Oasis 3 OFD

[pghaworth]

anyone in the know... could this be related to static discharge? there's not a shock, spark, or anything, but it is winter, heat is on, wearing sweaters and that type clothing...

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by OtinG

Perhaps a faulty design or a disconnected ground somewhere. That is just one of many possible causes though.

Originally Posted by pghaworth

anyone in the know... could this be related to static discharge? there's not a shock, spark, or anything, but it is winter, heat is on, wearing sweaters and that type clothing...

OtinG may be onto something.

I was also about to ask if your air is very dry because of winter and heating.

Static discharge can be hard to notice. I've only ever experienced kindle freezes that I suspected were caused by static discharge. If it caused a page turn, I would not expect big jumps.

If you hold it where you touched it and repeatedly gently squeeze and release and see if that triggers jumps.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Static discharge can be hard to notice. I've only ever experienced kindle freezes that I suspected were caused by static discharge. If it caused a page turn, I would not expect big jumps.

If you hold it where you touched it and repeatedly gently squeeze and release and see if that triggers jumps.

it does not. there have been two big jumps and a couple of small ones, a page or so, two small ones I think.

nothing just now while in contact with areas that have caused issues before. but I also can't squeeze metal. all I can do is hold it for a prolonged time. these were quick touches to the metal only that caused the jumps.

the air is pretty dry

eta - I have also recently discharged myself due to a need to handle a hard drive

[j.p.s]

I should have written "apply gentle pressure" instead of "squeeze". But also, discharging to the metal case should been safe for the kindle.

I'm wondering now whether an approaching static charge affects the touch screen and triggers page turns and other actions.

[OtinG]

The touch screen works due to capacitive touches which are small electrical charges, so it might be possible for static charges to cause screen actions. So don’t rub your cat on the screen! The Oasis should be grounded inside the case to prevent that though, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t get damaged in shipment. I know that when you mess with the internal chassis of electronic devices you should always wear a static discharge bracelet/device so that you don’t zap any of the electronics. But like I said above, the outer case should be grounded to prevent normal static discharges, whether that ground has been damaged is another question.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by OtinG

The touch screen works due to capacitive touches which are small electrical charges, so it might be possible for static charges to cause screen actions. So don’t rub your cat on the screen! The Oasis should be grounded inside the case to prevent that though, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t get damaged in shipment. I know that when you mess with the internal chassis of electronic devices you should always wear a static discharge bracelet/device so that you don’t zap any of the electronics. But like I said above, the outer case should be grounded to prevent normal static discharges, whether that ground has been damaged is another question.

promise I will never rub a cat on my screen. and my dogs are not allowed near it. eeeeee!

thanks for the info. the issue hasn't recurred so I feel sure it was due to static charges from me.

I love this tiny, beautiful thing so much. (just wish it had the PW form factor)

eta - and I know I'm flirting with bad things, but in all my years (decades) working on my pc internals I have never worn a static discharge bracelet/device but always ground myself each time before starting work.

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

promise eta - and I know I'm flirting with bad things, but in all my years (decades) working on my pc internals I have never worn a static discharge bracelet/device but always ground myself each time before starting work.

The bracelet, for lack of the official term for what its called, grounds you to the chassis. It fits around one wrist and uses an alligator clip on a length of wire to connect to the chassis thereby establishing a ground. So that does what you've been doing, which is what we should be doing. It works like a lightning rod to divert any static charge from you to the chassis, and since the chassis should be grounded, the charge is discharged into the ground.

ETA: Looked them up on Amazon and they are called Anti Static Wrist Strap Bands, among other names.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by OtinG

The bracelet, for lack of the official term for what its called, grounds you to the chassis. It fits around one wrist and uses an alligator clip on a length of wire to connect to the chassis thereby establishing a ground. So that does what you've been doing, which is what we should be doing. It works like a lightning rod to divert any static charge from you to the chassis, and since the chassis should be grounded, the charge is discharged into the ground.

ETA: Looked them up on Amazon and they are called Anti Static Wrist Strap Bands, among other names.

I actually have one, acquired last year in a kit I bought. I still don't use it

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

I actually have one, acquired last year in a kit I bought. I still don't use it

Then don’t pet a cat just before touching the electronic components!

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by OtinG

Then don’t pet a cat just before touching the electronic components!

did you know you're a mess???

[NullNix]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

promise I will never rub a cat on my screen.

You think you're given a choice? The cats rub themselves

[SusanReads]

Originally Posted by NullNix

You think you're given a choice? The cats rub themselves

Or stand on it when you're trying to read.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by SusanReads

Or stand on it when you're trying to read.

they sure do.

[pghaworth]

came back to my Oasis tonight and something else had been changed in settings. again, no one with access, wifi off, me asleep, pups asleep, no cats or tiny humans, and I don't sleep walk.

my back cover had arrived and I put that on immediately so there was zero chance that the device weirdness I've been experiencing was related to static. put it to sleep on my settings, turned it on when I was ready to read again and my lighting setting had changed. it had been roughly five hours that it was asleep.

because of all of this, with no apparent cure, I am returning it. I am very sad because I will miss the perfect lighting. I need that the most. it is a beautiful, but very dysfunctional device.

[Junket]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

anyone in the know... could this be related to static discharge? there's not a shock, spark, or anything, but it is winter, heat is on, wearing sweaters and that type clothing...

Lots of people have observed static electricity interferring with smartphone capacitive touch screens.

Capacitive screens have a capacitive layer that holds an electrical charge. When you touch the screen it sinks current and the voltage drop is interpreted as a touch. An insulator, like a glove won't register a touch. But a banana would. And a pen won't for an antithetical reason, it conducts too well.

Static charges won't sink current like your finger or a banana. But they have large potentials in the order or 10 - 100,000 volts. So it's not implausible that they could perturb the capacitance and perhaps register a random touch. Amazon could largely eliminate such effects with good design but whether they made that effort..

FWIW you can reduce static electricity by increasing the relative humidity in your home. Or by keeping your skin hydrated. And yeah try not to rub the screen with that cat that you don't have.