Hi Evelyn, The instructions in the package say to charge the unit before use. I think you can actually run it while charging though as it will continue to charge even though you are using it. A full charge takes maybe 3 hours or so depending on what kind of charge is on the battery to start with.
I really wouldn't worry about the calibration thing all that much unless you notice the battery charge dropping very rapidly. It's probably pretty much calibrated from the factory to begin with. This calibration thing is really for the calibration monitoring within the MPower and doesn't effect the battery directly. If you do decide to calibrate, what I've found that really does speed up the process is first to start the process when your battery shows around 80 percent charge or a bit less. Then, once the discharge part of the cycle starts, (or actually before it does), turn the braillenote volume to full volume and plug headphones into the output jack. This will still draw maximum current with the audio amplifier but also help you retain your sanity during the discharge process. I've found that doing this does speed up the calibration process by several hours. Enjoy your new toy! Don ___ To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
