Why does my basic eInk Kindle have an on/off switch?

GA Russell · 07-30-2015, 01:40 AM

I'm pretty sure that this was discussed six years ago when I joined the forum, but I don't remember the answer.

I routinely keep my Kindle 4 basic eInk unit in airplane mode.

We all know that eInk uses energy when you turn the page, but not when you don't.

So when I put my Kindle down and go to bed for the night, why am I turning it off?

What benefit does the off switch provide under such circumstances?

David Munch · 07-30-2015, 01:53 AM

Turn off Wifi or similar, prehaps.

eschwartz · 07-30-2015, 02:18 AM

It allows you to put the device to sleep, of course.

The pages might not be turning, but the touchscreen is still sensitive until it actually goes to the screensaver.

And presumably you'd like to turn it on again, someday? <-- The killer feature.

Also, hold it down for ~30 seconds to do a hard reboot -- occasionally handy if the device locks up.

GA Russell · 07-30-2015, 02:35 AM

David, turning off the Wi-Fi is what putting the unit in airplane mode does.

eschwartz, I've got the Kindle 4 basic, which is not a touchscreen. It has the single controller at the bottom, with the two page-turning buttons on the side. And I can see why I might want to do a reboot from time to time, but I don't see a relevance there to turning it off every night.

Should I just leave it on most nights?

eschwartz · 07-30-2015, 02:42 AM

(It's late at night, what can I say...)

The power button/slider just puts the device to sleep, which happens anyway after ~5min.

Can you wake up the K4NT with any of the other buttons?

HarryT · 07-30-2015, 04:09 AM

It's not a power switch - it's a "sleep" switch (you can't turn a Kindle off). When you put the Kindle to sleep, all the buttons other than the "power" switch (yes, I know Amazon call it that

) are disabled, thus preventing accidental page turns, etc, if you put the Kindle in your bag. There's no power saving in putting the Kindle to sleep - WiFi is still on (if you have it enabled).

eschwartz · 07-30-2015, 10:28 AM

It most certainly is a power switch, and it does indeed turn off the Kindle -- regardless of whether or not it stays off.

That switch can perform a power cycle. There just isn't a button to only do the first half of that sequence.

patrickt · 07-30-2015, 10:31 AM

The "power" switch is also how you initiate a hard reset which clears up a very high percentage of problems on Kindles.

HarryT · 07-30-2015, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

The "power" switch is also how you initiate a hard reset which clears up a very high percentage of problems on Kindles.

It actually does 3 different things:

1. Press it briefly and it puts the Kindle to sleep (or wakes it up again).
2. Press and hold for about 7 seconds, and the Kindle goes to sleep with a blank screen (and also turns WiFi off, which normal sleep doesn't).
3. Press and hold for about 30s, and the Kindle reboots when you release the switch.

GA Russell · 07-30-2015, 04:16 PM

Thanks guys! This has been very informative.

Unless I'm wrong, I'm going to stop pushing the button when I've finished for the evening because I gather from what you say that I am accomplishing nothing except wearing out the button. Right?

susan_cassidy · 07-30-2015, 10:54 PM

Right. When you want wifi off, put it into airplane mode. That will save battery power.

Barty · 07-31-2015, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GA Russell

Thanks guys! This has been very informative.

Unless I'm wrong, I'm going to stop pushing the button when I've finished for the evening because I gather from what you say that I am accomplishing nothing except wearing out the button. Right?

Basically yes. The only thing it meaningfully does is prevent you from changing the page accidentally before it goes to sleep by itself.

HarryT · 07-31-2015, 03:25 AM

If you don't want to press the button, the easiest thing to do is to use a case with a sleep function. That way the Kindle will automatically go to sleep when you close the cover, and wake up again when you open it. It's an extremely good idea to use a case, anyway, to protect the Kindle from physical damage.

GA Russell · 07-31-2015, 02:42 PM

Harry, yes, I bought a case when I bought the Kindle.

I put the Kindle down on a tabletop, and there is no danger of anything happening to it accidentally.

Cinisajoy · 08-04-2015, 12:09 PM

I push the button just so it goes to sleep faster.
Also there are times when one needs to actually turn it off or reboot it as others have stated.
Besides, how else can you wake it up?
On your model Amazon recommends a 40 second hold to reboot.
Also you cannot reboot if it is charging.

07-30-2015, 01:40 AM	#1
GA Russell New season! Posts: 7,684 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Why does my basic eInk Kindle have an on/off switch? I'm pretty sure that this was discussed six years ago when I joined the forum, but I don't remember the answer. I routinely keep my Kindle 4 basic eInk unit in airplane mode. We all know that eInk uses energy when you turn the page, but not when you don't. So when I put my Kindle down and go to bed for the night, why am I turning it off? What benefit does the off switch provide under such circumstances?

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07-30-2015, 01:53 AM	#2
David Munch Scholar Posts: 1,009 Karma: 3999312 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kobo Libra H2O + iPad Air 4	Turn off Wifi or similar, prehaps.

07-30-2015, 02:18 AM	#3
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	It allows you to put the device to sleep, of course. The pages might not be turning, but the touchscreen is still sensitive until it actually goes to the screensaver. And presumably you'd like to turn it on again, someday? <-- The killer feature. Also, hold it down for ~30 seconds to do a hard reboot -- occasionally handy if the device locks up.

07-30-2015, 02:35 AM	#4
GA Russell New season! Posts: 7,684 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	David, turning off the Wi-Fi is what putting the unit in airplane mode does. eschwartz, I've got the Kindle 4 basic, which is not a touchscreen. It has the single controller at the bottom, with the two page-turning buttons on the side. And I can see why I might want to do a reboot from time to time, but I don't see a relevance there to turning it off every night. Should I just leave it on most nights?

07-30-2015, 02:42 AM	#5
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	(It's late at night, what can I say...) The power button/slider just puts the device to sleep, which happens anyway after ~5min. Can you wake up the K4NT with any of the other buttons?

07-30-2015, 04:09 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	It's not a power switch - it's a "sleep" switch (you can't turn a Kindle off). When you put the Kindle to sleep, all the buttons other than the "power" switch (yes, I know Amazon call it that ) are disabled, thus preventing accidental page turns, etc, if you put the Kindle in your bag. There's no power saving in putting the Kindle to sleep - WiFi is still on (if you have it enabled).

07-30-2015, 10:28 AM	#7
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	It most certainly is a power switch, and it does indeed turn off the Kindle -- regardless of whether or not it stays off. That switch can perform a power cycle. There just isn't a button to only do the first half of that sequence.

07-30-2015, 10:31 AM	#8
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	The "power" switch is also how you initiate a hard reset which clears up a very high percentage of problems on Kindles.

07-30-2015, 04:16 PM	#10
GA Russell New season! Posts: 7,684 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Thanks guys! This has been very informative. Unless I'm wrong, I'm going to stop pushing the button when I've finished for the evening because I gather from what you say that I am accomplishing nothing except wearing out the button. Right?

07-30-2015, 10:54 PM	#11
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	Right. When you want wifi off, put it into airplane mode. That will save battery power.

07-31-2015, 03:25 AM	#13
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	If you don't want to press the button, the easiest thing to do is to use a case with a sleep function. That way the Kindle will automatically go to sleep when you close the cover, and wake up again when you open it. It's an extremely good idea to use a case, anyway, to protect the Kindle from physical damage.

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07-31-2015, 02:42 PM	#14
GA Russell New season! Posts: 7,684 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Harry, yes, I bought a case when I bought the Kindle. I put the Kindle down on a tabletop, and there is no danger of anything happening to it accidentally.

08-04-2015, 12:09 PM	#15
Cinisajoy Just a Yellow Smiley. Posts: 19,161 Karma: 83862859 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Texas Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy	I push the button just so it goes to sleep faster. Also there are times when one needs to actually turn it off or reboot it as others have stated. Besides, how else can you wake it up? On your model Amazon recommends a 40 second hold to reboot. Also you cannot reboot if it is charging.