charge up than I would have expected...so plan on doing that overnight!

Have fun...and check back if you have questions!

[Scheherazade]

ALT-G is a way to force your Kindle to redraw the current page.  You just hit the ALT button along with the G button and it'll flash and redraw.  I forgot to mention that I've also heard it's best to unplug your Kindle when you notice it has charged fully (the green light).  It's not something I stress over, but if I turn and notice it's full I will unplug it versus keeping it plugged in.  The battery really does last such a long time that there's no reason to and if it has a detrimental effect I'd rather be safe than sorry, but I can't say for sure it does.  It's just a good practice to keep.

[Leslie]

Also, just so you know, Winter, you can read your Kindle while it is charging.

L

[drenee]

Winter, I'm sure you're very excited for Tuesday. 
Don't forget us after your K arrives. 
deb

[Ann in Arlington]

When it arrives... What is the first thing I have to do?

The first thing to do is follow the leaflet that comes with it and tells you what to do to get it charging!

Then. . . .read the users guide that comes with it. . .it is very informative and will likely answer most of your questions.  The thing's not hard at all to figure out without reading it, but there is added info in there that is quite useful.

In fact, if you want, you can get a PDF copy of the guide from Amazon NOW.  Look about 2/3 down the kindle product page; there should be a link.  If you've read that before it arrives you will be totally good to go!

[hudsonam]

So we shouldn't actually turn off the Kindle? Just let it sleep on its own? That is good to know.

[Winter9]

I'm superexited!!!! Now I just wait, but I got a book from my dear cousin, The Catcher in The Rye, so I have something to read and amuse myself with while waiting, perfect timing hehe.

Of course I won't forget you! I will be eager to share my experience, seek advise, share the books I read, get recommendations.........

[Winter9]

The first thing to do is follow the leaflet that comes with it and tells you what to do to get it charging!

Then. . . .read the users guide that comes with it. . .it is very informative and will likely answer most of your questions.  The thing's not hard at all to figure out without reading it, but there is added info in there that is quite useful.

In fact, if you want, you can get a PDF copy of the guide from Amazon NOW.  Look about 2/3 down the kindle product page; there should be a link.  If you've read that before it arrives you will be totally good to go!

Thanks !!! Will defenitely do that!!!

[drenee]

Be an active member of our community -- we love that. 
deb

[HappyGuy]

Winter9 - another welcome to the community, probably one of the best you'll find on the web.

No one mentioned it, and you may have already found it, but drop over to the Book Bazaar and look at the free books list!! Some of them may no longer be free, but many of them will. Also, explore, explore, explore these boards. There is sooo much free information here and there's a lot of fun stuff too (see, "Not Quite Kindle"). You'll also find other sources for free books her, so be sure to look around.

Oh, by the way, if you need to spend money, check out the Kindle Accessories forum; lots of good recommendations there!! 

[Winter9]

Haha I know  Already ordered a oberon butterfly in purple..

[HappyGuy]

Haha I know  Already ordered a oberon butterfly in purple..

Haha I know  Already ordered a oberon butterfly in purple..

Good for you!! You aren't officially a Kindle owner, around here, until you've bought your first Oberon cover!!

[Leslie]

I'm superexited!!!! Now I just wait, but I got a book from my dear cousin, The Catcher in The Rye, so I have something to read and amuse myself with while waiting, perfect timing hehe.

A very good book to read right now, since the author, J.D. Salinger, just died a few days ago. RIP.

L

[Winter9]

Yeah, I know,my cousin told me he died..

[Winter9]

Is it okay to use it at once getting it while charging, or should I wait the first time till finishing charging?
Something I still don't quite get is actually the charging.
-When I charge the first time should I charge it completely or 80% ?
-When it runs down, should I let it run down completely the first time?
-When do you charge? 20? 40? and when do you stop? 60 ? 80?

[Jane917]

When you get your Kindle, plug it into the wall with the cord provided. An orangish/reddish light will come on right next to the USB port. When the Kindle is fully charged, the light will turn to green. I charge every week or so. I let the battery get down to less than 50%, probably closer to 40%. When you re-charge, you want to make sure you fully recharge, not partially.

[Winter9]

Everyone says different things 

Som says it should be kept between 20 and 80, some says 40 and 80 and some says charge fully.. What to do???

[drenee]

Fully charge.  When the light turns green, unplug.  The battery is not fragile or persnickity. 
When your K gets down to 1/4 mark plug it in and recharge.  I turn Whispernet on 5 or 6 times
in a two week period.  Sometimes for a few minutes, sometimes for a few hours.  My battery
lasts at least 2 weeks between charges. 
deb

[Winter9]

Thank  you and during the first recharge and after that do I still charge it fully?

Thank you so much! I'm so exited !!!!!!! I look forward to dig into the fantasy novel I bought, Dragonflight. I also look forward to reading Elfhunter and those books !! It's so cool that the author is here. But I think I should stick to the one I bought now first. I also bought a bible. I discovered that you can take notes too, I will have a blast reading the bible and using it for daily studies !!

[drenee]

Yes, I have charged mine fully each time and have never had a problem. 
Once in a while I will plug it in to charge and it does not get a full charge before I want to leave. 
I simply use it and then plug it back in next chance I get. 
I also have an iGo charger to use in my vehicle in case I need a charge when I'm not near home.

We also have a few threads in the book klub area where others are sharing their bible reading.
deb