Verge Report - Amazon Rep comment on Colorsoft Issue

[JoeC]

More news. Saw this referred to on Reddit

https://www.techradar.com/tablets/am...hat-went-wrong

[TheSmitty]

Originally Posted by JoeC

More news. Saw this referred to on Reddit

https://www.techradar.com/tablets/am...hat-went-wrong

Sounds like they still stay with the inferior adhesive going forward and just mask it with the software fix. Maybe when the next color hardware version comes out I will consider. ;-)

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by TheSmitty

Sounds like they still stay with the inferior adhesive going forward and just mask it with the software fix. Maybe when the next color hardware version comes out I will consider. ;-)

I don't understand what is wrong with a software fix. The adhesive was selected for some good reason out of the available options (at the launch announcement they made a big deal about how many hundreds of variations they tried with the display before arriving at this one). There are always tradeoffs, and in this case it amounts to having to change some code. And this didn't take them months, they are not going to change it in production, it meets spec. Sure we can expect the next one to be better, but only because of advances in materials and components. But this is Kaleido 3, already better than 1 and 2.

My Colorsoft either does not have the issue, or I'm not able to see it (I have tried everything I can think of to tease it into perception). It does not matter which of those are true.

I registered it 2 days ago and it's running 5.18.0.1.0.1; people who registered last week have 5.18.0.1. I'm guessing I have the fix. Others who have the newer version report that they do not see it or it only shows up when they have warmer lighting (and even then it does not bother them).

We'll know more when people who have the issue get the update and report that it's been mitigated. There will still be people who choose to exchange or return, because they had higher expectations for color in the first place.

I have color Kobo and PocketBook devices and Colorsoft does have better color IMO. But they're all good enough to replace B&W (again IMO).

[drofgnal]

Originally Posted by TheSmitty

Sounds like they still stay with the inferior adhesive going forward and just mask it with the software fix. Maybe when the next color hardware version comes out I will consider. ;-)

I'd prefer a different adhesive. Seems counterintuitive to have an inferior adhesive coloring the display that is masked. Why not an adhesive that doesn't need masking?

Why are they telling people to get a refund or replacement if it is going to be a SW fix? Also a slip in ship date to mid to late December doesn't seem right if it's just a SW fix.

If it is indeed a SW fix, there will be a lot of 'refurbished' colorsofts on sale at Woot in the coming months.

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by tomsem

My Colorsoft either does not have the issue, or I'm not able to see it (I have tried everything I can think of to tease it into perception). It does not matter which of those are true.

I registered it 2 days ago and it's running 5.18.0.1.0.1; people who registered last week have 5.18.0.1. I'm guessing I have the fix. Others who have the newer version report that they do not see it or it only shows up when they have warmer lighting (and even then it does not bother them).

I just received my Colorsoft, and that yellow band at the bottom is very visible to my eye. It also got updated to the newer firmware version (5.18.0.1.0.1), so unfortunately it doesn't look like this update fixes the issue, at least not for everyone.

(To be fair I do have a history of caring way more than I should about the evenness of the lighting on my eInk devices.)

[Hollow Man]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

I just received my Colorsoft, and that yellow band at the bottom is very visible to my eye. It also got updated to the newer firmware version (5.18.0.1.0.1), so unfortunately it doesn't look like this update fixes the issue, at least not for everyone.

(To be fair I do have a history of caring way more than I should about the evenness of the lighting on my eInk devices.)

Unfortunate but not unexpected. I am still convinced it's on every screen, and some just aren't noticing it.

I do wonder what the updated firmware does.

[FrenchBookworm]

I've been using my Colorsoft for the last few days and I'm still on the fence about whether I will return it (and get a refund) or not.

I got an email from amazon after I posted a one-star review on the French website: they apologized and said they couldn't replace my device as the Colorsoft wasn't available anymore.

My unit does have the yellow band at the bottom but it's not that noticeable (to me at least) and it depends on the lighting conditions and the settings: "warm light" makes it disappear. I didn't like the device at first but I've grown to like it and I'm looking forward to reading comic books and graphic novels, although I read mostly fiction and sometimes non-fiction so I don't really need color but there you are...

I'm going to read on it for another week and if I find the yellow band is an issue for me I will send it back where it came from. I paid almost 300 euros for that thing so I'm a little anoyed that the screen isn't perfect but again it's not a super big deal to me.

The funny thing is that a few days ago I was dead set on returning the Colorsoft so I ordered a Kobo Libra Colour which I got yesterday, thinking I would get rid of the Colorsoft. Well, the problem is...I love both devices and am probably going to keep them both. :-)

[FrenchBookworm]

I'm still on the fence on whether I'll return my Colorsoft or not.

I've had it for almost a week now and it does have the yellow band at the bottom but it's not that noticeable (to me) and it sometimes disappears, depending on the lighting and the settings. What bothers me most is that I paid 300 euros for it so I expected it to be perfect or at least spectacular. I've grown to like it though and I've decided to read on it for another week and see how I feel about.

Amazon sent me an email following my one-star review on the French website and they said they would refund me if I wanted to but couldn't replace the device as it was no longer available.

The funny thing is that I was dead set on returning the Colorsoft so I ordered the Kobo Libra Colour, got it yesterday and now I love both devices.

[Hollow Man]

It's so difficult in the Internet age, but since Amazon has admitted there is a problem, we have to wait, and see how they fix it.

[FrenchBookworm]

Sorry about the two almost identical posts, I thought the first one hadn't been sent so I rewrote the whole thing.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

Unfortunate but not unexpected. I am still convinced it's on every screen, and some just aren't noticing it.

I do wonder what the updated firmware does.

If (like me) they don't notice it, or notice it but it doesn't bother them, it doesn't matter if a camera can detect it on all devices.

Color vision is complex and some combination of genes and how the brain wires things up in response to what one is exposed to in infancy. There is a lot of variation in what qualifies as normal color vision, and not surprising that different people have different sensitivities.

Sensitivity cuts both ways, high sensitivity can be a source of migraines or eye fatigue or discomfort (but is sometimes an asset), and color blindness, while manageable, has little upside to it.

The Verge article did suggest they were making some adjustments in production (maybe even to ones that had already been produced?) and if that is the case presumably when they start shipping again there will be fewer complaints. They also said they are sticking with their positive assessment of Colorsoft.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by FrenchBookworm

Sorry about the two almost identical posts, I thought the first one hadn't been sent so I rewrote the whole thing.

That's OK.
I'll use your two posts to show my students what a revision looks like.

[HLS]

Originally Posted by JoeC

Just in case this is helpful -

https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/5/2...plaints-issues

It sounds to me like it’s a hardware issue and devices will be replaced.

i don't trust Amazon on this. How much do you want to bet the replacements will still have the yellow band. I went threw like 8 kindle oasis on th ebattery issue it had way back when

[Hollow Man]

Originally Posted by HLS

i don't trust Amazon on this. How much do you want to bet the replacements will still have the yellow band. I went threw like 8 kindle oasis on th ebattery issue it had way back when

Yep. If they release replacement devices, I'm going to really scrutinize reports on Reddit to see if it's fixed (and ensure they didn't introduce a new issue).

[FrenchBookworm]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

That's OK.
I'll use your two posts to show my students what a revision looks like.

Haha please do. Let me correct the typos first though.

Well...I'm keeping my Colorsoft, that's settled, I've grown to like it. I'm keeping my Kobo Libra too.