[bchaplin]

My 1 1/2 year old Kindle has suddenly developed a problem -- the upwards part of the controller doesn't work. If I press it, it acts as if I'm typing letters and creating a note, rather than paging up the screen like it is supposed to.

I called Amazon tech support, yadda, yadda, restarted, troubleshooting -- the short answer is that it is considered a hardware defect, and their only solution, since it is out of warranty, is that I buy a refurbished Kindle from them at a reduced price.

Is this the way to go? I'm not sure of the wisdom of getting a refurbished model. They are offering me Paperwhite models only.