Screensavers - the Amazon story

jmaynard · 02-07-2015, 09:15 AM

I prefer reading on the Voyage to my previous PW but am irritated (again) that I cannot have pictures of my grandkids as screensavers.

So i wrote to Jeff Bezos (and a couple of other Amazon CEOs - not including the CEO of Kindle who is the only one not to publish an email address!) with my frustration and asked why the end user cannot upload screensaver pictures.

I did not get a written response but did get a phone call from an 'Executive Assistant' - we had a pleasant chat...

He explained that Amazon's reason for not allowing user screensavers is related to the cheaper ad-based versions of the various Kindles. I gave him a potted CV (50 years in computing) and told him that maintaining the ad-display facility alongside user screensavers was a trivial software issue and sounded like an excuse rather than a reason (he didn't argue with that).

I do appreciate that Amazon wants to retain control over the display of ads for those who have the cheaper version but keeping that alongside user screensaver images cannot be beyond the capability of Amazon developers (can it??).

I have a different theory: I think that someone senior in the development team sees it as a personal challenge to defeat the hackers and show that he (or she) is better...

I shared this theory with the EA - he chose not to discuss it with me but noted my point that not allowing user screensavers goes against all of the good stuff Amazon totes about its customer service just about everywhere (and its customer service, with this one exception, is in my experience very good indeed).

We also discussed the use of jailbreaking on earlier models and it was clear he had never seen a Kindle with other than Amazon screensavers.

I was finally assured that the issue of user screensavers was well know to Amazon and was under constant review. Despite the friendliness of the telephone conversation I was left feeling that I will have to put up with the Amazon screensavers for some time...

Shame on you, Amazon!

Yolina · 02-07-2015, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmaynard

He explained that Amazon's reason for not allowing user screensavers is related to the cheaper ad-based versions of the various Kindles.

A poor excuse given that in the UK and other countries, there are no ad-based version of e-ink Kindles available to purchase. I really fail to understand why it bothers them so much that I may want a screensaver of my choice instead of the random rubbish they want me to have. That's actually one of the reasons why I didn't bother to buy the Voyage and am sticking with my jailbroken PW2.

bulsa · 02-07-2015, 11:41 AM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpor...isual_identity

rogerinnyc · 02-08-2015, 12:04 PM

@jmaynard -- thank you for this informative post. I actually bought a Voyage and enjoyed it, but returned it when it became clear that screensaver and font hacks weren't going to happen. I, too, wrote to Bezos, but got back a canned reply along the lines of we're referring your letter to our software engineers. So I've now switched to the Kobo Aura H2O, which -- get this -- automatically (if you want) puts the current cover of what you're reading as the screensaver -- and also gives you zillions of font, margin and other customizations. But I do miss whispersync and xray enough that if Amazon ever sees light on this issue -- and stops locking down its Kindles like they're Fort Knox -- I would consider going back.

badgoodDeb · 02-09-2015, 02:02 PM

@JMaynard: Wow man -- bold approach! Thank you for sharing! I really would like to have to cover of my book as the screen saver. I almost NEVER see the cover of any book that I'm reading. I view my index in text mode, to fit more in, and the Kindle takes me straight to the "beginning" of the book, rather than to the cover. I rarely bother to back up to look at the cover. I did enjoy having photos of relatives on my early Kindles, but I haven't cared enough to fight it lately. But I would really enjoy it, if I could have photos and book covers, in addition to the ads at the bottom of the screen. Heck, if I could have my own photos and book covers, I *would* pay to remove the ads. Right now, it hasn't been worth it.

I don't need the font hacks, and I adore my Kindles. I've had (and still have) a ton of them. I don't bother to jailbreak them, nor even to deDRM my books. But I'd STILL like to have my own photos and book covers as the screen savers!

knc1 · 02-09-2015, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

- - - - -
Heck, if I could have my own photos and book covers, I *would* pay to remove the ads. Right now, it hasn't been worth it.

I don't need the font hacks, and I adore my Kindles. I've had (and still have) a ton of them. I don't bother to jailbreak them, nor even to deDRM my books. But I'd STILL like to have my own photos and book covers as the screen savers!

If your writing about your KV -
The current situation is:

yes - you have to have Amazon remove the ads -
our screen saver application does not work (intentionally) on S.O. devices.

And yes - you have to jailbreak it.
On the KV, that requires technical skills in both hardware and software (can only jb it over the serial port).

badgoodDeb · 02-09-2015, 02:54 PM

I guess what I'm saying is: I haven't felt it worthwhile to mess with my latest Kindles at all, to try to jailbreak them. I think Amazon themselves should be allowing up to put our own photos in as screen savers! I too am a software person, and it seems it should be easy for them to do. Just leave an empty directory, and if the user choose to fill it with pictures, then Bob's your uncle!
I'm agreeing the the original poster, that Amazon ought to be allowing this.

Thanks for the update on the current status, though.

02-07-2015, 09:15 AM	#1
jmaynard Avid reader Posts: 1 Karma: 310 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Ascot, UK Device: Kindle Voyage (and all before)	Screensavers - the Amazon story I prefer reading on the Voyage to my previous PW but am irritated (again) that I cannot have pictures of my grandkids as screensavers. So i wrote to Jeff Bezos (and a couple of other Amazon CEOs - not including the CEO of Kindle who is the only one not to publish an email address!) with my frustration and asked why the end user cannot upload screensaver pictures. I did not get a written response but did get a phone call from an 'Executive Assistant' - we had a pleasant chat... He explained that Amazon's reason for not allowing user screensavers is related to the cheaper ad-based versions of the various Kindles. I gave him a potted CV (50 years in computing) and told him that maintaining the ad-display facility alongside user screensavers was a trivial software issue and sounded like an excuse rather than a reason (he didn't argue with that). I do appreciate that Amazon wants to retain control over the display of ads for those who have the cheaper version but keeping that alongside user screensaver images cannot be beyond the capability of Amazon developers (can it??). I have a different theory: I think that someone senior in the development team sees it as a personal challenge to defeat the hackers and show that he (or she) is better... I shared this theory with the EA - he chose not to discuss it with me but noted my point that not allowing user screensavers goes against all of the good stuff Amazon totes about its customer service just about everywhere (and its customer service, with this one exception, is in my experience very good indeed). We also discussed the use of jailbreaking on earlier models and it was clear he had never seen a Kindle with other than Amazon screensavers. I was finally assured that the issue of user screensavers was well know to Amazon and was under constant review. Despite the friendliness of the telephone conversation I was left feeling that I will have to put up with the Amazon screensavers for some time... Shame on you, Amazon!

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02-07-2015, 11:41 AM	#3
bulsa Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 13 Join Date: Apr 2014 Device: Kindle PW	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpor...isual_identity

02-08-2015, 12:04 PM	#4
rogerinnyc Addict Posts: 227 Karma: 944808 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Forma and Aura One; Kindle Voyage; Galaxy Note 10	@jmaynard -- thank you for this informative post. I actually bought a Voyage and enjoyed it, but returned it when it became clear that screensaver and font hacks weren't going to happen. I, too, wrote to Bezos, but got back a canned reply along the lines of we're referring your letter to our software engineers. So I've now switched to the Kobo Aura H2O, which -- get this -- automatically (if you want) puts the current cover of what you're reading as the screensaver -- and also gives you zillions of font, margin and other customizations. But I do miss whispersync and xray enough that if Amazon ever sees light on this issue -- and stops locking down its Kindles like they're Fort Knox -- I would consider going back.

02-09-2015, 02:02 PM	#5
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,501 Karma: 64095689 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	@JMaynard: Wow man -- bold approach! Thank you for sharing! I really would like to have to cover of my book as the screen saver. I almost NEVER see the cover of any book that I'm reading. I view my index in text mode, to fit more in, and the Kindle takes me straight to the "beginning" of the book, rather than to the cover. I rarely bother to back up to look at the cover. I did enjoy having photos of relatives on my early Kindles, but I haven't cared enough to fight it lately. But I would really enjoy it, if I could have photos and book covers, in addition to the ads at the bottom of the screen. Heck, if I could have my own photos and book covers, I would pay to remove the ads. Right now, it hasn't been worth it. I don't need the font hacks, and I adore my Kindles. I've had (and still have) a ton of them. I don't bother to jailbreak them, nor even to deDRM my books. But I'd STILL like to have my own photos and book covers as the screen savers!

02-09-2015, 02:54 PM	#7
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,501 Karma: 64095689 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	I guess what I'm saying is: I haven't felt it worthwhile to mess with my latest Kindles at all, to try to jailbreak them. I think Amazon themselves should be allowing up to put our own photos in as screen savers! I too am a software person, and it seems it should be easy for them to do. Just leave an empty directory, and if the user choose to fill it with pictures, then Bob's your uncle! I'm agreeing the the original poster, that Amazon ought to be allowing this. Thanks for the update on the current status, though.