general quality defects in my Kindle 4

[joblack]

I do own serveral kindles (Kindle Keyboard, Kindle DX, Kindle Fire) but for everydays reading I use my Kindle 4.

The quality of the product has deteriorated in several points:

- it updated the firmware without asking
- in consequence the WLAN on/off button is hidden in the settings. No fast and easy way to enable/disable WLAN for energy saving
- page flips aren't working right. Sometimes it flips two pages instead of one. Tried both forward buttons
- Kindle support didn't react on my request

I cannot recommend the Kindle 4 anymore. On second thought the Kindle DX and Kindle Keyboard work better. And that with an older firmware.

I'm very disappointed with Amazon. How can newer products be worse than the old ones?

[Shopaholic]

To the best of my knowledge it doesn't update the firmware unless you make it update. What exactly happened that you're claiming it updated without asking? I'm sorry but I don't follow since a file has to be downloaded to your computer to do so.

[pidgeon92]

Kindles have always updated their firmware automatically when they were attached to the network and the update was being pushed by Amazon. This is nothing new with the K4. It started with the original Kindle.

People have always complained about the updates changing things from the way they were before. This isn't anything new either.

[jswinden]

@joblack, None of those things are defects really. The double page turns are an error or a glitch, but not a physical defect. How did you notify CS? You should try calling them. Amazon's CS is the best I've ever seen. I would tell them about the double page turns. None of the other stuff you listed is of any concern to CS. If you don't like auto firmware updates or any new features, then use the online link for leaving feedback, but don't bother CS with such dribble as that is not their job.

[Blossom]

As a K4 owner those mentions are annoying but hardly defects.
The K3 does double page turn as well. A defect is like the back turning black like mine has. I've gotten over it though.

The Airplane mode is just frustrating but we're stuck with it. I don't see anymore updates coming out for the K4. We only got that one to add KF8 support. So unless they fix the line spacing in KF8 we probably wont see another update anytime soon.

[joblack]

Originally Posted by Blossom

As a K4 owner those mentions are annoying but hardly defects.
The K3 does double page turn as well. A defect is like the back turning black like mine has. I've gotten over it though.

Actually it goes e.g. from page 1 to page 3 and I have to press back to get to page 2 which was obviously my goal in the first place.

If you would drive a car and would push the gear up from the 1st to the 2nd but got in the 3rd it wouldn't be a defect?!

I didn't say it's a physical defect. I stated it's not good customer policy to implement bugs which weren't in earlier firmware version. And the worst thing is there is no plan to fix those problems. There is no better way to tell the customers that they can **** *********. ...

Personally I think the reason they moved the WLAN/mobile on/off option to the settings is that Amazon want to track your movements (most people will be too lazy to switch in 'offline mode' through several steps).

[pidgeon92]

Have you tried restarting the Kindle? That might fix your skipping page problem.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

Have you tried restarting the Kindle? That might fix your skipping page problem.

Page skipping sounds like a "bouncing" switch contact. That's a hardware issue, and I'd suggest contacting Kindle CS to get a replacement.

[peter12345]

Try a reset, but I do not know how to do this for K4. Slide for 20 secs and then press home...

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Page skipping sounds like a "bouncing" switch contact. That's a hardware issue, and I'd suggest contacting Kindle CS to get a replacement.

If the switch only bounces under certain firmware versions, it is possible that amazon changed the switch-debouncing timeout in the firmware, but I do not see any reason why they would do that. This is the first report I have seen of this problem, so these switches must be from a batch of statistical outliers with longer bounce times.

[HarryT]

Yes, I agree. I haven't seen any other reports of this issue, either.

[KindleChickie]

Originally Posted by joblack

I'm very disappointed with Amazon. How can newer products be worse than the old ones?

Because the previous generations cost a whole lot more.

I too have noticed the decline in quality, but I remember my first device cost almost $400. And it was a thing of beauty.

[geoffwood]

Originally Posted by joblack

Personally I think the reason they moved the WLAN/mobile on/off option to the settings is that Amazon want to track your movements

Really?

Time to break out the tin foil hat

[Shopaholic]

Originally Posted by geoffwood

Time to break out the tin foil hat

Why did you put yours away???

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by joblack

I do own serveral kindles (Kindle Keyboard, Kindle DX, Kindle Fire) but for everydays reading I use my Kindle 4.

The quality of the product has deteriorated in several points:

- it updated the firmware without asking

Since you find Amazon pushing a firmware update a defect, why are you buying multiple Kindles since Amazon has been doing this long before the K4? I just cannot feel for you at all in this case. You should have known Amazon pushes firmware updates at you.