Unlike many other users I have had my Kindle for over a year. I now need to replace the original battery. Unfortunately, there is none available on Amazon's site. I should have bought a back-up months ago, but didn't read the write-ups that many people said theirs lasted only 3 or 4 months. I believe it prolongs the life of the battery to turn off the Whispernet when not in use. I also turn off the power switch when I'm done reading, as opposed to letting it just sleep as some users do, and I charge mine between uses, not letting it go down completely. Amazon recommends that as well. When my pages start turning slower I know it is time to recharge it.

I hope the new battery has better life than the originals did, but since I am on back-order I won't know until I get it. Still the Kindle is the best gift I have ever received, just love it!

The battery has a disappointingly short life span. While it's great that replacement is possible I'm becoming increasingly annoyed that Amazon has such a long back order on the item. Amazon really dropped the ball on this one. I love my kindle but would hesitate to reccomend it to some one else because of this issue.

My Dad had a stroke 12+ years ago. The Kindle is the ONLY thing that lets him read independently (1 side paralyzed, visual field disrupted), and getting it last year was a Godsend. HOWEVER: I have 2 major gripes, and they are MAJOR. (1) There is no way for other members of the family to purchase books and subscriptions for him for his Kindle (which we all wanted to do this Christmas); and (2) when the battery dies, your goose is cooked, because IT TAKES FOREVER to get a replacement. I ordered the new battery December 12, so that I would then be able to "play Santa" for the other family members when I arrived at my parents' house, and use my Dad's Kindle to order the various books and subscriptions people had in mind for him. One Big Problem: no battery arrived, and we hear only that it will "not be available by Dec 25" (no word about when it WILL be available). So now my Dad is unable to read, and we are unable to get him his Christmas reading wish list, and have no ides when that will be possible. No mistake: the Kindle is Wonderful, but this kind of bottleneck is way too short-sighted for such an otherwise advanced item - and for someone with my Dad's restrictions, the Godsend has turned into a Calamity. Let's hope it is short-lived!

I love my Kindle, but I am so upset as I have not been able to read sinse October as they have no batteries in stock. I paid all that money for it, and now I have to purchase books at a book store because they have no batteries for it. Totally rediculous. The battery only lasted about 3 months, and I recharged it all the time. I have tried to order 2 so I will have an extra on hand, but to no avail. Sorry AMAZON you rreally should have better batteries, and certainly keep them in stock. THis is way too long to go without a battery. You keep sending me updates for my Kindle via e-mail...but I cannot download them due to the fact I cannot use my Kindle. I am very disappointed. I was thrilled with it, and highly recommended it to friends...,.now I am sorry I did not maybe buy the Sony. I have been without bei;ng able to use it sinse the end of October and here it is December 23...come on that is so totally unbelievable. Too much money to spend for something that you cannot use. Guess I loved my Kindle so much that I am missing using it beyond words.

Amazon is quick to suck the $359.00 out of your wallet for the Kindle but when you need to order a back up battery to keep the thing running, expect to wait MONTHS for it!

It doesn't make any sense that they make the Kindle available but yet it takes forever to get the needed battery for it EXCEPT that Amazon is self-serving and only cares about the huge profits it makes from the Kindle but could care less if Kindle purchasers can keep using it or not.

I'm very disappointed, to say the least, especially since I like the Kindle so much.