Kindle 4 screen is THE SAME as K3.

[shinew]

Originally Posted by Blossom

My K3 has a creme tint it. Let's call it light beige or very light tan. It looks like vanilla Ice cream the ole fashion kind not the white soft serve, Okay?

The K4 is light gray. It always looks gray unless you are in Strong lighting or sunlight. When it's cold it looks greenish. I do not have these issues with my K3 at all.

If it's a light tan and the K4 look fine under sunlight, it's a matter of displeasing color temperature for your lighting condition + K4 screen combo, which could explain why some have issues while others don't. There is no inferior or superior tint except personal taste. What I have been saying is that in terms of pure luminosity/contrast, I believe K3/K4's are the same quality, and my instrument agrees.

As for the solution, a light source change should "fix" it. I'm using an OttLite desk lamp for reading, which I highly recommend and it gives out approx sunlight temperature(6k-6.5k kevin). If the screen looks too green/blueish under your house's lighting condition, you're probably using florescent light. If you don't have a neutral light source, try switching to an incandescent light source. It'll be on the low end(2k-3k kevin) but it should most definitely not look green/blue anymore.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by shinew

If it's a light tan and the K4 look fine under sunlight, it's a matter of displeasing color tint for your lighting condition + K4 screen combo, which could explain why some have issues while others don't. There is no inferior or superior tint except personal taste. What I have been saying is that in terms of pure luminosity/contrast, I believe K3/K4's are the same quality.

As for the solution, a light source change should "fix" it. I'm using an OttLite desk lamp for reading, which I highly recommend and it gives out approx sunlight temperature(6k-6.5k kevin). If the screen looks too green/blueish under your house's lighting condition, you're probably using florescent light. If you don't have a neutral light source, try switching to an incandescent light source. It'll be on the low end(2k-3k kevin) but it should most definitely not look green/blue anymore.

Okay you have finally gone over my head

I don't use any light but the ceiling light for reading. It's one those mercury filled can't define my shape ones. Seeing they outlawing the old light bulbs now we don't have any choice.

Why does the K4 do this but not the K3 if they are the same and it's my light I am using?

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by thebestjeter

Have you tried every page refresh using the 4.1 firmware? I'm told it improves the contrast.

It was the first setting I changed. I can't stand a dirty background. I must have page refresh every time.

[ThomasC]

I just got a shipping notice for my 2nd replacement K4nt. At least the first 4 serial numbers are different (1444 xxxx, versus 1425 xxxx for both my original and 1st replacements) so hopefully this is from a newer/better batch. Guess I'll find out later next week.

Cheers,
Tom

[shinew]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Okay you have finally gone over my head

I don't use any light but the ceiling light for reading. It's one those mercury filled can't define my shape ones. Seeing they outlawing the old light bulbs now we don't have any choice.

Why does the K4 do this but not the K3 if they are the same and it's my light I am using?

lol...

so yea mercury filled are fluorescent lamp, most of them are really high temp(7k-8k), which gives the effect of making them brighter than they really are by giving out a blueish tint. You can see the effect by just taking picture of something white(wall) without flash, it'll look blueish for most P&S camera with auto white balance... you could also see the effect by going to any local Home Depot store's lightning section, they have demo there that also show how light effect everything looks.

Your older K3 & new K4 screen will look different under the same light if they have different tint caused by whatever(aging is very likely the cause, notice your old photograph tend to look more brownish? so is your old paperback book? could also be something else though...). But even if it's not due to aging, the change itself does not make one superior to another as long as they're within the same spec(eInk did not specify any color temperature under any observer, only reflectance). It just means that under your lighting condition, your K3's screen is a better fit(slightly warmer tint vs the cooler one on K4).

Try them both under one of those light, I'm sure you have access to one somewhere, my guess is that your K3 will probably look more brownish to your liking than the K4

[Clawdia]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Best Buy is going to have K3+3G I think for $90 starting the 20th.

I know - and I saw a copy of the ad - the small print says "minimum of 5 units per store".

I really don't think I want to be a dog in that fight! Plus the fact that the closest Best Buy is a 2+ hour drive.

Amazon does still have some refurbed K3 wifi with SO, but I haven't been able to find out what kind of warranty comes with a refurbed Kindle.

I sure am seeing a lot of people on the Amazon forums saying that the screens on the Touch aren't as clear as those on the K3s - even more than when the $79 Kindles first came out.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by shinew

lol...

so yea mercury filled are fluorescent lamp, most of them are really high temp(7k-8k), which gives the effect of making them brighter than they really are by giving out a blueish tint. You can see the effect by just taking picture of something white(wall) without flash, it'll look blueish for most P&S camera with auto white balance... you could also see the effect by going to any local Home Depot store's lightning section, they have demo there that also show how light effect everything looks.

Your older K3 & new K4 screen will look different under the same light if they have different tint caused by whatever(aging is very likely the cause, notice your old photograph tend to look more brownish? could also be something else though...). But even if it's not due to aging, the change itself does not make one superior to another as long as they're within the same spec(eInk did not specify any color temperature under any observer, only reflectance). It just means that under your lighting condition, your K3's screen is a better fit(slightly warmer tint vs the cooler one on K4).

Try them both under one of those light, I'm sure you have access to one somewhere, my guess is that your K3 will probably look more brownish to your liking than the K4

Okay I have just given my K4 a tour of my place in every room. In the living room the ceiling light globe is tinting yellow so yes it's a warm light. The bathroom has clear 3 big bulbs on it with no yellow tint.

I can say the green goes away in the bathrooms and the it does look a very light grey compare to living room but the text is no longer black! It's dark grey and jagged.

Did the same to the K3. Took it for a stroll the only changes was in the Kitchen with a frosted globe it look yellowish but in the backroom the only real change was text look blacker and better.

Not that I ever use my Kindle in the bathroom but lighting is better for the K3 not so much for K4.

[shinew]

the best suggestion I can think of is that if you still want to keep the K4 and you're very sensitive to color tint variations(and it seems like you are), get a proper reading light like OttLite(Staples carry them too i think), I guarantee it'll make both your K3 & K4 look better.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by shinew

the best suggestion I can think of is that if you still want to keep the K4 and you're very sensitive to color tint variations(and it seems like you are), get a proper reading light like OttLite(Staples carry them too i think), I guarantee it'll make both your K3 & K4 look better.

No staples here any place else?

[shinew]

Originally Posted by Blossom

No staples here any place else?

Not sure about other local stores, that's where I bought mine couple of years ago. You can always try it out from amazon, this one is not what I have but seems to be good based on the reviews http://www.amazon.com/OttLite-L139AB...1580459&sr=8-1

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by shinew

Not sure about other local stores, that's where I bought mine couple of years ago. You can always try it out from amazon, this one is not what I have but seems to be good based on the reviews http://www.amazon.com/OttLite-L139AB...1580459&sr=8-1

Thanks too pricy but I'll keep it mind.

[kuklachica]

My screen keeps ghosting- I go from a screen saver to home and you can see the whole screen saver in the background. From home to screen saver, you can read each and every one of my collections shadowed behind the screen saver image. And it does the same thing while flipping through collections and books. Not sure much while I'm reading, but everywhere else. Looks like newspaper smudged on another piece of newspaper. It's icky and dirty and sometimes makes me think the screen is cracked (like a shadowed picture of a tree, and all the branches look like fain cracks). It's driving me nuts.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by kuklachica

My screen keeps ghosting- I go from a screen saver to home and you can see the whole screen saver in the background. From home to screen saver, you can read each and every one of my collections shadowed behind the screen saver image. And it does the same thing while flipping through collections and books. Not sure much while I'm reading, but everywhere else. Looks like newspaper smudged on another piece of newspaper. It's icky and dirty and sometimes makes me think the screen is cracked (like a shadowed picture of a tree, and all the branches look like fain cracks). It's driving me nuts.

Get it replaced that's not normal. Some ghosting is expected but not that much.

[Clawdia]

I've been reading with an Ottlite for years - my husband bought me one for Christmas a few years ago and the bulb has never even been changed (factor that into the cost . . .). I think I'm going to put another one on my wish list for this Christmas. The one I have is a table lamp in my bedroom - it makes everything easier to read. Seriously, though - five years on the same tube shaped bulb . . . I'd have spent $30-$40 on enough light bulbs to have a regular lamp burn that long.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Clawdia

I've been reading with an Ottlite for years - my husband bought me one for Christmas a few years ago and the bulb has never even been changed (factor that into the cost . . .). I think I'm going to put another one on my wish list for this Christmas. The one I have is a table lamp in my bedroom - it makes everything easier to read. Seriously, though - five years on the same tube shaped bulb . . . I'd have spent $30-$40 on enough light bulbs to have a regular lamp burn that long.

Well maybe I reconsider but getting hubby to fork out that much for a lamp might take some fancy footwork.