Kindle Firmware 5.12.5

[binaryhermit]

wait, so KT3 is 8th gen basic, KT2 is 7th gen kindle?
But the KT2 is actually a dumbed-down PW2, which is the 6th gen PW?
My head hurts.

[Tomk2]

Anyone know why screen brightness is buried behind settings instead of being something you can adjust right from the first menu?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[JSWolf]

So why did Amazon decide to screw over so many PW3 owners?

[Daveoc64]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

So why did Amazon decide to screw over so many PW3 owners?

In what way have they been screwed over?

The most important form of support from Amazon is allowing you to purchase and download books from the store.

They still allow the original Kindle from 2007 to do that, as well as every model released since. A lot of other devices wouldn't get that level of support.

Amazon has never promised endless updates for their devices, and I don't really see why people would be all that upset that a device which was released almost 5 years ago, is no longer getting new features in updates.

[bookyboy]

@Daveoc64

Thank you Dave - a voice of reason.

Folks. People using their PW3 all this time can keep doing so. In fact, I’d wager that 99% of users of a PW3 don’t know about or even remotely care about slightly bumpEd software updates 5 years on.

Their devices work perfectly with all features they are meant to and will do so long into the future.

This isn’t like Apple where an iOS update can literally leave old devices out in the cold for up to date App support, which can legitimately have a real impact (like a bank app requiring the latest version that you simply can’t get, for instance).

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Daveoc64

In what way have they been screwed over?

PW3 users have been screwed over because Amazon is not releasing 5.12.5 for the PW3 when the hardware can run this firmware.

The most important form of support from Amazon is allowing you to purchase and download books from the store.

They still allow the original Kindle from 2007 to do that, as well as every model released since. A lot of other devices wouldn't get that level of support.

Amazon has never promised endless updates for their devices, and I don't really see why people would be all that upset that a device which was released almost 5 years ago, is no longer getting new features in updates

I know Amazon never promised endless updates. But when they release 5.12.5 for very similar hardware and in this case, older hardware then yes, PW3 users are being screwed. They won't get the latest features and any of the fixes. If you have a PW3 and managed to get 5.12.4 with the battery drain, then you do want 5.12.5 in case it fixes that.

[ahmoda]

Originally Posted by Daveoc64

In what way have they been screwed over?

The most important form of support from Amazon is allowing you to purchase and download books from the store.

They still allow the original Kindle from 2007 to do that, as well as every model released since. A lot of other devices wouldn't get that level of support.

Amazon has never promised endless updates for their devices, and I don't really see why people would be all that upset that a device which was released almost 5 years ago, is no longer getting new features in updates.

My main problem is not purchasing a new kindle.

I'm stick with my PW3 because the screen. The new flush screen is so bad for me as it is reflect the light more than PW3.

Very sad 😔

[bookyboy]

@ahmoda

How do you like your PW3 otherwise?

It’s one of the few I have never had in hand and sort of curious how it compares to my Voyages

[NiLuJe]

@binaryhermit: Nearly .

The original PW was the final entry in a hardware generation.

The PW2 started a brand new one (the one with the most models to its name).

See Wiki for details about the nicknames used on MR to alleviate (some of) the confusion, and KindleTool for the finer details of the actual hardware generations.

[Incandenza]

Originally Posted by bookyboy

Folks. People using their PW3 all this time can keep doing so. In fact, I’d wager that 99% of users of a PW3 don’t know about or even remotely care about slightly bumpEd software updates 5 years on.

Their devices work perfectly with all features they are meant to and will do so long into the future.

Well, I can't say my KPW3 works perfectly. Its main font, Bookerly, is rendering poorly since its hinting was turned off on 5.12.3 update (which wouldn't be a problem if the other fonts didn't have one or other sort of problem). Besides, some people - like me - are on 5.12.4 firmware, which was pulled off from the updates page by Amazon due to bugs as the battery drain one.

Although I can't say that I'm facing any (noticeable) battery drain on my device, some people are (and there are some other bugs to fix too). And I would like Bookerly to display as it did before, even though Amazon doesn't consider this a bug and doesn't listen to consumers anyway. So if Amazon was planning on pulling the cord of updates for this device, it should at least have lost support alongside KPW2, on firmware 5.12.2.

[shamanNS]

As for Bookerly font problem you can always extract the older version of that font from older firmware image then edit font metadata to change font name / font family and use that modded Bookerly as a custom font.

[Richwood]

Has Amazon actually announced that updates for the PW3 have ceased? I have yet to see the new firmware on any of my reasonably new readers including the PW4, Voyage, G10 Basic, or Oasis G9 and G10. The PW3 is less than 2 years since it was discontinued. Has support updates for any other Kindle reader ceased that soon after production ceased? The Voyage has been discontinued for longer IIRC.

[binaryhermit]

They don't announce that update support has ended as far as I know, they just sorta stop updating the ereader.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Richwood

Has Amazon actually announced that updates for the PW3 have ceased? I have yet to see the new firmware on any of my reasonably new readers including the PW4, Voyage, G10 Basic, or Oasis G9 and G10. The PW3 is less than 2 years since it was discontinued. Has support updates for any other Kindle reader ceased that soon after production ceased? The Voyage has been discontinued for longer IIRC.

You have to go to Amazon to see what the latest firmware is for what device and then you'll see that 5.12.5 is available for the PW4 and not the PW3. Thing is, there's no reason the PW3 cannot run 5.12.5. People with a PW3 that got 5.12.4 really need to get 5.12.5 in case it fixes the bug such as Bookerly with no hinting and the extra battery drain that some have reported. So really this is unacceptable to send to the PW3 a firmware with some major bugs and not send them a fixed version.

Amazon pulled 5.12.4 from the website but still sent it out OTA and so lots got updated and now they cannot get updated any more.

[Quoth]

The battery is fine on my PW3 with 5.12.4
I've no idea about Bookerly, but the Aa GUI redesign is horrible, however everyone is doing this style of stupid GUI.

Rant about coincidental stupid GUI

Spoiler:

I got an update for Thunderbird today and it's removed my icons, and changed GUI to be like an eInk reader. Flat mono nearly incomprehensible icons and the mail toolbar re-enabled with "hamburger icon", it's like a Kobo/Kindle menu. I have a REAL menu and it's a desktop only program!
Have they fixed any obvious bugs/shortcomings? No.