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Original poster

Kindle/Amazon Rant and Sobbings :(

35 replies

PomBearWithAnOFRS · 20/01/2013 23:02

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 Brew or something please?

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AnonymousBird · 14/03/2013 08:56

Good lad!!!! Well done him.

Original poster
PomBearWithAnOFRS · 13/03/2013 23:10

I know I'm resurrecting a pretty old thread but I need to Squeeeeeeeeee - my wonderful son has bought me a Kindle Fire for Mother's Day! I had no idea he even had any money, bless him, he must have saved up for ages and ages, and he just popped up and handed it to me and looked all sheepish and shrugged when I fell on his neck weeping with joy and singing his praises Grin
Left to myself I think I would have saved for a paperwhite, but we have downloaded all the books I was half way through when the old Kindle died (all 17 Grin so I can find out what happens) and got a load of freebie games that are causing the whole family to fight over the thing for a turn Grin
I think I may as well just declare myself addicted now and have done with it!

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Snog · 09/02/2013 21:45

Kindle customer service in my opinion has been shockingly awful and the product is clearly low quality and unreliable. I had the 3 g one.

Have now got a paperwhite which I like much more but if I goes wrong I would rather throw it in the closest lake than try to engage eith customer services again

elkiedee · 29/01/2013 10:22

My mum's dh wasn't offered much of a deal from Amazon for a Kindle which had stopped working, so he bought a new one from an offline shop. He was still able to register with Amazon and get all his books already purchased on it.

Trills · 28/01/2013 13:31

If you want to read books don't get a Fire, get a Paperwhite

Trills · 28/01/2013 13:28

I think live internet chat makes more sense than email as you can say "yes I've tried that" and no have to wait hours to get the next instruction.

WibbleBoy · 28/01/2013 13:18

I've had my Kindle Keyboard replaced twice now. The first time was when the casing started to crack when 10 months old. I returned the old one and Amazon replaced it for free.

This replacement started playing up a few months ago (replacement was 14 months old). Like the OP said, I started getting random freezes which required a reset, then over Xmas it completely broke. I went on Amazon's live chat and told them how I was disappointed about the build quality, mentioned the Sale of Goods act briefly and was then told I would be contacted by the relevant team.

A couple of hours later I received an apology email stating that they would send me a reconditioned Keyboard 3G model at no cost.

They didn't ask for the old one back, so at the FIL's insistence, I stripped down the Kindle, removed the motherboard and baked it in the oven to reseat the soldered components. After reassemling the unit, it was working fine again (though the serial number is now blacklisted from the Amazon servers). The problem was obviously down to a motherboard fault.

So, best bet is to contact Amazon, then if they don't help you can try to fix it yourself, either by baking the mobo (risky)l, or possibly getting a one with a damaged screen from eBay and replacing it that way.

IShallWearMidnight · 27/01/2013 22:57

Also download Calibre (on phone, have had wine, linking too hard ;)) and then you have all your books on your computer as well as via Amazon

edam · 27/01/2013 22:51

Sale of Goods Act applies. Damn the warranty, if a product is not working, it should be replaced, or repaired, or you should get a refund. There is a thing in the Act about reasonable expectations - so you wouldn't get a refund for a 20 year old hoover. But it is reasonable to expect an electronic device to last for more than two years.

If someone took them to court under the SoGA, I bet they'd win...

chipmonkey · 27/01/2013 22:47

Always remember as well that it is worth Amazon's while to make sure you have a device. If you have a device, then you will download more books and they will make more money. So it's worth their while to give you a good discount.

LittleMissFantabulous · 27/01/2013 21:57

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

IloveJudgeJudy · 27/01/2013 00:02

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.

Original poster
PomBearWithAnOFRS · 24/01/2013 22:43

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 Confused
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 Grin so I want to know how it turns out!

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CrazyOldCatLady · 24/01/2013 15:57

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

tillyfernackerpants · 24/01/2013 15:53

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.

Blending · 24/01/2013 15:17

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?

JamInMyWellies · 24/01/2013 15:04

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

bran · 24/01/2013 14:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
PomBearWithAnOFRS · 24/01/2013 14:44

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.

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CoteDAzur · 24/01/2013 11:32

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.

JamInMyWellies · 23/01/2013 23:21

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

CoteDAzur · 23/01/2013 22:29

What was the model of your Kindle, Jam?

JamInMyWellies · 23/01/2013 22:19

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 · 23/01/2013 22:13

Which model is your Kindle?

Original poster
PomBearWithAnOFRS · 23/01/2013 18:41

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.

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