Well, it’s been just over two weeks since I received my Kindle 2. I’m happy to say that I’ve been able to read with my new Kindle for those two weeks on just one battery charge. I’m also happy to say that the Kindle gave me plenty of notice before completely running down. I was able to finish up a chapter before plugging up the power adapter for the second time. I was getting sleepy too, so both I and the kindle needed some respite.

To give you an idea of my typical usage, here’s a break-down from the past 2 weeks:

• Average reading time: 1.5 hours per day
• Books Purchased: 2 (delivered wirelessly)
• Books Transferred: 15 (via USB in one session)
• When not in use: Power Off
• Wireless Use: Only when needed: book delivery, light web surfing
• Wireless Status: Off unless required

If your reading habits are similar to mine, one or two hours per day, then you can expect the Kindle 2 to keep you reading without interruption for a good two weeks. Of course, the more you use the wireless connection, the more power you’ll consume, which can shorten the periods between recharges considerably.

Now that I think about it, it would be pretty neat to have a feature on the Kindle that displayed a usage report. Someone send a friendly email to Amazon, please.

Something I’m curious about is the method of charging the Kindle 2. Both times I’ve charged mine up, I used the USB adapter that allows me to plug into the wall outlet. The charge time seems to be pretty brief, maybe three hours or so. I haven’t watched closely enough to say for sure.

If I was to charge my kindle via a USB connection from my computer or laptop, I don’t know if the charge time would be more or less. I’m not an electrician, but I would think that the USB cable itself would be a bit of a bottleneck, which would mean that the charge time is more or less the same regardless of the method. I’ll try to pay much closer attention the next two times I charge up the Kindle. If I remember, I’ll compare the charge times between plugging into the wall and plugging into the computer. It’s scientific!

While I’m on the subject, I think I’m going to pick up an extra power adapter to keep by my bed. I typically read in bed and it would be really nice to let it charge on my nightstand, and have an extra charger to use with my laptop. Last time I looked, you can buy an extra Kindle 2 power adapter for just $15.

For you guys who are rocking the Kindle 1, you can still purchase a replacement power adapter for the Kindle 1 as well as the Kindle 1 USB cable.

More Amazon.com links: Kindle 2 | Kindle DX