Troubleshooting Kindle dx graphite with loose prev page button.

melodysilence · 03-01-2011, 09:38 PM

Hi guys,

I just got a new kindle dx graphite and found the prev page button is loose and generates cracking sound everytime I press it. The other buttons are all fine. What about your kindle dx graphite? Is this a common issue?

I live in Australia, dont know whether I need to pay for the two-way (AU to US and US to AU) postage if I request for a replacement.

Any ideas will be appreciated.

Cheers

oggelbe2007 · 03-01-2011, 10:24 PM

All the buttons on my Graphite DX are firm and solid.

Zarich · 03-01-2011, 10:39 PM

I have a 3g and the next page on the right is a tad loose. The plus is that it makes it nearly silent to press. The downside is I worry it will break.

melodysilence · 03-01-2011, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oggelbe2007

All the buttons on my Graphite DX are firm and solid.

Lucky you!

melodysilence · 03-01-2011, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarich

I have a 3g and the next page on the right is a tad loose. The plus is that it makes it nearly silent to press. The downside is I worry it will break.

Mine is generating cracking sound which is really annoying.

bZkindle · 03-01-2011, 11:09 PM

'cracking' does not sound good especially for the DXG.
the k3 seems to be made more cheaply and not all the buttons are even (read:loose) but they sure don't crack. my DXG/k2 buttons are solid, as are the units themselves.
my last k3 made a cracking type sound if i pressed on the right hand side. sounded like something was broken underneath the plastic.

melodysilence · 03-01-2011, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bZkindle

'cracking' does not sound good especially for the DXG.
the k3 seems to be made more cheaply and not all the buttons are even (read:loose) but they sure don't crack. my DXG/k2 buttons are solid, as are the units themselves.
my last k3 made a cracking type sound if i pressed on the right hand side. sounded like something was broken underneath the plastic.

Thanks for your reply, bZkindle. if I hold the kindle and shake, i can here the sound from the loose button. So disappointed. I think I will ring amazon to arrange a replacement then.

bZkindle · 03-01-2011, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melodysilence

Thanks for your reply, bZkindle. if I hold the kindle and shake, i can here the sound from the loose button. So disappointed. I think I will ring amazon to arrange a replacement then.

oh it's loose too?
if I shake mine I can hear the volume rocker cause that's a bit loose.
that's okay though.
if what you say is right and it's like that then I would send it back.
besides being annoying, it may indicate some structural flaw and the whole thing might break off.. or explode or something.

melodysilence · 03-01-2011, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bZkindle

oh it's loose too?
if I shake mine I can hear the volume rocker cause that's a bit loose.
that's okay though.
if what you say is right and it's like that then I would send it back.
besides being annoying, it may indicate some structural flaw and the whole thing might break off.. or explode or something.

You are damn right! Defective product kills. lol

Yes, it is loose and when I press it, it generates uncomfortable sound because it is loose. And it sticks to my thumb a little bit when I move my thumb out after pressing it. Kinda annoying.

I heard somebody talked about the loose volume rocker but mine does not have that problem, lucky me.

But a loose button is much worse than a loose volume rocker.

Mark Rehorst · 03-02-2011, 01:08 AM

I don't think loose buttons are a reason to return the device. While popping/cracking noises when you press buttons and rattling volume control buttons when you shake the unit are indications of overall cheesiness, I think that those behaviors fall well within the norm for the device. As much as we may love what the device does and what it represents, I don't think anyone would argue that the physical construction of any of the Kindles leaves something to be desired.

That said, the K3 seems to be an improvement over the K2 mechanically -they got rid of the slippery smooth steel back cover and the less than optimal "joystick". The DXG is, mechanically speaking, an oversized K2 with an upgraded display so it's no surprise that it has many of the K2's faults.

If the buttons don't work, send it back. If the buttons do work but the noise bothers you, you need a different reader, not another Kindle.

When I lived in Japan for a few years I found that things that are acceptable to Americans are often unacceptable to the Japanese. Electronic devices you get in Japan are generally very high quality and priced that way. US consumers seem to place much more emphasis on price, so we get items with rattly buttons which would never be accepted in Japan. It seems many European cultures are similar to the Japanese- they are more sensitive to and value a quality feel more highly than most Americans.

Cheers!

melodysilence · 03-02-2011, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Rehorst

I don't think loose buttons are a reason to return the device. While popping/cracking noises when you press buttons and rattling volume control buttons when you shake the unit are indications of overall cheesiness, I think that those behaviors fall well within the norm for the device. As much as we may love what the device does and what it represents, I don't think anyone would argue that the physical construction of any of the Kindles leaves something to be desired.

That said, the K3 seems to be an improvement over the K2 mechanically -they got rid of the slippery smooth steel back cover and the less than optimal "joystick". The DXG is, mechanically speaking, an oversized K2 with an upgraded display so it's no surprise that it has many of the K2's faults.

If the buttons don't work, send it back. If the buttons do work but the noise bothers you, you need a different reader, not another Kindle.

When I lived in Japan for a few years I found that things that are acceptable to Americans are often unacceptable to the Japanese. Electronic devices you get in Japan are generally very high quality and priced that way. US consumers seem to place much more emphasis on price, so we get items with rattly buttons which would never be accepted in Japan. It seems many European cultures are similar to the Japanese- they are more sensitive to and value a quality feel more highly than most Americans.

Cheers!

Thanks very much for your post. Very good point.

BTW, do you mean your kindle dxg has rattly buttons as well?

bZkindle · 03-02-2011, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Rehorst

I don't think loose buttons are a reason to return the device. While popping/cracking noises when you press buttons and rattling volume control buttons when you shake the unit are indications of overall cheesiness, I think that those behaviors fall well within the norm for the device. As much as we may love what the device does and what it represents, I don't think anyone would argue that the physical construction of any of the Kindles leaves something to be desired.

That said, the K3 seems to be an improvement over the K2 mechanically -they got rid of the slippery smooth steel back cover and the less than optimal "joystick". The DXG is, mechanically speaking, an oversized K2 with an upgraded display so it's no surprise that it has many of the K2's faults.

If the buttons don't work, send it back. If the buttons do work but the noise bothers you, you need a different reader, not another Kindle.

When I lived in Japan for a few years I found that things that are acceptable to Americans are often unacceptable to the Japanese. Electronic devices you get in Japan are generally very high quality and priced that way. US consumers seem to place much more emphasis on price, so we get items with rattly buttons which would never be accepted in Japan. It seems many European cultures are similar to the Japanese- they are more sensitive to and value a quality feel more highly than most Americans.

Cheers!

I don't have the kindle in question sitting in front of me so it would be hard to say, but I would just be concerned that some kind of failure was imminent.
there is a big difference between a 'click' and a 'crunch'.
maybe if s/he gives it a couple hundred 'crunches' and see if it turns into a 'click'...

oggelbe2007 · 03-02-2011, 04:35 PM

Loose or noisy buttons usually indicate a shortened life-span for those buttons. A part is missing, incorrectly assembled, mal-formed during injection molding or stress fractured. These buttons should last for years if correctly assembled but with daily use a faulty button will continue to deteriorate and eventually either fall apart or stop working.

Call Amazon.

Mark Rehorst · 03-02-2011, 05:55 PM

I've taken apart a lot of electronic stuff as a hobbyist and electrical engineer. In my experience, a rattly button is usually the result of the plastic overlay, i.e. the button that you touch with your finger, not being precisely fit to the electrical switch underneath it. There is simply some physical space there in which the button moves and bangs against other plastic parts of the case making the rattling noise. It dos not imply reduced lifespan because the electrical switch under the button is a completely different, sealed mechanical entity on which the plastic button rests.

That doesn't mean that a rattly button would NEVER indicate something more serious going on, but it would be pretty unusual.

Yes, the buttons on my DX rattle a little if I shake it and it doesn't concern me. I believe it is just a part of the normal manufacturing tolerances.

I haven't seen a teardown of the DX and I have yet to put a screwdriver to mine, so I can't say for sure, but some of the rattling you hear may be due to the orientation sensor inside the device. Some of those sensors involve a little metal ball that fits inside a wire "cage". The ball is big enough to contact two wires at a time, hence an electrical switch, and that provides input to the display driver to tell it which way is up.

MR

melodysilence · 03-03-2011, 08:03 AM

Called Amazon and reported the issue, before I asked what I could do, the specialist said it is defective and he himself does not have a dxg like this.

He arranged me a replacement immediately and the new kindle is now on its way to Australia.

Impressive! Giving customer a replacement without his request, what a great company Amazon is!

03-01-2011, 09:38 PM	#1
melodysilence Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle DX Graphite	Kindle dx graphite with loose prev page button. Hi guys, I just got a new kindle dx graphite and found the prev page button is loose and generates cracking sound everytime I press it. The other buttons are all fine. What about your kindle dx graphite? Is this a common issue? I live in Australia, dont know whether I need to pay for the two-way (AU to US and US to AU) postage if I request for a replacement. Any ideas will be appreciated. Cheers Last edited by melodysilence; 03-01-2011 at 10:53 PM.

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03-01-2011, 10:24 PM	#2
oggelbe2007 Limited Warranty Posts: 89 Karma: 576 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: North Georgia, USA Device: A sweet PRS-500, DXG	All the buttons on my Graphite DX are firm and solid.

03-01-2011, 10:39 PM	#3
Zarich Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1202 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	I have a 3g and the next page on the right is a tad loose. The plus is that it makes it nearly silent to press. The downside is I worry it will break.

03-01-2011, 11:09 PM	#6
bZkindle Fanatic Posts: 510 Karma: 1025024 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Canada City, Soviet Canuckistan Device: k2, k3G, kindle DXG, Sony T-1, iPad, iPhone, stone tablet	'cracking' does not sound good especially for the DXG. the k3 seems to be made more cheaply and not all the buttons are even (read:loose) but they sure don't crack. my DXG/k2 buttons are solid, as are the units themselves. my last k3 made a cracking type sound if i pressed on the right hand side. sounded like something was broken underneath the plastic.

03-02-2011, 01:08 AM	#10
Mark Rehorst was engr, now dentist Posts: 143 Karma: 18558 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Riverside, Ca Device: Kindle DXG	I don't think loose buttons are a reason to return the device. While popping/cracking noises when you press buttons and rattling volume control buttons when you shake the unit are indications of overall cheesiness, I think that those behaviors fall well within the norm for the device. As much as we may love what the device does and what it represents, I don't think anyone would argue that the physical construction of any of the Kindles leaves something to be desired. That said, the K3 seems to be an improvement over the K2 mechanically -they got rid of the slippery smooth steel back cover and the less than optimal "joystick". The DXG is, mechanically speaking, an oversized K2 with an upgraded display so it's no surprise that it has many of the K2's faults. If the buttons don't work, send it back. If the buttons do work but the noise bothers you, you need a different reader, not another Kindle. When I lived in Japan for a few years I found that things that are acceptable to Americans are often unacceptable to the Japanese. Electronic devices you get in Japan are generally very high quality and priced that way. US consumers seem to place much more emphasis on price, so we get items with rattly buttons which would never be accepted in Japan. It seems many European cultures are similar to the Japanese- they are more sensitive to and value a quality feel more highly than most Americans. Cheers!

03-02-2011, 04:35 PM	#13
oggelbe2007 Limited Warranty Posts: 89 Karma: 576 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: North Georgia, USA Device: A sweet PRS-500, DXG	Loose or noisy buttons usually indicate a shortened life-span for those buttons. A part is missing, incorrectly assembled, mal-formed during injection molding or stress fractured. These buttons should last for years if correctly assembled but with daily use a faulty button will continue to deteriorate and eventually either fall apart or stop working. Call Amazon.

03-02-2011, 05:55 PM	#14
Mark Rehorst was engr, now dentist Posts: 143 Karma: 18558 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Riverside, Ca Device: Kindle DXG	I've taken apart a lot of electronic stuff as a hobbyist and electrical engineer. In my experience, a rattly button is usually the result of the plastic overlay, i.e. the button that you touch with your finger, not being precisely fit to the electrical switch underneath it. There is simply some physical space there in which the button moves and bangs against other plastic parts of the case making the rattling noise. It dos not imply reduced lifespan because the electrical switch under the button is a completely different, sealed mechanical entity on which the plastic button rests. That doesn't mean that a rattly button would NEVER indicate something more serious going on, but it would be pretty unusual. Yes, the buttons on my DX rattle a little if I shake it and it doesn't concern me. I believe it is just a part of the normal manufacturing tolerances. I haven't seen a teardown of the DX and I have yet to put a screwdriver to mine, so I can't say for sure, but some of the rattling you hear may be due to the orientation sensor inside the device. Some of those sensors involve a little metal ball that fits inside a wire "cage". The ball is big enough to contact two wires at a time, hence an electrical switch, and that provides input to the display driver to tell it which way is up. MR

03-03-2011, 08:03 AM	#15
melodysilence Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle DX Graphite	Called Amazon and reported the issue, before I asked what I could do, the specialist said it is defective and he himself does not have a dxg like this. He arranged me a replacement immediately and the new kindle is now on its way to Australia. Impressive! Giving customer a replacement without his request, what a great company Amazon is!

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