My kindle e-reader is finally dying. A few days ago it started sticking- I couldn't swipe to go to the next page, or sometimes, even swipe to get into the main screen. Then it started randomly telling me that my book files are corrupt or protected and I had to re-download them from Amzn (not where I originally got them from, btw). Then it began telling me the battery was nearly dead and refusing to turn on, when I'd just completely charged it less than twenty minutes prior. Sometimes it won't boot at all. I've tried shutting down and letting it sit for a while, doing a hard reset, or having it plugged in while I read. Day before yesterday after twice rebooting it responded normally again, so I finished reading The Ultimate in one sitting while the pages would scroll.
Now nothing I do makes it work. It's not a big deal- I've backed up all my book files and docs onto my desktop harddrive, can transfer them to a new device at some point. And I have plenty of physical paper-in-hand books to read. But I was nearly at the end of this long middle-grade series, which just got good again and only four books to go. Now I don't know when I can finish. I'm far beyond what the library has available, and I really didn't want to buy hardcopies of just these four, when I already have them in e-book format.
The point where technology fails me.
Oh nooooooooo, this is the worst news, I'm so sorry to hear! My Nook is on its way out, and I really really REALLY don't want to have to deal with figuring out what new e-reader I want after it.
ReplyDeleteYeah. I have given it plenty of thought before- this kindle fire is fairly old, so been expecting its demise. I'm leaning towards a kindle paperwhite. I have never been able to read outside on my kindle fire because of the glare; it would be nice to read in the garden! Also sounds like it has great storage capacity and much longer battery life. But I'm still reading product reviews, haven't finally decided...
ReplyDeleteI really love the large Fire tablet because of its ability to use color so effectively, but you're right, it's really hard to use one of them outdoors during the day. It can be done by fiddling with the light adjustment, but it's never very good.
ReplyDeleteI have one of the original version Paperwhites that I just gave up on after almost seven years because it was slowing down so much when flipping to the next page or when using the bookstore or searching for a book. I broke down and bought the Kindle Oasis because of its easy readability in all lights, high storage capacity, and "long life" battery. But the battery is not really long life for avid readers. The claim that Amazon makes is based on thirty minutes of reading per day. How many avid readers read only thirty minutes a day? The Oasis was, I think, claiming to have a battery life of two weeks...and for me, that equates to three or four days. I get by by loading books to both the fire and the oasis so that one of them is always charged and waiting for me to pick it up.
I'm not at all sure that the Oasis is worth the price difference between it and the Paperwhite. I kind of wish I had just purchased a new Paperwhite instead.
Thanks Sam, that's very useful input.
ReplyDeleteI rarely use my e-reader except when travelling- this past week was an exception. But when I do, I'm definitely reading for more than thirty minutes at a time! An hour is more the standard for me.
I hate reading on the computer screen (other than when I'm at work and have no other option), but Kindle does have an app you can use on the PC.
ReplyDeleteI feel for you though! My Kindle is on its last legs, too. Checking Amazon, looks like I ordered it in 2014. Not bad that it held up six years of daily use! But I'm still not looking forward to replacing it.
I'm new to your blog (came across your post through Sam/Book Chase). I have an original Kindle paperwhite as well and it is slowing down a bit. I use it most everyday lately, although I do read print books and listen to audio books as well. It's served me well and I especially love hands free reading so I can pet our cats while reading LOL or drink tea and read hands free as well. I would definitely buy another paperwhite but, the iPad with Kindle app is a good substitute (at least indoors). Off to check out some of your other posts.
ReplyDeleteThistle- Six years when yours gets used so often is really good! Mine was I think nine years old, but I really did use it infrequently. Maybe only a few weeks out of each year... so that's kinda pathetic. Unless the battery just wears down from sitting around.
ReplyDeleteDiane- Hi! thanks for visiting. Having an app on the iPad is a good idea, but unfortunately we don't have a working iPad anymore. And somehow reading on my kindle stuck inside an actual book, was doable for me, but reading long passages on a computer screen makes me feel fatigued....