Firmware Update Kindle firmware update 5.13.7 - Page 6

copyrite · 08-24-2021, 07:10 AM

MASSIVE Kindle Updates! Version 5.13.7 Recap

For now, my Voyage and Oasis are in Airplane mode. I don't like change. LOL

TheSmitty · 08-24-2021, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by copyrite

MASSIVE Kindle Updates! Version 5.13.7 Recap

For now, my Voyage and Oasis are in Airplane mode. I don't like change. LOL

Nice video! I now have a better understanding of what the update is about.
Thanks for sharing.

tomsem · 08-24-2021, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by copyrite

MASSIVE Kindle Updates! Version 5.13.7 Recap

For now, my Voyage and Oasis are in Airplane mode. I don't like change. LOL

Yes, a pretty good walkthrough.

But I think he is wrong about the Web Browser being in any way improved. It is just a face lift. It’s not any more capable than before, and since web pages generally are becoming more demanding, it is less capable every day. I tried going to www.amazon.com and it just died (and rebooted the Kindle once). There’s really nothing to be done, other than to come out with new Kindle models with more computing resources.

BTW, I subscribed to Special Offers on one of my Kindles so I could see what it looks like, and there are no longer any ads shown in Library view, so it looks the same as non Special Offer Kindles. The only difference now is the ad on the Lock Screen, which has to be swiped each time you unlock the device, as it’s always been. (Of course I unsubscribed again after trying it out.)

Paperbackstash · 08-24-2021, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by copyrite

MASSIVE Kindle Updates! Version 5.13.7 Recap

For now, my Voyage and Oasis are in Airplane mode. I don't like change. LOL

Informative video, thank you.

Badcatalex · 08-24-2021, 10:34 PM

Coinciding with this update, the product pages in Manage Content & Devices now shows the chosen device's support status and how long it will get updates.

binaryhermit · 08-24-2021, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amazon

The security of your device is a top priority. Your Kindle E-reader receives guaranteed software security updates until at least four years after the device is last available for purchase on our websites. After that time, we strive to provide software security updates for as long as we can (subject to technical and other limitations).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...3LDHSB5YM9BYF7

raghiid · 08-24-2021, 11:50 PM

I haven't updated yet but can someone confirm FONT_RAMP still works?

Also, did you notice any changes to the Bookerly font? Someone on reddit says it seems thinner and taller?

DNSB · 08-25-2021, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raghiid

Also, did you notice any changes to the Bookerly font? Someone on reddit says it seems thinner and taller?

Unpacking fonts.sqsh from the 5.13.7 firmware, the Bookerly font has the same file sizes and SHA-256 values for each of the 4 variants as the versions from 5.13.6. This pretty much says there have been no changes since the 5.13.6 firmware release.

Gripweed · 08-25-2021, 07:12 AM

It's obvious that this update was designed by someone in their 20's and not by a 65 year old with the beginnings of cataracts. Other than the book I'm presently reading I have no idea which book covers those rectangular shapes on the Home page are supposed to represent. That and the unadjustable small fonts are the worst. If I stay off the Home page I'm not affected too badly by the update.
One thing I absolutely hate is that it now lists only 4 books on a page. It used to be 8 and then a recent update made it 7 and now it is 4. Where this matters is that I usually have a hard time deciding what next book to read. So, a while back I wrote a very simple Basic program to run on my phone to choose my next book. It randomly picks the sorting order (Recent, Author, or Title). It picks the Page the book is on and which book on the Page. Then I'd advance page after page swiping my finger until I got to the winning book. The swiping was bad enough when pages in the 70s or 80s were picked, now we're talking in the hundreds. At 4 books per page I'm not going to use the program anymore. Even picking books manually is going to be a pain.

jhowell · 08-25-2021, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gripweed

...Then I'd advance page after page swiping my finger until I got to the winning book. The swiping was bad enough when pages in the 70s or 80s were picked, now we're talking in the hundreds.

I understand your criticism of the new release. However I want to point out that you do not have to swipe page by page to move within the library. Tap on the "x of y" label on the bottom the the screen and a dialog will pop up that lets you go to any specific numbered page or to titles/authors starting with whatever text you enter.

realthk · 08-25-2021, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gripweed

It's obvious that this update was designed by someone in their 20's and not by a 65 year old with the beginnings of cataracts.

Exactly my thoughts! Besides, there is absolutely no reason to use such a tiny font for the menu, or show only 4-5 books in the list view, when most of the screen is unused white space (especially on the 7" Oasis)

Probably some youngster decided about the design, and there wasn't any usability research.

Sirtel · 08-25-2021, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by realthk

Exactly my thoughts! Besides, there is absolutely no reason to use such a tiny font for the menu, or show only 4-5 books in the list view, when most of the screen is unused white space (especially on the 7" Oasis)

Probably some youngster decided about the design, and there wasn't any usability research.

I don't get all this fascination with white space, be it a website, a UI or interior design. It's all the rage nowadays, but I've always thought it horrible.

Quoth · 08-25-2021, 01:34 PM

You need SOME white space. But excessive white space makes interfaces and reading very difficult.

If Google (Android), Gnome team, Amazon, Kobo, MS etc are doing usability research they either need to accept it or fire the managers. Because it doesn't look like it. They have ditched basic principles proven again and again for over 50 years for the sake of novelty, a false idea that "New = Modern = better" and that an aesthetic based on a false concept of graphic design elegance = usability. The Windows 3.1 with 3D upgrade and Win9x/NT 4.0 and Mac OS 9 are all far superior to Win 10 and Win3.x to Win7 was more user configurable. The Ribbon and hiding less used menu items were two of the stupidest GUI ideas MS ever had. You need to easily find things you use once a month or per year.

Android has crippled with "material design" style guide lines and the idea that you dismiss a popup by tap/click on the background instead of [ X ] on top corner or a Cancel button.

Skinny scroll bars, or auto-hide scroll bars or scroll bars that should be two arrow buttons are all stupid.
The Android 4.x time / date was overly compact (up down arrows) but the rotatory dial / pulling clock hands is dreadfull.

Too skeuomorphic (like a photo) is wrong, but totally abstracted and totally flat, even on eink, is worse.

GUIs where links and buttons are just text.

Settings forms that have no Save / Cancel, but changes are sort of instant or when you close it (which might be Back, "[X] button" or activate background.
Check boxes represented by slide switches that are tapped or clicked. May be so minimalist that the only convention is Left = off.
Ungrouped "radio buttons"

It's terrible. Teenagers could research and design better.

Shark69 · 08-25-2021, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by copyrite

MASSIVE Kindle Updates! Version 5.13.7 Recap

For now, my Voyage and Oasis are in Airplane mode. I don't like change. LOL

Nice video

tomsem · 08-25-2021, 02:19 PM

Ironically, the white space is made possible because there are no longer banner ads with Special Offers Kindles.

In Grid view (which I believe is the default for new Kindles, and I can believe is the option most people like), the ‘extra white space’ is not as prominent, as the images fill most of the screen, and it is hard to see how space is ‘wasted’. You might be able to fit a slightly taller grid of 3 rows by 4 columns, but the smaller covers might be too hard to read. But you cannot get 3 rows in otherwise, and any designer would lay things out pretty much as they are.

So starting from there, it is easy to see how List view came to look the way it does. Sure you could probably fit another row in there by shrinking the outsized Search bar, but not without adversely affecting the way Grid view looks, having list items packed together too tightly, or having entirely different layouts.

I don’t think anyone will miss the banner ads. Shouldn’t we be celebrating their demise, and not bemoaning about white space?

08-24-2021, 10:34 PM	#80
Badcatalex I draw. Posts: 131 Karma: 4278578 Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Midwestern US Device: K1, K4B, KPW3, KOA3, KF7 (2019)	Coinciding with this update, the product pages in Manage Content & Devices now shows the chosen device's support status and how long it will get updates. Last edited by Badcatalex; 08-24-2021 at 10:36 PM. Reason: Stupidity.

08-25-2021, 01:34 PM	#88
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,111 Karma: 105211945 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	You need SOME white space. But excessive white space makes interfaces and reading very difficult. If Google (Android), Gnome team, Amazon, Kobo, MS etc are doing usability research they either need to accept it or fire the managers. Because it doesn't look like it. They have ditched basic principles proven again and again for over 50 years for the sake of novelty, a false idea that "New = Modern = better" and that an aesthetic based on a false concept of graphic design elegance = usability. The Windows 3.1 with 3D upgrade and Win9x/NT 4.0 and Mac OS 9 are all far superior to Win 10 and Win3.x to Win7 was more user configurable. The Ribbon and hiding less used menu items were two of the stupidest GUI ideas MS ever had. You need to easily find things you use once a month or per year. Android has crippled with "material design" style guide lines and the idea that you dismiss a popup by tap/click on the background instead of [ X ] on top corner or a Cancel button. Skinny scroll bars, or auto-hide scroll bars or scroll bars that should be two arrow buttons are all stupid. The Android 4.x time / date was overly compact (up down arrows) but the rotatory dial / pulling clock hands is dreadfull. Too skeuomorphic (like a photo) is wrong, but totally abstracted and totally flat, even on eink, is worse. GUIs where links and buttons are just text. Settings forms that have no Save / Cancel, but changes are sort of instant or when you close it (which might be Back, "[X] button" or activate background. Check boxes represented by slide switches that are tapped or clicked. May be so minimalist that the only convention is Left = off. Ungrouped "radio buttons" It's terrible. Teenagers could research and design better. Last edited by Quoth; 08-26-2021 at 05:45 AM. Reason: Forgot daft checks

08-25-2021, 02:19 PM	#90
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,942 Karma: 27060153 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	Ironically, the white space is made possible because there are no longer banner ads with Special Offers Kindles. In Grid view (which I believe is the default for new Kindles, and I can believe is the option most people like), the ‘extra white space’ is not as prominent, as the images fill most of the screen, and it is hard to see how space is ‘wasted’. You might be able to fit a slightly taller grid of 3 rows by 4 columns, but the smaller covers might be too hard to read. But you cannot get 3 rows in otherwise, and any designer would lay things out pretty much as they are. So starting from there, it is easy to see how List view came to look the way it does. Sure you could probably fit another row in there by shrinking the outsized Search bar, but not without adversely affecting the way Grid view looks, having list items packed together too tightly, or having entirely different layouts. I don’t think anyone will miss the banner ads. Shouldn’t we be celebrating their demise, and not bemoaning about white space? Last edited by tomsem; 08-25-2021 at 03:49 PM.

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08-24-2021, 07:10 AM	#76
copyrite Wizard Posts: 1,841 Karma: 4985051 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Maryland Device: Kindle	MASSIVE Kindle Updates! Version 5.13.7 Recap For now, my Voyage and Oasis are in Airplane mode. I don't like change. LOL

08-24-2021, 11:50 PM	#82
raghiid Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 666666 Join Date: Feb 2019 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I haven't updated yet but can someone confirm FONT_RAMP still works? Also, did you notice any changes to the Bookerly font? Someone on reddit says it seems thinner and taller?

08-25-2021, 07:12 AM	#84
Gripweed Enthusiast Posts: 48 Karma: 8982 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania USA Device: PW5-v11	It's obvious that this update was designed by someone in their 20's and not by a 65 year old with the beginnings of cataracts. Other than the book I'm presently reading I have no idea which book covers those rectangular shapes on the Home page are supposed to represent. That and the unadjustable small fonts are the worst. If I stay off the Home page I'm not affected too badly by the update. One thing I absolutely hate is that it now lists only 4 books on a page. It used to be 8 and then a recent update made it 7 and now it is 4. Where this matters is that I usually have a hard time deciding what next book to read. So, a while back I wrote a very simple Basic program to run on my phone to choose my next book. It randomly picks the sorting order (Recent, Author, or Title). It picks the Page the book is on and which book on the Page. Then I'd advance page after page swiping my finger until I got to the winning book. The swiping was bad enough when pages in the 70s or 80s were picked, now we're talking in the hundreds. At 4 books per page I'm not going to use the program anymore. Even picking books manually is going to be a pain.