Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsAmazon is making it known; probably for the last time that 5th-gen Kindle or older devices are due for a critical firmware update, otherwise those select e-book readers will lose connectivity.
It would be a crippling blow for a device that draws its relevance from the bouquet of Amazon online services, which include connecting to the Kindle Store to download books or the ability to sync with the cloud.
The deadline for updating the older Kindle e-readers is March 22, beyond which the security certificates on the specific devices will not be relevant anymore.
Amazon explained the new update is necessary owing to the new industry web standards that have come in force as well as in response to the current threat perception.
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- Effortless reading in any light - Read comfortably with a 6“ glare-free display, adjustable front light—now 25% brighter at max setting—and dark mode.
- Escape into your books - Tune out messages, emails, and social media with a distraction-free reading experience.
- Read for a while - Get up to 6 weeks of battery life on a single charge.
- Take your library with you – 16 GB storage holds thousands of books.
Essentially, the firmware update applies to Kindle devices launched before 2013. These includes:
Kindle 1st Generation (2007)
Kindle 2nd Generation (2009)
Kindle DX 2nd Generation (2009)
Kindle Keyboard 3rd Generation (2010)
Kindle 4th Generation (2011)
Kindle 5th Generation (2012)
Kindle Touch 4th Generation (2011)
Kindle Paperwhite 5th Generation (2012)
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- The lightest and most compact Kindle - Now with a brighter front light at max setting, higher contrast ratio, and faster page turns for an enhanced reading experience.
- Effortless reading in any light - Read comfortably with a 6“ glare-free display, adjustable front light—now 25% brighter at max setting—and dark mode.
- Escape into your books - Tune out messages, emails, and social media with a distraction-free reading experience.
- Read for a while - Get up to 6 weeks of battery life on a single charge.
- Take your library with you - 16 GB storage holds thousands of books.
Amongst these, the 1st and 2nd generation Kindle and the Kindle DX 2nd generation can be updated via 2G or 3G connection as is applicable. For the rest of the e-readers, WiFi is the only way to ring in the update.
Among the devices that have been exempted from the critical update requirement include:
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- Our fastest Kindle Paperwhite ever – The next-generation 7“ Paperwhite display has a higher contrast ratio and 25% faster page turns.
- Ready for travel – The ultra-thin design has a larger glare-free screen so pages stay sharp no matter where you are.
- Escape into your books – Your Kindle doesn’t have social media, notifications, or other distracting apps.
- Battery life for your longest novel – A single charge via USB-C lasts up to 12 weeks.
- Read in any light – Adjust the display from white to amber to read in bright sunlight or in the dark.
Kindle Paperwhite 6th Generation (2013)
Kindle 7th Generation (2014)
Kindle Voyage 7th Generation (2014) and
Kindle Paperwhite 7th Generation (2015)
Amazon has stated there will still be a way out for those who miss out on the deadline, though a slightly less desirable one. That calls for downloading the said update manually on a PC and transferring the same to the Kindle device via a USB cable.
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- Our fastest Kindle Paperwhite ever – The next-generation 7“ Paperwhite display has a higher contrast ratio and 25% faster page turns.
- Upgrade your reading experience – The Signature Edition features an auto-adjusting front light, wireless charging, and 32 GB storage.
- Ready for travel – The ultra-thin design has a larger glare-free screen so pages stay sharp no matter where you are.
- Escape into your books – Your Kindle doesn’t have social media, notifications, or other distracting apps.
- Adapts to your surroundings – The auto-adjusting front light lets you read in the brightest sunlight or late into the night.
Amazon can be considered the pioneers in the field of e-books and e-book reading devices, having been in the business for almost a decade now.
Their Kindle e-readers changed the very notion of reading books while introducing concepts such as digital publishing and such.
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- Our fastest Kindle Paperwhite ever – The next-generation 7“ Paperwhite display has a higher contrast ratio and 25% faster page turns.
- Ready for travel – The ultra-thin design has a larger glare-free screen so pages stay sharp no matter where you are.
- Escape into your books – Your Kindle doesn’t have social media, notifications, or other distracting apps.
- Battery life for your longest novel – A single charge via USB-C lasts up to 12 weeks.
- Read in any light – Adjust the display from white to amber to read in bright sunlight or in the dark.
While Amazon takes pride in the fact that people have taken to reading e-books far more than they did with their paper counterparts, what also cannot be ignored is that the same also led to several controversies related to digital rights of authors and publishers, profit sharing and such. Apple already has found itself at the receiving end of a court judgement that has deemed it guilty of colluding with publishers to jack up e-book prices.
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