2.5 update = 2.5.2!

[Pushka]

Lulucello, who is in Mexico, was the first one on kindleboards to receive it in the first rollout.  I got it (Australia) in the second wave last week.

[Linjeakel]

Ah, so it is getting to Kindles outside the US 

Yes, people on KB have posted from all over the world about getting the update. So far as anyone can tell, it's totally random.

[lvilgen]

I feel that this update has been the some of the worst customer experience I've had. When Apple releases an update, everyone gets it at the same time; even if they announce it early. I find it unacceptable that they don't have the update available for manual download on their website. To be honest, I'm angry and upset with Amazon. If they do the next update the same way I don't think I'll be buying another Kindle.

This whole experience is very frustrating and I think there are many Kindle owners who would agree with me.

[happyblob]

I feel that this update has been the some of the worst customer experience I've had. When Apple releases an update, everyone gets it at the same time; even if they announce it early. I find it unacceptable that they don't have the update available for manual download on their website. To be honest, I'm angry and upset with Amazon. If they do the next update the same way I don't think I'll be buying another Kindle.

This whole experience is very frustrating and I think there are many Kindle owners who would agree with me.

Patience, young padawan.

[Seamonkey]

Remember, we are getting the update via FREE wireless and I kind of appreciate it that they don't just chuck all the updates at once which could slow us down when we want to use the wireless.

Yes, it would be nice if they had the update available online but maybe they are still gettng feedback and will tweak the software.

So I'm patient..

BUT I WANT IT NOW!

[Granvillen]

I am beginning to think that some of the users of the Kindle are the worst customers.  People bought the Kindle prior to any updates being announced and were happy.  Now, because THEY are not number 1 in getting the update, they are crying that Amazon is the WORST company.  I have a Mac, and let me tell you that Apple is no great shakes on updates or customer service.  If I whinned every time I didn't get an update first because I am me, I would not have any computers or electonic devices.  Grow up, people.  If you don't like the way Amazon is upgrading, then buy other Ereader.  Get over it, you are one of several million theat do not have the update.  Read a book on the Kindle you dislike.

[RamTheHammer]

I am beginning to think that some of the users of the Kindle are the worst customers.  People bought the Kindle prior to any updates being announced and were happy.  Now, because THEY are not number 1 in getting the update, they are crying that Amazon is the WORST company.  I have a Mac, and let me tell you that Apple is no great shakes on updates or customer service.  If I whinned every time I didn't get an update first because I am me, I would not have any computers or electonic devices.  Grow up, people.  If you don't like the way Amazon is upgrading, then buy other Ereader.  Get over it, you are one of several million theat do not have the update.  Read a book on the Kindle you dislike.

Since Day 1 of K1 there has been an outcry for a better way to organize the books! So Kindlers were happy and sad! Now Amazon has created an environment of haves and have nots! Some people are using 2.5 and saying how much they like the collections and the rest of us are just left high and dry. Am I going to give up my K2? No frigging way! But I still want collections NOW!

EDIT: When I get 2.5 I will most likely start complaining because we don't have sub-collections!

[Ann in Arlington]

When Apple releases an update, everyone gets it at the same time; even if they announce it early.

As a reminder:  the update hasn't officially been released yet.  Only announced.  Yes, they've sent it out to some people ahead of general release.  Because one didn't get, it doesn't mean anything except that one's Kindle wasn't drawn out of the hat.  No room for complaining until "late May" has passed, since that's when it's announced for.

That's my take on it, anyway.

I am beginning to think that some of the users of the Kindle are the worst customers.  

That might be a bit strong.  After all, 90% of Kindle users probably have no idea it's even coming.  And of the 15,000 or so who are KB members, it's only a very, very few who have expressed any strong feelings about not having it yet. . . .most are just antsy.  

So. . . . .Deep breaths, everyone. . .it's May 17:  'late May' is just around the corner. . . . . .

[Pushka]

I think the issue for those who are waiting, is that many have received it and are pretty much excited by it, having wanted some kind of organisation for some time. 

Had kindle announced at the beginning of May that no-one would receive it until May 31, then everyone would simply know to wait, excitedly, until then.  But this isnt what they did - they started releasing it in waves, so every day people think 'maybe today is the day' - then nothing - for most.  So what they have done is raise people's hopes up, then dash then again. And that is where the angst is coming from.

I dont buy the beta testing stuff - no company would risk sending out untested firmware without people's consent.  Even windows asks if you want to download before actually doing so.

It is a 12 - 13 meg file - I think that Amazon could have loaded that on to the website for those that chose to do this themselves.  OK, so there are mutiple versions and that isnt a big deal either - if you use the wrong one it doesnt brick the kindle, it just doesnt update, so there is no risk there.

I suspect Amazon has been swamped with more queries about 'when will I get it' rather than something that is wrong with the firmware.  So they most likely havent saved themselves any work by doing it this way, quite the opposite.

And Apple always makes it available to everyone at the same time.  I have received the update, and I am pleased about that as I am travelling next week to a country that doesnt have whispernet and nor will I have a computer I can download a large file too.  But I still think that Amazon could have done this a lot better.

How can anyone be considered a whinger if they just want some equity in the product.  That doesnt make people bad customers.  And people who bought the kindle would not have known the finer detail about how the kindle is (not) organised.  I spoke to some people the other day who were thinking of getting one, but were surprised that (pre 2.5) the books were simply listed on multiple pages.  The kindle is hardly viewable prior to purchase in the local bookstore!  So there has been a lot of waiting for this update and the way Amazon has selectively distributed it really isnt a model for customer service.

[RamTheHammer]

What Pushka said - and I'm glad you got your update prior to your trip.

[RiddleMeThis]

So what they have done is raise people's hopes up, then dash then again.

No they haven't. Amazon said "Late May." Amazon didn't tell anyone they would get it early and have said late May all along. If people are getting their hopes up to get something today that they were told they would get in late May its their own **** fault. Not Amazon.

Amazon staggers the updates so that if problems occur Kindle CS isn't swamped with calls. It makes dealing with problems much easier. Quite frankly I would rather have the updates in waves so that when I call CS because I am having a problem I actually have a representative thats in a good mood and not one who has answered this exact same calls 100 times in the passed hour and is sick of dealing with it.

And people who bought the kindle would not have known the finer detail about how the kindle is (not) organised.

I managed to buy a Kindle and know that it did not have folders, that it did not do library books or PDFs (at the time).

This is the best way to keep complaints to a minimum and to keep

How can anyone be considered a whinger if they just want some equity in the product.

Because they were told when they would get the update. By late May. No one told them they would be getting it any sooner than that. Its like shipping something with UPS and getting an expected delivery range of the 26th-30th and getting it the 24th, and then ordering again and getting the estimated delivery date of 26th-30th and not getting it till the 28th and getting p*ssed because you didn't get your package earlier than promised. 

[Luvmy4brats]

Like Ann said, the update has been announced but not officially released. As for it being released May 31, I don't believe I've ever seen an actual date attached to it, just late May. For those comparing it to apple, I'm pretty sure there's usually a delay between the time their updates are announced and released (and for those impatient people who have to have the update as soon as possible, it's often available with a bit of googling sooner than the actual release day)

I expect that it will be available to download on various message boards before it's available at Amazon. Someone WILL grab the .bin files before they're installed eventually.

I suspect Amazon will release it when they're ready to.

[Pushka]

Yes, that is true with Apple, the announcement is made and then perhaps a month or so later, then the update is available, but it is available to everyone at the same time.  And that was the context of my post.

I wonder what makes an 'official release' versus 'unofficial release' though. 

Riddlemethis, good for you knowing it didnt have any organisation before you bought it, but many have never seen a kindle before purchase to see the way it is structured, and it isnt something that is mentioned on Amazon's page.  The Sony ereader has always had some kind of structure, so it is reasonable to expect the kindle had the same.  Given that people have been receiving it for the last two weeks, then of course people are thinking they might be next - simple human nature.  How many here immediately took their hacks off in anticipation, and how many have the wireless on in the hopes they get it soon?  Or check their system number everyday.  Their choice?  Yes of course.  

Amazon is still getting lots of calls, but more to do with the 'when will I get it'.  

[Granvillen]

And now for the answer to the 'holy grail' (Collections) read:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=914923&postcount=7

[Pushka]

And I can confirm that once your collections are set up, it takes literally seconds, to add or delete a book.  I have no idea what that person is saying, it is wrong wrong wrong.  Maybe a troll for another reader perhaps.  Or there is something wrong with their kindle.

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=914923&postcount=7

The update makes the kindle way more reader friendly.  Just wish I could have captured that dratted bin to share.

[Kathy]

I'm not really upset about the update. I would love to get it, but know that it is coming within the next couple of weeks. I think it more excitement for me than disappointment. 

[Luvmy4brats]

I've been thinking about this for the past couple of days and I'm not as anxious about the update anymore because I've decided to keep my hacks on and not update.  

For me it's taking away or changing more than it's giving me in return. I don't need the larger fonts, I just want different fonts. I don't care for the new Go To area on the menu, that's just an extra step, I don't like that they've changed how the next page key works (I almost always press and hold it about 2 lines too early).

Now that I've edited the metadata of all my books in calibre, I've been able to organize them the way I'd like (they actually sort properly by author and I fiddled with publishing dates to get them to display in series order) so collections aren't as necessary as before. If I want to read a book by Nora Roberts, I just push the R button and it skips right to the R's (and I don't have to worry that some of them might be sorted with the N's). I'm not crazy that the collections only sort by most recent first instead of alphabetically and that you can't make subcollections.

Password protect the Kindle? I'd rather just password protect certain collections and my archives. Putting a password on the whole Kindle is again, just another step.

Twitter/Facebook? If it Tweeted more than just a link maybe, but as it is now, no thanks.

Maybe once the hackers are able to get new screensaver and font hacks up, or the app store goes live with apps I just HAVE to have, I'll reconsider, but for now, the hacks are back on, and I'm no longer stressing about the update. (I do still want to make the Utter Crap & Smut collections though)

[SerenityFL]

Did I miss an announcement by Amazon that said, "late May"?  The official announcement on the Kindle forum says, "We will begin rolling out a free software update over the coming weeks..." 

I didn't see anything that said any date or by a specific time frame.  Enlighten me, please?

[suicidepact]

The announcement basically says it's a graduated release but sometime in "late May" it will be a general release, which means available to to all either wirelessly or downloadable.

[mistyd107]

how are they changing the next pg button?  I must have missed that

[Luvmy4brats]

how are they changing the next pg button?  I must have missed that

With the update, the page turns when you press the button, not when you release it. Right now, you can press and hold it until you're ready for the page to turn. When you let up on the button it turns.

[tbonney]

With the update, the page turns when you press the button, not when you release it. Right now, you can press and hold it until you're ready for the page to turn. When you let up on the button it turns.

For me that is one of the first things I want to get rid of.  When I click something I want something to happen when I click and not 2 seconds later.  For me it adds to the feeling of the Kindle being slower on refresh than it really is.

[Linjeakel]

suicidepact, can you link me to where it says "late May"?  I have read that announcement several times, going slowly thinking I missed it and do not see May in there anywhere.

Is there some other place people are getting their information?  If so, where is that? 

Thanks.

It's on the Amazon Kindle Support pages - http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_k2land_rec_update?nodeId=200324680

[Linjeakel]

........I'm not crazy that the collections only sort by most recent first instead of alphabetically ......

I've managed to get around that somewhat by giving all my collections names beginning with a *  i.e. *read *sci-fi etc. then instead of sorting by collection, sort by title and although this means all your items show on the home pages instead of just collections and things not in a collection, it does mean that all your collections show first and in alphabetical order and you can just ignore the pages that come after that. I've also got one called **Currently Reading which will always sort to the top and means I can always find the book(s) I'm reading at the moment without having to do a 'most recent' sort after I've been browsing.

The new feature is by no means perfect or comprehensive, but with a little jiggery pokery and forward planning, you can make it slightly better than it was designed. Maybe I should ask for a job with Amazon? 

[suicidepact]

Thanks Linjeakel, for some reason I'm seeing Serenity's post that you responded to.