The "Gorbachev" KPW Screen Problem

weatherman · 10-20-2012, 10:15 AM

I've had my KPW for a couple of days now, and used it just a few times for night reading, usually with an external lamp providing at least some extra light. Last night I had a bit of insomnia, woke up at 4:00 and decided to read a bit. That's when I first noticed a rather large but very faint pink splotch in the middle of the screen. It was covering about a quarter of the screen and basically went from the far left of the screen to just past the middle, in an irregular shape - sort of like Gorbachev's birthmark.

I was bleary eyed from the insomnia, so I had to really look at it hard to see if it actually was there and honestly at some angles or at different lighting settings (especially the higher ones) it almost seemed to disappear and I thought it was a figment of my imagination. But then I'd be reading and there it was, subtle but annoying. I tried to take pictures (mostly to convince myself that I wasn't hallucinating) and I think I can see it, but again I'm not sure.

Is this a common problem? Has anyone had it go away after a bit of use somehow?

daffy4u · 10-20-2012, 10:30 AM

We have a few threads on this very subject.

I have received 3 PW (original and 2 replacements) and all have had discoloring on the screen in the form of bluish green diagonal stripes/blotches or overall bluish green with pinkish beige blotches.

I've come to three opinions. Either all PWs are defective in this way or there is a big batch with quality control problems or a number of us are more color sensitive to this phenomenon.

I'm keeping the least offensive PW.

sparklemotion · 10-20-2012, 11:58 AM

Extremely common problem, unfortunately. I haven't seen a PW without it to some degree, although on some it's harder to see than on others.

weatherman · 10-20-2012, 12:05 PM

Well that settles it then. Happy as I was with the overall PW experience, if its splotchy its unusable in the dark. I'd rather stick with my K3K at this point and wait for the PW screen issues to be resolved.

Unfortunately I just ordered a custom case for it, which will probably come late next week. I guess I'll hold on to the PW until then so I can at least review the case, and maybe somehow the Gorbachev problem will go away or diminish in the meantime.

baggyrinkle · 10-20-2012, 12:12 PM

I've been thinking about buying a PW. If your in the shade the other Kindles are hard to read, so I was thinking the PW would offer wider range of lighting. However from what's being reported here I think Amazon is misleading everyone about the quality of this product. There has to be a major defect either in design or production. There is no way a discolored screen can be acceptable. You can take all the pictures you like and make comparisons but every one of them look like crap.

weatherman · 10-20-2012, 01:23 PM

My experience has been that in the shade/mixed light it is much easier to read, but in the dark I am seeing these splotches. It's distracting especially because when in reading I see them peripherally but if I look right at it it's hard to identify.

I definitely feel like Bezos is overhyping the screen. When you name something "paper white" it sets a very high level of expectation.

granturissimus · 10-21-2012, 04:31 PM

rofl gorbachev problem.

10-20-2012, 10:15 AM	#1
weatherman Addict Posts: 385 Karma: 1010052 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: (previous: Kindle 2, Kindle Fire) Kindle 4 WiFi, K3K, KPW	The "Gorbachev" KPW Screen Problem I've had my KPW for a couple of days now, and used it just a few times for night reading, usually with an external lamp providing at least some extra light. Last night I had a bit of insomnia, woke up at 4:00 and decided to read a bit. That's when I first noticed a rather large but very faint pink splotch in the middle of the screen. It was covering about a quarter of the screen and basically went from the far left of the screen to just past the middle, in an irregular shape - sort of like Gorbachev's birthmark. I was bleary eyed from the insomnia, so I had to really look at it hard to see if it actually was there and honestly at some angles or at different lighting settings (especially the higher ones) it almost seemed to disappear and I thought it was a figment of my imagination. But then I'd be reading and there it was, subtle but annoying. I tried to take pictures (mostly to convince myself that I wasn't hallucinating) and I think I can see it, but again I'm not sure. Is this a common problem? Has anyone had it go away after a bit of use somehow? Last edited by weatherman; 10-20-2012 at 10:18 AM.

10-20-2012, 10:30 AM	#2
daffy4u I'm Super Kindle-icious Posts: 6,734 Karma: 2434103 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis	We have a few threads on this very subject. I have received 3 PW (original and 2 replacements) and all have had discoloring on the screen in the form of bluish green diagonal stripes/blotches or overall bluish green with pinkish beige blotches. I've come to three opinions. Either all PWs are defective in this way or there is a big batch with quality control problems or a number of us are more color sensitive to this phenomenon. I'm keeping the least offensive PW. Last edited by daffy4u; 10-20-2012 at 10:32 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Problem "installing" "Kindle library extractor"	dhdurgee	Kindle Developer's Corner	7	11-24-2012 07:09 PM
TWit's "Before You Buy" gave KPW a "Buy!"	daffy4u	Amazon Kindle	7	10-09-2012 11:02 PM
"A Problem Occurred" on the "Shop" page.	swallman	Nook Color & Nook Tablet	1	12-25-2010 12:34 PM
Toshiba Dual Screen "netbook"/"laptop"	kennyc	News	18	06-23-2010 05:19 AM
File names with "(" and ")" can cause screen freezes	greenapple	Ectaco jetBook	5	02-04-2010 08:25 PM

10-20-2012, 11:58 AM	#3
sparklemotion dangerous when cornered Posts: 1,855 Karma: 22891237 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: USA Device: Kobo H2O, Kindle Paperwhite	Extremely common problem, unfortunately. I haven't seen a PW without it to some degree, although on some it's harder to see than on others.

10-20-2012, 12:05 PM	#4
weatherman Addict Posts: 385 Karma: 1010052 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: (previous: Kindle 2, Kindle Fire) Kindle 4 WiFi, K3K, KPW	Well that settles it then. Happy as I was with the overall PW experience, if its splotchy its unusable in the dark. I'd rather stick with my K3K at this point and wait for the PW screen issues to be resolved. Unfortunately I just ordered a custom case for it, which will probably come late next week. I guess I'll hold on to the PW until then so I can at least review the case, and maybe somehow the Gorbachev problem will go away or diminish in the meantime.

10-20-2012, 12:12 PM	#5
baggyrinkle Early Adoptor Posts: 38 Karma: 16942 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Texas Device: Kindle3 Kindle4 Kindle Fire Kindle PW2	I've been thinking about buying a PW. If your in the shade the other Kindles are hard to read, so I was thinking the PW would offer wider range of lighting. However from what's being reported here I think Amazon is misleading everyone about the quality of this product. There has to be a major defect either in design or production. There is no way a discolored screen can be acceptable. You can take all the pictures you like and make comparisons but every one of them look like crap.

10-20-2012, 01:23 PM	#6
weatherman Addict Posts: 385 Karma: 1010052 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: (previous: Kindle 2, Kindle Fire) Kindle 4 WiFi, K3K, KPW	My experience has been that in the shade/mixed light it is much easier to read, but in the dark I am seeing these splotches. It's distracting especially because when in reading I see them peripherally but if I look right at it it's hard to identify. I definitely feel like Bezos is overhyping the screen. When you name something "paper white" it sets a very high level of expectation.

10-21-2012, 04:31 PM	#7
granturissimus Enthusiast Posts: 33 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle 3 WiFi	rofl gorbachev problem.