Screensaver hack & warranty/screen defect

WinnieP · 10-11-2011, 09:56 AM

Hi all,

I am a very happy Kindle owner. I have been playing with the thought of installing the screensaver hack. A friend has recently bought a Sony ereader and she has the cover of the book she's reading as the screensaver which I thought was a nice idea.

I know you have to jailbreak the Kindle for this, I know that officially voids the warranty, and I also know you can remove the hack in case you need to send your kindle back.

Here's the thing. On the same day I saw my friend's Sony and showed her my Kindle, when I got home and turned my Kindle back on, half the screen was frozen, showing lines and a partial of the screensaver. As we all know Amazon CS is incredible and 5 days later (I'm in Europe) I had a replacement and the original is now on it's way back to Amazon.

Now this made me realize, while you might be able to wipe the system clean when it comes to jailbreaking, that screen will stay as it is when something like this happens. Had I jailbroken my Kindle before this happened, and a partial of my own screensaver image had been 'burned' onto the screen, there's no way of erasing that evidence, and they would know it was jailbroken when they got the broken Kindle back.

Though I'd still really like the screensaver hack and some of the other options you have when jailbreaking the Kindle, I think I don't dare to do it now. I am so grateful to amazon for being so great about replacing a kindle with a problem, I don't want to mess that up.

Any of you have the same thought, or perhaps have some relevant experience when returning a Kindle?

Kubizo · 10-11-2011, 10:10 AM

Amazon has not been very clear about warranty rights after the software on a Kindle is modified. A customer support official declared: "Customer Service does not support or provide instructions for adding custom images to your Kindle to be used as screen savers. However, should you choose to do this on your own it will not void your warranty.". This was referred to Kindle 2 - now that the 3 and 4 ship with ads, it might be different. In particular, the Kindle Terms of Agreement states: "No Reverse Engineering, Decompilation, Disassembly, or Circumvention. You may not (i) modify, reverse engineer, or disassemble the Kindle or the Software whether in whole or in part, (ii) decompile the Software in whole or in part (except to the extent such right cannot be excluded or limited by law and then only when the express permission of Amazon has been sought and refused), or (iii) create any derivative works from or of the Software, or bypass, modify, defeat, or tamper with or circumvent any of the functions or protections of the Kindle or Software or any mechanisms operatively linked to the Software, for example, by augmenting or substituting any digital rights management functionality of the Kindle or Software."
In a word, it's probably true that you'll void the warranty. Anyway, given how fast new devices are being released, I'd change the screensavers and enjoy your Kindle. If something goes wrong, you can get the K4 at some point.

Disclaimer: I might be biased in my advice, because I created a website about Kindle Screensavers. There is also an application to automatically change Kindle Screensaver

fidjit · 10-12-2011, 05:58 PM

My son had an "issue" with the screen of his K3. It was stuck on a custom screen saver with only 1/4 of the bottom of the screen still actually active.

I was upfront with Amazon CSR and told them it looked like the screen was broken and they sent me a replacement under warranty.

The stuck custom screensaver got to Amazon about a week ago now. Haven't heard anything back or seen any nasty charges on my card.

Fingers crossed.

Shack70 · 10-12-2011, 06:26 PM

Amazon doesn't care if you hack the Kindle, they really just want you to buy books with it

twowheels · 10-12-2011, 06:27 PM

I've not heard of anybody having any problems with that. I can't see why they'd care, really. I wish they'd just give us a method of creating our own screensavers and avoid the whole mess.

I personally gave in and installed the hack because I wanted to be able to put my contact information on my screensavers in the vain hope that if I were to misplace it, it'd find its way back to me.

10-11-2011, 09:56 AM	#1
WinnieP Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G	Screensaver hack & warranty/screen defect Hi all, I am a very happy Kindle owner. I have been playing with the thought of installing the screensaver hack. A friend has recently bought a Sony ereader and she has the cover of the book she's reading as the screensaver which I thought was a nice idea. I know you have to jailbreak the Kindle for this, I know that officially voids the warranty, and I also know you can remove the hack in case you need to send your kindle back. Here's the thing. On the same day I saw my friend's Sony and showed her my Kindle, when I got home and turned my Kindle back on, half the screen was frozen, showing lines and a partial of the screensaver. As we all know Amazon CS is incredible and 5 days later (I'm in Europe) I had a replacement and the original is now on it's way back to Amazon. Now this made me realize, while you might be able to wipe the system clean when it comes to jailbreaking, that screen will stay as it is when something like this happens. Had I jailbroken my Kindle before this happened, and a partial of my own screensaver image had been 'burned' onto the screen, there's no way of erasing that evidence, and they would know it was jailbroken when they got the broken Kindle back. Though I'd still really like the screensaver hack and some of the other options you have when jailbreaking the Kindle, I think I don't dare to do it now. I am so grateful to amazon for being so great about replacing a kindle with a problem, I don't want to mess that up. Any of you have the same thought, or perhaps have some relevant experience when returning a Kindle?

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10-11-2011, 10:10 AM	#2
Kubizo Connoisseur Posts: 96 Karma: 54908 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Milan Device: Kindle 3 B008 3.1	Amazon has not been very clear about warranty rights after the software on a Kindle is modified. A customer support official declared: "Customer Service does not support or provide instructions for adding custom images to your Kindle to be used as screen savers. However, should you choose to do this on your own it will not void your warranty.". This was referred to Kindle 2 - now that the 3 and 4 ship with ads, it might be different. In particular, the Kindle Terms of Agreement states: "No Reverse Engineering, Decompilation, Disassembly, or Circumvention. You may not (i) modify, reverse engineer, or disassemble the Kindle or the Software whether in whole or in part, (ii) decompile the Software in whole or in part (except to the extent such right cannot be excluded or limited by law and then only when the express permission of Amazon has been sought and refused), or (iii) create any derivative works from or of the Software, or bypass, modify, defeat, or tamper with or circumvent any of the functions or protections of the Kindle or Software or any mechanisms operatively linked to the Software, for example, by augmenting or substituting any digital rights management functionality of the Kindle or Software." In a word, it's probably true that you'll void the warranty. Anyway, given how fast new devices are being released, I'd change the screensavers and enjoy your Kindle. If something goes wrong, you can get the K4 at some point. Disclaimer: I might be biased in my advice, because I created a website about Kindle Screensavers. There is also an application to automatically change Kindle Screensaver

10-12-2011, 05:58 PM	#3
fidjit Member Posts: 24 Karma: 3458 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle 3 3G	My son had an "issue" with the screen of his K3. It was stuck on a custom screen saver with only 1/4 of the bottom of the screen still actually active. I was upfront with Amazon CSR and told them it looked like the screen was broken and they sent me a replacement under warranty. The stuck custom screensaver got to Amazon about a week ago now. Haven't heard anything back or seen any nasty charges on my card. Fingers crossed.

10-12-2011, 06:26 PM	#4
Shack70 Guru Posts: 775 Karma: 1043626 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: York, Pa Device: Kindle Fire 10", Honor 8 Android Phone	Amazon doesn't care if you hack the Kindle, they really just want you to buy books with it

10-12-2011, 06:27 PM	#5
twowheels Wizard Posts: 1,786 Karma: 13412766 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo Clara HD, iPad Pro 10", iPhone 15 Pro	I've not heard of anybody having any problems with that. I can't see why they'd care, really. I wish they'd just give us a method of creating our own screensavers and avoid the whole mess. I personally gave in and installed the hack because I wanted to be able to put my contact information on my screensavers in the vain hope that if I were to misplace it, it'd find its way back to me.

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