# Opinions: K2 sunlight fading issues (with pictures)



## Trekker (Dec 26, 2008)

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## pomlover2586 (Feb 14, 2009)

I voted yes......you paid a lot for the Kindle.....it should function properly. Fortunately I tested my K2 in the sun yesterday and it didn't appear to have this issue.


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

I don't think it will get better, but you might ask if there is fix for the problem.


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## marianneg (Nov 4, 2008)

Of course you should get a replacement. And if that one has the same problem, get another. These screens are _not_ supposed to fade like that. My K1 is just as crisp and clear in the sun as it is inside.


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## wilsondm2 (Dec 8, 2008)

I voted yes - it shouldn't do that either.

(BTW: which book is that?)


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## stevene9 (Nov 9, 2008)

I would return the thing and get a refund (assuming you still can) and then buy a used K1 which doesn't have all of these problems.


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## Esther (Dec 21, 2008)

I think you should ask for a replacement or a refund, your choice.  Even your "normal" print looks faded to me.  If you can't use it outside as advertised, they need to replace the obviously defective product.  In my opinion.


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## ak rain (Nov 15, 2008)

patterns change and reading locals change. you may not read much outside much now but who knows what the future brings. the device should not fade and you should be able to read inside or outside the window.
sylvia


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## PJ (Feb 25, 2009)

I don't know if you already have but you might want to check out this thread. http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,5657.msg117224/topicseen.html#msg117224

It looks like they had a similar problem and a replacement solved it.


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## wilsondm2 (Dec 8, 2008)

Trekker said:


> I already have a K1 which doesn't fade and the contrast is MUCH better (lighter background, darker text.) I do like the slimness of the K2 and the button layout better.
> 
> I just sent them a reply to the email survey they sent me when I first called about the issue and provided links to the pictures. I also asked for a replacement. I'll follow up with a phone call.
> 
> Does anybody have Jeff Bezos email address? I'd like to send him the pictures (even if his email is screened by his staff, maybe it'll get through.) I'm sure he has to be aware of this problem and probably doesn't know what to do at this time. Dare I mention the word *recall*?


[email protected] - I got an e-mail drom his executive assistant who assured me he reads his e-mails.


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## Kind (Jan 28, 2009)

Yeah, for $359... you should ask for a replacement.


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## LSbookend (Dec 22, 2008)

It may be the picture, but even your normal looks dark (I have a k2 and know there are some people complaining about how dark the background is) So if it is the picture I'm assuming your in light is even lighter in real life. I'd think you need to call.


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## Tranquil Ape (Mar 19, 2009)

I'm curious... are those screen shots taken from the Kindle?  id be interested to see what differences a screen shot shows between the two settings...


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

I experienced this same problem. But chose not to return it since 

1-I don't read outside very much
2-When I do read outside it doesn't always happen
3-I applied a $40 skin to my kindle and don't want to have to buy another one for an RMA.

So far so good.


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## Zeronewbury (Feb 20, 2009)

I called CS and suggested that the pictures of people reading outdoors may be reason for a claim of false advertising.  I got my replacement Kindle within 48 hours.  It is better, but not perfect.

Actually the CS guy was really nice about it, but I did mention the pictures of smiling people reading in the sunshine.


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## kevindorsey (Mar 4, 2009)

I wonder what the official percentage of K2 that have this issue?  I would bet the number is around 20%, which is very high.


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## patrisha w. (Oct 28, 2008)

Kathy said:


> I don't think it will get better, but you might ask if there is fix for the problem.


 There is a fix for the problem and it is a new K2. When I talked to customer service, I was promised a new K2 the next day and told I would have 30 days to return the original one/ 
When the new one arrived, I took it out into the sunshine, and it was fine.

patrisha


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

patrisha #150 said:


> There is a fix for the problem and it is a new K2. When I talked to customer service, I was promised a new K2 the next day and told I would have 30 days to return the original one/
> When the new one arrived, I took it out into the sunshine, and it was fine.
> 
> patrisha


I also had my Kindle replaced for the sun fading issue. My replacement arrived Tuesday, March 31. It did not fade but the text was lighter. However, it still had 2.0.0. Today the Kindle updated to 2.0.2 and the text is now as dark as I remember on the earlier Kindle.


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## Elijsha (Dec 10, 2008)

I got to read, on my k2 outside in the sun for the first time today. I didn't notice anything fading at all. I'd get a replacement if i were you.


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## VMars (Feb 8, 2009)

I tried mine in the sun and nothing much happened. However I do think Amazon should have made the text darker, it was never quite as dark as I would prefer.


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## frojazz (Feb 10, 2009)

Trekker,
This is really a bummer!  You need to get another replacement, unfortunately.  I have a K2, and I have read it outside, but I don't have the fading issues you have had.  Don't give up!  Maybe Amazon can do the sun test on the next one they send you and make sure it doesn't fade before they ship it; it'd be the least they could do for you, at this point!  (Really, they should do the sun test for all of them and fix the ones that fade.)

The only problem I have in the sun is that when I hit 'next page' and read for awhile, the previous page starts to leak through, but it generally is not dark enough to distract me.  I only noticed it when I was watching for fade after reading about problems people have had here on KindleBoards.

Get another one; I'm sorry that you have lucked out twice.  You wouldn't be wrong if you felt very disappointed right now.


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## chynared21 (Oct 28, 2008)

*Third time is a charm...hope it works out for you Trekker. It's a shame that you have to go through that many of them and maybe Amazon should pull the picture of the woman reading in the sun *


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## PJ (Feb 25, 2009)

The fading is pretty dramatic.  Have you sent these pictures to Amazon CS or better yet to Jeff Bezos?  They should know that information like this is circulating around so the can really take note and address the issue.


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## Shetlander (Mar 10, 2009)

I hope the next replacement works for you! I haven't had any problem with fading with either K1 or K2.  And this time of year, I read in full sunlight outside.  The fading sounds like a problem that popped up with the some of the K2's.


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## Shetlander (Mar 10, 2009)

Trekker said:


> I have a feeling that many people may have this issue and not know it, simply because they haven't taken their kindle out in the sun and tried this test.


The first sunny day I was home from work, I made sure to check and was happy to see the K2 was just as readable in full sun as the K1. I've read at length in direct sunlight outside a few times since and it is great. So here's hoping your next K2 works just as well!


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## Zeronewbury (Feb 20, 2009)

My DW was basking in the Utah sunshine yesterday, still recovering from surgery and reading the GeekBook™. I am _very_ Happy to report that the print was eminently readable. This was a huge difference from the one I returned. (I am only on my second one.) If you are in doubt, return yours. Again and again until they get it right.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Trekker said:


> Here are pictures of the replacement Kindle they sent me, it fades just as bad if not worse than the original. I called support again, they tried telling me that the K2 wasn't really meant to be read in the direct sunlight. Yeah, right....I guess the picture of the woman reading on the beach was in the middle of a thunderstorm. ...


When I called support on my Kindle, the person I talked to said he had not heard of the problem. He gave the picture of the woman reading on the beach as an example that it was meant to be read in direct sunlight. After confirming with a supervisor, he had a new K2 sent to me. Fortunately that one did not have a problem with fading in sunlight. However it does mean that I no longer have the January 21st issue of the New York Times on my Kindle.


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