Reality Check/Advice needed: Kindle or Kobo

[meeera]

Originally Posted by MiguelATF

There were NEVER ANY signs of any kind of 'break' or breakage on the glass.

Btw I know what broken glass looks like, at least on smartphones - and on laptops. There were no visible signs of breakage in any way, on any of them.

It does not look the same on an e-ink screen as on a phone, because there is a coating on top of the glass. Take your device apart, and you will see the cracked glass substrate at the back of the display.

What there was - were random patterns of screen degradation - which appeared in totally different areas of screens. Some near a corner. Some across either the bottom or the top. Some covering large portions of the screen. Others small portions.

That's exactly what a broken glass substrate on an e-ink display looks like, from the front.

[Josieb1]

I've had over 14 devices, kobo and kindle, over the last five years and only one ever 'failed' it fell off the sofa onto a hard floor and the screen broke. As others have said the top layer just shows distortion but the layer behind that was shattered.

If All of your devices have 'failed' in the same way then tbh you were very lucky Amazon replace the ones they did. It's you causing the problem, that's user error, not a manufacturing fault. If you treat Ereaders correctly they last for years.

I've sold some, given some away, but only ever broke one.

[soulfuldog]

I'd agree with what others have posted, sounds like your 'failures' are broken screens which on eink ereaders can be caused by dropping the ereader, twisting or flexing of the ereader, something hard putting pressure on the screen (while its in a bag for example) etc. And the damage doesn't always show instantly, it can seemingly break later on for no apparent reason, but its because there has been some kind of pressure on the glass substrate behind the top screen and it then breaks/cracks and the damage is then shown.

Do a google image search for broken Kindle screen and you will see how different they can all look.

And I'd second the advice of others, you should consider either buying a cheap, second-hand ereader that you won't lose much sleep over when it inevitably 'fails', or consider a tablet instead of eink, as their screens by design are a little more robust.

[robko]

Originally Posted by MiguelATF

There were NEVER ANY signs of any kind of 'break' or breakage on the glass.

Btw I know what broken glass looks like, at least on smartphones - and on laptops. There were no visible signs of breakage in any way, on any of them.

It's not the surface of the screen in an e-ink device that will break. There is a literally paper thin glass sheet that the e-ink layer is on which is deep inside the device (commonly referred to as the e-ink substrate). This is what breaks so you won't see/feel a break at the surface. Broken substrates manifest in a lot of different ways and your descriptions all fit them. Typically part of the screen gets frozen with whatever was on it at the time or gets fuzzy and part continues to change.
A case might be helpful, and some will call you crazy if you don't use one. Personally I've never used one and never had a problem and seen lots of reports of broken screens even if people had a case on it. Do a test: with one of your broken devices in the case see if you can flex it at all by grabbing both ends. If there is any flex at all, even if it's a "sturdy" case, that means that stress can be put on the substrate and over time it's going to break. You haven't described your use (i.e. do you carry it in a purse or backpack or briefcase etc) and if you do and the case allows slight flexing that could be your issue.
People aren't trying to accuse you of being rough or careless with your devices, but e-ink isn't like a phone or tablet in terms of breaking it. It's much easier to do and needs to be treated differently and a lot of people don't realize that until they've broken a screen or two.
I've had several Kobo's since they've come out, never had a screen problem (even after dropping a few of them on hardwood floor) and I'll pretty much guarantee if you get one you'll be back in less than year complaining about Kobo's quality control unless something changes in your handling of the device.

[JSWolf]

I have had a total of 6 eInk Readers and not one of them has ever had a broken screen. I still have 4 of them.

[khalleron]

You need to pretend that your ereader is a raw egg. Don't put it in your pocket, don't throw it in your backpack.

They're not as sturdy as phones or laptops, which you're comparing them to, and it's obvious you're doing something wrong with them.

Unless you're willing to treat it as something fragile, then you need to read on something else.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by khalleron

You need to pretend that your ereader is a raw egg. Don't put it in your pocket, don't throw it in your backpack.

They're not as sturdy as phones or laptops, which you're comparing them to, and it's obvious you're doing something wrong with them.

Unless you're willing to treat it as something fragile, then you need to read on something else.

I would say that something else is paper books.

[bob_obo]

Originally Posted by MiguelATF

There were NEVER ANY signs of any kind of 'break' or breakage on the glass.

Btw I know what broken glass looks like, at least on smartphones - and on laptops. There were no visible signs of breakage in any way, on any of them.

What there was - were random patterns of screen degradation - which appeared in totally different areas of screens. Some near a corner. Some across either the bottom or the top. Some covering large portions of the screen. Others small portions.

Incidentally I have spent considerable time attempting to get someone at Amazon to give me some explanation for this - but never came close to getting any explanation at all.

It seems likely you are in fact doing something wrong. If there is say a 1 in 100 chance of your receiving a faulty screen which breaks without any improper use (and 1 in a hundred is a very pessimistic estimate), then to break seven times is 100^7 (100 * 100 seven times), or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000. In other words, you're doing something to it.

[frogette]

I've had a total of five ereaders, and the only one that ever "failed" was the one which screen I shattered by accidentally sitting on it. Yup, looks exactly like what you describe. You seem to be abusing your Kindles.

[hermano]

Can I recommend a reader from Bookeen, as unlike others posting here who have had 5 or 6 or 14! devices, I have had only one...a Cybook Gen 3 from Bookeen which I got as a xmas present in 2007.

I have used it every day since...it has been to many parts of the world with me and is still used daily...only upkeep has been battery change (yes, unlike many newer readers the battery can be changed)...

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by hermano

Can I recommend a reader from Bookeen, as unlike others posting here who have had 5 or 6 or 14! devices, I have had only one...a Cybook Gen 3 from Bookeen which I got as a xmas present in 2007.

I have used it every day since...it has been to many parts of the world with me and is still used daily...only upkeep has been battery change (yes, unlike many newer readers the battery can be changed)...

I have had two Bookeen CyBooks, both eventually lost to broken screens, although I confess that both breaks were my fault.

Any E-Ink screen with a glass substrate is fragile. My next ebook reader purchase will wait until a non-glass one becomes readily available.

[bookaho!ic]

do you keep them in a case?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by bookaho!ic

do you keep them in a case?

The Bookeens? Oh yes. But that doesn't necessarily protect them from breaking. (The one that irritates me most is carrying the bookeen in from the car, and slipping on some ice. It wasn't the fall that broken the screen, but my hand clutching it too tight!)

[Alohamora]

After 7 "failures", it's time to say that e-ink screens and you weren't meant for a long and happy relationship.

My suggestion would be a Fire HD 6 inch tablet. Gorilla glass is a wonderful invention. While not unbreakable, the tablets can take more rough handling than e-ink screens can.
I'm very pleased with my HD6 for reading, although I did have to install a matte screen protector to cut glare on the screen. The 8gb one would work if it's just for reading, but go with 16gb if you're at all likely to put apps and music or video on it as well.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

The Bookeens? Oh yes. But that doesn't necessarily protect them from breaking. (The one that irritates me most is carrying the bookeen in from the car, and slipping on some ice. It wasn't the fall that broken the screen, but my hand clutching it too tight!)

That happened to me once where I wasn't paying attention and the curb was tapered off in a really odd way and wasn't there like you would expect. The first thing I checked was my camera, ereader and phone from my pockets while 2 guys were trying to see if I was ok . I was actually holding the camera at the time but it also survived with just a slight scratch on the front body only. Reader and phone were perfectly fine too.

But even in a good cover, when readers are placed in backpacks, something pressing against it in the wrong way can flex it enough to crack the thin layers of glass. I've never done it yet though to any reader and I use mine daily and take it with whenever I leave the house.