[Reader-users] Kurzweil Reader

[Waddington Photographic]

I have been having a lot of trouble with my Reader since purchasing  
it three months ago. The reader is excellent but the battery keeps  
going flat. I am aware of the instructions stating it should be  
connected at all times when not being used but this is not always  
practicable. Sometimes the reader can hold a charge for up to 10 to  
15 days and at other times, it can go flat over night or during the  
day having been fully charged only hours previously.

I bought the reader from Sight and Sound in the U.K. and they tell me  
no other person has reported an issue. However, I wrote to Kurzweil  
support and they say (or, rather, the person responding told me) that  
he has the same problem with his. He did not tell me what I could do  
about it other than to leave it connected to the mains supply.

I find this to be a rather negative attitude. The Reader is very  
expensive at oveer £3000. It is brilliant at reading text but the  
poor and erratic battery performance lets it down.

Over the past 7 days, it has flattened over night from 98% full to  
totally flat.  The second time a day or so later fro 92% to 10%  
(Critically low message) and to 30% (battery low message). For the  
last couple of days it has behaved itself.

I sometime am woken in the small hours by a chime coming from it and  
I think this is similar to a mobile phone telling the user it needs  
to b recharged.

I will  be very grateful if you or anyone else can advise me on the  
best way to proceed. Sight and Sound have replaced the unit once (at  
their suggestion) they say the one sent back has been on test and has  
lasted for up to three weeks! All I know is that when I was using  
it ,it could go flat overnight and the replacement unit does the same.


Laurence Waddington
U.K.