Unlighted Amazon cover, possible "fix"

OtterBooks · 01-08-2011, 05:38 PM

If there's anyone around who still has an unlighted cover that was causing the well known issues, I've been experimenting with a solution (if you could call it that). This is not an alternative to contacting customer service if you have not done so, but I know many people were able to keep the cover after getting a refund from Amazon and may like an option the allows them to use it once more.

This isn't yet tested sufficiently, because success with two covers (mine and a friends) is hardly a definitive result.

If you feel so inclined, or curious, this is what you'll need:

1 dryer sheet. The kind you put in with laundry in a dryer ("Bounce", "Snuggle", or what have you).

Remove the Kindle from the cover if it is not already. Place the dryer sheet atop where the Kindle normally is mounted, so that once the Kindle is in place it sits atop it. Dryer sheet size may not be standard, but mine fit perfectly so that it was invisible once the Kindle was re-attached. Reattach Kindle. The sheet should hold in place without assistance once the Kindle is inserted.

Theory: The freezing/reboot issue is caused by static electricity building up in the material of the cover, then discharging through the hinges when it reaches a high level. Dryer sheets are conductive (treated with a conductive chemical, usually), which is how they mitigate "static cling." Placing it in the cover allows static to run off before building up.

This idea was inspired by the results some people have been getting by removing (yes removing) the coating on their hinges, making them similar to the exposed hinges on the lighted cover. The exposed hinges, freely conductive, mitigate static buildup in the cover. So I began thinking of a way to recreate this effect without altering the case.

If you don't have a dryer sheet, but happen to have an anti-static bag, you can trim off a small square of that material and use it instead. You could probably get creative, but I chose materials I felt would be relatively common and simple to apply.

If you're adventurous, at least insofar as anything involving laundry products is adventurous, feel free to post results/lack thereof.

This post was far too long for "put a dryer sheet under it."

DreamWriter · 01-08-2011, 05:48 PM

I have the lighted Amazon cover, which doesn't have the problem that the unlighted covers sometimes do, but must say that this is very clever! I hope that a lot of people will try your dryer sheet solution and report their results here so it can be determined if this does solve the problem for most.

Pushka · 01-08-2011, 07:00 PM

Well done for thinking of this solution.
But the bottom line is that users should not have to go to this extent to get the problem sorted. A product should do what it is supposed to do, and not cause other issues in the process. If the cover is causing these issues then Amazon should refund the money and not sell it anymore.

Snakey · 01-08-2011, 07:26 PM

That's interesting. My dad still has an unlit problem cover but with the replacement lighted cover working out fine for him I don't think there's much motivation to get the old one working again. He did try to scrape the paint off the hooks and it eventually seemed to improve things but he's now satisfied with the new one. If that wasn't the case I'd have him try your solution, pretty cool.

OtterBooks · 01-08-2011, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pushka

But the bottom line is that users should not have to go to this extent to get the problem sorted. A product should do what it is supposed to do, and not cause other issues in the process. If the cover is causing these issues then Amazon should refund the money and not sell it anymore.

I certainly agree. The continued sale of the cover confuses me, but they've otherwise been exceptional with their handling of the situation, at least in my experience.

You may be aware that Amazon is telling people to just keep their covers after being refunded. People who have not done so should contact customer service, naturally. It's people who have gone through that process and have their extraneous cover still lying around who I felt may want to give this a shot.

Many people have expressed that they very much like the cover, and would use it if not for the issues. I'm one of those people, and now I've been using what was my favorite cover once again (and a free cover at that), so I thought I would share this, and maybe find out if my experience isn't a fluke.

Edit: once again, this is still inconclusive (it could freeze any minute, who knows?); I'm making no claims other than my own experience so far, but since it involves a free cover and a laundry sheet, I figured it pretty low risk mentioning for those in a similar situation.

phil75070 · 01-08-2011, 07:39 PM

Some real innovative thinking at work there, OtterBooks!

yogibare143 · 01-08-2011, 09:16 PM

I coated my tabs with epoxy and has worked good for a month. Before had at least 1 lockup every other day.

Pushka · 01-08-2011, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

Many people have expressed that they very much like the cover, and would use it if not for the issues. I'm one of those people, and now I've been using what was my favorite cover once again (and a free cover at that), so I thought I would share this, and maybe find out if my experience isn't a fluke..

yes, sure agree if you have received a refund AND being able to keep the old cover and use it. Good point.

mldavis2 · 01-09-2011, 08:04 AM

Thanks @OtterBooks, for a possible simple solution. My own solution is equally simple -- hold the power switch 5 seconds to blank the screen (this does NOT turn the K3 off to total-reboot status), then insert it into the cover. The power-switch restart is the same 1-2 seconds as from the 'screensaver.' I've never had an issue when doing this.

What continues to bother me, however, is that my freeze issues occurred after putting the K3 down and returning some hours later. It is frozen when picked up. Nothing I can think of would cause a build-up of static on an immobile cover lying on a table overnight...and yes, I did try grounding myself before picking the cover up once the posts here suggested a static issue.

I hope we receive more updates on the dryer sheet solution.

HarryT · 01-09-2011, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pushka

If the cover is causing these issues then Amazon should refund the money and not sell it anymore.

Er, they ARE doing. Refunding anyone who's having problems, I mean. The thing is, though, that only a small number of people are having problems with it. Most of them work just fine.

silasgreenback · 01-09-2011, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Er, they ARE doing. Refunding anyone who's having problems, I mean. The thing is, though, that only a small number of people are having problems with it. Most of them work just fine.

I've taken that gamble. I don't know how it'll work out yet, but I was frustrated enough by what was available that I chose the Amazon cover.

Aside from the dryer sheet, I wonder how a spray of Static Guard on the felt would do. The smell of dryer sheets has always been pretty cloying to me.

NoWorthWhile · 01-09-2011, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Er, they ARE doing. Refunding anyone who's having problems, I mean. The thing is, though, that only a small number of people are having problems with it. Most of them work just fine.

So you mean, basically, I can go now online and order a non-lighted cover, claim it is freezing my device, and ask for a refund?

Hmmm

HarryT · 01-09-2011, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoWorthWhile

So you mean, basically, I can go now online and order a non-lighted cover, claim it is freezing my device, and ask for a refund?

Hmmm

Yes, you can do that.

thorn · 01-09-2011, 01:22 PM

I have the Amazon cover on my K2, and have really loved it. I had ordered the M-Edge 'Go' to replace a less 'grown-up' looking cover, but was within my 30 days when Amazon announced the cover with the bungee closure, and returned the 'Go' cover quick as a blink. (My 'Go' for the K2 became too floppy too quickly -- and was just a bit too 'sleek'.)

I liked that Amazon cover enough that I got that one for my husband's K3 when I ordered it for him. By the time I was ready to order my own K3, though, the problem had been identified. I was pretty bummed, and ended up choosing a different cover, which hasn't arrived yet. That one has an elastic closure rather than a bungee, and I'm not at all convinced that the elastic will hold up like the bungee has. But maybe my husband will want to swap and I can try the dryer sheet trick. (if i can find a fragrance-free dryer sheet..)

I'm in favor of Amazon fixing the hooks if they haven't already. I like the design of that cover a lot. Particularly the texture. It reminds me of a ring-binder from the 40's that my dad let me have back when I was at the university.)

bhartman36 · 01-09-2011, 01:29 PM

I'm not sure how long it's supposed to take the problem with the unlighted cover to kick in, but I've been using mine since Christmas without a problem yet. Of course, I don't take my Kindle out of the cover, so that might be the difference.

01-08-2011, 05:38 PM	#1
OtterBooks Wizard Posts: 1,262 Karma: 2979086 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle 4, iPad Mini/Retina	Unlighted Amazon cover, possible "fix" If there's anyone around who still has an unlighted cover that was causing the well known issues, I've been experimenting with a solution (if you could call it that). This is not an alternative to contacting customer service if you have not done so, but I know many people were able to keep the cover after getting a refund from Amazon and may like an option the allows them to use it once more. This isn't yet tested sufficiently, because success with two covers (mine and a friends) is hardly a definitive result. If you feel so inclined, or curious, this is what you'll need: 1 dryer sheet. The kind you put in with laundry in a dryer ("Bounce", "Snuggle", or what have you). Remove the Kindle from the cover if it is not already. Place the dryer sheet atop where the Kindle normally is mounted, so that once the Kindle is in place it sits atop it. Dryer sheet size may not be standard, but mine fit perfectly so that it was invisible once the Kindle was re-attached. Reattach Kindle. The sheet should hold in place without assistance once the Kindle is inserted. Theory: The freezing/reboot issue is caused by static electricity building up in the material of the cover, then discharging through the hinges when it reaches a high level. Dryer sheets are conductive (treated with a conductive chemical, usually), which is how they mitigate "static cling." Placing it in the cover allows static to run off before building up. This idea was inspired by the results some people have been getting by removing (yes removing) the coating on their hinges, making them similar to the exposed hinges on the lighted cover. The exposed hinges, freely conductive, mitigate static buildup in the cover. So I began thinking of a way to recreate this effect without altering the case. If you don't have a dryer sheet, but happen to have an anti-static bag, you can trim off a small square of that material and use it instead. You could probably get creative, but I chose materials I felt would be relatively common and simple to apply. If you're adventurous, at least insofar as anything involving laundry products is adventurous, feel free to post results/lack thereof. This post was far too long for "put a dryer sheet under it." Last edited by OtterBooks; 01-08-2011 at 05:49 PM.

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01-08-2011, 05:48 PM	#2
DreamWriter Books are brain food. Posts: 2,950 Karma: 4836916 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: U.S. Device: Paperwhite · Fire HD6/HD8/HD10 · Galaxy Tab A7	I have the lighted Amazon cover, which doesn't have the problem that the unlighted covers sometimes do, but must say that this is very clever! I hope that a lot of people will try your dryer sheet solution and report their results here so it can be determined if this does solve the problem for most.

01-08-2011, 07:00 PM	#3
Pushka Wizard Posts: 1,119 Karma: 1019140 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia Device: kindle, Ipad, Iphone, Nexus and PPW	Well done for thinking of this solution. But the bottom line is that users should not have to go to this extent to get the problem sorted. A product should do what it is supposed to do, and not cause other issues in the process. If the cover is causing these issues then Amazon should refund the money and not sell it anymore.

01-08-2011, 07:26 PM	#4
Snakey What would Snake do? Posts: 49 Karma: 16 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kindle 3	That's interesting. My dad still has an unlit problem cover but with the replacement lighted cover working out fine for him I don't think there's much motivation to get the old one working again. He did try to scrape the paint off the hooks and it eventually seemed to improve things but he's now satisfied with the new one. If that wasn't the case I'd have him try your solution, pretty cool.

01-08-2011, 07:39 PM	#6
phil75070 Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 658 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Kindle 2	Some real innovative thinking at work there, OtterBooks!

01-08-2011, 09:16 PM	#7
yogibare143 Tolkien Rules! Posts: 35 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Bartlesvill, OK Device: kindle 3, kindle Fire	I coated my tabs with epoxy and has worked good for a month. Before had at least 1 lockup every other day.

01-09-2011, 08:04 AM	#9
mldavis2 Coffee Nut Posts: 410 Karma: 298350 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Missouri Device: Kindle 3; K4PC; Calibre	Thanks @OtterBooks, for a possible simple solution. My own solution is equally simple -- hold the power switch 5 seconds to blank the screen (this does NOT turn the K3 off to total-reboot status), then insert it into the cover. The power-switch restart is the same 1-2 seconds as from the 'screensaver.' I've never had an issue when doing this. What continues to bother me, however, is that my freeze issues occurred after putting the K3 down and returning some hours later. It is frozen when picked up. Nothing I can think of would cause a build-up of static on an immobile cover lying on a table overnight...and yes, I did try grounding myself before picking the cover up once the posts here suggested a static issue. I hope we receive more updates on the dryer sheet solution.

01-09-2011, 01:22 PM	#14
thorn Connoisseur Posts: 91 Karma: 7940 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: currently: ipod touch	I have the Amazon cover on my K2, and have really loved it. I had ordered the M-Edge 'Go' to replace a less 'grown-up' looking cover, but was within my 30 days when Amazon announced the cover with the bungee closure, and returned the 'Go' cover quick as a blink. (My 'Go' for the K2 became too floppy too quickly -- and was just a bit too 'sleek'.) I liked that Amazon cover enough that I got that one for my husband's K3 when I ordered it for him. By the time I was ready to order my own K3, though, the problem had been identified. I was pretty bummed, and ended up choosing a different cover, which hasn't arrived yet. That one has an elastic closure rather than a bungee, and I'm not at all convinced that the elastic will hold up like the bungee has. But maybe my husband will want to swap and I can try the dryer sheet trick. (if i can find a fragrance-free dryer sheet..) I'm in favor of Amazon fixing the hooks if they haven't already. I like the design of that cover a lot. Particularly the texture. It reminds me of a ring-binder from the 40's that my dad let me have back when I was at the university.)

01-09-2011, 01:29 PM	#15
bhartman36 Wizard Posts: 1,316 Karma: 1515835 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi, Craig CMP738a Android Tablet	I'm not sure how long it's supposed to take the problem with the unlighted cover to kick in, but I've been using mine since Christmas without a problem yet. Of course, I don't take my Kindle out of the cover, so that might be the difference.

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