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Man!!! Bluetooth Drains fast.....

Dammit Cubs

Dammit Cubs

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 31, 2007
2,127
731
I'm using the wireless keyboard from Apple paired with my Ipad and Boy does it drain fast!!!. I don't know how long i have been using it, but i have been on my Ipad for about a good hour and its already drained about 12%

It's expected that bluetooth typical drops the battery life down 20%.

But Boy was I shocked.

Also, its pretty cool that I can press any key on my wirelress keyboard to unlock the screen.
 
I use high end rechargeables on all my wireless keyboards. Cheaper in the long run and they last longer. Get at least 2000mAH. I use 2700mAh.
 
I found the same today used the bluetooth keyboard for a bit but forgot to turn off bluetooth after and the battery drain a lot faster than before.
I've been getting great battery use with no Bluetooth on lasts all day no problems.
 
Thanks. This is helpful information to me.

I have the keyboard dock and have been wondering if I should get the bluetooth keyboard too. Maybe not.
 
quangdiggity said:
Apple released a firmware update for their aluminum keyboards earlier this year that supposedly improved battery life. It might also reduce the battery drain on the iPad, if the problem was communication related.

http://www.apple.com/downloads/maco...are/2009aluminumkeyboardfirmwareupdate10.html

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/firmware_hardware/aluminumkeyboardfirmwareupdate11.html
Click to expand...

"This firmware update improves battery performance of the 2009 Aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard"

But if I understand this thread correctly, the problem is that the keyboard or bluetooth drains the iPad battery. The keyboard itself is fine.
 
I've noticed that bluetooth does seem to drain the battery faster. I used the BT wireless keyboard I had from my Mini to test out typing a paper on my iPad. It worked great and the battery still lasts a long time...just not as long.

I don't have any definitive stats though so I can't give any hard figures.
 
antiprotest said:
"This firmware update improves battery performance of the 2009 Aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard"

But if I understand this thread correctly, the problem is that the keyboard or bluetooth drains the iPad battery. The keyboard itself is fine.
Click to expand...

He said in his second sentence "It might also reduce the battery drain on the iPad, if the problem was communication related."
 
antiprotest said:
"This firmware update improves battery performance of the 2009 Aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard"

But if I understand this thread correctly, the problem is that the keyboard or bluetooth drains the iPad battery. The keyboard itself is fine.
Click to expand...

It’s just a wild guess, (I don’t know anything about the Bluetooth protocol) but the keyboard might be communicating with the iPad too frequently as well, e.g.

Keyboard to iPad: iPad I’m still here.
iPad to Keyboard: OK
Keyboard to iPad: iPad I’m still here.
iPad to Keyboard: OK
Keyboard to iPad: iPad I’m still here.
iPad to Keyboard: OK
 
Bluetooth on iPad (and iPhone) is pretty much useless. If it can be used as network connection, then we will be worry about the battery now
 
Timothy said:
I noticed this as well. Still, for specific needs, I love the bt keyboard/iPad combination.
Click to expand...

agreed, it helps a lot when you need to type and you really have time to just play. the display tabs are also convenient as well. having control of the volume and brightness from my keyboard is nice
 
Dammit Cubs said:
I'm using the wireless keyboard from Apple paired with my Ipad and Boy does it drain fast!!!. I don't know how long i have been using it, but i have been on my Ipad for about a good hour and its already drained about 12%

It's expected that bluetooth typical drops the battery life down 20%.

But Boy was I shocked.

Also, its pretty cool that I can press any key on my wirelress keyboard to unlock the screen.
Click to expand...

None of this makes sense.
You don't know how long you've been using it.
You've been using it a good hour.​
It drained the battery about 12%
It's expected that bluetooth typically [sic] drops the battery life down 20%.​
Boy were you shocked.
:cool:

You were shocked that the battery dropped 12% when it is "typical" that bluetooth drops the battery 20%? Or am I misunderstanding?
 
jessica. said:
None of this makes sense.
You don't know how long you've been using it.
You've been using it a good hour.​
It drained the battery about 12%
It's expected that bluetooth typically [sic] drops the battery life down 20%.​
Boy were you shocked.
:cool:

You were shocked that the battery dropped 12% when it is "typical" that bluetooth drops the battery 20%? Or am I misunderstanding?
Click to expand...

Nope, you're not misunderstanding, that about sums it up.
 
sassenach74 said:
Nope, you're not misunderstanding, that about sums it up.
Click to expand...

Well its faster than normal. You can't just take a linear value and assume thats how the battery or that of the percentage value will calculate.

You have to look at the time drain of using your BT keyboard drain to lets say 85% and then do it again with your Ipad from 100% to 85%

Does the time difference add up to a 20% lower value. For me, it seems like its a lot faster than 20%.
 
Dammit Cubs said:
Well its faster than normal. You can't just take a linear value and assume thats how the battery or that of the percentage value will calculate.

You have to look at the time drain of using your BT keyboard drain to lets say 85% and then do it again with your Ipad from 100% to 85%

Does the time difference add up to a 20% lower value. For me, it seems like its a lot faster than 20%.
Click to expand...

Ipads last 10 hours, so 10% drain an hour. using a bluetooth keyboard yours drained 12% in an hour. 2 is 20% of 10. Yes yours drained exactly 20% more then usual. Not hard to figure out.

And sorry but it is pretty obvious that using Bluetooth would drain more battery, it is constantly sending out a signal back and fourth from the keyboard to the Ipad and vice versa..
 
Dammit Cubs said:
Well its faster than normal. You can't just take a linear value and assume thats how the battery or that of the percentage value will calculate.

You have to look at the time drain of using your BT keyboard drain to lets say 85% and then do it again with your Ipad from 100% to 85%

Does the time difference add up to a 20% lower value. For me, it seems like its a lot faster than 20%.
Click to expand...
Who are you debating with? You're the one who applied a linear value on the battery drain.

Are you ok? Really.

You gave it a 12% and 20% drop in battery power. Not us.
 
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