# Ultra-heavy screen burn with Kindle 3



## inmylife99 (Nov 11, 2010)

I bought my Kindle 3 about three months ago. I always use sleep mode and rarely turn the device off completely.

Just yesterday when I slid the power switch I noticed there was this massive screen burn that occupied 4/5 of the screen. I tried turn it off completely but the burn is still there, and it just doesn't go away:










In Screen saver mode:










I live in New Zealand (also bought it here), so there's probably no chance of getting official support.

Any help is greatly appreciated, I'm getting crazy over this


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Definitely need an exchange.

That's a majorly defective screen.  At most you get some slight ghosting that goes away with a page turn (or press of alt-G to refresh), nothing like that.

All you can do is try to call them up and see if they'll exchange for you in your country.  If not there's not much recourse beyond buying a new one.


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## Morf (Nov 18, 2010)

Agree with mooshie this is a serious problem, that actually looks to me like a cracked screen. There's a very definite line across the screen below which things seem to be working largely normally (except at the right) and the rest of the screen is basically useless.

I don't know exactly how you bought it, but I'd still try ringing Kindle CS (not the normal Amazon) and see how you get on.


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

That looks like the screen is cracked, not burn in. It will need to be replaced. E-ink screens are glass and your K shows the signs of an impact damage.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

intinst said:


> That looks like the screen is cracked, not burn in. It will need to be replaced. E-ink screens are glass and your K shows the signs of an impact damage.


that was my first reaction. e-ink doesn't really burn in and that looks like a damaged screen. especially since it's not changing when you try and put it to sleep.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

yep.. cracked screen.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

I concur, that screen is broken.


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## Shetlander (Mar 10, 2009)

Something very similar happened with my K2.  Screen failure for sure.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

It looks very much like what happened with my first K2, except that mine also had dark patches.  But I don't think it's the glass screen that is cracked  --  how could that happen in those perfectly vertical and horizontal lines?


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## daveconifer (Oct 20, 2009)

Yeah, I wouldn't call that burn-in.  It's just broken...


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> It looks very much like what happened with my first K2, except that mine also had dark patches. But I don't think it's the glass screen that is cracked -- how could that happen in those perfectly vertical and horizontal lines?


The way the eink is laid out in between the glass and the plastic must be horizontal and vertical, which is why the ink leaks in that pattern once the glass beneath is is broken.


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## Morf (Nov 18, 2010)

Susan in VA said:


> It looks very much like what happened with my first K2, except that mine also had dark patches. But I don't think it's the glass screen that is cracked -- how could that happen in those perfectly vertical and horizontal lines?


Like all screens, the eink screen is controlled by a matrix of horizontal and vertical "wires" (electrical traces on the glass) which activate the individual pixels.

Once the glass is cracked, the "wires" are broken and so the signals can no longer travel the full length of them.

The crack - or the main crack anyway - is across the screen at the top of the section at the bottom which is still working. The signals are still getting to most of that bottom area, so it's still working. Some of the wires to the top and right-hand area are completely broken, hence the old image on the screen stays there all the time because nothing is getting through to change it (remember the eink screen is static ie it will keep a display permanently until switched). Some of the wires are probably only damaged (or there may be multiple wires, some of which are broken) as a result of which the only signal that's getting through is the one that switches to white, hence the white areas.

At least, that's my theory, based on what I understand of the way eink and other screens work, and a bit of guesswork.

But I'm sorry minhhale, it's terminally broke.


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## David Derrico (Nov 18, 2009)

Others have already diagnosed it for you, but just to add in from what I've seen: the e-Ink screens can often crack on the _inside_, which is why the damage is not immediately apparent on the outside. There's more than one layer of glass in the screen.

I hope you have luck in getting a replacement!


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2011)

That's not burn in. You either dropped something on or put a lot of pressure on your screen and cracked it. All you can do is get a new one. Sorry!


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## inmylife99 (Nov 11, 2010)

Thanks everyone for your kind replies. This is a disaster, I've just had this thing for three months and look at it now!

*Update*: When I turn the "cracked" Kindle on, I hear this weird buzzing noise from inside the Kindle. When I slide the power switch the noise then goes away after about 2 seconds. The gigantic mark is still there.

I sent an email to Kindle CS, hopefully I'll be able to get a replacement. Or if New Zealand is not under official support and I have to get a new one, I won't go for Kindle again. This experience is dreadful enough.

In that case can anyone recommend me a more durable reading device? I doubt if the Kindle screen is cracked due to outer pressure; I keep it in the cover all the time and always have it lying on the table.


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## auge_28 (Oct 3, 2010)

minhhale said:


> Thanks everyone for your kind replies. This is a disaster, I've just had this thing for three months and look at it now!
> 
> I sent an email to Kindle CS, hopefully I'll be able to get a replacement. Or if New Zealand is not under official support and I have to get a new one, I won't go for Kindle again. This experience is dreadful enough.
> 
> In that case can anyone recommend me a more durable reading device? I doubt if the Kindle screen is cracked due to outer pressure; I keep it in the cover all the time and always have it lying on the table.


I had two Kindles in covers and this happened to both of them.
Trust us; it's from pressure on the screen.
As for a recommendation, I am pretty sure all e-ink screens are about the same. The LCD screens are thicker and can take more damage so maybe an iPod touch, iPad or the Nook color.

The covers do not really protect from this kind of pressure, it seems they are good for protecting the corners and from scratches. It seems that the screen is the weak point on these devices. Once I figured this out I keep that in mind and treat my Kindle as the expensive delicate electronic device it is.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

minhhale said:


> In that case can anyone recommend me a more durable reading device? I doubt if the Kindle screen is cracked due to outer pressure; I keep it in the cover all the time and always have it lying on the table.


All eink screens are made by the same manufacturer, in the same factory, using the same materials.

Since you have only had it three months, there should be no problem with Amazon replacing it under warranty.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

minhhale -- you might try the 'call me back' feature. . .I think it's available for New Zealand.  I feel sure they won't give you any difficulty about replacing it.


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## dixiehellcat (Jan 23, 2011)

Ann in Arlington said:


> minhhale -- you might try the 'call me back' feature. . .I think it's available for New Zealand. I feel sure they won't give you any difficulty about replacing it.


I agree. When I got mine I immediately had some issues figuring out how to set it up and get it running; I used call me back and my phone rang instantly! I mean, less than 10 seconds. Being where you are, it will likely take a little longer, but not too long, I'd bet. And the rep who helped me was wonderful.


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## inmylife99 (Nov 11, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> minhhale -- you might try the 'call me back' feature. . .I think it's available for New Zealand.


How do I use that feature? I can't afford to call to the US, plus I don't even have an Amazon account!


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

minhhale said:


> How do I use that feature? I can't afford to call to the US, plus I don't even have an Amazon account!


First thing I'd do? Set up an Amazon account....


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I guess I wonder how you bought a Kindle without an Amazon account. . . .I didn't think there were any 'brick and mortar' sellers in NZ.

Anyway, look on the Kindle Support page. . . .www.amazon.com/kindlesupport.  There should be a link that says "contact us" and gives options.  For a broken/defective Kindle click the phone option and the 'call me' feature will show there.  But it looks like it might not be available in New Zealand. . .but if you call on the international number I've heard anecdotally that if you give 'em your number they will call you back.  So you don't spend too much on the call.


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## inmylife99 (Nov 11, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I guess I wonder how you bought a Kindle without an Amazon account. . . .I didn't think there were any 'brick and mortar' sellers in NZ.


Yeah I bought it from some guy on TradeMe - a New Zealand website similar to ebay. I don't even have original proofs of purchase for the Kindle 



Ann in Arlington said:


> Anyway, look on the Kindle Support page. . . .www.amazon.com/kindlesupport.


I'm not sure if they would even bother with users who don't have an Amazon account, bought their product from some unaccredited "retailer" and use pdf books downloaded off the Internet like me. Even this is illegal in some way.

This is hopeless anyway, so I'll give it a try.


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## auge_28 (Oct 3, 2010)

minhhale said:


> Yeah I bought it from some guy on TradeMe - a New Zealand website similar to ebay. I don't even have original proofs of purchase for the Kindle


I don't know if it matters that you don't have proof.



minhhale said:


> I'm not sure if they would even bother with users who don't have an Amazon account, bought their product from some unaccredited "retailer" and use pdf books downloaded off the Internet like me. Even this is illegal in some way.
> This is hopeless anyway, so I'll give it a try.


It might be easier if you had an account but they do not seem to have a clause that states there product can/should only be used for Amazon books.
Amazon does not sell PDFs and they support them so I believe they know that the Kindle will be used that way.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

The only reason I can think you might have a problem is that if the Kindle had been reported stolen.

I think you'd have to have it registered to an Amazon account for them to be able to do any troubleshooting 'over the air'.  But this is pretty clearly a screen gone bad and the only way to fix that is to replace it.

The thing is DEFINITELY under warranty, as the warranty is 1 year and it was only released on August 27.  And it's an Amazon product so I think they'll honor that. . .unless it has been reported stolen or something.  But they might charge you shipping since it didn't originally ship from them directly, and I don't have any idea how long it would take.  All you can do is ask.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Morf said:


> Like all screens, the eink screen is controlled by a matrix of horizontal and vertical "wires" (electrical traces on the glass) which activate the individual pixels.
> 
> Once the glass is cracked, the "wires" are broken and so the signals can no longer travel the full length of them.
> 
> ...


Morf, that's a great explanation (or theory ), but how would you explain a screen that shows those same vertical and horizontal lines, with some of the sections too dark to read easily, but which DOES refresh (and responds to every button) exactly as it's supposed to? That's what mine does.


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## inmylife99 (Nov 11, 2010)

*Update!*

I contacted Amazon Customer Support on the 31st of January. After examining the pictures, they told me to ship my broken Kindle to the US, then they'd charge me 189$ to send me a brand new Kindle, plus shipping cost 30$. I'm not sure what's going to happen next, will they refund the 219$ to me once the broken Kindle arrived?

I was going to buy a new one anyway, but hopefully I'll get the 219$ back.


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## Morf (Nov 18, 2010)

Susan,

Sorry, I missed your question when you posted it  

My guess is a variation on the same thing - rather than the screen itself being cracked, maybe the circuits to the screen are damaged/faulty so that the signal is only getting through on some lines. Remember that the Kindle screen is 800x600 and less than 6" x 4" so there are more than 150 signal lines per inch, so if the majority are intact with the occasional ones not working you would get a working screen with lines in it. I presume you've reported it to Amazon and got it fixed?

Minhhale,

I would assume like you that they are going to refund some proportion of the cost (they may choose not to refund the shipping so maybe only $189) but you might want to check back with them to be sure. After all, if they are not refunding on it why bother sending it back to them, there's always geeks (sorry, electronics enthusiasts) out there who will pay a small amount for a broken device to take it apart. Even the battery might be worth something!


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## 3jayhawks (Feb 11, 2011)

Minnhale-

I just experienced the EXACT issue you are dealing with. I bought kindle 3 in Sept 2010, within 30 days I cracked the screen (it was on the bed, I put my knee on the bed & I heard it snap!) Luckily, I had purchased the extended warranty w/ accidental coverage- within 3 days I had a new Kindle in my hands- no fees, no shipping, no questions- mailed the broken one back AFTER I received new!  Then, last week I picked my (2ND) kindle & saw almost the exact screen you posted, UGH!  The extended warranty only allows for one replacement, regardless of the 2 years of coverage.  

The thing is, I could not recall any damage being done to my kindle, it occasionally gets a bump here and there, but I am careful and there was no particular event just prior to damage.  
I called amazon, explained the issue, & in under 5 minutes a replacement kindle was on its way.  I just received it today- no charge-  it is covered by the standard 12 month warranty as a defective part.  I was not charged a single penny, they emailed me a prepaid return label to return the damaged one within 30 days or I will be charged the full price of the replacement. 

I hope that you are able to get a free replacemet.  I contacted Kindle support at 1-866-321-8851.  I'm in the US, so I don't if you are able to access the number but give it a try.  

Sorry for the long post, I just hope it helps and that you have not already paid for your replacement. 

GOD LUCK!


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## Cloysterpete (Aug 21, 2010)

I never buy the extended warranties, official 1 year one always works fine, I have two Kindles sitting here now (UK dude) as one of them the plastic cracked so I got a new one sent. I need to send the first one back but I can't be bothered, the great thing is Amazon will come and pick it up for you at no charge in fat they actually give you money for it lol. Last time I had to return something I got dhl to pick it up and a few days later Amazon refunded me the postage costs, even though there were no postage costs!.


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