Should we update a PW2? Is there any reason

seanyyz · 10-27-2017, 02:58 PM

My partner uses my Old PW2 now that I have moved on to ostensibly better kindles. I’m the gadget guy in the family. He is using the PW2. Is there any reason to update to the newer Paperwhite for a light kindle user?

GlenBarrington · 10-27-2017, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanyyz

My partner uses my Old PW2 now that I have moved on to ostensibly better kindles. I’m the gadget guy in the family. He is using the PW2. Is there any reason to update to the newer Paperwhite for a light kindle user?

I don't see why, I use my PW2 pretty heavily, and it works great. If he is happy with the features and operation of the device, why go to the trouble and expense?

knc1 · 10-27-2017, 04:02 PM

As above, if its working, don't fix it.
A PW2 is new enough to run even the most recent firmware release.

HarryT · 10-27-2017, 05:20 PM

He may perhaps want the ability to change the boldness of the fonts, or the wider range of sizes, so I'd certainly recommend updating the firmware.

mystika1 · 10-27-2017, 06:23 PM

I have a pw2 and the new firmware is a nice improvement. It is still a great device.

dublincheri · 10-27-2017, 06:48 PM

My husband is still happily using a PW1 and sees no reason to change. I offered him my Voyage when the new Oasis arrives next week but he claims that he doesn't notice very much difference!

JSWolf · 10-27-2017, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

I don't see why, I use my PW2 pretty heavily, and it works great. If he is happy with the features and operation of the device, why go to the trouble and expense?

What expense? There is no expense. As for trouble, it's trivial.

Yes, it's worth updating the firmware to 5.8.11. You get an option to have more weight to the fonts and a better range of font sizes. It gives a better reading experience.

JSWolf · 10-27-2017, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knc1

As above, if its working, don't fix it.
A PW2 is new enough to run even the most recent firmware release.

If we all thought like that, we'd never update the firmware. When you buy a Kindle, you buy it for what it can do at that time. But there's no reason it cannot do more when Amazon releases a new firmware with more features. How do you know that the OP's partner doesn't want the two biggest new features?

Sirtel · 10-27-2017, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What expense? There is no expense. As for trouble, it's trivial.

Yes, it's worth updating the firmware to 5.8.11. You get an option to have more weight to the fonts and a better range of font sizes. It gives a better reading experience.

The OP meant upgrading to a newer Paperwhite, not updating to the newest firmware.

As for the first, if he's satisfied, no need. As for the second, sure.

rashkae · 10-27-2017, 08:03 PM

Depends how good your eyesight is... After having been accustomed to higher resolution devices, trying to read on the PW2 (while testing the new firmware) really made it obvious how *bad* the low resolution is for text rendering. It looks out of focused to me, and makes me want to rush to the optometrist. (Caecilia and Bookerly are perfectly readable, if fuzzy around the edges. Something fancier like Baskerville looks just horrid.)

HarryT · 10-27-2017, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

The OP meant upgrading to a newer Paperwhite, not updating to the newest firmware.

In fairness, if you just look at the thread title, "Should we update a PW2?", it certainly sounds as if he's asking about a firmware update.

Cinisajoy · 10-27-2017, 08:34 PM

I read the title one way and the OP the other way.
Title question yes update the firmware.
Question in post: no need for a new device.

jhowell · 10-27-2017, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knc1

As above, if its working, don't fix it.
A PW2 is new enough to run even the most recent firmware release.

That is true today. But I wonder whether it will be true going forward.

The PW2 is a 6th generation kindle and the 9th generation is coming out next week. Eventually they may stop releasing updates as they already have for all of the older kindle models.

knc1 · 10-27-2017, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhowell

That is true today. But I wonder whether it will be true going forward.

The PW2 is a 6th generation kindle and the 9th generation is coming out next week. Eventually they may stop releasing updates as they already have for all of the older kindle models.

It appears from the outside, that they have consolidated all i.MX6 device support into a single build system.
So the only thing that makes supporting six (seven) devices difficult is the logistics of distribution.

It was a lot different in prior devices, when nearly every device used a different SoC.
In different development departments, using different build systems and different people.

True, this most recent one is dual core instead of single core, but the system is already written to run on one or more cores. And the SoC line is designed to be drop-in, interchangeable at the board layout level.
(If one can apply the term "drop-in" to a BGA mounted device.

)
So I don't really expect that this new one will require any special support.

GlenBarrington · 10-28-2017, 10:09 AM

For me, the issue is economic. The PW2 is paid for, there is no ongoing cost to keep on using it, and it will work with all current Kindle formats. And the OP can 'lend' a book to the new user quite easily. The time to upgrade to a new unit is when the device lacks a feature the user wants, or when technology passes it by.

Speculating on what the intended user MIGHT want makes no sense. Particularly so, when the OP says his significant other will likely be a light user. The OP has given us no information that the intended user is even aware of the sort of features that are possible with eReader devices.

10-27-2017, 02:58 PM	#1
seanyyz Connoisseur Posts: 77 Karma: 2068472 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Kindle Oasis	Should we update a PW2? Is there any reason My partner uses my Old PW2 now that I have moved on to ostensibly better kindles. I’m the gadget guy in the family. He is using the PW2. Is there any reason to update to the newer Paperwhite for a light kindle user?

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10-27-2017, 04:02 PM	#3
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	As above, if its working, don't fix it. A PW2 is new enough to run even the most recent firmware release.

10-27-2017, 05:20 PM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	He may perhaps want the ability to change the boldness of the fonts, or the wider range of sizes, so I'd certainly recommend updating the firmware.

10-27-2017, 06:23 PM	#5
mystika1 Addict Posts: 353 Karma: 1360168 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Louisiana Device: IPad Air 2, , Kindle Voyage, Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Aura H2Ov1, Kobo Mini	I have a pw2 and the new firmware is a nice improvement. It is still a great device.

10-27-2017, 06:48 PM	#6
dublincheri Zealot Posts: 128 Karma: 3000000 Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: New England (for now) Device: Kindle Touch, Paperwhite 12, Basic 2024, Colorsoft	My husband is still happily using a PW1 and sees no reason to change. I offered him my Voyage when the new Oasis arrives next week but he claims that he doesn't notice very much difference!

10-27-2017, 08:03 PM	#10
rashkae Wizard Posts: 1,277 Karma: 5935030 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo Aura HD	Depends how good your eyesight is... After having been accustomed to higher resolution devices, trying to read on the PW2 (while testing the new firmware) really made it obvious how bad the low resolution is for text rendering. It looks out of focused to me, and makes me want to rush to the optometrist. (Caecilia and Bookerly are perfectly readable, if fuzzy around the edges. Something fancier like Baskerville looks just horrid.)

10-27-2017, 08:34 PM	#12
Cinisajoy Just a Yellow Smiley. Posts: 19,161 Karma: 83862859 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Texas Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy	I read the title one way and the OP the other way. Title question yes update the firmware. Question in post: no need for a new device.

10-28-2017, 10:09 AM	#15
GlenBarrington Cheese Whiz Posts: 1,986 Karma: 11677147 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Springfield, Illinois Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Tab A 10.1(2019), Pixel 6a.	For me, the issue is economic. The PW2 is paid for, there is no ongoing cost to keep on using it, and it will work with all current Kindle formats. And the OP can 'lend' a book to the new user quite easily. The time to upgrade to a new unit is when the device lacks a feature the user wants, or when technology passes it by. Speculating on what the intended user MIGHT want makes no sense. Particularly so, when the OP says his significant other will likely be a light user. The OP has given us no information that the intended user is even aware of the sort of features that are possible with eReader devices.