<p>My son just IMed me that his Kindle will not turn on; the Kindle he just got for Hanukkah! It was working on the plane yesterday, but tonight he can not get it to turn on. I did ask if it was charged, know full well it was; but I couldn’t come up with anything else.</p>
<p>I have not checked on Amazon as to what the return policy is for defective Kindles. My worry is that he might have done something to it, rather than it just stopped working. When I pressed him for more details he did add that maybe there is a tiny scratch on the screen toward the bottom. </p>
<p>Any idea what Amazon will do for me? I don’t know if I should order another one now so that it will arrive sooner, or wait to see what Amazon’s policy is.</p>
<p>I dont know about those but - in general there should be a force reset- also make sure fully charged- scratch on the screen shouldn’t be anything ( but there should be screen protectors available.)</p>
<p>I had to call Amazon when the screen on my Kindle went bad. They had me try to hold the on/off switch to the off position for 30 seconds to reboot it. It didn’t fix the problem, so they overnighted a new Kindle to me. They paid for the return shipping of my defective Kindle as well. Since I didn’t know what caused the screen to malfunction, that’s what I told the rep., so I don’t think your so should have any issues getting his replaced.</p>
<p>I don’t know if this is apples and oranges, but FWIW: When I had a problem with my Barnes & Noble nook, they cheerfully replaced it. First they asked me to unregister it, restore to factory settings, and then re-register (not sure if kindle has comparable functions). When that didn’t fix it, they sent me a new one and emailed me a UPS label to return the original defective.</p>
<p>One thing: the replacement was not a brand-new nook, but a “Certified pre-owned.” I think that’s standard for replacement these days for electronic devices, but it was jarring all the same. But the replacement looks and works like new.</p>
<p>I need to make a correction to my post. I was told to hold the on/off button on my Kindle to the <em>on</em> position for 30 seconds to reboot it.</p>
<p>If the rebooting the Kindle doesn’t work, just call them. I am on my third Kindle and they will immediately overnight you a new one and you have 30 days to return the old one and they pay for postage. Just make sure he sends back the old one or you’ll get charged for the new one.</p>
<p>Another possibility: Does he have the leather Kindle cover (latest generation) without the light? This cover is causing problems with the Kindle that are known to Amazon and publicized through various online news sites and communities. Google “Kindle cover problems” and you’ll find the news stories (or check Gizmodo or CNET News). The cover with the built-in light does not cause problems.</p>
<p>Amazon will send you a new, lighted cover. They will refund the cost of the unlighted cover and give you a $25 credit, thus covering the cost of the new cover. Don’t send your Kindle back, because it’s likely that there’s no problem with it, and you might get a refurbished Kindle as a replacement.</p>
<p>We called Amazon on Monday and received the new cover on Wednesday. Be sure to say that the Kindle is freezing and that based on what you’ve read, you believe the problem is with the cover.</p>
<p>There are other Kindle covers on the market, but I think Amazon’s is the sturdiest.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions, and sorry I posted without checking Amazon first; I was trying to get some work done and was lazy!</p>
<p>My son has tried the reset as that is the standard for most electronic now; no luck there. He has a silicone cover, so I told him to take it off and see if that would make a difference, but it didn’t. He says it is the screen, and the scratches he mentioned yesterday are really lines from the Kindle itself; I guess from the print or whatever.</p>
<p>He is going to call Amazon and I suggested that he do it sooner rather than later; maybe he could actually receive the new one by tomorrow, but I would guess it would be Monday. He can’t call until this afternoon assuming he can get through to Amazon!</p>
<p>My son had a screen failure like that, too (earlier generation). They’re more fragile than we think. He carried his in the case in his messenger bag with his laptop. We think the banging around did it. Aside from the glitch I mentioned, the current-generation Amazon cases seem to give better protection (and they should, because they are not cheap). Good luck. Kindle deprivation, even for a few days, is painful.</p>
<p>Luckily for my son he is visiting his sister; she also received a matching Kindle for Hanukkah. They are sharing a Kindle account so that they can share books. He just downloaded the book he was reading to her Kindle, so he can read at the gym. I am not sure how he feels about her pink cover, but he will have to get over that! On second thought, knowing him as I do, he will take her cover off and put his on!</p>
<p>Now, if he breaks her Kindle he might have to walk home from DC to Atlanta tomorrow!</p>
<p>Well that might have been one of the easiest transaction my son has done in a while! He called Amazon and they are shipping him a new (or refurbished, he forgot to ask) Kindle next day air, to arrive here tomorrow. He also was emailed a free shipping label to sent his Kindle back in the same box the replacement Kindle came in. My son said the whole conversation took under 5 minutes. </p>
<p>That’s because only the customers with buggy devices are the ones likely to go comment about their gadgets on internet forums, so it’s going to be skewed. Truth be told, as for as modern day tech toys go, I feel that the Kindle is probably one of the best straightforward out-of-the-box intuitive devices there is. (And if you pay attention to these reports of defective Kindles, you’ll also notice now very competently they have been handled by customer service.) I got my Kindle 1 and a half years ago and can’t imagine life without it!</p>
<p>I am still SO tempted to buy one of these devices!!! In a week or two, I’m going to start a thread where all you experienced people with new devices can share your experiences pro/con on your particular device.</p>
<p>That’s assuming that the only stories I’m hearing are on internet forums. I have about a dozen friends who have them and more than half have had to have them replaced. I applaud the good customer service but it’s still a pain when something goes wrong with a new purchase. I think I’ll stick with good old books for at least another year!</p>
<p>My husband has the first generation from 2 years ago and has only had a problem with the battery not holding a charge long enough the first year and they replaced it with no problem at all. I’ve had the third generation since it came out (Aug?) and have had no problems. Kindle support is just very, very excellent, so if you do have a problem they are the best. They are extremely helpful if you have a question about usage also.</p>
<p>I got hooked when I published a Kindle book and needed to see what it looked like. The BEST BEST thing about it is that it satisfies the instant gratification - initially for free. You can instantly download a free sample of the book and then decide after reading the sample if you want to buy it or not. My wife and I were watching the Daily Show when Jon Stewart was interviewing the author of Cleopatra: A Life. The book sounded interesting, so just a few seconds later - while the short interview was still going on, I was reading the first chapter for free.</p>
<p>It definitely does seem like instant gratification is becoming more and more expected these days.</p>
<p>It’s true that if I get a book from the library, I have to actually get there, and the book has to be on the shelf, but the price can’t be beat, and I find it’s not even worth remarking on that a book bought or borrowed in August still “works” in December! :)</p>
<p>The cool thing is, even if the book isn’t *immediately *available, there are thousands of other ones there, and they’re *all *free.</p>
<p>The reality is that at a price point between 89 and 189 dollars, the Kindle has become a disposable item. If something is so totally wrong that the excellent customer service at Amazon won’t replace it, the purchase of a newer version is not that problematic. All in all, if you compare the Kindle to other electronics --and especially cell phones that require long-term contracts-- the Kindle is a gem in pricing and performance.</p>
<p>On a personal basis, I prefer the feel of books. However, this is coming from someone who has the ability of visiting some of the best libraries in the world on a daily basis. After playing with the Kindle of my mother and sister, I can see why people fall in love with the device. I wish I could say the same about my iPad, but that is another story. :)</p>