*grumble* 3.0.1 didnt work. :(

[ErinLindsey]

Got the update around noon. Played around with the Kindle...didnt see any problems.

Put the Kindle down for a little bit and came back. The stupid thing had skipped FORWARD about two chapters!

Calling Amazon to kvetch (complain). 

Anyone know if the WillItBlend? guy has done a Kindle3 yet??

[nogdog~6op6ou]

...
Anyone know if the WillItBlend? guy has done a Kindle3 yet??

Just a guess on my part, but I suspect Amazon will not honor the 30-day money back guarantee after that.

[ErinLindsey]

I just got off the phone with Kindle CS.

The heavily accented guy on the phone told me (I think...my MS sometimes makes it hard for me to understand heavy accents) that he's going to create a ticket. (Oooo! a ticket! Sounds exciting!) and he's going to call me tomorrow to tell me if there's going to be another update to fix the problem, or to tell me how to send this one back and get a new one.

I did compare my K3 to my K2 and my iTouch.  It doesnt seem like the K3 is communicating correctly. I opened the same book on all three, the K2 and the iTouch both gave me the "furthest page read" message, but the K3 didnt, and I synced it several times and tried different books. 

The K2 and the iTouch would tell me the furthest page read no matter what books I tried. Nada with the K3.

If it wouldnt void my warranty I'd ask the WillItBlend? guy if he wants a crack at "fixing" my Kindle.

[KayakerNC]

It doesnt seem like the K3 is communicating correctly. I opened the same book on all three, the K2 and the iTouch both gave me the "furthest page read" message, but the K3 didnt, and I synced it several times and tried different books. 
The K2 and the iTouch would tell me the furthest page read no matter what books I tried. Nada with the K3.

Have you tried the hard-reset (hold the slider to the right for 20 seconds)?
My K3 lost its place saving ability, and that is what brought that function back to life for me. (3 times).

[ErinLindsey]

trying that now.

*waiting*

*rebooting*

*waiting some more*

*syncing both kindles and KforMac*

Well, it sort of worked...for a minute it seemed like they'd all communicated. Then the K3 had a nervous breakdown, locked up for a minute or two and then not-so-randomly rebooted right in front of me. Waiting for it to finish it's temper tantrum now.

It's done whining, and nope...hard reset didnt work. It skipped forward a chapter.

*grumble*

It's going to be a pain for me to return it for a new one I'm sure.

[kevinpars]

When I called Amazon support for a different issue with my K3, I was told (this was about 8 pm Labor Day night) that if I decided to return my K3 as defective that they would have another one in the mail by the next day and at my house by Wednesday.  They would have given me a return shipping label for my K3 (I assume that it would be something that i could print from my computer) and I could have waited until the new one arrived before shipping back the defective one. 

So it would not have been a huge issue for me. But your mileage may vary depending on your access to a computer with a printer for the return shipping label (I don't have a printer at home but could have done it at work). 

[w5jck]

I think they actually include pre-printed stick on return shipping labels. Get a replacement. No need to mess around with their firmware fixes.

[Shetlander]

I'm starting to be a little discouraged.  3.0.1 installed on my K3 replacement this afternoon as CS said it would, but it did the same freeze/reboot/noticeably drop battery charge/lose my place routine this evening.    I plugged it in and did a restart (shoot, at this point, I'd put it on the dining table and dance around it chanting if it might help).  I haven't messed with it much since. Amazon got my replacement to me the next day and there are UPS drop off spots all over, so that aspect of replacing the replacement doesn't present a problem for me personally. It's the transferring of my books -- again -- and then wondering if the latest K3 will work.  

My K1, bought in the very early days, could be a bit quirky but never this wildly unstable. The K2 was pretty much problem free for 16 months until it went into screen failure. I've been a Kindle fanatic for almost three years but today I found myself considering returning the K3 and giving its cover to a friend. I'll give it a bit more time and if need be, probably try a third Kindle but I'm getting bummed.

[amyberta]

Are they upgrading everyone's Kindle 3 or just the ones that are having problems.?

Thanks

[nogdog~6op6ou]

Are they upgrading everyone's Kindle 3 or just the ones that are having problems.?

Thanks

I believe that at this moment Amazon is only sending it to Kindles that have been reported as having a problem, and they have made it available for download -- at least temporarily -- for anyone else who wants to be a beta tester. I suspect once they feel it is solid, it will then be broadcast to all K3s.

[ErinLindsey]

Ok, I'm convinced it's the cover causing the problem.

I left the Kindle out of the cover for most of this evening, and while it did reboot on me at least once, it wasnt losing my page.

I just put it back in the cover and woke the Kindle up.  Screen went black as soon as I slid the slider, and then it rebooted. 

Back it goes. I want a replacement and I'll just live without the cover until Javoedge comes out with their flip cases that dont use the hinges.

[Tiersten]

Now here is my theory of what may be going on here, first lighted covers hooked up, no problem, light and power switch between the hinge connectors.   But..... regular cover no light, guess what...  direct metal connection between the two hinge connectors ... which could equal .... Short .... That would cause all kinds of problems, drain the battery, cause lockups, reboots you name it.... very interesting !

The covers without the light don't have an electrical connection between the two hooks.

[Tiersten]

I would hope not,  but unless someone checks the cover with a ohm meter, I would not say that for sure.. Think they use a metal frame for support between the hinges.  They may have thought the black metal coating would have insulated the hinges, I am just saying maybe not in all cases.  Just a quess, grasping at straws here  

I just tested it and it comes up as infinite resistance on the black no light cover I've got.  It would be extremely bad design by Amazon to design the hinge so that the only thing insulating it is the thin anodised layer.  The rest of the Kindle seems to be well designed and thought out including the new lighting connections so I'd be surprised if so.

[CAR]

I just tested it and it comes up as infinite resistance on the black no light cover I've got.  It would be extremely bad design by Amazon to design the hinge so that the only thing insulating it is the thin anodised layer.  The rest of the Kindle seems to be well designed and thought out including the new lighting connections so I'd be surprised if so.

Thanks Tiersten for checking.   I will delete my post.

[Tiersten]

ErinLindsey, are you using an official Kindle cover?  I've no idea if anybody has made a compatible third party Kindle 3 yet.

If the cover hooks were shorting out for some reason and the circuitry inside the Kindle wasn't designed to protect the Kindle in those cases then I'd expect it to reboot or crash but not the random jumping.  The random page jumping would be a software issue unless the cover was pushing on the page forward/back buttons.

[Tiersten]

Thanks Tiersten for checking.   I will delete my post.

Eh.  Don't see why.  It was a valid thing to ponder especially since this hinge is a brand new design.

[ErinLindsey]

I just tested it and it comes up as infinite resistance on the black no light cover I've got.  It would be extremely bad design by Amazon to design the hinge so that the only thing insulating it is the thin anodised layer.  The rest of the Kindle seems to be well designed and thought out including the new lighting connections so I'd be surprised if so.

Ok, for the non-techies in the class, that means? Could it be possible?

I just got off the phone with Amazon's CS. My new K3 should be here friday...I'm sending the cover back tomorrow. (for the person who asked, yes I was using the Amazon cover, non-lighted)

It's the fact that it did more random reboots IN the cover than out of the cover, and when I put the K3 back into the cover tonight after leaving it out of the cover all evening and the kindle immediately got a black screen and a massive reboot that took forever, makes me think that's the hinges are causing a problem somehow for the reboot problem.  There still could be some bad software in the K3 somewhere, but I'm just going off my observations. I wasnt having a problem until I got that cover yesterday.

I had tons of reboots after putting the kindle in the cover and while it was in the cover. It only rebooted on me twice, maybe 3 times when it was not in the cover, and that was after I got the cover and had used it. Something about those hinges makes the Kindle mad. (maybe it wants to wear something a little more high end?) 

I'm just going to keep my Kindle nekkid until Javoedge puts out their new flip covers. (hurry up javoedge!!!! and dont use the hinge system!)

Good thing I still have my K2, so that I can still go and do some public Kindle reading until my K3 is properly dressed.

[Tiersten]

Ok, for the non-techies in the class, that means? Could it be possible?

I tested to see if there is an electrical connection between the two hooks and I didn't get anything at all but I've not taken apart the hinge strip to confirm it 100%

It's the fact that it did more random reboots IN the cover than out of the cover, and when I put the K3 back into the cover tonight after leaving it out of the cover all evening and the kindle immediately got a black screen and a massive reboot that took forever, makes me think that's the hinges are causing a problem somehow for the reboot problem.  There still could be some bad software in the K3 somewhere, but I'm just going off my observations. I wasnt having a problem until I got that cover yesterday.

It is a little strange that it is doing that.  The bottom hole does have another connector in there for testing and development use but the hooks don't go anywhere near it as you need a long thin connector to reach it.  It is possible that you've got a faulty Kindle or a faulty cover.  Somebody I know with one of the red no light covers had to get it replaced because one of the clips was at an odd angle.

[ErinLindsey]

I looked at the hinges, they didnt seem to be bent weird or anything. Maybe it's not a short being caused by the cover, but possibly a defect inside the Kindle? Maybe the hinges are too big/long and it's pressing something in a weird way?

I think the problems I've been having are somehow connected to the case. Either it's somehow causing a short, or there's a defect in the manufacture of the hinges or a defect inside the kindle that the hinges could be pressing on?  I dont know. I just know that I cant wait for Javoedge to put out their flip cases.

I really need a cover to read the Kindle. I have MS and right now my right hand is numb and everything feels slippery to the numb hand. Even if it's something non-slip.  I'm terrified to read my Kindle now without a cover for it. Scared that I'm going to drop it.

[The Hooded Claw]

  I'm terrified to read my Kindle now without a cover for it. Scared that I'm going to drop it.

Is it possible (at least on a short-term basis) to read it in your lap, resting on a pillow (or a lapdesk or "Peeramid" if you want to be fancy and perhaps even more stable)?

[ErinLindsey]

I'll be using my desk to read, but that makes my neck hurt after awhile (I lay the Kindle flat on the desk).  At least I have my K2 and can use that till Javoedge gets their new covers released. The K2 is in a flip cover with a kickstand that allows it to stand up on the desk. Love that feature!

I just have to stalk Javoedge's website and Amazon's listing of Javoedge stuff so that I can scoop up a cover when they're released. Hope they made enough to go around!

I had two Javoedge K2 covers. Lent one to my dad for his K2 when his Mivizue (or is it Mizivue?) cover spit his kindle out onto a concrete sidewalk (it lived) and he wont let that cover go. Said I'd have to fight him for it.

[The Hooded Claw]

I'll be using my desk to read, but that makes my neck hurt after awhile (I lay the Kindle flat on the desk).  At least I have my K2 and can use that till Javoedge gets their new covers released. The K2 is in a flip cover with a kickstand that allows it to stand up on the desk. Love that feature!

Sounds like you have an acceptable fallback in the K2, but (to be persistent) have you looked at any of the inexpensive bookstands like this one?  (available cheap at office supply stores, and probably even at walmart).

[ErinLindsey]

I bought something similar for my dad last christmas (to use with his K2) and I have a cardboard stand that I got in a college keyboarding class. It's pretty sturdy. Might use that with the K3 till I can get a javoedge.