Got paperwhite! Batch 502

[Dallista]

Mine says 024, I guess I just got very lucky with one from another batch then... :-) Thanks for the info!

[HYPE]

Noob question, how do you find out what's your batch number?

Edit : Mea culpa, I hadn't read the thread completely. My PW is from batch 024 and the screen is near perfection. Just a tiny bit cloudy at the bottom, but not disturbing at all. And no color blobs. Ordered from amazon.ca, if that's relevant.

[hariyanto]

Go to Settings > Device Info.
Look at the Serial Number: xxxx x503 xxxx xxxx
503 is the batch number.

[HYPE]

Originally Posted by hariyanto

Go to Settings > Device Info.
Look at the Serial Number: xxxx x503 xxxx xxxx
503 is the batch number.

Yep, thank you very much. I guess you saw my post before I had time to edit it.

[Dallista]

oh, got it, then it's 603. Is there a chronological increment in these things, like, say, 603 was released a month later than the 503 or some such, or os it just a rather random thing?

[anathema]

Not totally sure. Other than some VERY minor spotlighting on the bottom, my screen is perfect. As much more more contrast than a Kindle keyboard, and so much more evenly lit than the exterior booklight case they sold for it. It is almost like an LCD without any eyestrain, very white and nice.

I hope it stays over time, but even if it did have some discoloration etc I cant imagine it being as annoying as that case with the crappy side contacts and uneven light. I thought it was so great when it came out, but it was not reliable at all. See how this one goes but being so integrated I have high hopes.

[millydog]

I have a 603 on it's way, according to the serial listed in my account. Sounds like it could be the latest build. I ordered 2 days ago and it was listed as shipping in 2-3 weeks, but I got a shipping notification today and it is coming from China, so probably straight from manufacturing.

[NullNix]

Originally Posted by anathema

Not totally sure. Other than some VERY minor spotlighting on the bottom, my screen is perfect. As much more more contrast than a Kindle keyboard, and so much more evenly lit than the exterior booklight case they sold for it. It is almost like an LCD without any eyestrain, very white and nice.

That's not necessarily the batch though. My PW was bought and shipped in early/mid December, batch 502, and is as far as I can tell flawless hardware-wise, no glowing smudges or discolouration or pinpricks of light or brilliant white dragons emerging from the light-guide and burning the house to ash. I've been lucky with every Kindle screen so far, Kindle 4 and now this.

[luxeluxe]

What are the most favored batched numbers? 502, 603, anything else? i'm might buy one the store if i come across a batch number rumored to be a good screen.

i just bought a pw from best buy yesterday and it was very distracting to read, the 2nd i got today was livable and am keeping the better one. The 2nd one, that i am okay with happens to be green murky on the top half and less murky on the bottom half, which i can live with it. but the first one i got is a 1"+ diagonal stripe of green murkiness from the top right to 3/4's down ending on the left, which is distracting because each line of text then becomes white, then green, then white again, so i prefer the one on which first half of the page mostly green and the 2nd half of the page all white, at least the screen of each line is consistant. lol.

but if i see a batch number you guys think might give me a better shot, i might give it one more go. I might not, i'll read a few chapters tonight and for a handful of days and see if i forget it's there, but just in case.

[ixtab]

Ask 20 different people here to compare displays of the various batches, and you'll likely get 30 different answers.

Don't pay attention to the batch number, but to how the screen looks to you.

Anyway, if you must know, then my assumption is that on average, newer batches (i.e., higher numbers) sold shouldn't be worse than older ones.

PS: I have a 501 PW and am perfectly happy with the display.

[luxeluxe]

Originally Posted by ixtab

Ask 20 different people here to compare displays of the various batches, and you'll likely get 30 different answers.

Don't pay attention to the batch number, but to how the screen looks to you.

Anyway, if you must know, then my assumption is that on average, newer batches (i.e., higher numbers) sold shouldn't be worse than older ones.

PS: I have a 501 PW and am perfectly happy with the display.

K, thanks. I guess i'll stick with this one. or whichever one bothers me less after a week or so.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by ixtab

Ask 20 different people here to compare displays of the various batches, and you'll likely get 30 different answers.

Don't pay attention to the batch number, but to how the screen looks to you.

Anyway, if you must know, then my assumption is that on average, newer batches (i.e., higher numbers) sold shouldn't be worse than older ones.

PS: I have a 501 PW and am perfectly happy with the display.

This.

I also have a 501, a replacement for the one I got originally. While I've never been 'perfectly happy' with it, it was a clear improvement over the first one, and definitely falls in the category of 'good enough' (and in most conditions, it's great). While I'm sure there must be better ones out there, I doubt they are that much better than mine, and I'm not prepared to spend half a day setting up a new kindle that is only 5% better.