The battery life is impressive. Last weekend. I had the iPad running for about 11 hours, one hour more than Apple's claim of 10 hours. At 680g, it feels light in my briefcase. However, holding it in one hand with a mug of coffee in the other, like what you would do while reading a book, will not do. It feels heavy after about 15 minutes. Better to prop it up or buy a case which can fold back to form a stand.