Firmware Update Firmware update 5.9.4

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by TheSmitty

Do we know if this update triggers a re-index of your library?

No update triggers a library index.

[Shad Plante]

Anyone notice that their Kindle flashes the text on and off every few pages? My 6th generation Paperwhite had not done this prior to the 5.9.4 update.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Shad Plante

Anyone notice that their Kindle flashes the text on and off every few pages? My 6th generation Paperwhite had not done this prior to the 5.9.4 update.

Every eInk device does this; it's necessary to remove "ghosting" - the faint remains of pages displayed previously. Perhaps you simply didn't notice it previously?

[Shad Plante]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Every eInk device does this; it's necessary to remove "ghosting" - the faint remains of pages displayed previously. Perhaps you simply didn't notice it previously?

I've noticed it before, but it used to just flash once every few pages. Now instead of just being one flash, it is 3 or 4 flashes. (I should probably count the number of times, but haven't thought to do that yet)

[HarryT]

That certainly doesn't sound right!

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Shad Plante

I've noticed it before, but it used to just flash once every few pages. Now instead of just being one flash, it is 3 or 4 flashes. (I should probably count the number of times, but haven't thought to do that yet)

It should be 3 flashes in a group for the screen refresh. First write the screen white, second write the screen black, third write the screen white. Then the page is displayed. Unless for some reason, the new firmware is delaying between the white/black/white steps, it's hard to see the individual steps.

[Braid]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I don't have the faintest idea what you mean. There's a huge variety of different Oasis cases available. Why are you unable to get one?

Some people (like me) strongly prefer to stick to official cases and covers offered by the manufacturer of the ereader. Think what you want about our reasons for having this preference, but the fact is we exist.

So for those people, there is no Kindle Oasis case available. The official case that was released at the same time as the reader was pulled and discontinued less than a month after it was released, and they haven't replaced it with anything. Which is quite surprising - for the most expensive of the mainstream ereaders, you'd think there would be a nice case to go along with it.

I happened to purchase one of the cases before they got discontinued. I really disliked it at first, but now I actually like how easy it is to remove the reader from the case. I find it handy.

[Kolja]

Originally Posted by Braid

Some people (like me) strongly prefer to stick to official cases and covers offered by the manufacturer of the ereader. Think what you want about our reasons for having this preference, but the fact is we exist.

So for those people, there is no Kindle Oasis case available. The official case that was released at the same time as the reader was pulled and discontinued less than a month after it was released, and they haven't replaced it with anything. Which is quite surprising - for the most expensive of the mainstream ereaders, you'd think there would be a nice case to go along with it.

I happened to purchase one of the cases before they got discontinued. I really disliked it at first, but now I actually like how easy it is to remove the reader from the case. I find it handy.

Agree. I've always used the Amazon official leather cases for my Kindle devices. They are well made, look great and perform flawlessly. I loved the Merlot case that I ordered with my Oasis 2, but unfortunately not the Oasis 2 and returned both. I'm using the Origami case with my Voyage and it is the perfect case for my purposes.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Braid

Some people (like me) strongly prefer to stick to official cases and covers offered by the manufacturer of the ereader. Think what you want about our reasons for having this preference, but the fact is we exist.

So for those people, there is no Kindle Oasis case available. The official case that was released at the same time as the reader was pulled and discontinued less than a month after it was released, and they haven't replaced it with anything. Which is quite surprising - for the most expensive of the mainstream ereaders, you'd think there would be a nice case to go along with it.

I happened to purchase one of the cases before they got discontinued. I really disliked it at first, but now I actually like how easy it is to remove the reader from the case. I find it handy.

That's entirely your choice, of course, and one which I completely respect. A preference to buy an Amazon-branded cover, however, does not equate to an inability to buy a third-party cover.

[ivegotkindle]

Does this firmware mess with the jailbreak or any of the applications? (KUAL, LibSync, etc)

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ivegotkindle

Does this firmware mess with the jailbreak or any of the applications? (KUAL, LibSync, etc)

That would be a question for the dev forum, not here.

[Atunah]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's entirely your choice, of course, and one which I completely respect. A preference to buy an Amazon-branded cover, however, does not equate to an inability to buy a third-party cover.

There are no 3rd party covers that function as the official one. So even if one didn't need to have an Amazon branded one, there are no options at all. All the 3rd party covers have to be snapped in, are hard to remove quickly and cover the full back.

I am actually pretty amazed that one of the bigger maker of covers hasn't filled that gap by now in making a well designed cover. To use as it was intended to be with the Oasis. But I have found none. I would buy another one for backup.

So no, there really are no choices. Not when the "choice" is all the same.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Atunah

There are no 3rd party covers that function as the official one. So even if one didn't need to have an Amazon branded one, there are no options at all. All the 3rd party covers have to be snapped in, are hard to remove quickly and cover the full back.

Perhaps the other cover manufacturers learned from Amazon's failure and deliberately didn't release covers that came off so exceedingly readily? There was a reason they were withdrawn from sale: they had shocking reviews.

I should add that I have one and quite like it, but I seem to be in a small minority in doing so. Unless I press the back of the cover to the device as I'm opening it, it falls off when I open it, which is a little annoying!

Amazon actually said explicitly that their covers provided no protection for the Oasis, for which they got a lot of flak here. Most people want a cover that does provide protection, hence the snap-in covers that the other manufacturers are making, which people seem to be a lot happier with, judging from the reviews and comments here.

So yes, you can't buy one because they were slated when they were available: people didn't want a cover that fell off if you gave it a harsh look. But there's a lot of other covers which provide far better protection for the device, which people seem to like a lot more.

[cvkemp]

I did buy one of the cheapest cases for my Oasis2 and I am love it, it is proving to be even better than any of the expensive Amazon cases I ever had on a Kindle.

[Braid]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's entirely your choice, of course, and one which I completely respect. A preference to buy an Amazon-branded cover, however, does not equate to an inability to buy a third-party cover.

True. Similarly, a preference for using a protective cover does not equate to an inability to simply wrap your reader in a plastic bag. But that doesn't mean it is reasonable to expect someone to do so. They've spent hundreds on a device with similar functionality to one that costs a fraction of the price. It is reasonable that they will wait until an official cover is released. Buying a third party cover is not a reasonable/realistic option for some people.

Originally Posted by HarryT

I should add that I have one and quite like it, but I seem to be in a small majority in doing so. Unless I press the back of the cover to the device as I'm opening it, it falls off when I open it, which is a little annoying!

I also like the case. I've found that getting under the cover with my nail to open it means I can open the case without dislodging the reader from it. When the case is closed, it does provide moderate protection against scratches. But what I like is that when it is open and folded backwards, the fabric lets me sit the reader on my leg without it sliding around.

I'm surprised by how long it has taken them to come out with a replacement. I am doubtful that the bad reviews were enough to make them pull it and sell no case at all for their flagship reader all throughout December and January. Rather, I think it seems more likely that they were getting such an inordinate amount of refunds on the cases that they decided it would make better business sense to sell nothing at all.