Should I jailbreak?

[jenna_bear8d]

Hello!

I just recently upgraded from a generation 5 Kindle Touch to a Kindle Paperwhite 3, and I was considering jailbreaking it, to improve functionality on it. My conly concern is, I couldn't find a lot of information telling me the negatives of doing this, so I was a little afraid I'd do it and then find out later that I would be SOL.

I use my Kindle pretty regularly, at least three hours a day, and I just spend the money on it, so I don't want to do it if for any reason it is super risky...

I'd appreciate any opinions! I just want to make sure I'm not risking how well it works or doing something that may destroy it or something... Thank you!

[barryem]

I have a Paperwhite 3 also and I've never been really tempted to jailbreak it. It's for reading and I haven't seen anything in the jailbreak discussions that might improve my reading pleasure. Most of the additions I've seen are about having a sexier Kindle, which doesn't interest me.

I'm not up-to-date on this but the last I heard you had to disassemble the Paperwhite to jailbreak it. I'm not sure if that's still true. It's not something I'd be tempted to do even if it would improve the reading experience. I'd need a really good reason to attempt that.

Barry

[JSWolf]

If I owned a Kindle, I would jailbreak it so I could use software created collections and my choice of fonts.

[Josieb1]

Personally I wouldn't jailbreak while the kindle is under warranty. After that I would.

[jenna_bear8d]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

Personally I wouldn't jailbreak while the kindle is under warranty. After that I would.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I could have sworn that Amazon stated themselves that jailbreaking a Kindle would not void the warranty, unless you were subscribed to special offers and used the jailbreak to replace those screen savers.

---

I've been temped to so that I can sort through my collections easier, since I generally get books in large bundles, and I have 394 unsorted books on my Kindle currently, that are not in collections. I read about software to help that. Aside from that, I haven't really found much that will help me too much, which is why I'm on the fence.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by jenna_bear8d

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I could have sworn that Amazon stated themselves that jailbreaking a Kindle would not void the warranty, unless you were subscribed to special offers and used the jailbreak to replace those screen savers.

---

I've been temped to so that I can sort through my collections easier, since I generally get books in large bundles, and I have 394 unsorted books on my Kindle currently, that are not in collections. I read about software to help that. Aside from that, I haven't really found much that will help me too much, which is why I'm on the fence.

It was an assumption. I would never play around and try to alter the original software on an item in warranty. Jail breaking is just not something I have ever been tempted to do. I find the stock software perfectly adequate.

[Yourcat]

There's no need to JB it. If you (think that you) need custom fonts, shell access, 180° rotation, lights completely off you will JB it. It's quite easy even though the thread is long and detailed.
.oO(One should convert the JB thread into an azw book so one can read it a few times before JB.)

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by jenna_bear8d

Hello!

I just recently upgraded from a generation 5 Kindle Touch to a Kindle Paperwhite 3, and I was considering jailbreaking it, to improve functionality on it. My conly concern is, I couldn't find a lot of information telling me the negatives of doing this, so I was a little afraid I'd do it and then find out later that I would be SOL.

I use my Kindle pretty regularly, at least three hours a day, and I just spend the money on it, so I don't want to do it if for any reason it is super risky...

I'd appreciate any opinions! I just want to make sure I'm not risking how well it works or doing something that may destroy it or something... Thank you!

What are you wanting to do that the kindle won't do now?
And do you know how to read code?
Read the jailbreak thread. If you do not understand ALL the directions, don't do it.

If you have special offers, don't do it.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by barryem

I have a Paperwhite 3 also and I've never been really tempted to jailbreak it. It's for reading and I haven't seen anything in the jailbreak discussions that might improve my reading pleasure. Most of the additions I've seen are about having a sexier Kindle, which doesn't interest me.

I'm not up-to-date on this but the last I heard you had to disassemble the Paperwhite to jailbreak it. I'm not sure if that's still true. It's not something I'd be tempted to do even if it would improve the reading experience. I'd need a really good reason to attempt that.

Barry

Not so.
Every model of the Amazon Kindle from the K2 (the K1 doesn't need to be jailbroken) to the KOA can be jailbroken with software.

The JB on a Kindle is not like that on other devices, it does not replace any code, it only adds a single file - which can be removed if the owner chooses not to have a jailbroken Kindle.

Warranty -
That is a judgment call of the provider of the Warranty on a case-by-case basis.
To date, there has never been a report that Amazon refused honoring their warranty because of our jail break or after-market add-ins.

The three most popular reasons:

1) Your own custom screensavers.
2) Your own choice of fonts.
3) KOreader, to support many more types of e-documents.

And many other add-ins to support a user's needs.

[barryem]

Originally Posted by knc1

Not so.
Every model of the Amazon Kindle from the K2 (the K1 doesn't need to be jailbroken) to the KOA can be jailbroken with software.

I read some time ago that to jailbreak newer Kindles you have to disassemble them and connect something to their internal serial port or something like that. I don't remember the details so it may be something other than a serial port.

Has that changed? I'm pretty sure this was talked about here quite a bit in the past.

Barry

[Barty]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

And do you know how to read code?

If by "code", you mean English instruction, then yes, you do need to know how to read "code". But not even that, as I think the instruction is available in several languages.

I have semi bricked my kindle, but not by only jail breaking. And as knc1 says, I don't think Amazon bothers to examine every returned kindle to see if it has foreign code on it.

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by barryem

I read some time ago that to jailbreak newer Kindles you have to disassemble them and connect something to their internal serial port or something like that. I don't remember the details so it may be something other than a serial port.

Has that changed? I'm pretty sure this was talked about here quite a bit in the past.

Barry

Yes that has changed. As knc1 says, "Every model of the Amazon Kindle from the K2 (the K1 doesn't need to be jailbroken) to the KOA can be jailbroken with software."

But for the most part, I've not had a reason to bother. I recently tried a jailbreak, hoping to use a newly written "control page turns by remote presentation pointer" piece of code. The jailbreak was easy; but that code doesn't yet support my device. So I *could* remove the jailbreak, but haven't bothered, since it breaks nothing.

[barryem]

Thanks for letting me know about this. I'm not really inclined to jailbreak my Kindle but who knows what feature I might someday want.

I bought one of those little bitty remotes a few weeks ago when it was mentioned here in some thread. It works just fine with my Fire and reading apps on my other tablets. I don't really have any use for it. I was just curious.

Barry

[HerrMuffin]

This is not to answer OP but to ask a new question of my own.

I have a kindle(with ads) with serial-number prefix "90C6" A.K.A. Kindle Basic (2014), KT2, BASIC.
My Kindle is FW-version 5.6.5

So: Should I go with the Jailbreak for FW 5.6.5 or should I go with the later Jailbreak?
Are there differences in what 'programs' you can install for the different jailbreaks?
And also: does it matter that my kindle is with ads or can I jailbreak it without problem?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by HerrMuffin

This is not to answer OP but to ask a new question of my own.

I have a kindle(with ads) with serial-number prefix "90C6" A.K.A. Kindle Basic (2014), KT2, BASIC.
My Kindle is FW-version 5.6.5

So: Should I go with the Jailbreak for FW 5.6.5 or should I go with the later Jailbreak?
Are there differences in what 'programs' you can install for the different jailbreaks?
And also: does it matter that my kindle is with ads or can I jailbreak it without problem?

That particular one has problems with special offers.
Go read the first post in the Software jailbreak thread including all spoilers.
Here is the thread.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=275877