[crebel]

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_left_v4_sib?ie=UTF8&nodeId=201994710

Anyone received official word of this announcement yet? It says we will no longer be able to download books from the Cloud to older e-readers from the K1 through the Paperwhite 1st generation unless we get or manually download this update.

My Kindle Keyboard is with my MIL in Florida until the middle of April and while I tried to explain and write down directions for her, I'm not sure she knows how to connect to the community Wi-Fi there. I presume she isn't downloading any new books if she hasn't figured out how to connect to a new wi-fi anyway, but guess I'll have to wait to update it for her when she gets home.

 

[telracs]

this is stupid.  yes, my kindle has wi-fi, but i do not.  and i have no place to leave it overnight where there is.

 

[Atunah]

I guess I'll have 4 devices to take care off. K1, Keyboard, basic button kindle and the PW1 that is in the hand of the husband.

Although I am not totally suprised as they changed the way the cloud works starting with the PW1 and now the PW1 is not getting that new update.

But this will be a pain for many that either don't know whats going on or those that don't have wifi at all. And as telracs says, what is she suppose to do, sleep over at the library or mac donalds? 

Sigh, time to plug in my unicorn kindle K1. And the KK.

Curious, how will we know it worked and its done?
Guess, I'll make a list of current version numbers to see.

 

[crebel]

It talks about the "wireless connection" for the K1, K2, and DX which, of course, were all 3G only.  I wonder if the later Kindles with both Wi-Fi and 3G will update with the 3G on if no Wi-Fi connection is available?  I don't see anyplace in the Help page where Amazon lists a manual download option.

 

[Atunah]

I am updating my K1 right now.  .

It was already sitting there waiting to update in settings. I hadn't had that thing on in a while and it was empty, but enough juice after plugging in to do the update. Which took all but 5 seconds for the K1. Its done already as I am typing this post.

Now on to the Keyboard. My basic already has the current number. You can check the current version number on that page listed above, all the way on the bottom are the links to the affected kindles. If that number is on your device, its good to go. My K1 showed 1.2 and it has gone to 1.2.1

My K3 is still deader than doornails so it needs to charge some more. I have a K3 with both wifi and 3G. I suppose I could check if it would do it on 3G, but I think not. If a device has both, it tends to want wifi for certain stuff like library books are the same I think, aren't they?

 

[crebel]

Now on to the Keyboard. My basic already has the current number. You can check the current version number on that page listed above, all the way on the bottom are the links to the affected kindles. If that number is on your device, its good to go. My K1 showed 1.2 and it has gone to 1.2.1

Those numbers are for the most recent update previously to make sure you get this update, aren't they? I called my mother who has a K5 (basic) on the account and her current version numbers agree with the listing at the bottom of the Help page. That just means she is ready for this critical update, right? Not that it has already updated (she doesn't have a notice that it has updated recently)? Guess I'll call her back and see if the update portion in the menu is live or greyed out.

 

[telracs]

i tried a sync and check, but got "no new items"  through 3G

 

[Atunah]

Those numbers are for the most recent update previously to make sure you get this update, aren't they? I called my mother who has a K5 (basic) on the account and her current version numbers agree with the listing at the bottom of the Help page. That just means she is ready for this critical update, right? Not that it has already updated (she doesn't have a notice that it has updated recently)? Guess I'll call her back and see if the update portion in the menu is live or greyed out.

I know for my K1 the one listed was the new one, the one needed. I still had 1.2 on mine and it says 1.2.1 as current on that page so I think those are the ones they are suppose to be for this cloud thing to work. I can't check my K3 as its still doing a snow white on me.

On my K1, I never even did a check for update, I plugged it in, turned both switches on and then checked in settings and it already had a update your kindle ready to go so it already downloaded that thing in the short time it took me to turn it on and plug it in. Maybe its just a little file they send to it. At least the K1. It was over in seconds on it. Bam, and it was back and updated.

eta: I got to check on my Keyboard and it still has 3.4. On the website it is suppose to have 3.4.2

So whats listed on the link above is current, including this cloud fix.

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

this is stupid. yes, my kindle has wi-fi, but i do not. and i have no place to leave it overnight where there is.

Isn't there a neighbor or friend with WiFi that you trust enough to leave it with?

It talks about the "wireless connection" for the K1, K2, and DX which, of course, were all 3G only. I wonder if the later Kindles with both Wi-Fi and 3G will update with the 3G on if no Wi-Fi connection is available? I don't see anyplace in the Help page where Amazon lists a manual download option.

It does sound like it should update via the 3G:

From the link:

Update Your Kindle E-Reader via Wireless
If your Kindle (1st Generation), Kindle (2nd Generation), or Kindle DX (2nd Generation) does not have the latest software version, ensure your device is connected wirelessly, and then sync your Kindle.

To update your Kindle:
Kindle (1st Generation)
Move the wireless switch on the back of your Kindle to the ON position.
From the Home screen of your Kindle, select Menu, and then choose Check for New Items.
Plug your Kindle in, and leave your Kindle plugged in and connected to its wireless network overnight.
Kindle (2nd Generation) or Kindle DX (2nd Generation)
From the Home screen of your Kindle, press the Menu button.
Select Turn Wireless On with the 5-way controller.
Press the Menu button again and select Sync & Check for Items.
Plug your Kindle in, and leave your Kindle plugged in and connected to its wireless network overnight.
While asleep, the software update will download and install automatically. Your device may restart multiple times during the update process. You will receive a final confirmation letter, on your device, once the update is complete.

 

[crebel]

I know for my K1 the one listed was the new one, the one needed. I still had 1.2 on mine and it says 1.2.1 as current on that page so I think those are the ones they are suppose to be for this cloud thing to work. I can't check my K3 as its still doing a snow white on me.

On my K1, I never even did a check for update, I plugged it in, turned both switches on and then checked in settings and it already had a update your kindle ready to go so it already downloaded that thing in the short time it took me to turn it on and plug it in. Maybe its just a little file they send to it. At least the K1. It was over in seconds on it. Bam, and it was back and updated.

eta: I got to check on my Keyboard and it still has 3.4. On the website it is suppose to have 3.4.2

Do whats listed on the link above is current, including this cloud fix.

Ok. That means mom's basic Kindle has already received the update at some point because the version numbers agree with what is listed at the bottom of the Help page. Her "Update Your Kindle" is greyed out and she didn't receive an update notice, so it must be good to go. I'll worry about the Kindle Keyboard when MIL gets home in April.

 

[Atunah]

So I turned off wifi quick on my KK to see if can come through 3G. It cannot. As soon as I turned wifi on after trying to sync for new items on 3G, the update was not greyed out anymore. It was like it was already sitting on the device but waited for wifi to be turned on.

So one has to find a place where wifi is. Once you see the update not grayed out anymore its available. I am doing it now so I'll see how long it takes. No reason to hang around a place all night. Just until you see the update option and then long enough to do the update.

eta: Took like 3-4 minutes total with check for new items and then the updating.

 

[telracs]

they are saying the update will take a while.  i e-mailed them and lets see what their answer is.

 

[SusanCassidy]

Why haven't they sent an email to all kindle owners, I wonder?  How can they expect people to see the help article?  They are just going to have to deal with thousands of help calls wHen their devices stop functioning

ETA: I just checked both my husband's K1 and my K3, and they both have the latest sw update available, so it looks to me like there is no new sw update, but they just want everyone up to date on the regular updates.  So,people who haven't updated PWs because they wanted to jailbrek them may be SOL after 3/22..

 

[telracs]

Why haven't they sent an email to all kindle owners, I wonder? How can they expect people to see the help article? They are just going to have to deal with thousands of help calls wHen their devices stop functioning.

the help article states March 21st as the cut off date, so i'm figuring they are waiting a bit for e-mails.

 

[Ann in Arlington]

So . . . what I'm understanding is kindles from PW1 earlier need to do this to keep working with the cloud. Fair enough. I'll email my brother who has custody of the DX on my account and tell him to plug the thing in and charge it and ask it for the update.  I should probably tell my son as well; he has my old P1 . . . and I have a couple of other friends with older kindles, so I'll let them know as well.

I expect that they will, at some point, send out emails to people with older devices still registered to their accounts. I also suspect that people who leave wireless on regularly will get the update automatically . . . . so the only issue is people who keep it off.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Toby]

Thanks for mentioning overnight. I wanted to read before bed last night, so I did not leave my Voyage plugged in overnight. Since I did not get the update while plugged in all the other hours, this might be why. Maybe Amazon wants to send the update overnight. I don't really know.

 

[hamerfan]

First off, thank you crebel for this info. I usually leave the wi-fi off on my Kindles unless I'm getting a book.
So I've got my wi-fi on and my PW1 on the charger. I checked for new items and there are none. The "Update Your Kindle" is greyed out. I'm just going to leave the PW1 alone. How will I know if I've received the update?
Thanks!

 

[Ann in Arlington]

At the original link it says that once the update is done there'll be a letter on you home page.

 

[hamerfan]

At the original link it says that once the update is done there'll be a letter on you home page.

Ah, thanks for the clarification, Ann. I thought the letter was only for the K1, K2 and DX.
Copied from the link:

"Update Your Kindle E-Reader via Wi-Fi
If your Kindle e-reader does not have the latest software version, connect your device to Wi-Fi to receive the software update.

Note: To update your Kindle (1st Generation), Kindle (2nd Generation), or Kindle DX (2nd Generation) to the latest version, go to Update Your Kindle E-Reader via Wireless. If you are not sure which Kindle e-reader you have, please consult Which Kindle E-reader do I have?

To update your Kindle once connected to Wi-Fi:

From the Home screen of your Kindle, select Menu or tap the Menu icon, and then choose Sync and Check for Items.
Plug your Kindle in, and leave your Kindle plugged in and connected to a Wi-Fi network overnight.
While asleep, the software update will download and install automatically. Your device may restart multiple times during the update process. You will receive a final confirmation letter, on your device, once the update is complete."

 

[Ann in Arlington]

If you read on it says the same thing under the section for the older 3G only models about updating via wireless.