Firmware Update Version 5.16.8 – April 2024

[cvkemp]

Version 5.16.8 – April 2024

Here's what's new:

Sleep Timer: Set how long your Kindle waits before going to the lock screen from Settings > Device Options.

Library Search Filter: Search results can now be filtered by subscription type and reading format.

Performance improvements, bug fixes, and other general enhancements.

[.tycho]

The Sleep Timer setting is much appreciated.

[tomsem]

Yes that one surprised me. Scribe owners have been asking for this forever (e.g. to keep it from turning off when taking live notes, or for sheet music/song chord charts etc.). Thought it would never happen!

Once again I would advise doing Restart before copying the update file over. For some reason it tends to fail otherwise (as it just did for me, having forgotten my own advice!)

It's not clear what Library Search Filter feature is supposed to be, much less what might have changed. The Library Filters options look exactly the same as before.

'subscription type' presumably is 'Your programs' section of Filters?

'reading format' presumably is 'Type' section of Filters?

But again, nothing has changed with Library Filters, or Library Search function.

[DNSB]

Unfortunately unlike a Kobo where the sleep options include Never, the Kindle version does not include 45 minutes or Never. I did appreciate being able to set 5 minutes as the sleep timer.

Once again I would love to know why my flipping Paperwhite 10th gen. loves updating as soon as the new firmware is released.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Unfortunately unlike a Kobo where the sleep options include Never, the Kindle version does not include 45 minutes or Never. I did appreciate being able to set 5 minutes as the sleep timer.

Once again I would love to know why my flipping Paperwhite 10th gen. loves updating as soon as the new firmware is released.

With Never, is it smart enough to shut down before the battery drains to zero?

I have yet to have update without me initiating it, except with a new Kindle.

But I don't really have enough patience. If I don't get it after a week or two, I do manual update.

[colinsky]

This is the first updated that I have chosen not to immediately download and install because I got burned by the last one (5.16.7) starting to remove features that I use:

Pinyin deprecation, affects reader and Aa menu.

Waiting for jhowell's always-useful code analysis before deciding what to do this time.

[escaner]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Unfortunately unlike a Kobo where the sleep options include Never, the Kindle version does not include 45 minutes or Never. I did appreciate being able to set 5 minutes as the sleep timer.

Once again I would love to know why my flipping Paperwhite 10th gen. loves updating as soon as the new firmware is released.

My PW 11th loves updating when the battery is approaching 20% or below. I think it is so when the battery starts going bad it will just run out during the update and brick the device. They really should not perform updates with battery below 40 - 50%.

We will see if the sleep function works better than the GUI manual update, which systematically says that my Kindle is on the latest software

[hleo12]

This is a nitpick, but wouldn't it be more intuitive to put the new sleep timer under Display and Brightness? Most, if not all, devices these days put the screen time out option there.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by colinsky

Waiting for jhowell's always-useful code analysis before deciding what to do this time.

I don't see anything else obvious in this update.

[JoeC]

Originally Posted by tomsem

It's not clear what Library Search Filter feature is supposed to be, much less what might have changed. The Library Filters options look exactly the same as before.

Exactly! The library function has always bugged me... I was hoping for an improvement.

[nabsltd]

Originally Posted by tomsem

With Never, is it smart enough to shut down before the battery drains to zero?

I wonder why there isn't a setting (user adjustable or not) for turning off the light.

If the light turned off after 30 minutes of inactivity, the screen could then sit that way for days (or more) until the battery ran down. It would be very similar to what "sleep" does now.

[j.p.s]

Light off and sleep are not the same, and an idle kindle with sleep disabled will deplete the battery significantly sooner than if sleep is enabled.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=138778

Battery usage by the light varies from a small fraction of idle power to more than everything else combined, depending on brightness setting.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=293683

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by escaner

My PW 11th loves updating when the battery is approaching 20% or below. I think it is so when the battery starts going bad it will just run out during the update and brick the device. They really should not perform updates with battery below 40 - 50%.

We will see if the sleep function works better than the GUI manual update, which systematically says that my Kindle is on the latest software

Odd. I think I've sometimes had to charge a Kindle before it would update manually.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by tomsem

Yes that one surprised me. Scribe owners have been asking for this forever (e.g. to keep it from turning off when taking live notes, or for sheet music/song chord charts etc.). Thought it would never happen!

Kindle users have wanted to modify time until sleep for years and years before the Scribe existed. (And kobo seems to have managed to do it long ago.)

[cvkemp]

For me I haven't cared about sleep time, I just close the cover on my kindle and it goes to sleep. And I wouldn't dream of have a kindle, tablet or phone without a protective case.