New Kindle firmware available

[estrial]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

If Amazon is not pushing it onto the Kindle, is that a sign that they consider it non-essential?

I think they aren't pushing it as they have said that 3% of kindle users complained about the freezing problem and maybe they didnt want to trouble the other 97% of the kindle users with a update that isn't finalized incase it could cause problems for the people who originally did not have any problems.

[carld]

I think it's because it's still a preliminary update. I expect they'll push it once it's finalized.

[grizedale]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

If Amazon is not pushing it onto the Kindle, is that a sign that they consider it non-essential?

I think they are not yet pushing it because this is only a limited early preview release version for testing purposes.

Oops, great minds carld...

[chris2x]

interesting that before the update i was noticing:
- frequent reboots
- couldn't search the dictionary from the home page
- battery drain felt fast (ran through 1/2 the battery in a day of reading and light 3G)

since updating, first two items are resolved but i haven't browsed much yet so i can't tell if #3 has changed.

[andrys]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

If Amazon is not pushing it onto the Kindle, is that a sign that they consider it non-essential?

I'd say it was pretty essential for those who were experiencing problems, though not for the rest of us. For those who did have them, the problems were not trivial.

Nevertheless, being an experimental type, I did install it to see what effect it might have on my problem-free one, since Amazon treated the update as helpful for anyone who wanted it, stating no caveats. My Kindle 3 was already responsive and quite smooth but seems even smoother now.

Before, and after, though, my books take a bit longer to load initially than they did with Kindle 2. Page turns happen quicker but the reverse image black is there longer for me because I can see an entire next page's contents before it loses the black.

I was surprised, even before the update, that when you change the orientation WHILE web-browsing, the Kindle 2 had always reloaded the web page, which taught me to avoid changing orientation while browsing. The Kindle 3, though, doesn't reload a web page when changing orientation - it just reformats what it had in a way that's instantaneous.

With all Kindles (I've patiently used the experimental web browser since Kindle 1 when wanting to look up info while out in the streets - often), I've learned that the Kindle can do Okay, if very slowly -- though much faster in the last 4 months or so -- but will eventually run out of remaining memory eventually for the next request and just reboot.
Rebooting clears memory and when the Kindle 2 restarted, I would just go back and be able to browse successfully the web page that had seemed to cause the earlier reboot.

With the 3.01 update newly installed, I browsed somewhat frenetically, trying everything and wondering when it would reboot.

Never happened. So they have quite definitely improved handling of situations in which conditions of insufficient memory remaining (or plain confusion) could cause reboots on any Kindle web-browisng -- and resolved those another way).

- Andrys
http://kindleworld.blogspot.com

[aleccj1]

I was at a friends house showing him the Kindle 3 (he's thinking about buying one) and tried to show him the web browser. However, the Kindle notified me that I needed Wi-Fi in order to browse, which it strange, because I'm a US customer. Could it be that Amazon disabled 3G browsing?

[andrys]

Originally Posted by aleccj1

I was at a friends house showing him the Kindle 3 (he's thinking about buying one) and tried to show him the web browser. However, the Kindle notified me that I needed Wi-Fi in order to browse, which it strange, because I'm a US customer. Could it be that Amazon disabled 3G browsing?

Normally, you would get that message only if you had bought the WiFi-only Kindle. Since you have the 3G one, it's a bit strange.
When there's no WiFi available, the 3G/WiFi Kindle will use the 3G .

Also, you didn't say whether you were outside the U.S. when this happened, and that message would occur even then only when there was no AT&T-involved 3G available for your Kindle browser in that area.

It could be that there's no AT&T reception in your friend's area.

- Andrys

[carld]

Since the update the browser no longer loads the site where I keep my food log. Being a diabetic I keep track of everything I eat. Updating my log while away from home was going to be one of my main uses for the browser, very not good.

[Tiersten]

Originally Posted by carld

Since the update the browser no longer loads the site where I keep my food log. Being a diabetic I keep track of everything I eat. Updating my log while away from home was going to be one of my main uses for the browser, very not good.

What happens when you try to view that page? I know people have had weird issues like not loading pages with the browser which were fixed by a reset.

[sirmaru]

I went to:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...deId=200529700

It said:

"We're excited to announce that a new, free software update is available for the latest generation Kindle 6" device. This software update adds the ability to create a new Amazon.com account directly from your Kindle, as well as additional performance improvements. "

Thus, it is not preview anymore, but FINAL.

I followed the instructions and ended with:

Version: Kindle 3.0.1 (525120101)

I also received a new unit from Amazon and sent back my old unit with a label only containing bar codes - no printed address. I hope it gets there.

The version I downloaded was for Serial # B008 - WiFi.

They have another version for Serial # B006 - 3G - US and Canadian customers

And yet another for B00A - 3G - European customers

[carld]

Originally Posted by Tiersten

What happens when you try to view that page? I know people have had weird issues like not loading pages with the browser which were fixed by a reset.

Well, I WAS getting a simple box that said "The Kindle is unable to load this site." or words to that effect. I tried it three times, and verified that the site was up on my desktop. I just went back to see exactly what the message said .... and it loaded as usual.

And this *right after* I sent Amazon an email explaining the problem. They're going to think I'm a maroon.

[andrys]

Originally Posted by carld

Since the update the browser no longer loads the site where I keep my food log. Being a diabetic I keep track of everything I eat. Updating my log while away from home was going to be one of my main uses for the browser, very not good.

Have you tried resetting the Kindle? Move the power slider to far right and hold it for about 17 seconds and let it go and wait for it to wake up and clear all memory areas to see if that helps? It takes awhile before it starts up again.

You didn't say whether or not you get a message of any type when you said that it doesn't load the site. Is there an alternate URL that you can use, like "m.nameofsite.com" ?

Good luck on this. If it fails to load the page after reset, write kindle-feedback@amazon.com and let them know.

I'd also report it to customer service. If you're in the U.S., 866-321-8851.
If not, then go to http://www.amazon.com/kindlesupport and click on the gold-colored button at the right that says "Contact us" and use the tab for 'Phone' if that works, give them your phone and your country and they call back right away if they can call. Otherwise, they email a response.

- Andrys

[Tiersten]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Thus, it is not preview anymore, but FINAL.

I followed the instructions and ended with:

Version: Kindle 3.0.1 (525120101)

Yes. The preview and final releases are exactly the same and they're even the same firmware update files.

Originally Posted by sirmaru

The version I downloaded was for Serial # B008 - WiFi.

They have another version for Serial # B006 - 3G - US and Canadian customers

And yet another for B00A - 3G - European customers

The files differ because the Kindle will check that the device type is correct i.e. Kindle WiFi, Kindle 3G+WiFi (US) or Kindle 3G+WiFi (UK). The actual software itself is the same between all 3 though. You get 3 different files so you can apply it to the 3 different types of Kindle.

[Tiersten]

Originally Posted by carld

Well, I WAS getting a simple box that said "The Kindle is unable to load this site." or words to that effect. I tried it three times, and verified that the site was up on my desktop. I just went back to see exactly what the message said .... and it loaded as usual.

Browser buggy or the 3G network (if you're using 3G) is acting up. Hard to diagnose what it is unfortunately.

Originally Posted by carld

And this *right after* I sent Amazon an email explaining the problem. They're going to think I'm a maroon.

LOL I wouldn't worry about it. They know the Kindle 3 is a new product and buggy.

[andrys]

Originally Posted by carld

Well, I WAS getting a simple box that said "The Kindle is unable to load this site." or words to that effect. I tried it three times, and verified that the site was up on my desktop. I just went back to see exactly what the message said .... and it loaded as usual.

And this *right after* I sent Amazon an email explaining the problem. They're going to think I'm a maroon.

Better to be thought a maroon than not be able to load that page :-)

Glad you were able to get it...