Posted on 03/21/2016 6:47:23 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
This is not the time to take your Kindle camping, people
Readers will be unable to download their purchased books or buy new ones without a computer handy if they fail to update their Amazon Kindles by Wednesday.
Users of Kindle models older than 2013 will need to apply an update over their device's wireless connection to install a critical fix.
Those who do not will be kicked from Amazon online properties, including the book store, and their cloud library of purchased books and documents.
Amazon has sent emails to user account inboxes warning to update.
It has not explained what the fix addresses and had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.
In a notice posted to the Amazon website marked urgent the book baron says devices that are not updated by 23 March will sport a generic connection error message and must be manually updated using a computer.
Manual updating will require users download their respective latest firmware files and transfer these onto the device via USB before selecting 'update your Kindle' from a menu.
The minor effort will become a major pain for readers who only connect their devices to the Amazon Whispersync network in order to buy books, and never to WiFi.
That setup would be common for the many readers who leave their devices on airplane mode between books in order to maximise battery life.
It will also grind those who miss the message and attempt to find a new book to read in locations where a computer and a wireless connection is not available.
Non-technical savvy users will also be caught out by the need to manually update.
To update Amazon recommends users plug in their devices to mains power and leave it connected to the internet overnight. Kindles may restart several times while applying the fix.
Updated devices contain a document in the library titled 03-2016 Successful Update. ®
Yes, definitely for US users as well.
Pretty sure it does. My wife was just talking about this last night. She's gotta update hers.
I bought a Kindle a few years ago and I found it very much a pain in the neck. It’s sat in a drawer now about 3 years. I guess after this it won’t have a chance.
I will just have to buy books. Lol.
“I don’t know if this applies to US users, or not. Note that the article is from the UK. “
There is an embedded link to the full details.
Thank you. I did not know this.
I demand a backdoor.
I got one for traveling. Easier than lugging around a few hardbacks. About all I use if for now is to read the one or two “throw-away” books I might get every year.
Mine resides in my underwear drawer.
Yes. I have an old kindle and received the email top update about a month ago. I did as directed in that email, then received the message on the kindle that it was updated.
“...and their cloud library of purchased books”
Note to self: Don’t think you actually possess anything stored in the cloud.
“There is an embedded link to the full details.”
—
Where?
.
“I bought a Kindle a few years ago and I found it very much a pain in the neck. It’s sat in a drawer now about 3 years. I guess after this it won’t have a chance.”
Same here. It is just a one trick pony, not very versatile. For less money, a tablet will do far more. If mine came with a “satisfaction guarantee”, I would have sent it back.
Yeah, I got an e-mail from Amazon about a month ago about the update. Guess I’ll have to get out the old paperwhite and charge it up, then connect to the internet and let it update.
Don’t use the paperwhite often, but it is handy to have around if I want to read out in the sun for a while. I find the Kindle Fire almost impossible to read in bright sun.
A local nonprofit runs a used book store, and I can fill a bag for the price of 1 or 2 downloads.
My wife loves her Kindle. Wore out a paper white one. Santa got her a new one for Christmas. I also installed the Kindle PC app so she can read her books on the PC. If she’s happy, I’m happy.
I have a Kindle and really love it. I also download to my iPhone Kindle app.
It’s easy to read even in bright sun and the paperwhite means I can read even if the power goes out in my house.
Tech ping.
I have three kindles. I really like them. I have and HDX model that has amazing graphics.
No kidding. A few years back the Kindle community got a bit of a shock when many thousands who had purchased and downloaded a particular book had Amazon suck it back. Apparently there was some kind of licensing fracus with the publisher, so they had to delete it from the devices of people who had just started reading the book.
I assume they got refunds, but that would be a real bummer.
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