[starryskyz]

Hi,

My first beloved K2 had faded text when I was reading in the sun, and I got my replacement K2 today. Here are some side by side comparisons. The old K2 has the Orient skin, while the new K2 is naked

Comparisons in direct sunlight outdoors:

Scenario 1

Shows the two kindles on the same page from the user guide, you can see how the text on the old K2 is much lighter and faded.

Closeup of old K2 for scenario 1

Closeup of new K2 for scenario 1

Scenario 2

Another page from Kindle guide

Closeup of old K2 for scenario 2

Closeup of new K2 for scenario 2

Scenario 3

Edgar Allan Poe screen saver

Closeup of old K2 for scenario 3 - see the ghosting of stripes across Egar's jacket?

Closeup of new K2 for scenario 3

Scenario 4

Another page from Kindle guide, shows major fading on old K2

Comparisons indoors with ambient lighting

Scenario 5

You can see that the text is darker even indoors for K2, but the screen background is darker as well.

Scenario 6

Different page from the same book

Comparisons indoors with direct lighting

Scenario 7

Scenario 8

It's not showing up very well here, but the new K2 is slightly more brown and a little darker.

So there you have it...although I'm happy that my new K2 does not have fading issue and has darker text, the slightly darker background is taking some getting used to. I've been so used to the background of my old K2.

So now I can either keep my old K2, keep the new K2, or ask for a third K2. I don't want to look a gift horse in its mouth, so am thinking of just keeping the new K2 and learn to live with the darker screen.

For all K2 owners out there, is the slightly darker background for the new K2 normal? Perhaps that's what it should look like?

 

[Micdiddy]

I'm not a K2 owner but the second one you got looks pretty good, asking for a third one would seem kind of gratuitous and there' no gaurantee it will be any better. Keep the second one and thank Amazon for their amazing customer service.

 

[starryskyz]

Yeah, in fact I'm moving my skin from the old K2 to the new K2 now.  Asking for another is a third option I didn't want to do because there were no guarantees I would not get a worst one, and yes, it did feel gratuitous.  I'll just have to learn to live with the darker screen.  The pics don't show the difference, but in person it's quite noticeable.  I just wanted to see if this is normal for other K2s out there.

 

[vlapinta]

Mine looks just like the second one.

Vicki

 

[KindleKid]

wow, you can really see the difference when they are side by side like that!

 

[vermontcathy]

Huh... I'm going to have to try mine in the sun again. I thought that when people said it faded, it faded almost totally, not just a little bit. I thought my text looked a little lighter in the sun but I thought it was just because the bright light revealed flaws that were always there - that the text isn't solid dark black, as everyone has been saying. But what also worries me is your photos of the screensaver - mine does have the significant ghosting of text on the screen saver as your old K2 shows. I don't really care what the screen saver looks like, but maybe this is evidence of a problem.

I was thinking that I didn't want to request a new Kindle for the text being a little washed out, if all kindles are like that. But now I'm thinking mine might not be as good as it can get. Of course... now it's cloudy today, so I can't test it more....

Cathy

 

[jeremy81]

Huh... I'm going to have to try mine in the sun again. I thought that when people said it faded, it faded almost totally, not just a little bit. I thought my text looked a little lighter in the sun but I thought it was just because the bright light revealed flaws that were always there - that the text isn't solid dark black, as everyone has been saying. But what also worries me is your photos of the screensaver - mine does have the significant ghosting of text on the screen saver as your old K2 shows. I don't really care what the screen saver looks like, but maybe this is evidence of a problem.

I was thinking that I didn't want to request a new Kindle for the text being a little washed out, if all kindles are like that. But now I'm thinking mine might not be as good as it can get. Of course... now it's cloudy today, so I can't test it more....

Cathy

The one I had replaced almost totally fades.

 

[KBoards Admin]

Thanks for those photos - really interesting and I appreciate you taking the time to show us that. The type is definitely darker in your replacement K2, so that's good!

I don't see much of a difference in the backgrounds between the two... is it possible that the backgrounds appear different because of the optical effect of the dark-colored skin around your old K2?

It would be interesting to see how the two backgrounds appear if you were to remove that skin from the original K2.

 

[Harmakhet]

So I went out at lunch and read some in the sun (since it's the first sunny day in a week or so).  Didn't notice it fading of the text so much as I saw the ghosting on the screensaver when I put it to sleep in the sun.

Wondering if that's a sign of the same issues.  Will have to test it some more while the weather is nice.

 

[vermontcathy]

So I went out at lunch and read some in the sun (since it's the first sunny day in a week or so). Didn't notice it fading of the text so much as I saw the ghosting on the screensaver when I put it to sleep in the sun.

Wondering if that's a sign of the same issues. Will have to test it some more while the weather is nice.

I ALWAYS have had ghosting on the screen saver. I can read words from the page I had been on...

 

[Harmakhet]

I ALWAYS have had ghosting on the screen saver. I can read words from the page I had been on...

I've always had the opposite issue (seeing the screensaver text at the bottom when coming back from the screensaver) but never this way around until the sun test today. Hrm...I'll report back when I test it some more.

I doubt it's an issue but I will do an exhaustive check anyway.

 

[kevindorsey]

That's definitely a noticeable diff.  I'm glad I never had to deal with this issue.

 

[starryskyz]

I didn't post these 3 pics yesterday, but this was really noticeable for me as well wrt splotchiness

Harvey - I took off the skin and the two backgorunds are slightly different. However, I LOVE the new K2 so it's a keeper I wish I didn't have to waste a skin...tried to take it off my old K2 to reuse and it's now very tattered and stretched looking.

 

[L.Canton]

To be perfectly honest, I noticed very little difference in the first few pictures, but the last 3 you posted I can definitely see what you meant; good call on getting it replaced.

 

[VictoriaP]

I'd be willing to bet the background difference you're seeing is the optical illusion Harvey mentioned.  When I block out the frame of the kindles in your pictures, they appear exactly the same color on my calibrated screen.  If there's any difference, I think you'll stop seeing it quickly enough when you move the skin to the new one & start using it exclusively.

Good to see the text differences with the sun fade side by side, that is a huge issue for those who've been affected!

 

[Atunah]

I for sure see differences in the text and also the backround. The new one is darker, more greenish looking. I see it pretty clear on my monitor. Blocking out the frame doesn't change that for me. But what really concerns me is the difference in the letters. The first one is barely readable, like washed out. No way could I read it like that. Since I am still saving up for my K2 I really hope I don't end up with one like that 

 

[jsutula]

With your new and old Kindle, can you please do a page turn in direct sunlight, but with one half of the screen covered?

To me this is a better way of determining what the problem looks like--see my pictures below. I'm still unsure whether it's worth sending back my Kindle 2 and getting another, but as you can see, the fading is very apparent at the smaller font sizes.

 

[Atunah]

Is there uneven fading going from top to bottom on the rightish side of the screen? Or is that the way the light hit it.

 

[Micdiddy]

Thanks for those photos - really interesting and I appreciate you taking the time to show us that. The type is definitely darker in your replacement K2, so that's good!

I don't see much of a difference in the backgrounds between the two... is it possible that the backgrounds appear different because of the optical effect of the dark-colored skin around your old K2?

It would be interesting to see how the two backgrounds appear if you were to remove that skin from the original K2.

Though it's obvious the text on the first one does fade and is enough of a problem to request a new one, Harvey might be on to something with why the second one's background looks darker. Compared to the white of the surround it should make the background look darker even if they are the same exact darkness.
Compare them both unskinned. Or if you already skinned the second one just keep it and adapt, will prob just take a few minutes.

 

[starryskyz]

Though it's obvious the text on the first one does fade and is enough of a problem to request a new one, Harvey might be on to something with why the second one's background looks darker. Compared to the white of the surround it should make the background look darker even if they are the same exact darkness.
Compare them both unskinned. Or if you already skinned the second one just keep it and adapt, will prob just take a few minutes.

Yeah, I took the skin off and the background was still a shade darker. It's very small difference in colour. Sorry I didn't take any more pics

I actually packed up my old K2 already and it's on it's way back to Amazon.