Kindle Firmware 5.12.5

[idab]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

There are LOTS of people using a PW3. More so then the PW4 since the PW3 has been out a lot longer.

Why would kernel tweaking for the PW3 be that difficult? Besides, 5.12.5 may not need a kernel tweak. Also, the Voyage has 5.12.5 and it's also 7th gen hardware. So it may be similar enough that you don't need much changing to update the kernel.

While you don't like the PW3, lots do and it's perfectly good hardware. There's no reason 5.12.5 cannot run on it and if I'm wrong, Amazon should say why 5.12.5 is not available.

Please don't make such incorrect assumptions.

I own the PW3

There are more people using the pw4 than the pw3 currently.

5.12.5 can't run on it. It would require a rewritten kernel.

It's not "difficult" it just takes time and lots of testing.

5.12.5 isn't available because it's not worth spending that much money on software engineers to bring it to the pw3

I would rather them focus all development power on current gen devices and future releases. I think 99% of people agree.

[idab]

The voyage is completely different by the way. The only thing they share is a user interface.

[John Hopper]

I have noticed in the last day that there is now an option in 5.12.5 on Oasis 3 to permanently delete a book from the device, in addition to removing it from the device (still no dark mode toggle yet, though).

Sent from my SM-N976B using Tapatalk

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by idab

I own the PW3

There are more people using the pw4 than the pw3 currently.

5.12.5 can't run on it. It would require a rewritten kernel.

It's not "difficult" it just takes time and lots of testing.

5.12.5 isn't available because it's not worth spending that much money on software engineers to bring it to the pw3

I would rather them focus all development power on current gen devices and future releases. I think 99% of people agree.

You cannot prove that more people use the PW4 then the PW3 and you cannot prove that 5.12.5 would take considerable rewriting for the PW3.

Besides, this is not how you keep customers. Also, Amazon is selling refurbished PW3. Why sell something that's no longer supported?

[Beggarmaster]

Originally Posted by idab

The voyage is completely different by the way. The only thing they share is a user interface.

Hi all, as a new member, it seems I am unable to post, but thought to take the opportunity to participate in this thread since it is somewhat germane to what I wanted to I ask.

You all seem to be going back and forth about the merits of recent firmware. As a new owner of two Voyages (beautiful machines, by the way) which are currently on 5.8.9 and 5.10.1.1, I was wondering whether there was a way to access all versions of firmware for this device (since Amazon seems to list just the latest). The reason I am seeking this out is that I've heard that the more recent firmware revisions have posed some issues with, for example, covers not showing, send-to-kindle difficulties, and -- as I was reading in this very thread -- battery drain.

Is there a consensus on what the optimal firmware version would be to sit on for Kindles, and Voyages, in particular?

Many thanks in advance for your help. I hope to be an active member in this forum for the foreseeable future!

[j.p.s]

First, do not connect your Voyages to wifi until you have done some research on the pros and cons of various firmware versions.

Yes, it is possible to download any voyage firmware update from amazon by changing the version number in the URL for the latest version to the version you want. (each version file is hundreds of megabytes.)

Be warned that the kindle update process does not allow installing a version earlier than the version already installed. For example, you can not install version 5.8.9 on your kindle with 5.10.1.1

[Beggarmaster]

First, do not connect your Voyages to wifi until you have done some research on the pros and cons of various firmware versions.

...

Be warned that the kindle update process does not allow installing a version earlier than the version already installed. For example, you can not install version 5.8.9 on your kindle with 5.10.1.1

It's interesting that you mention turning off WiFi. I instinctively did so because I've been through the OTA update problem the hard way with a couple phones - the inability to downgrade firmware (which, in the Android world, can only be bypassed if one can unlock the bootloader) is a real pain in the rear. The funny thing is that I decided to turn on WiFi just to see if it would pull an update, but neither device ever seems to attempt to, with the "Update Your Kindle" remaining greyed out. I wonder if Amazon has stopped OTA updates on the Voyage since it's discontinued?

Can I ask where I could find information on determining the various pros and cons of various firmware revisions? I was only able to find this thread and another on 5.12.4, but nothing similar in the way of older revisions. I guess there is no real consensus on the most rock solid firmware for the voyage? I did see a thread asking about the best firmware for a PW3, which is the kind of thread I had planned to post before realizing that I couldn't actually create a thread.

Yes, it is possible to download any voyage firmware update from amazon by changing the version number in the URL for the latest version to the version you want. (each version file is hundreds of megabytes.)

This is a pretty neat trick, with the only problem being I am not sure where to obtain a list of the version numbers. I'm surprised Amazon keeps older firmware available on their servers.

Thanks so much for your help!

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by John Hopper

I have noticed in the last day that there is now an option in 5.12.5 on Oasis 3 to permanently delete a book from the device, in addition to removing it from the device (still no dark mode toggle yet, though).

Sent from my SM-N976B using Tapatalk

I think that may be a glitch. Any book from Amazon should be Remove From Device, not Delete, since you cannot actually delete them from your Library on a Kindle. Only side-loaded content should have Delete option.

Samples can be deleted from device & cloud.

[melksnor]

Originally Posted by idab

I own the PW3

There are more people using the pw4 than the pw3 currently.

5.12.5 can't run on it. It would require a rewritten kernel.

It's not "difficult" it just takes time and lots of testing.

5.12.5 isn't available because it's not worth spending that much money on software engineers to bring it to the pw3

I would rather them focus all development power on current gen devices and future releases. I think 99% of people agree.

Just curious where are you getting that dramatic re-write idea from?
Software versions usually follow the Major.Minor.Patch logic.

The jump from 5.12.3 to 5.12.5 implies there are no big structural changes in the software, so it's not likely that the PW3 couldn't run 5.12.5 in principle.

It's a black box to me, but since they had .4 out and removed it, I think it's more likely that the PW3 happened to have some issue with .4 and they still have to figure it out before PW3 can catch up with .5

[melksnor]

Originally Posted by tomsem

I think that may be a glitch. Any book from Amazon should be Remove From Device, not Delete, since you cannot actually delete them from your Library on a Kindle. Only side-loaded content should have Delete option.

Samples can be deleted from device & cloud.

I read here that it is indeed a new feature to do a full removal:
https://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/20...indle-devices/

might be yet another one of those remotely enabled feature adds.

[idab]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You cannot prove that more people use the PW4 then the PW3 and you cannot prove that 5.12.5 would take considerable rewriting for the PW3.

Besides, this is not how you keep customers. Also, Amazon is selling refurbished PW3. Why sell something that's no longer supported?

I don't have to prove anything to you. I'm just explaining why it is this way, and why you're one of the very few people that care.

[barryem]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You cannot prove that more people use the PW4 then the PW3 and you cannot prove that 5.12.5 would take considerable rewriting for the PW3.

The PW4 has more than 3 times as many user reviews as the PW3. That isn't proof of anything but it makes it seem likely.

Besides, this is not how you keep customers. Also, Amazon is selling refurbished PW3. Why sell something that's no longer supported?

The PW3 is supported. You can still buy and read Kindle books on it. I have a couple of them that I use to loan to my neighbors and it works as well as it ever did.

I don't really care if it gets updates or not. That's about having the latest features. I'm not really into the cool factor. I just like to read and it does that as well as ever.

Barry

[idab]

Thank you Barry!!!

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Beggarmaster

It's interesting that you mention turning off WiFi. I instinctively did so because I've been through the OTA update problem the hard way with a couple phones - the inability to downgrade firmware (which, in the Android world, can only be bypassed if one can unlock the bootloader) is a real pain in the rear. The funny thing is that I decided to turn on WiFi just to see if it would pull an update, but neither device ever seems to attempt to, with the "Update Your Kindle" remaining greyed out. I wonder if Amazon has stopped OTA updates on the Voyage since it's discontinued?

As far as I know, Voyages have 5.12.5, but I don't update mine.

If a kindle auto downloads an update, it will update itself. amazon staggers updates so it is hard to know when any kindle will update.

Also are your Voyages registered? That might make a difference.

Can I ask where I could find information on determining the various pros and cons of various firmware revisions? I was only able to find this thread and another on 5.12.4, but nothing similar in the way of older revisions. I guess there is no real consensus on the most rock solid firmware for the voyage? I did see a thread asking about the best firmware for a PW3, which is the kind of thread I had planned to post before realizing that I couldn't actually create a thread.

I don't know of any detailed comparisons between firmware versions.

You can do searches on thread prefixes. There is a "Firmware Update" prefix in this forum, but not many threads have it.

If you click on "Search" near the top of the page, then on "Advanced Search", you can search on keywords in the thread title. Firmware alone and version alone each have lots of hits. Usually someone starts a new thread when there is an update and lists new features. Then people discuss what they think has got better and what is worse.

This is a pretty neat trick, with the only problem being I am not sure where to obtain a list of the version numbers. I'm surprised Amazon keeps older firmware available on their servers.

You pretty much need to look at the search results I outlined above.

Thanks so much for your help!

You're welcome.

[Beggarmaster]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

As far as I know, Voyages have 5.12.5, but I don't update mine.

Can I ask what firmware version you are on?

Also are your Voyages registered? That might make a difference.

Yes, both are registered. In retrospect, I'm not sure why I bothered!

I don't know of any detailed comparisons between firmware versions.

You can do searches on thread prefixes. There is a "Firmware Update" prefix in this forum, but not many threads have it.

If you click on "Search" near the top of the page, then on "Advanced Search", you can search on keywords in the thread title. Firmware alone and version alone each have lots of hits. Usually someone starts a new thread when there is an update and lists new features. Then people discuss what they think has got better and what is worse.

This is extremely helpful. Thanks so much!