[artsandhistoryfan]

Wanted the folks here to see this particular report from today at the Amazon forums. I'm not sure why the person who posted the report does not seem to want to keep her 2nd Kindle2 since the new one seems quite a bit better, but I guess she still finds it uncomfortable.

What was interesting to me was that Amazon asked her to send the first Kindle 2 to an individual who is working on trying to solve the screen darkness problem.

Here's the posting, which I broke up into more paragraphs for easier reading, I hope.

http://www.amazon.com/SF-Bay-Area-interested-contrast/forum/Fx2EGRL42MHF15D/Tx21LRDZ7XI5VKX/3/ref=cm_cd_et_md_pl?%5Fencoding=UTF8&cdMsgNo=54&asin=B00154JDAI&cdSort=oldest&cdMsgID=Mx3GUGC0RLJAU03#Mx3GUGC0RLJAU03

Posted on Mar 9, 2009 7:40 PM PDT
Nikalette says:

Okay, I received my replacement Kindle today. The screen is
about 2 shades lighter than the original. The text looks
slightly darker and sharper.

I wanted to hang on to the first Kindle which I received
Thursday, to do a comparison and synch them. I might be able to
live with the new one, altho' I'd much prefer something with
greater contrast, but I'm willing to try it for a couple weeks
with a booklight.

The customer service rep sent me an email asking me to return
my Kindle to an address in my state, California, to an
individual who is attempting to fix whatever is turning some
Kindle's darker. The service was excellent by the way. I do
have to pay the return shipping to get it to the tech address,
but I will be reimbursed.

I also had an issue with some error messages, but that was
probably due to a specific book sample. It's really a good idea
to call customer service right away when issues come up, I
think they're still getting the kinks out. If I do return mine,
I'll wait a while for all this to get sorted out and then buy
it again, because I love the device apart from the screen
issues.

So, it's good to know they're seriously looking at this.

 

[pomlover2586]

Maybe it's because I never had a K1......but the text coloring on the K2 seems perfectly fine to me  Not sure what all the fuss is about.......

 

[Arkhan]

I have to admit, I expected a lot more contrast ratio than I have. I was expecting a lighter background and words that were going to be nearly black. I know they can at least darken the letters because the screen savers have no trouble with dark black color. Even the title displayed at the top of the screen looks nice and is easy to read. If the pages were actually equal to the title it would make the K2 a lot easier to read in lower light areas. After all we cannot always have perfect lighting where we read. I am just not sure if it is an actual display problem, or if I would just like it better to set book text as dark as I want it.

 

[artsandhistoryfan]

Arkhan, I don't think it's a display problem but someone's decision to allow the basic font to be lighter for some reason.  If you feel you need a darker font, please let [email protected] know.

  They ask us (even on one of their screensavers) to give them feedback on the Kindles.

pomlover,
  The K1 was very popular because many of us could read for hours on it.  Under certain (and too many) conditions, the K2 font is lighter.  For some people it's very uncomfortable.  Those people are sending them back.  If you feel strongly that it is fine as it is, for you, then let them know that too.

  Others' eyes are just more sensitive to the situation.

 

[Ann in Arlington]

I try really hard not to be cynical. . . but my initial reaction to the tech directing a customer to send a return to somewhere other than back to Amazon sent up warning bells. . . .not sure I'd be willing to do that. . .especially if I had to pay postage.  Amazon usually sends a return authorization.  I'm afraid that person won't get her postage back and won't get credit for returning the first Kindle.

As to the screen. . .my pastor got a replacement and is very happy with the better contrast on it.  He returned the first one to Amazon. . . .

Ann

 

[jaspertyler]

I'm with Ann.  I worry this is a scam....because amazon could send it to their tech themselves!

 

[jmeaders]

Maybe it's because I never had a K1......but the text coloring on the K2 seems perfectly fine to me Not sure what all the fuss is about.......

My thoughts exactly.

 

[auntmarge]

In my case it's not the text color I noticed first but how much darker the background is.  Even on the K1 it was much darker than paper.  Now it's like reading dark gray on medium gray.  Who would buy a book that was printed like that?  I just received a second K2 for comparison and will report this afternoon after a chance to play with the two of them.  First impression was that it was the same as the original K2 I got. 

 

[MarthaT]

I really haven't noticed this on mine, but Ive read many instances of it, glad Amazon is looking into it

 

[Kind]

I've had a close look at my sisters K2 and thankfully she has not had any issues with the dark screens.  Good to know Amazon is looking deeper into this....but then again; they don't want all these K2's returned.

 

[Veronica]

With all the K2 returns (assuming they can "fix" the screen contrast), I wonder if we'll start seeing refurbished K2's in the near future?

 

[VMars]

Maybe it's because I never had a K1......but the text coloring on the K2 seems perfectly fine to me Not sure what all the fuss is about.......

Yeah, I've never had problems either. But there are a few bad apples in every batch so...

 

[Arkhan]

In my case it's not the text color I noticed first but how much darker the background is. Even on the K1 it was much darker than paper. Now it's like reading dark gray on medium gray. Who would buy a book that was printed like that? I just received a second K2 for comparison and will report this afternoon after a chance to play with the two of them. First impression was that it was the same as the original K2 I got.

This is exactly how I have been feeling. To be honest I didn't notice it at first. After reading a book for almost a week now. I notice that the words do not pop out like on a page in a book. The title of the book at the top of the screen looks great. If all the words were that dark I would have no problem at all.

Let me know how the comparison goes.

 

[ChampAmp]

Hmm....I think this issue is overblown in general (especially by the petition-wielding Luddites gathered outside of the castle over on the Amazon forums). I think its a result of a mix of some few bad units, the admittedly snazzy-looking Kindle screen Amazon shows in their advertising, and just getting used to e-ink vs. paper yo.

I owned a K1, now a K2.....I can read just as comfortably, and I have low vision. Yes, text is a bit lighter, but super crispy....

Interestingly, in bright sunlight and when I am using a 150w full spectrum bulb, my unit does look pretty close to the idyllic screens shown in the ads (better contrast).

My expectations are also probably skewed from expecting perfection as well because I develop software for a living...<ducks>.

 

[PJ]

Hmm....I think this issue is overblown in general (especially by the petition-wielding Luddites gathered outside of the castle over on the Amazon forums). I think its a result of a mix of some few bad units, the admittedly snazzy-looking Kindle screen Amazon shows in their advertising, and just getting used to e-ink vs. paper yo.

I owned a K1, now a K2.....I can read just as comfortably, and I have low vision. Yes, text is a bit lighter, but super crispy....

Interestingly, in bright sunlight and when I am using a 150w full spectrum bulb, my unit does look pretty close to the idyllic screens shown in the ads (better contrast).

My expectations are also probably skewed from expecting perfection as well because I develop software for a living...<ducks>.

I agree - this has generally been my experience - as I noted in a related thread Re: Saw a K1 today, in person, and it does have better contrast .

 

[deMoMo]

My expectations are also probably skewed from expecting perfection as well because I develop software for a living...<ducks>.

I test software for a living - can you imagine where my expectations are?

 

[ELDogStar]

My K2 is definitely more than just a little darker than my friends K1.
It is dark enough that at times like in modest light situations,
(A two bulb Mighty Bright as example)
it is a bit hard to read.

If there comes a software fix for this I will be grateful.

But it is not likely bad enough for me to get a replacement,
I would be concerned my replacement might have other "flaws"

EL

 

[r0b0d0c]

Maybe it's because I never had a K1......but the text coloring on the K2 seems perfectly fine to me Not sure what all the fuss is about.......

This is likely similar to when I bought my MacBook Pro 2 1/2 years ago, and some of the screens were truly bad. Mine wasn't (lucky for me!), but that didn't make it a no-issue for the significant number of buyers who got a bad one, and had to go through Apple to get replacements (and to agree that there even WAS a problem).

Obviously not all K2s have this problem, but for those that do, the "fuss" is real.

I'd encourage any K2 owners who are unhappy with their screen to get a replacement from Amazon CS - a $359 purchase should be worth it.

 

[Ignatius]

I didn't think I had any issues with the darkness of my screen, but after reading all these discussions of it, it's starting to look darker to me. Coupled with a terrible headache most of today, and I'm starting to wonder if maybe my screen is too dark.

Of course, I had no problems at all with it through the first two books I read, and now I'm starting to notice it. I hate being so impressionable.

 

[artsandhistoryfan]

Hmm....I think this issue is overblown in general

Yes, unless you are the person whose $400 w/case went toward this unit which so many have found less pleasureable to read on than with their Kindle 1. At that point it becomes not overblown at all.