New Turn of Events for my 2nd Gen Kindle

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Fixing my Kindle (2nd Gen)

For a long time now, I’ve been trying to figure out how to fix my Kindle2. The screen has gone Dark grey. The letters are still black, and visible; although the contrast is not comfortable. What makes it even more uncomfortable is that the next pages text on any document or book that i’m reading on the device, shows up behind the black text in the field of dark grey in a muted, hazy white.

This isn't a pic of my Kindle, but it shows how a screen can start to become unreadable.

So there is a lot going on with my screen. It was perfect, until I dropped it in the snow, during the days I lived in Iowa. I couldn’t find it – because it was white, and it came back with a corner of the display no longer showing anything. It was a small price to pay, but the beginning of the decline of my working Kindle2.

None of this mattered too much, because I purchased the Apple iPad2 (i like 2nd Gen devices); on the day that it was released. So my Kindle kind of went on my headboard for a little bit. I do like reading books on the Kindle much more than I like reading books on the iPad. The Kindle’s e-ink is just really easy on the eyes. In fact, I like reading a kindle, better than I like reading a book. I can read a book much faster with this device. What I’ve found with the iPad, there are far too many things to distract you from reading your book. There is internet right there, and things are beeping, emails are firing off, and games are handy. The iPad is almost too much of a multimedia device to even be considered a reader. I love the color display for kids books, or for pictures, but if you are just taking in the words, the Kindle is the way to go. I explained this to my Mom, and she ended up getting the Kindle Keyboard Version. (Kindle3? Unless they stopped numbering them; which at some point they did).

What a reoccurring question for me and my techie friends has been is: What do you do with a Kindle after it breaks (assuming it is out of warranty)?  If it is within the warranty, the answer is easy. You call up Amazon, they OVERNIGHT ship you a brand new Kindle, and you mail back your broken Kindle in the pre-paid postage box that they send you. What a cool way to operate. I love this! Cheers for Amazon.  But when you are out of warranty, the response I got from the Amazon customer service representative was … well, you can purchase a new one. Which, at the time i laughed at, and politely ended the phone call.

I mean I’ve got an iPad2 now. I don’t really need a kindle. But it still crept up on me. It was like having a mustang in the garage, that just needed to be pieced together. I’m techie. I can do this. I ordered a magazine that tore down the Kindle, (it was a marketing ploy to pitch the Kindle Fire), and started trying to figure this all out.  I did find a place that fixes Kindles, but the expense behind it was nearly the cost of a new one.

That’s the thing, the device, at the time I was looking to fix it was only $114.00 usd. For that price, buying a new one seemed to be the route anyone out of warranty had to go – unless they wanted to invest in fixing their old kindle (which may not be able to be fixed – or which may not be worth fixing since to fix it would expend nearly the amount to purchase a new one). And that’s where the issue stood for a long while.

UNTIL TODAY.

Today, I talked with Shavaughn from Amazon Customer Service – who wanted to get me a replacement. This is how the conversation goes (believe me, i’ve had more than a few that progress the same way). The rep, in this case Shavaughn (i like his name) says: “Let’s get a replacement sent out to you.” He verifies the model, and the Kindle that is registered to my name. Then he says, “Oh I apologize, but you are out of warranty on this Kindle.”

“To which I respond, but how would I fix it?  Is there any place I can take it who can just adjust it real quick for me?” And normally, the representative would just say: NO. I can’t recommend a third party company. And that would be the end of our haggling over how i fix my kindle. I’d rant about amazon not having any support for their gadgets after the first year, and it would just be the end of the conversation.

BUT THIS TIME:

He said something different. Apparently, Shavaughn says that I can turn in my old Kindle (2nd Generation) and get a NEW Kindle (Keyboard – current Generation) for the price of $60.00. NOw that’s a deal. I don’t know when I can do this, because it’s not Kindle buying time for me right now, but there it is. This is what I’ve been looking for. This is how you replace your old Kindle – You get to turn it in for newer tech. I love this answer. This is how it should be.

I’m telling my story now, in hopes that other people looking to fix their Kindle, will be able to replace as well. I’m hoping you get it for $60.00 like I will in a pay check or so. I’m thinking that this is the new policy, and I’m hoping it’s not some line that Shavaughn threw out there. I bring up his name, because maybe it’ll help. Maybe he knows the loophole. I’m hoping that he isn’t confused, because recently Amazon announced that they are accepting Kindle trade ins. Click here to see their trade in value.

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