Verge Report - Amazon Rep comment on Colorsoft Issue

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

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).

Well if this report is to be trusted, it seems the “fix” Amazon is going for is to make the screen yellower, basically hiding the defect.

Personally I much prefer the bluer tint, and would be quite upset if Amazon were to roll out a software fix that basically just increases the base warmth level.

Interestingly the replaced device in that story is a Paperwhite. I don’t remember seeing other reports of this yellow band on the Paperwhite, and thought the issue was limited to the Colorsoft. If it really happens on the Paperwhite as well, Amazon has a big problem on their hands indeed.

(Credits to mergen3107 for initially sharing the Reddit link.)

[Hollow Man]

Yes, people have also been saying the latest Paperwhite has the issue.

I suspect this photo is due to variances in production more than actively changing hardware. Just how fast do people think they can make changes, test them, approve them, manufacture them, and then get them shipped over from China, then shipped to the customer? Not a week or two!

[Zimmy]

Originally Posted by jackm8

Why can't someone make a tread about Kindle Colorsoft? We have two locked threads about recalls, this thread, then the rest of the discussion about the device randomly thrown across Kindle's new devices thread and there's another one in Calibres board.

It was very strange to me. When it was finally released, I came here looking for a dedicated thread but nothing.
Anytime a "Colorsoft" thread came up, it was locked.
Made me think there was another sub thread I was missing.

If the moderators didn't intend this to be the case, it certainly looks like it.

[NullNix]

This all mystifies me. You know what else has edges that go yellow like that? Paper books more than a decade or so old.

Honestly, they could have sold this as a feature ("looks even more like paper!"). Maybe the next edition will have algorithmically generated splotches and weird faint black bars from the printing process, etc (algorithmically generated because they must always be rendered at the same places on a given page, it wouldn't do for them to be random). Next up, iffy font rendering on the odd page... next up after that, a .1% probability of misordered pages or big 16-page missing chunks because of missing signatures and printing problems

"Kindle: now just like paper books!"

[Hollow Man]

Originally Posted by NullNix

This all mystifies me. You know what else has edges that go yellow like that? Paper books more than a decade or so old.

I know this is a joke, but it's not quite like this. Even though the issue is most easily seen at the bottom, it occurs over the entire screen, with the top of it being cool-pink compared to the bottom's warm-orange. And the sides are uneven in tone as well.

With how much trouble there has been they should almost go back to no light. I think front lights have always been an issue; it's just more noticible with this release.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

...

With how much trouble there has been they should almost go back to no light. I think front lights have always been an issue; it's just more noticible with this release.

Sure...

And get rid of wifi, it is an issue and it eats up battery.
And get rid of capacitive touch, it lessens sharpness.
And get rid of IR, you need a raised bezel.
And get rid of the screen due to the issues of glare.

No light, no sale.

[Hollow Man]

Originally Posted by John F

No light, no sale.

My point (with a touch of sarcasm, plus I did say almost) was missed.

Amazon has not been entirely successful at making an excellent front light driven mechanism, especially at this stage of the game. They have to work harder at designing this.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by John F

Sure...

And get rid of wifi, it is an issue and it eats up battery.
And get rid of capacitive touch, it lessens sharpness.
And get rid of IR, you need a raised bezel.
And get rid of the screen due to the issues of glare.

No light, no sale.

I quite like IR touch. I don't mind a raised bezel.

[Hollow Man]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I quite like IR touch. I don't mind a raised bezel.

For the fun of it I dragged out my Kindle Keyboard and started using it again, bezels and buttons, and it's not a bad experience at all.

[John F]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I quite like IR touch. I don't mind a raised bezel.

I don't mind a raised bevel either.

And I like having a screen.

[dinosm]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

If it really happens on the Paperwhite as well, Amazon has a big problem on their hands indeed.

There are a lot of posts on Reddit saying this issue does also exist on the new PWs, and replacements sent by Amazon are usually not 100% right either (not to mention that some seem to have different base lighting, or different areas of the screen yellower than others etc).

[drofgnal]

I saw a kindle color in person today at Best Buy. Unfortunately there display wasn’t keeping it charged so it wouldn’t let me navigate much. Everytime I tried it came up very low power and went to the lock screen. On the lock screen images I didn’t notice any yellowing at the bottom of the screen, but that was with Best Buy bright lights.

No units were available. The display said available for preorder

[Hollow Man]

Originally Posted by drofgnal

On the lock screen images I didn’t notice any yellowing at the bottom of the screen, but that was with Best Buy bright lights.

There is no problem on the lock screen because that turns the device's lights off. The issue only manifests itself with the lights on.

[drofgnal]

Good to know. Thanks

[Hollow Man]

Another week down, and I'm either 1) getting used to the color gradient, or 2) time is improving it, or, more likely, 3) it's a combination of both. We'll see how I feel about it when Amazon finally gets around to shipping them again.

As far as battery life goes, it's taking me about a week for it to get under 20%, and around then is when I charge it. I tend to keep the brightness high (18-20, except at night) and the wifi off. I suspect I'm messing with the device a lot: I page turn often and constantly flip around its menus as I download books and scan through my catalog. I wouldn't be surprised if this amount of time is about right vs the 2 months they claim (which is probably for slow readers at 30 mins a day, wifi off, and very low brightness).

Considering my Oasis's weird battery behavior, how I'm used to charging my phone every day, and my Garmin smartwatch every 3-5 days, a week or so for the Colorsoft is rather luxurious.

[Edit: I just read for 20-30 mins on brightness 8 and it didn't even drop 1%. So if you want to max your time between charges, keep that brightness down]