Discussions with Amazon CS about PW Defects - Page 43

BugA · 03-03-2013, 09:58 AM

I just received my Paperwhite yesterday.

In the beginning, I expected a device as advertised (a perfect one, I guess, lol), but as the time passed and people wrote down their experience (uneven lightning, color blotches), my expectations decreased (a lot, I`d say). Here is my first post on the subject (not a very optimistic one).

When I turned my PW on last night, I just hoped for the one I`d be happy with, and I must say that I was positively surprised -- while I could see some discoloration on the highest level setting (warm pink/cold blue variations over the screen), I really needed to look for it, and I might not even notice it if I didn`t expect to see it. Once I actually start reading the text, I don`t see the "blotches". But that highest light setting is too bright for me anyway, I read on brightness level 12 in the dark and it was a great experience (I might even choose some lower brightness levels in the future) -- good bye bed lamps and bus overhead lights (while people look at you strangely, trying to get some sleep while "some idiot turned the light on").

One strange thing I also noticed is that the bottom shadows are almost invisible, even on the brightest light setting

Of course that there is a small difference here and there, in the lower 2 mm maybe, but I don`t notice it at all until I focus on seeing it

To wrap it up, I`m pretty much happy with my Kindle Paperwhite... Pretty much, because I noticed a small "dead pixel" in the lower left part of the screen, like 2 cm from the bottom and 2.5 cm from the left part of the screen. It`s invisible on lower light settings, and starts to get really annoying on higher light settings (like a white dot over the text, being too bright). I guess it`s an issue with that light guide layer, being either damaged (a pinhole) or having a dust particle somewhere in there (if dust can be the issue here), causing the light to probe up to much, making a glowing pinhole. I even wanted to wipe it off a few times while reading, forgetting that it isn`t just a dust particle on top of the screen

Anyway, I contacted Amazon customer support, and after a few regular troubleshooting steps, a really helpful and kind support guy offered to send a replacement, so I`m waiting for a replacement team e-mail now. Having in mind that this is my first Kindle and Amazon experience, I need to say that I`m really delighted with the way they handled the issue =) I`d really like to enjoy this without any distractions.

We`ll see if the replacement one will be better (it doesn`t need to be much better, though, as this one is really good for me, but I just hope the replacement won`t have any "dead pixels", pinholes in the light guide layer), while in the meantime I`ll certainly enjoy reading on the one I have now. It isn`t as perfect as they advertised it at first, but it is pretty much everything I wanted from an e-book reader anyway. I was happy with my previous eReader, too (Prestigio PER3162BN), but the possibility to read it in dark without any external light source just brings the experience to a higher level, the only one I missed so far.

Btw, for those interested, I got a device from batch 603.

HarryT · 03-03-2013, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I just (still) cannot believe there are hundreds and thousands of Kindles out there that are so bad.

There clearly aren't. You only have to count the number of complaints in this thread and compare it with the number of PW owners here to see that the overwhelming majority of PW owners are satisfied with it. (Not that that makes the problems suffered by the small number who aren't happy are less real for them, I hasten to add.)

Ephemerality · 03-03-2013, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BugA

To wrap it up, I`m pretty much happy with my Kindle Paperwhite... Pretty much, because I noticed a small "dead pixel" in the lower left part of the screen, like 2 cm from the bottom and 2.5 cm from the left part of the screen. It`s invisible on lower light settings, and starts to get really annoying on higher light settings (like a white dot over the text, being too bright). I guess it`s an issue with that light guide layer, being either damaged (a pinhole) or having a dust particle somewhere in there (if dust can be the issue here), causing the light to probe up to much, making a glowing pinhole. I even wanted to wipe it off a few times while reading, forgetting that it isn`t just a dust particle on top of the screen

On the first PW I got, I had a hairline fracture in the screen. The replacement had the issue you're describing here, where it's just 1 small glowing speck on higher light settings. I was a bit miffed when I first inspected it, but in the long run I haven't actually noticed it at all because it's in the margins where it never actually overlaps any text. Hopefully the replacement they give you turns out better.

drewh · 03-04-2013, 05:25 AM

Interesting question for those who have received replacements - did they have little pieces stuck in the bezel that can only be described as 'hair' looking? like little white hair (obv some sort of plastic). Both replacements had this, not on the original ones at all.

xtine · 03-04-2013, 05:28 AM

Yes! My replacement has a tiny "hair"/wire thingy in the bottom bezel. I tried plucking it out but it wouldn't come out.

drewh · 03-04-2013, 05:41 AM

Odd isn't it - what on earth could it be? some grey haired people cleaning them up (jk!!). Seems like some sort of plastic piece but nfi why they'd be placed between bezel and screen.

xtine · 03-04-2013, 05:46 AM

This is what you mean, right?

It used to drive me crazy in the beginning but I don't really notice it that much when I'm reading so now I just try not to actually go looking for it

drewh · 03-04-2013, 05:55 AM

the pic makes it look like a mark on the bezel but if a piece sticking out, yep thats it. Have you tried grabbing some tweezers from somewhere and pulling it out that way?

xtine · 03-04-2013, 06:05 AM

It looks like a piece of hair is sticking out and yes, I actually tried using tweezers before but I just couldn't get the thing out. In hindsight, that may have been a blessing. If it is a wire, maybe it's connected to the wiring for the LEDs?

drewh · 03-04-2013, 06:07 AM

Just seems odd though for the non-replacements to not have it if a wire from LEDs. Can't think of any reason that they'd need those pieces for the replacements (unless they replace the black bezel on them and put the little piece so they know? but it seems odd.

xtine · 03-04-2013, 06:12 AM

My replacement didn't come with an R on the box though so I'm not entirely sure that only replacements have this.

Here's another picture, just so other people know what we're talking about

drewh · 03-04-2013, 06:12 AM

PS its funny how if you look at the replacement box, its usually trashed (my last one had scratches all over it and barely closed), the replacement sticker barcode hastily stuck onto the back etc. Wouldnt it be easier just to use a normal clean box for them!

drewh · 03-04-2013, 06:13 AM

Thats exactly the piece I mean. Oh yours didnt come with an R? Interesting - both my replacements did and the trashed boxes. Wonder what those pieces could be for...

xtine · 03-04-2013, 06:16 AM

Nope, mine didn't come with an R. I checked for an R all over the box when I received my replacement and didn't find the R sticker anywhere. I'd have to recheck again to be totally sure though. If it does have an R, it's supposed to be stuck over the bar code?

drewh · 03-04-2013, 06:36 AM

Yeh, on the back edge where the barcode is (if looking at the box front on, top edge), it instead has the barcode with an R. You can easily tell as it looks like its been printed and slapped on (not the same 'look' as a normal barcode if that makes sense).

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
general quality defects in my Kindle 4	joblack	Amazon Kindle	31	08-08-2012 01:43 PM
Weird sounds in K4NT. Defects?	AEA64	Amazon Kindle	4	03-26-2012 12:31 AM
DR800 MAIN DEFECTS OF THE DR800S/SG DEVICE	repods	iRex	28	06-07-2010 05:03 PM
Iliad screen defects	Scifier	iRex	9	01-25-2008 02:36 AM

03-03-2013, 09:58 AM	#631
BugA Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 562 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Bor, Serbia Device: Prestigio Nobile PER3162BN, Kindle Paperwhite	I just received my Paperwhite yesterday. In the beginning, I expected a device as advertised (a perfect one, I guess, lol), but as the time passed and people wrote down their experience (uneven lightning, color blotches), my expectations decreased (a lot, I`d say). Here is my first post on the subject (not a very optimistic one). When I turned my PW on last night, I just hoped for the one I`d be happy with, and I must say that I was positively surprised -- while I could see some discoloration on the highest level setting (warm pink/cold blue variations over the screen), I really needed to look for it, and I might not even notice it if I didn`t expect to see it. Once I actually start reading the text, I don`t see the "blotches". But that highest light setting is too bright for me anyway, I read on brightness level 12 in the dark and it was a great experience (I might even choose some lower brightness levels in the future) -- good bye bed lamps and bus overhead lights (while people look at you strangely, trying to get some sleep while "some idiot turned the light on"). One strange thing I also noticed is that the bottom shadows are almost invisible, even on the brightest light setting Of course that there is a small difference here and there, in the lower 2 mm maybe, but I don`t notice it at all until I focus on seeing it To wrap it up, I`m pretty much happy with my Kindle Paperwhite... Pretty much, because I noticed a small "dead pixel" in the lower left part of the screen, like 2 cm from the bottom and 2.5 cm from the left part of the screen. It`s invisible on lower light settings, and starts to get really annoying on higher light settings (like a white dot over the text, being too bright). I guess it`s an issue with that light guide layer, being either damaged (a pinhole) or having a dust particle somewhere in there (if dust can be the issue here), causing the light to probe up to much, making a glowing pinhole. I even wanted to wipe it off a few times while reading, forgetting that it isn`t just a dust particle on top of the screen Anyway, I contacted Amazon customer support, and after a few regular troubleshooting steps, a really helpful and kind support guy offered to send a replacement, so I`m waiting for a replacement team e-mail now. Having in mind that this is my first Kindle and Amazon experience, I need to say that I`m really delighted with the way they handled the issue =) I`d really like to enjoy this without any distractions. We`ll see if the replacement one will be better (it doesn`t need to be much better, though, as this one is really good for me, but I just hope the replacement won`t have any "dead pixels", pinholes in the light guide layer), while in the meantime I`ll certainly enjoy reading on the one I have now. It isn`t as perfect as they advertised it at first, but it is pretty much everything I wanted from an e-book reader anyway. I was happy with my previous eReader, too (Prestigio PER3162BN), but the possibility to read it in dark without any external light source just brings the experience to a higher level, the only one I missed so far. Btw, for those interested, I got a device from batch 603.

03-04-2013, 05:25 AM	#634
drewh Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 576022 Join Date: Feb 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Interesting question for those who have received replacements - did they have little pieces stuck in the bezel that can only be described as 'hair' looking? like little white hair (obv some sort of plastic). Both replacements had this, not on the original ones at all.

03-04-2013, 05:28 AM	#635
xtine Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 1432252 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Forma	Yes! My replacement has a tiny "hair"/wire thingy in the bottom bezel. I tried plucking it out but it wouldn't come out.

03-04-2013, 05:41 AM	#636
drewh Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 576022 Join Date: Feb 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Odd isn't it - what on earth could it be? some grey haired people cleaning them up (jk!!). Seems like some sort of plastic piece but nfi why they'd be placed between bezel and screen.

03-04-2013, 05:46 AM	#637
xtine Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 1432252 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Forma	This is what you mean, right? It used to drive me crazy in the beginning but I don't really notice it that much when I'm reading so now I just try not to actually go looking for it

03-04-2013, 05:55 AM	#638
drewh Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 576022 Join Date: Feb 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	the pic makes it look like a mark on the bezel but if a piece sticking out, yep thats it. Have you tried grabbing some tweezers from somewhere and pulling it out that way?

03-04-2013, 06:05 AM	#639
xtine Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 1432252 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Forma	It looks like a piece of hair is sticking out and yes, I actually tried using tweezers before but I just couldn't get the thing out. In hindsight, that may have been a blessing. If it is a wire, maybe it's connected to the wiring for the LEDs?

03-04-2013, 06:07 AM	#640
drewh Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 576022 Join Date: Feb 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Just seems odd though for the non-replacements to not have it if a wire from LEDs. Can't think of any reason that they'd need those pieces for the replacements (unless they replace the black bezel on them and put the little piece so they know? but it seems odd.

03-04-2013, 06:12 AM	#641
xtine Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 1432252 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Forma	My replacement didn't come with an R on the box though so I'm not entirely sure that only replacements have this. Here's another picture, just so other people know what we're talking about

03-04-2013, 06:12 AM	#642
drewh Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 576022 Join Date: Feb 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	PS its funny how if you look at the replacement box, its usually trashed (my last one had scratches all over it and barely closed), the replacement sticker barcode hastily stuck onto the back etc. Wouldnt it be easier just to use a normal clean box for them!

Advert

Advert

03-04-2013, 06:13 AM	#643
drewh Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 576022 Join Date: Feb 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Thats exactly the piece I mean. Oh yours didnt come with an R? Interesting - both my replacements did and the trashed boxes. Wonder what those pieces could be for...

03-04-2013, 06:16 AM	#644
xtine Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 1432252 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Forma	Nope, mine didn't come with an R. I checked for an R all over the box when I received my replacement and didn't find the R sticker anywhere. I'd have to recheck again to be totally sure though. If it does have an R, it's supposed to be stuck over the bar code?

03-04-2013, 06:36 AM	#645
drewh Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 576022 Join Date: Feb 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Yeh, on the back edge where the barcode is (if looking at the box front on, top edge), it instead has the barcode with an R. You can easily tell as it looks like its been printed and slapped on (not the same 'look' as a normal barcode if that makes sense).