5.12.5 - white on black option

[Pjama]

Hi, I updated to 5.12.5 a couple of days ago to get the toggle switch in the light settings.

I have restarted several times since then and it has not appeared.

Has anyone on this forum actually seen the quick access sign actually appear?

I have only seen pics on Reddit so am wondering whether it is real. I have read the relevant stuff in the other thread so I know that a setting for it has been found in the update code, but, wasn’t that also the case for the book cover as screensaver code?

[JoeC]

Originally Posted by Pjama

Hi, I updated to 5.12.5 a couple of days ago to get the toggle switch in the light settings.

I have restarted several times since then and it has not appeared.

Has anyone on this forum actually seen the quick access sign actually appear?

I have only seen pics on Reddit so am wondering whether it is real. I have read the relevant stuff in the other thread so I know that a setting for it has been found in the update code, but, wasn’t that also the case for the book cover as screensaver code?

No luck here. I don't think it's real. I wish it were - I would love that functionality.

[Deskisamess]

I've not seen this yet either, but the option is there still under accessibility in Settings.

[tomsem]

As discussed on another thread here, there is a report of this feature on Reddit (with screenshots) and @JHowell has examined the binaries and found the UI is there for this feature. So it is real enough.

However it is not mentioned in the What’s New update description, so it is anybody’s guess as to when Amazon decides to turn it on. We went through a similar wait (maybe 4 weeks or more) for the changes to the Aa settings, even though this was explicitly called out in What’s New.

That said, you can of course experience Dark Mode now with the Kindles that support this feature, and it’s probably safe to say that any of us have features in mind that we wish Amazon would implement instead of this rather pedestrian one.

[jhowell]

I did a little more poking into this feature to see if I could find out anything else. Some of this is speculative. I don't have enough interest in this to spend much more time on it.

From what I can tell the enabling of the dark mode icon in the quick settings toolbar is a feature locked in the firmware, not subject to triggering after the fact.

It seems likely that the configuration for this option is stored in the file "/etc/deviceConfig.conf". This file is encrypted making it hard to tell what is in there. However there is a utility present in the Kindle firmware that might be able to decrypt it. I can provide more details if someone with a jailbroken device with shell access wants to try decoding this file.

There is the question of why only a very few people have reported having it. Perhaps is is only enabled in firmware targeted to a narrow set of devices or that specific firmware was only being delivered for a brief time. It would be useful if someone who actually has the feature enabled would report their exact Kindle model (serial number prefix) and firmware version including the build number.

[Avwriter]

It's bizarre that they create so much bureaucracy over such a simple feature that should have been there in the beginning. Wanting to read in the dark without blinding yourself with bright light is not a disability/accessibility issue. It should have been up there with the light settings from the beginning.

[Deskisamess]

In my experience it's not that great. Contrast is greatly reduced and the screen refresh isn't pleasant at all, especially when accessing menus and going to the Home screen.

I know some users like this setting, but I don't care for it.

[Pjama]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

In my experience it's not that great. Contrast is greatly reduced and the screen refresh isn't pleasant at all, especially when accessing menus and going to the Home screen.

I know some users like this setting, but I don't care for it.

I like using it in bed when all the lights are off, but I have to have the brightness quite high and the font size has to be very big for me to find it comfortable to read in the inverted mode. I normally use font size 2 in normal mode, and go up to 10 when using the white on black. I also have the orange light up full. I think it is nice for reading in pitch dark rooms.

It would be nice to have it on a toggle switch for routine use. It’s not a big deal, just a nice to have.

[tomsem]

I understand front-lighting is more convenient than the clip-on reading lights and covers-with-built-in lights that preceded this, but I’ve never found it more comfortable in an otherwise dark room, and prefer having additional lighting along with the front-lighting to avoid the ‘flashlight in eyes’ effect. Turning the front light down can make eyes work harder as contrast diminishes. Inverted mode doesn’t change this a lot. However, I find it sometimes pleasant with normal indoor lighting.

[Vmurph]

I’m confused. Are you all talking about the Dark-Mode toggle, or am I misunderstanding the topic?

The reason I’m confused is because I have a dark-mode toggle button in my quick access settings. It’s a circle with a diagonal line through it, half light, half dark. But no one else responded to this thread in the affirmative, so I’m wondering if maybe I’ve misunderstood the question.

Anyway, I don’t know if this is what you’re referring to, but I took a pic of it and attached it below, in case it is.

[tomsem]

Yes that is what everyone else with Oasis or Paperwhite 4 is waiting for. Lucky you!

[Vmurph]

Originally Posted by tomsem

Yes that is what everyone else with Oasis or Paperwhite 4 is waiting for. Lucky you!

That’s funny, I had no idea others didn’t have it. When no one was responding that they had it, I just assumed I must be misunderstanding the question. I didn’t even notice mine until yesterday, when I started a new book and went to change my font size.

So, I’ve been out of the loop lately. When you say “lucky”, what does that mean, if only a handful of people have it? It’s not a mistake, is it?

I know updates will rollout gradually, but I haven’t heard of features within an update being unlocked gradually.

[Vmurph]

Will the 1st gen 6” Oasis get Dark-mode, as well? Or is it only for the Oasis 2 and Paperwhite 4?

[Vmurph]

Originally Posted by jhowell

From what I can tell the enabling of the dark mode icon in the quick settings toolbar is a feature locked in the firmware, not subject to triggering after the fact.

If it’s not subject to triggering, then what does it mean if I have it while others don’t?

[Vmurph]

Originally Posted by jhowell

It would be useful if someone who actually has the feature enabled would report their exact Kindle model (serial number prefix) and firmware version including the build number.

I have the toggle on my Oasis 3 (10th gen). I’m happy to provide my device info for you. I attached a photo of the device info along with a photo of my quick settings showing the dark-mode toggle.

I‘m surprised to see that I’m not even on 5.12.5. I’m still on 5.12.4. So what does that mean? Could I lose the toggle when my Kindle updates to .5? I sure hope not!



EDIT: Also, jhowell, if you could tell me what the prefix of my serial number indicates, that would be great. I ordered it in July 2019, but I don’t remember what part of 2019 that model was released. I can’t even remember if I preordered or waited awhile. Do the three zeros mean it was early production?