My replacement PW overview

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Thanks. I tried to look at some video reviews but all the ones I found are more interested in showing everything but the reading app. They quickly go through the reading app with very little detail. Oh well, I guess I'm left with no real options other than to continue using my Touch. The Fire was marginally okay in portrait but due to its weight I was more comfortable reading with it in landscape, but those overly elongated book pages are too much of a distraction. I sure wish Amazon would hire engineers that actually read on these devices, then we would get a lot more of the options we have been requesting.

The bezel is nicer on the HD. I am told easier to hold. I agree on finding a video review of the KF HD showing the reading part and it's features. I'm still trying to determine the personal documents cover issue that exists on the KFv1 is fixed on the new one or not. I've yet to even see a pic of that screen.

[Trauma Doll]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

What a shame, but not a surprise really. Like I mentioned earlier, I really believe they all have issues. I'm convinced of it. No one has the elusive "good" PW.

Yep. Having looked at many customer images (including a lot that say "look, I have a perfect [pink and blue] screen!", I don't think good ones exist.

jswinden, sorry about your newest one. Let us know what happens. (I need a macro for this at this point, sigh.)

Unfortunately I have another unit for the SO shipping in...eight days now. He's way more optimistic than I am (by nature), and says he can live with the pink/blue, but I suspect he may not be as happy if they do actually fix this down the road and he's stuck with it.

Honestly, I wouldn't advise anyone to buy one right now, nor to bother trying for a another replacement. Either live with it for another week or two and see what happens, or just get your refund now and re-purchase later.

[Barty]

Originally Posted by Trauma Doll

I'm so confused by this whole thing. I saw someone post this image online saying their PW has "no discoloration", with this photo as proof:

http://s1359.photobucket.com/albums/...004_192133.jpg

Is it possible we're dealing with some sort of weird/specific colorblindness in a given percentage of the population?



I'm pretty sure I voted I was happy with my screen in the very first poll here, because the sequence of events went like this:

1) Read mobileread forums while waiting for delivery. Oh, people are complaining about shadows from the LED lights, weird. It can't be that bad.

2) Tear open box. Crank up light. Yeah, the shadows from the LED lights are totally tolerable.

3) Vote in poll. Post happy preliminary review.

4) Look back at the *rest* of the PW screen and note that it's all pink and blue.

I think that person is color blind, else s/he would've realized the photo does not look like the real thing and said something about it.

I wonder how many "no not happy" the poll would get if we allowed people who got a bad replacement to vote again.

Originally Posted by Blossom

The bezel is nicer on the HD. I am told easier to hold. I agree on finding a video review of the KF HD showing the reading part and it's features. I'm still trying to determine the personal documents cover issue that exists on the KFv1 is fixed on the new one or not. I've yet to even see a pic of that screen.

Yeah I noticed the wider bezel, and that is a good improvement. I've got a bit of carpel tunnel and holding the Fire in portrait mode put more pressure on my wrist than landscape mode did. I rested the Fire on my belly then balanced it with my hand, so that is why more carpel tunnel issues occurred in portrait than in landscape. In other words, portrait mode makes it taller and requires more energy to hold it upright when resting my hand and Fire on my belly. Sounds odd I'm sure, but it was an issue.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Unfortunately Replacement #2 is no better than Replacement #1. If anything it has a darker background when the light is turned to level 0. And #2, a designation which fits it if you get my drift, is definitely more pink especially around the screen edges with blue green shadows in the upper 2/3 of screen. Replacement #1 and #2 are very similar and its difficult to which is worse or better. Both are readable, but I don't care to read with all the inconsistent light shadows and discolorations. Just too distracting and I'm sure my reading speed has decreased significantly with the PW and my eyestrain has increased.

I read for a few hours with my Touch last night using the heavy MightyBrite clip on and realized how much nicer and whiter the screen looked than the PW. I hate having a clip on though, so I need to explore what options I have, if any.

I'm going to return both Replacements. I already returned the original a couple of days ago. I've got another unrelated UPS delivery coming tomorrow so I give them to the UPS guy to return.

Anyone have the new Fire HD 7"? Did they ever add two-page landscape mode? I know they added this to the Kindle for Android app, but in the past the Kindle for Android and Kindle for iPad apps were better than the native app on the old Fire.

Sorry to hear that. I am debating on whether to try replacement #2, and/or wait for the pre-ordered 3G version to arrive before making a decision to keep one or none.

I did not enjoy reading on the original Fire, but reading on the Nexus 7 is superb. If the new Fire HD is as lightweight and the resolution is as stunning as the N7's 1280x800, it would be an excellent alternative with ScreenDim installed.

I've never returned a Kindle before, that is send it back without getting a replacement. Do they make you pay for the shipping?

[techiegirl]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I've never returned a Kindle before, that is send it back without getting a replacement. Do they make you pay for the shipping?

You're returning it because of a defect, there is no shipping charge. If you're returning it because you changed your mind, then you pay for shipping.

[sparklemotion]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I've never returned a Kindle before, that is send it back without getting a replacement. Do they make you pay for the shipping?

No, since it was defective, you won't have to pay.

[Trauma Doll]

Originally Posted by techiegirl

You're returning it because of a defect, there is no shipping charge. If you're returning it because you changed your mind, then you pay for shipping.

This. I have a feeling the system may not let you do without going through a rep, though. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I've had no problems returning defective merchandise with no rep intervention before but it seems like the Kindle is different.)

[sparklemotion]

Originally Posted by Trauma Doll

This. I have a feeling the system may not let you do without going through a rep, though. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I've had no problems returning defective merchandise with no rep intervention before but it seems like the Kindle is different.)

Right, you shouldn't need a rep. You just go on the order page for the item on the Amazon website, fill in that was defective in the returns section and they'll give you a mailing label to print out.

I just went and checked my order page to confirm. You don't need a rep. You just click on the returns/replacement button and follow the directions from there.

[Trauma Doll]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

Right, you shouldn't need a rep. You just go on the order page for the item on the Amazon website, fill in that was defective in the returns section and they'll give you a mailing label to print out.

I just went and checked my order page to confirm. You don't need a rep. You just click on the returns/replacement button and follow the directions from there.

Oh, okay, this is really good to know. One of the reasons I'm still holding onto unit #2 (and haven't returned for refund) is procrastination for going through another troubleshooting script call. (I know it varies, but my first one took 40 minutes.)

Thanks everyone, that's good to know. I think I'll call a rep anyway just in case that can get one or both of my PWs flagged to be sent to Cupertino for a post mortem. Let Quincy M.E. take it apart and see what is wrong with these things!

[sparklemotion]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Let Quincy M.E. take it apart and see what is wrong with these things!

Now that's a great idea.

[7hir7een]

Originally Posted by Trauma Doll

I'm pretty sure I voted I was happy with my screen in the very first poll here, because the sequence of events went like this:

1) Read mobileread forums while waiting for delivery. Oh, people are complaining about shadows from the LED lights, weird. It can't be that bad.

2) Tear open box. Crank up light. Yeah, the shadows from the LED lights are totally tolerable.

3) Vote in poll. Post happy preliminary review.

4) Look back at the *rest* of the PW screen and note that it's all pink and blue.

Me too. Plus the initial switch from NSTWGL to PW was a wow factor. Then I noticed the colors that night and thought I was going crazy. Now I can see the colors at night and during the day. Pretty sure my unit is getting worse.

Both PWs are boxed up and ready for the UPS tomorrow. It feels strange since I've never had to return a Kindle model before. I kind of feel betrayed by on old friend here. I hope Amazon really does pursue this issue, but my gut feeling tells me it will simply get swept under the rug. Too many people are posting picks of their "perfect" PWs that have the same issues as ours, so I suspect with that many people happy with them Amazon won't take this issue seriously. Next years model will probably be the next hope of seeing a good PW.