Get rid of Kindle Paperwhite's backlight

[ProDigit]

try a fridge magnet

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by ProDigit

try a fridge magnet

A refrigerator magnet is not powerful enough to reliably activate that magnetic sensor, as reported previously by both knc1 and geekmaster.

[ProDigit]

Depends.
A soft magnet may not be, but a hard magnet would.

If you're looking to buy a magnet, Neodymium magnets are the most powerful ones, which if you're not careful could pinch you and cause you to bleed if you get between them with the skin.

Also, if you're using the magnet right on top of the device, it has the most effect.
Every millimeter away from the device (eg: put a cloth or leather layer between the magnet and the device), the magnetic flux decreases logarythmically; meaning at 1 or 2 mm you have less than a quarter of magnetic pull from the magnet, while at 6 or 7 mm the magnetic pull could be so low that it's negligable.

[geekmaster]

Each of these sticks has two very strong magnets:
http://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Build.../dp/B000IZGC90



The leftover balls make great slingshot ammo.

[ProDigit]

Hey guys,

instead of manually hacking the device, isn't there an exploit, or automatic re-programmign file available?

I mean it'd be nice to be able to upload a file, and just run it (like a game), and it would automatically update the settings to get the OFF settings.


Anyone tried measuring the device's battery life with screen light off?

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by ProDigit

Hey guys,

instead of manually hacking the device, isn't there an exploit, or automatic re-programmign file available?

I mean it'd be nice to be able to upload a file, and just run it (like a game), and it would automatically update the settings to get the OFF settings.


Anyone tried measuring the device's battery life with screen light off?

Yes there is. Check out KindleTool: Create/Unpack Kindle update files for a tool that will let you do that. Of course for the light-off feature there is no premade update-...-install.bin yet. I stated my reasons in post #62 as to why I layed that on ice for now (updated). Even before the update I did mention that anybody is free to package that. I am sorry if that is not what you wanted no hear. Why don't you learn a new skill in packaging and do it? Eventually I will venture into packaging myself, but I am not there yet. I am debating if it is worth to fire up my Debian machine at home (it is gathering dust right now) - instead of attempting to make it work on cygwin. Once I start writing anything complex enough as to require a repository, then I will definately turn my Debian on. A short 9-line shell script is not worth having revision control, though.

As for battery life, I don't think it increases noticeably from off compared to lowest light. There is valid concern earlier in this thread, that running it in cron might decrease battery life. But then the saving from having the light off might be enough to make up for it.

If you decide to give packaging a try, I suggest you do not try it by changing cron jobs (like in posts #1 or #6), especially do not alter/replace cron files by hand in an automatic update file. Mistakes on that level (cron) can have catastrophic consequences. What I made is a lot less invasive.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

I am debating if it is worth to fire up my Debian machine at home (it is gathering dust right now) - instead of attempting to make it work on cygwin.

You could also install VirtualBox and download image with some distro already installed for it.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by kacir

You could also install VirtualBox and download image with some distro already installed for it.

Thank you for suggesting that. If using a VM I could still have that run on my notebook.

Only problem I would face is that I would take even less time to actually read books on the Paperwhite. That is the main reason I bought it. To read books. Lately I read more from the shell than from the eink screen. Already have a new project in mind that requires more digging around - not even sure if it will even work. That is all twobob's fault. I told him that it is not possible on the PW. He simply asked me: And who do you think is gonna do it? And sadly he is right. Waiting for someone else to find it might take a while if nobody is looking. If you want something done, you gotta try to do it yourself. There goes more of my reading time.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Thank you for suggesting that. If using a VM I could still have that run on my notebook.

If you could find room in your notebook's carrying case for a USB stick (or cf-card or pci-e memory card or whatever your notebook thinks of as read/write storage) - - -

Then you could carry a Linux LiveCD distribution on that media.

I suggest:
http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html

Which is extra easy to install to removable media - and can be booted from that removable media.

Also fits nicely on the internal SSD of an EeePC-701 - -
root@Microknoppix:~# uptime
13:42:57 up 290 days, 22:15, 3 users, load average: 0.00, 0.01, 0.05

I would call that "stable"

[ixtab]

@DuckieTigger: Unless you want to compile kindletool yourself, you can simply use the Windows binary compiled by NiLuJe. It has been mentioned before that it "just works" on a vanilla Windows.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by ixtab

@DuckieTigger: Unless you want to compile kindletool yourself, you can simply use the Windows binary compiled by NiLuJe. It has been mentioned before that it "just works" on a vanilla Windows.

Oh I thought that it just works, when cygwin is installed, even from the cmd line. I misunderstood that then. Thank you. I will try that. I missed the vanilla part, because I prefer strawberry. Was wondering for a while what silver18 meant here and put it in the back of my head. I thought it might be something like wine. You install wine, and can run Windows programs and they open their own window as if they are native.

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Oh I thought that it just works, when cygwin is installed, even from the cmd line. I misunderstood that then. Thank you. I will try that. I missed the vanilla part, because I prefer strawberry. Was wondering for a while what silver18 meant here and put it in the back of my head. I thought it might be something like wine. You install wine, and can run Windows programs and they open their own window as if they are native.

Last time I checked, Wine was lacking in USB support. MfgTool ran, but could not see the kindle.

[ProDigit]

The above goes a little above my head right now. I was into linux hacking a long time ago, but most of these skills are so aged that I would not even be able to config a package anymore these days.

It would indeed also be nice to be able to plug my kindle via USB to my computer, and see the OS files on the kindle, and just edit the file in a text editor to modify the values.

I guess it won't be that simple then huh?

[qlob]

Originally Posted by ProDigit

The above goes a little above my head right now. I was into linux hacking a long time ago, but most of these skills are so aged that I would not even be able to config a package anymore these days.

It would indeed also be nice to be able to plug my kindle via USB to my computer, and see the OS files on the kindle, and just edit the file in a text editor to modify the values.

I guess it won't be that simple then huh?

well, if you run linux, and more specifically, a distro that comes with nautilus (a file manager), if you launch Connect to server from nautilus' menu, then type in the usbnet info of the kindle, then it'll show up similar to a flash drive, and then you can edit things with your regular computers.

[ProDigit]

Originally Posted by qlob

well, if you run linux, and more specifically, a distro that comes with nautilus (a file manager), if you launch Connect to server from nautilus' menu, then type in the usbnet info of the kindle, then it'll show up similar to a flash drive, and then you can edit things with your regular computers.

Do I need the tools, or can I just use any file browser?
My understanding was, that certain files are locked. Editing them will cause some sort of virus warning or something? At least, back in the days the OS would notice when a file has been modified.
Especially OS files should be protected.
I still remember some parts of the procedures of Sudo Root and stuff, and trying to gain access on a harddrive using the OS's clearance.
Without it, you'd not be able to access (or see) those files.

I could be wrong, it's been such a long time ago.

Also, there's a file for windows to be able to read EXT formatted drives.
Once installed, you could access the drive, and even change it. I wonder if that may be able to do it?