Troubleshooting Could Amazon case cause Kindle 3 reboots?

[pboss]

Haha bonsai, your explanation is so crazy it must be true. It's easy to see how stuffs like this could be missed between departments.

[WilliamO]

I have just spoken with Amazon and they have advised me to remove my Kindle from its cover, as they are aware of an issue with the Kindle/tagged case covers causing reboots. They are looking into the problem and will contact everyone who reports this problem as soon as they have a resolution. I suspect they will be replacing a lot of cases.

[FF2]

It seems strange that the official UNlighted kindle case causes problems (some kind of electrical short??) whereas the one wired for electricity (LIGHTED case) does not cause the problem. What did they do - connect the two hinges together since there was no light to wire the power to?

At least, so far I've read that the problems appear to be in the UNlighted case.

[sirmaru]

I have the original unlighted cover and had been getting spontaneous resets about once every 10 days. I didn't think it was important and lived with it.

Today I visited Radio Shack and my Kindle WiFi was totally disabled. See the description of the problem here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=110377

Could the case have transmitted some electrical disturbance to my Kindle WiFi?

I'll mention it to Amazon CS when they call me back.

[daffy4u]

Simaru, may I ask if you have issues with other electronic devices? I ask because I had a friend who used to whack out watches so they would always stop when he wore them (he still can't wear them). He could sometimes cause problems with computers and cell phones. He just had this weird electronics mojo. Maybe you're that kind of person.

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by WilliamO

I have just spoken with Amazon and they have advised me to remove my Kindle from its cover, as they are aware of an issue with the Kindle/tagged case covers causing reboots. They are looking into the problem and will contact everyone who reports this problem as soon as they have a resolution. I suspect they will be replacing a lot of cases.

I'm also having a similar issue, and just contacted Amazon last night about it (phenomenal customer service, I might add. You don't even call them, you click on a button on the Help page and they call you..literally called me in under 10 seconds).

First thing the rep did when I described the problem was to read him the serial off the case (and I didn't even mention that I suspected the case), and remove the Kindle from it. He said he would be contacting me within a week or so about the issue. It hasn't frozen since removing the cover, but it's hasn't been long so we'll see.

Also hi. First time poster, heh.

[sirmaru]

I just ordered the Marware Eco-Flip Kindle Flip Case (Fits 6" Display, Latest Generation Kindle), Black, from Amazon.

It has no metal hooks and uses a different method to retain the Kindle.

Since I only have problems when my Kindle WiFi is being carried in my wife's purse when we are travelling, I suspect those metal hooks are shorting the unit and going into a Radio Shack store with background electrical noise may have aggravated the situation.

If I go one month without any problem with the new cover, then my theory will be proven. We shall see. Its worth a shot since when I google the problem just too many seem to have it. It appears only the WiFi version is affected and not the 3G version.

It also appears that firmware 3.0.1 nullified the hook problem since I had no problems then for 2 months. All the other versions from 3.0.0, 3.0.2 and now 3.0.3 have had the problems.

In any event Amazon CS is just researching this problem now. They took my data but offered no solutions.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by WilliamO

I have just spoken with Amazon and they have advised me to remove my Kindle from its cover, as they are aware of an issue with the Kindle/tagged case covers causing reboots. They are looking into the problem and will contact everyone who reports this problem as soon as they have a resolution.

It took a while for my pattern to become overwhelmingly clear, but for for last couple weeks the Kindle will reboot at least hourly when hooked into the my green Amazon no-light case, and never when outside.

I have to call as well. Getting a new case, when perfected, would be a better idea to me than replacing my device, given reports of people who got new K3's and then had it happen to them again. Since the lighted case is OK, it obviously can be fixed at the case level.

[FF2]

The lighted case has golden hooks. They obviously lead to some wiring/circuitry under the long attachment placard and then to the light.

The UNlighted case must have scrimped a bit and used some of the same assembly circuitry and somehow the wires are shorting out since they are not and were not intended to connect to the light assembly. Metal or wiring must accidently connect the two hooks together creating a short or intermittent short.

[OtterBooks]

The hooks on my unlighted case appear to be plastic, unless my senses fool me. From what I read, they were metal in earlier incarnations of the unlighted case. Word has it that there's still an issue of physical pressure being applied to a sensitive area (the bottom hook area, I believe), so the plastic ones are still said to be causing the issue.

Edit: It hasn't rebooted since I took it out of the case yesterday, and it was doing it 2-3 times a day previously while in the cover. Just now I decided to re-attach it. Started reading, and literally 5 minutes later..freeze/reboot.

[FF2]

I am not sure but besides thinking that plastic/nylon as thin as the hooks would not work (as in being strong enough to not break or snap), I've read that they are coated with paint or vinyl. If that scraps off, the underlying metal would be exposed.

If the lighted case does not cause interference inside those slots (and the lighted case is definitely carrying electric current), then what would the UNlighted case be doing in those same slots on the kindle? It really seems as if there is a wire/wires that are probably wrongly located in the UNlighted case that are misaligned for not sufficiently covered/insulated that is causing a short.

But, clearly, Amazon should be able to figure it out easily. Take one of the darn things apart and see what defect is causing the short or has the potential to cause a short.

But I am obviously completely speculating as what might be the underlying issues. I am definitely not an electrical/electronic engineer. More curious than anything. I'm just glad/fortunate enough to have decided I wanted LIGHT and went with the lighted case. But, who knows, pulling that light in/out of its sleeve will probably loosen something over time and create issues, too.

[OtterBooks]

I've read that they are coated with paint or vinyl. If that scraps off, the underlying metal would be exposed.

Ah, that could be why it just seems like plastic to me.

It could be a combination of cover/Kindle, as in only some Kindles have the internal component in just the right place to interact poorly with the hook. It could require such a minute difference in positioning that teeny tiny production-line variance between each unit is enough to make some interact poorly with the case, and others not.

I was considering one with the built in light, but I've never used book-lights for regular books so I couldnt imagine needing one for the K.

[sirmaru]

I've always carried the Kindle WiFi in my wife's pocketbook when travelling with her with the spine up. Thus, the Kindle itself may pull away from the hooks on the cover occasionally causing a short.

I'm going to try with the spine down so the Kindle will not pull away from the hooks. Maybe the carrying position was the problem.

[chilady1]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

I just ordered the Marware Eco-Flip Kindle Flip Case (Fits 6" Display, Latest Generation Kindle), Black, from Amazon.

It has no metal hooks and uses a different method to retain the Kindle.

Since I only have problems when my Kindle WiFi is being carried in my wife's purse when we are travelling, I suspect those metal hooks are shorting the unit and going into a Radio Shack store with background electrical noise may have aggravated the situation.

If I go one month without any problem with the new cover, then my theory will be proven. We shall see. Its worth a shot since when I google the problem just too many seem to have it. It appears only the WiFi version is affected and not the 3G version.

It also appears that firmware 3.0.1 nullified the hook problem since I had no problems then for 2 months. All the other versions from 3.0.0, 3.0.2 and now 3.0.3 have had the problems.

In any event Amazon CS is just researching this problem now. They took my data but offered no solutions.

This is exactly what I have been experiencing. I had noticed postings regarding the re-boot issue and its been happening to me for a while. I decided to wait before calling Cust Service. I have since called and they indicated that a Kindle technican would call me but they never did. My Kindle would re-boot for no apparent reason. I have the unlit basic Amazon case. I am going to take it out of the case and see if it re-boots over the course of the next week. Thanks everyone!

[statethatiamin]

I may have the same exact problem as some of you guys
I just wanted to follow up and ask if youse problems resolved themselves when you take the kindle out of the case?
I would love for the freezing and lock ups to stop
But i have a little bit of hope if you guys have seen improvement!