Dying Kindle 3--Replacements?

Jack Tingle · 09-21-2012, 10:30 AM

Well, the lifespan of at least one Kindle 3 is now established at about 2 years. My K3 (3G) bought in late 2010 is now dying due to keyboard mechanical failure. Specifically the Home and Back keys make a nasty crunchy sound about half the time and work only intermittently. It's probably the circuit board substrate or some part of the key membrane in the process of cracking and failing.

So, I'd like a purely unscientific survey on what to replace it with. Personally, I'm leaning towards either a K4 SO or waiting a few months until the K3 fails completely and getting a Paperwhite. Please, no one use facts or logic in this thread, I'm only interested in opinions, bloviating and emotional whining here.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

RainingLemur · 09-21-2012, 10:54 AM

I'd wait for the paperwhite, personally. It's just around the corner, and if you can wait it out with the current issues with your Kindle, I think the updated features would be worth the wait. The resolution, the light, etc. But, that's just me.

geekmaster · 09-21-2012, 10:58 AM

@Jack Tingle: If you plan to scrap that K3, I have two K3s that need replacement eink screens. If you are in the USA (MA?), I know from experience that a K3 fits in a $5.20 USPS flat rate shipping box. You want to sell it (cheap)? I really only need the screen...

Your PM is turned of, so this is posted here...

You can PM me though...

Barty · 09-21-2012, 11:25 AM

Do you use audio or tts at all? Neither k4 or pw will have it.

If you are looking to save some money, go for k4. The screen should be as good as your k3, possibly slightly better. Otherwise, may as well go for the latest and greatest, with the light and improved screen.

Sorry for the lack of fact free bloviating.

Blossom · 09-21-2012, 02:47 PM

If you use the Keyboard alot on your K3 than the Paperwhite is your choice of reader. The K4s keyboard is pain to use for more then a few words. It's like typing with an old game controller.

twowheels · 09-21-2012, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geekmaster

@Jack Tingle: If you plan to scrap that K3, I have two K3s that need replacement eink screens. If you are in the USA (MA?), I know from experience that a K3 fits in a $5.20 USPS flat rate shipping box. You want to sell it (cheap)? I really only need the screen...

Your PM is turned of, so this is posted here...

You can PM me though...

Hrm... given your past posts, I'd expect you to be the guy to try to move the controller and screen from a PW into a K3. ;-)

geekmaster · 09-21-2012, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twowheels

Hrm... given your past posts, I'd expect you to be the guy to try to move the controller and screen from a PW into a K3. ;-)

Wrong connectors on the eink displays, or I would have tried that. Sadly, amazon's discount replacement cost is more than I originally paid for them.

But I would love to harvest a good screen from a dead K3.

twowheels · 09-21-2012, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geekmaster

Wrong connectors on the eink displays, or I would have tried that.

That's what soldering irons are for! :-)

geekmaster · 09-21-2012, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twowheels

That's what soldering irons are for! :-)

Did you see how tiny and close together the traces are in those flex cables? Then of course, they have different numbers of wires in them, with no readily available pinouts for the connectors. Too much work and not enough time.

twowheels · 09-21-2012, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geekmaster

Did you see how tiny and close together the traces are in those flex cables? Then of course, they have different numbers of wires in them, with no readily available pinouts for the connectors. Too much work and not enough time.

By your response I get the feeling that if I keep it up I can goad you into trying it just to prove one way or the other whether it's possible. :-)

geekmaster · 09-21-2012, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twowheels

By your response I get the feeling that if I keep it up I can goad you into trying it just to prove one way or the other whether it's possible. :-)

My eyes are not good enough for this one. I tried to repair a damaged K3 eink cable using a stereo microscope. Perhaps when I was younger, but not these days... Especially not when you can just buy a new $69 kindle...

Jack Tingle · 09-21-2012, 06:17 PM

Good luck with the broken K3s. I might be willing to ship the corpse to you at some point. I'll have to check on the security issues. I might just crush it instead and bury it in the basement. (Paranoid? I'm not paranoid. Who told you I was paranoid? What did they say? It doesn't matter, it's all lies. Who did you say you were? I don't know you... Here, have some elderberry wine.) :]

I don't use TTS or the keyboard much. I'm not a note-taker and I really, really, strongly, greatly, massively dislike audio-books. For mp3 playing, the Galaxy Player 5 is not just head and shoulders, but waist and knees, better than the K3. And the bluetooth keyboard works great with it.

The K4 vs. PW choice debate will go something like:
K4 Pro: cheap, small, light, good screen, available now, good reputation, buttons
K4 Con: old tech, shorter battery life, small-ish storage (not really a big problem for me), breakable buttons, same slow processor as K3
PW Pro: Ooooh, shiny! Specifically higher contrast shiny. Also more powerful processor and newer tech, no buttons to break. The K3's mouse-powered processor is adequate, but really? I know it doesn't burn much battery power, but really.
PW Con: I already have a book light, thanks, I don't need a second. Touch-screen, ugh, I mean, you have to TOUCH the screen, and get it all nasty. Unknown reputation; I hate being an early adopter.

Still on the fence.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

Blossom · 09-21-2012, 06:25 PM

The K4 is much faster than a K3. It has the same storage as the PW.
If all you want is a reader the new K4B is an amazing little reader.
Two weeks of battery life if you are a heavy reader. I read 3 to 6 hours on it a day. The K4B contrasts is much improved compare to last year's K4S. For $69 it's not a huge risk and well worth the price.

peter12345 · 09-22-2012, 03:24 AM

If u hack it there are ways to change the home or back button to another key? Though I do not know how, SEE

Kindle Developer's Corner -forum - these guys are the business.....

GlassX · 09-22-2012, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

The K4 vs. PW choice debate will go something like:
K4 Pro: cheap, small, light, good screen, available now, good reputation, buttons
K4 Con: old tech, shorter battery life, small-ish storage (not really a big problem for me), breakable buttons, same slow processor as K3
PW Pro: Ooooh, shiny! Specifically higher contrast shiny. Also more powerful processor and newer tech, no buttons to break. The K3's mouse-powered processor is adequate, but really? I know it doesn't burn much battery power, but really.
PW Con: I already have a book light, thanks, I don't need a second. Touch-screen, ugh, I mean, you have to TOUCH the screen, and get it all nasty. Unknown reputation; I hate being an early adopter.

Still on the fence.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

I'm at more or less the same point.
PW: Should I be an early adopter? What about the battery life? Touch screen? Hmmm... It's the newest, the newest I tell thee !!
K4: Seems like a downgrade. No audio, no keyboard (OK I don't type much, but I use the find thingie many times will I read), but cheap. I can get two for the price of another K3.
Touch: Seems a bit better than K4. But where can I get it now? It has audio jack (HURRAY!!), but can I get used to flipping pages like that?

Meh...

09-21-2012, 10:30 AM	#1
Jack Tingle Punctuation Fetishist Posts: 557 Karma: 1070000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Bluest Commonwealth In East America Device: Kindle PW, Nexus 7 (2013), Galaxy S5 phone, Galaxy Tab 4 8.0	Dying Kindle 3--Replacements? Well, the lifespan of at least one Kindle 3 is now established at about 2 years. My K3 (3G) bought in late 2010 is now dying due to keyboard mechanical failure. Specifically the Home and Back keys make a nasty crunchy sound about half the time and work only intermittently. It's probably the circuit board substrate or some part of the key membrane in the process of cracking and failing. So, I'd like a purely unscientific survey on what to replace it with. Personally, I'm leaning towards either a K4 SO or waiting a few months until the K3 fails completely and getting a Paperwhite. Please, no one use facts or logic in this thread, I'm only interested in opinions, bloviating and emotional whining here. Regards, Jack Tingle

09-21-2012, 10:58 AM	#3
geekmaster Carpe diem, c'est la vie. Posts: 6,433 Karma: 10773668 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Multiverse 6627A Device: K1 to PW3	@Jack Tingle: If you plan to scrap that K3, I have two K3s that need replacement eink screens. If you are in the USA (MA?), I know from experience that a K3 fits in a $5.20 USPS flat rate shipping box. You want to sell it (cheap)? I really only need the screen... Your PM is turned of, so this is posted here... You can PM me though... Last edited by geekmaster; 09-21-2012 at 11:02 AM.

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09-21-2012, 10:54 AM	#2
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	I'd wait for the paperwhite, personally. It's just around the corner, and if you can wait it out with the current issues with your Kindle, I think the updated features would be worth the wait. The resolution, the light, etc. But, that's just me.

09-21-2012, 11:25 AM	#4
Barty doofus Posts: 2,543 Karma: 13088847 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	Do you use audio or tts at all? Neither k4 or pw will have it. If you are looking to save some money, go for k4. The screen should be as good as your k3, possibly slightly better. Otherwise, may as well go for the latest and greatest, with the light and improved screen. Sorry for the lack of fact free bloviating.

09-21-2012, 02:47 PM	#5
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	If you use the Keyboard alot on your K3 than the Paperwhite is your choice of reader. The K4s keyboard is pain to use for more then a few words. It's like typing with an old game controller.

09-21-2012, 06:17 PM	#12
Jack Tingle Punctuation Fetishist Posts: 557 Karma: 1070000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Bluest Commonwealth In East America Device: Kindle PW, Nexus 7 (2013), Galaxy S5 phone, Galaxy Tab 4 8.0	Good luck with the broken K3s. I might be willing to ship the corpse to you at some point. I'll have to check on the security issues. I might just crush it instead and bury it in the basement. (Paranoid? I'm not paranoid. Who told you I was paranoid? What did they say? It doesn't matter, it's all lies. Who did you say you were? I don't know you... Here, have some elderberry wine.) :] I don't use TTS or the keyboard much. I'm not a note-taker and I really, really, strongly, greatly, massively dislike audio-books. For mp3 playing, the Galaxy Player 5 is not just head and shoulders, but waist and knees, better than the K3. And the bluetooth keyboard works great with it. The K4 vs. PW choice debate will go something like: K4 Pro: cheap, small, light, good screen, available now, good reputation, buttons K4 Con: old tech, shorter battery life, small-ish storage (not really a big problem for me), breakable buttons, same slow processor as K3 PW Pro: Ooooh, shiny! Specifically higher contrast shiny. Also more powerful processor and newer tech, no buttons to break. The K3's mouse-powered processor is adequate, but really? I know it doesn't burn much battery power, but really. PW Con: I already have a book light, thanks, I don't need a second. Touch-screen, ugh, I mean, you have to TOUCH the screen, and get it all nasty. Unknown reputation; I hate being an early adopter. Still on the fence. Regards, Jack Tingle

09-21-2012, 06:25 PM	#13
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	The K4 is much faster than a K3. It has the same storage as the PW. If all you want is a reader the new K4B is an amazing little reader. Two weeks of battery life if you are a heavy reader. I read 3 to 6 hours on it a day. The K4B contrasts is much improved compare to last year's K4S. For $69 it's not a huge risk and well worth the price.

09-22-2012, 03:24 AM	#14
peter12345 Connoisseur Posts: 93 Karma: 498332 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: 2 * K3 with 3G, Sony PRS-T1	If u hack it there are ways to change the home or back button to another key? Though I do not know how, SEE Kindle Developer's Corner -forum - these guys are the business.....

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