Kindle/Amazon Rant and Sobbings :(

[PomBearWithAnOFRS]

My Kindle is either dead or at death's door I think :(
It froze, then it was as if it had a time delay on it so even forcing a reboot would take about 20 minutes to do anything.
I spent 8 hours messing on and got the latest software installed, rebooted it AGAIN, charged it right up, and switched on. It worked beautifully for just long enough for me to read three pages, then froze again.
The icing on the cake is that bloody Amazon have done away with the emails for customer services and I have to either phone (at goodness knows how much a minute) or do a "Live Chat" with one of their bods. Which means trying to type fast, and explain that I've done XYZ twice etc etc and keeping my temper, and being undisturbed by anyone.
I suspect the damn thing will be just out of warranty so that they won't replace it for me :( so it's fubar and all my books are trapped in it
I don't even feel better for the rant
Even smiling makes my face ache :(

someone say something vaguely sympathetic or make me a nice or something please?

[JollyRedGiant]

Their customer service is apparently excellent over the phone. I've heard loads of people being positive about it. Please don't despair :)

[Alonglongway]

You can request a callback from their kindle support team. Good luck though - do you think the new software was the problem?

[TheFallenNinja]

All your books are safe and you can download them to your pc.

Pre write what you want to say on the chat and just paste in the details as the questions come up.

[tiggy114]

We've had 2 out of warrenty kindles replaced. Their telephone helpline is superb. 1st time they had the same model so sent us a free refurb model. 2 nd time they didn't have that model anymore so knocked us 35 quid off the better model. Got a basic kindle for £30. If you ask, i've heard they'll knock the money off a paperwhite too.

[KurriKurri]

If you want customer service you give your number and they will phone back immediately - no cot to you, and they are very helpful.

If you want live chat, - you don't have to type fast it's perfectly doable (I've done it and I'm crap at such things usually) and again they are very helpful.

[KurriKurri]

cost not cot

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Did you call them?

[PomBearWithAnOFRS]

OOOO about the out of warranty thing! I put it off Julie just because it is well out of warranty and I was convinced they would say they can't help, but tiggy has given me a shred of hope.
I may have to bite the bullet and go for it.
It was frozen before the new software, I installed that following their troubleshooting pages and videos, but it hasn't helped.
I tried last night to switch it on - I slid the switch, the green light came on, but then it stayed on, nothing else happened, and about 90 seconds later it rebooted itself, but was still frozen and nothing else happened until it shut itself to sleep after the 10 minutes
I will have to see what they say - I suppose even if they just snigger and point, I'm no worse off - I just get all kerfulffled and have (I admit it ) been wallowing in woe a bit because I miss the bloody thing so much.
I never realised how attached to it I was until it conked out!

[ihearsounds]

Live chat is very easy to do. No quick typing. They are very patient while you explain x,y and z. I usually go with live chat when contacting amazon, because for unknown reasons as soon as I try and have telephone conversations, either the dc's start making noise or there's loads of noise outside.

[Tortoiseonthehalfshell]

Your books don't live on the Kindle, they live on Amazon; if worst comes to worst and you have to buy a new device, all your books will be downloadable again for free, since you are the same user. Honestly!

[PomBearWithAnOFRS]

I know, I just miss them :( I can't read on the computer screen for long, that's why I love the Kindles epaper thing so much, it's much nicer than a screen iykwim. And I carry the Kindle about with me and read everywhere - carrying an actual book seems so clunky now. I can't believe how used to having the Kindle to hand I am. It's like there's a bit of me missing.

[CoteDAzur]

Which model is your Kindle?

[JamInMyWellies]

The exact same thing happened to my kindle before Christmas. They will tell you there is nothing they can do and if out of warranty will offer you a new kindle at a reduced price. Their live chat is brill, they will phone you back and be vvv helpful.

[CoteDAzur]

What was the model of your Kindle, Jam?

[JamInMyWellies]

Gosh I can't remember it had a keyboard if that's any help.

[CoteDAzur]

Yes, the keyboard model seems to die on people. I was asking because I was curious if yours was the keyboard model. Mine is the next one (Kindle 4) which doesn't have the keyboard but isn't touchscreen either.

[PomBearWithAnOFRS]

Mine is a keyboard 3G. When I got it we didn't have wifi.
I've been having a covetous look at the new ones and the Fires and I noticed that the Kindle Fire is now cheaper brand new than I paid for my old ordinary Kindle!
I think I might just save up a bit, ask for b/day money when the time comes and get a Kindle Fire. Although maybe just a Kindle - will have to see if I can find someone who has one or an iPad to read on screen and see which I like best. I want it mainly for reading rather than anything else so that's the main criteria for me. I noticed none of the Kindles have keyboards anymore, so even if Amazon did agree to swop mine (not likely since it's four-ish) it wouldn't be the same anyway.

[JamInMyWellies]

DH bought me a paperwhite to replace my one and I love it!

[Blending]

Pom I had the same one, 3g keyboard one and DD cracked the screen. It was way out of warrenty, I called to see if they could repair it but they dont do that. Amazon gave me a replacement for £50 which was a considerable amount less than buying a new one. It came the next day! I had to return the old one (I guess so it stops fraud).

Oh and I never even bought it from them, I'd got it in Tescos!

Can you download the Kindle App on your phone? All your books will be there, and change the setting to "sepia" so it doesnt strain your eyes as much. That could possibly tide you over?

[tillyfernackerpants]

I know a couple of people with Kindle Fires and they are a bit disappointed with them.

This happened to my Kindle as well though - I left it a couple of days, then switched it on and it started working again. Still going strong & that was about 3 months ago.

[CrazyOldCatLady]

Live chat is fine, and you can type a few things into Notepad beforehand and copy and paste if you need to : )

[PomBearWithAnOFRS]

I don't have a phone - well I do but it is a crappy useless one that doesn't do internet and all the fancy stuff. It's not even very good for making calls
That was the thing about the Fire that was putting me off, reading on a "screen screen" rather than the nice Kindle ePaper type screen.
I think I'll give it some thought, and decide which I'd rather have, then when I've got some money I shall then tell them it's just conked out and hopefully they'll offer me a nice discount on the new one. That would seem to be the way to go.
I might have to go to the library and borrow the book I was in the middle of though, can't wait months to find out what happens, I'm quite near the end and was loving it so I want to know how it turns out!

[IloveJudgeJudy]

I've seen a Fire and the screen seemed really bright and computer-like to me. I wouldn't want one. I love my basic Kindle. It doesn't hurt my eyes. I have been known to read books in bed on my phone when I couldn't be bothered to go downstairs and get my Kindle and it's much harder on your eyes.

My friend (who got her Fire for Christmas) loves her Fire and has given her Kindle to her DH, but imo it's just much too bright. When I saw it I asked her if it could be dimmed, but she told me it was on the lowest level which was brighter than the lowest level on my laptop. HTH.

Sorry to hear about your Kindle. Ime Amazon were fantastic. Live chat was fine.

[LittleMissFantabulous]

I've had three kindles die. I'm saving up for a nook now, see if the build quality and software is any better:(