Becoming a little concerned.

[Mirtika]

At what point, should the crash issues become repeated, would you return it? After a couple crashes within one week? A dozen?

I only had it crash once (within the first week), but I don't use it a lot. Maybe an hour a day. I don't want the return window to close.

I guess I'll try to use it more frequently to see what happens. But now I feel like I'm an idiot for buying it--as my general policy is wait to see what people say (like with iPad and such) and don't be eager to buy.

Oh, well...now I'm anxious when I turn my K3 on. Hate that feeling...

[Viseguy]

FWIW, my K3 Wi-Fi has no rattles and has not frozen up once in the week that I've had it. It's been a little finicky connecting to the computer, but a reset seems to solve that.

[distant.star]

Since ordering a Kindle 6" I've been closely following Amazon's reader feedback. The number of freezing, locking up, crashing reports are disconcerting. Oddly, there are very few reports of this happening with the DX (9.7") version.

Makes me think about digging deeper and paying for something with greater reliability.

[Tiersten]

Originally Posted by distant.star

Since ordering a Kindle 6" I've been closely following Amazon's reader feedback. The number of freezing, locking up, crashing reports are disconcerting.

People generally don't post when they're not having any problems so the visible ratio of positive:negative reviews is skewed.

My Kindle 3G+WiFi doesn't rattle and I've so far not had any crashes.

[JeremyR]

I haven't had any crashes or reboots, either in the 6 days I've had it. So far I've read 3 whole books, half of two, and a whole bunch of short stories.

I think people are genuinely having problems, but it's probably a result of Amazon shipping more Kindles than ever before and probably a decrease in build/component quality (to lower the price) causing the failure rate to go up.

(I did have a small problem with getting Wi-Fi to work, but that just required a re-boot and it's worked since)

[Corran006]

I am not really sure what to do with mine, but then again its only crashed twice.

Kinda hoping firmware will fix it.

[pchrist7]

Had my 3G+Wifi for nearly 8 days now. No rattles, but yesterday 1 crash and 1 freeze reading book bought from Amazon ( before that books from "else where" were read with no problems. ). Both cases very during use of the online Dictionary. Hope that was it, but let's see.

[Kevin2960]

All eReaders ARE flaky

just read all the specific forums

here on MR

i have a Sony Touch amd my Beautiful

new K3 on which i am posting

this

whatever happens its very worth having

DONT panic honestly theres no need

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by Tiersten

My Kindle 3G+WiFi doesn't rattle and I've so far not had any crashes.

You are very lucky. Actually, at the Amazon web site for the WiFi 78% appear totally satisfied (4 to 5 stars) while only 22% are having problems or have other less than superb opinions of the K3 (1 to 3 stars).

The 3G model appears to be much better but folks did pay an extra $ 50 for it.

Actually, even before I brought my WiFi to Church, I had already had about 6 spontaneous resets. In Church I had a reset every time I turned it on.

I'm still getting that EMF detector. I can use it around the house as well. It has many other uses (detecting bad motors, etc.)

I'm sure the 78%, who gave it a 4 or 5 star rating had zero problems including resets. I'm hoping my replacement due tomorrow will fall into that 78% group.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by carld

I had one lockup while using the browser, scared me witless until I reset it. Other than that it's been really steady and trouble free.

If you are patient enough, you may find as I have that many browser 'lockups' clear themselves after awhile (a minute or two perhaps?), allowing you to pick up where you left off. I haven't had enough of these incidents to discern a pattern (less than a handful) but I no longer automatically reach for the reset button.

No idea what Kindle is so busy with and it would be nice if there were some sort of animation to watch while it is in this state, but it is after all 'experimental'.

[stabile007]

I got my K3 last week and so far I have read two books on it. I haven't had a crash or a lock up yet. I generally keep my wireless off though and I never had a kindle before so I am starting from scratch so maybe that helps. I was getting worried too so I held off on selling my 505 but it becomes more and more likely I will end up selling it.

[Josieb1]

I got my K3 last week and so far I have read two books on it. I haven't had a crash or a lock up yet. I generally keep my wireless off though and I never had a kindle before so I am starting from scratch so maybe that helps. I was getting worried too so I held off on selling my 505 but it becomes more and more likely I will end up selling it.

I have had a few freazes and reboots, and have noticed they are mostly when my wifi is on, so I am going to leave it off unless i am downloading a sample or book.

[Solicitous]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

You are very lucky. Actually, at the Amazon web site for the WiFi 78% appear totally satisfied (4 to 5 stars) while only 22% are having problems or have other less than superb opinions of the K3 (1 to 3 stars).

The 3G model appears to be much better but folks did pay an extra $ 50 for it.

Actually, even before I brought my WiFi to Church, I had already had about 6 spontaneous resets. In Church I had a reset every time I turned it on.

I'm still getting that EMF detector. I can use it around the house as well. It has many other uses (detecting bad motors, etc.)

I'm sure the 78%, who gave it a 4 or 5 star rating had zero problems including resets. I'm hoping my replacement due tomorrow will fall into that 78% group.

Out of curiosity I actually read some of the 1-2 star reviews. There is far more low scoring of the Kindle because people didn't like it rather than due to a faulty device. Common complaints were size of page turn buttons, 5-way controller being too small etc. I think most of the poor scoring reviews are due to personal opinion and are not truly reflective of poor or faulty manufactured device.

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

Out of curiosity I actually read some of the 1-2 star reviews. There is far more low scoring of the Kindle because people didn't like it rather than due to a faulty device. Common complaints were size of page turn buttons, 5-way controller being too small etc. I think most of the poor scoring reviews are due to personal opinion and are not truly reflective of poor or faulty manufactured device.

My Sony PRS 900 also had plenty of problems and I never returned it. My K3 only really had bad problems when I brought it to Church (embarressment was my main problem).

If I had not seen any problems mentioned here, I would have kept my unit and not even complained. However, since I did read them, I panicked and returned it for a replacement. I'll recieve the replacement tomorrow. When I called Amazon CS, I mentioned I would have preferred a firmware upgrade. They said there was none and no plans for one. Thus, I accepted the replacement with one day shipping.

Since then, I have seen here there is a firmware upgrade in the works. Had I known that, I would not have sent my unit in for a replacement.

If the replacement has the same problems, I will NOT return it again. Sometimes we have to live with a few problems with all electronic devices.

I had a similar problem with a Franklin BIB 475 electronic bible. Eventually, I turned it in for a new one and had the same problems ONLY in my Church. Thus, I kept it and only use a metal shielded NowBible in Church.

Both the Kindle 3 and the Franklin Bible do not have similar metal shielding on the outside that I can see. That may be their problems. Both the NowBible and Sony PRS 900 seem to have thick metal coverings which may make them immune to problems I've encountered.

Other than that the K3 is great. I would give it 5 stars even with its problems I've encountered.

By the way, low ratings by others on the Amazon site are just as valid regardless of reasons. Those folks found something VERY BAD or they would not have submitted those low ratings. I just happen to disagree with them. I am sure most of them returned their K3's for a refund.

[Tiersten]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

When I called Amazon CS, I mentioned I would have preferred a firmware upgrade. They said there was none and no plans for one. Thus, I accepted the replacement with one day shipping.

Since then, I have seen here there is a firmware upgrade in the works. Had I known that, I would not have sent my unit in for a replacement.

From the description of your issues, it is a hardware issue and hardware issues can't be fixed by a firmware update no matter how much you wish they could be. It'd be like somebody calling Amazon to ask for a firmware update to fix the fact that their Kindle was run over by a car. Sometimes you just have to replace the unit.