# Cracks in bezel Kindle Keyboard, should I replace it?



## Brigitte (Aug 22, 2011)

Hi everyone,

I bought my KK (aka Kindle 3) less than two years ago through Amazon.com. A few weeks ago I noticed it had two cracks in the bezel and when I googled, I found I was not the only one. Even though the Kindle is in perfect working order, it's not something I'm entirely confortable with and it seems to be a manufacturing defect. 

I contacted Amazon, told them I always keep it in a Oberon Design cover and that I had never dropped it, which is in fact the truth. They refused to give me a replacement out of warranty because I hadn't used an Amazon approved cover, one of those things in the fine print nobody ever bothers to read. Instead, they offered a discount should I be interested in another type of Kindle. At the time the Kindle PW was only available for international purchase with 3G which I have no use for so I did not accept and I also failed to ask what kind of discount they were talking about. I'm not interested in other Kindle types because I have a Nexus 7 for my tablet purposes. 

Anyway, it keeps bugging me. I'm totally in love with my Oberon Design cover and I'm convinced it has nothing to do with the damage to the Kindle. By now the Kindle PW Wifi has become available for international purchase but buying another Kindle at an unknown discount would mean that I would also have to shell out for a new Oberon cover, not the cheapest option with the added import duties to my country. 

What would you do? Is the PW a huge improvement over the KK anyway? Will the cracks at some point cause my Kindle to become defective?


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## booklover888 (May 20, 2012)

Yes I have read that those cracks happen, and in fact it did happen to my K3wifi. I covered it with a skin. It still works fine. I wouldn't worry about it. But if you want a new Kindle, or an additional kindle, the PW is a great choice!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

As I understand it, the cracks are simply stress fractures in the plastic and nothing, really, to do with the device itself. As long is the case is otherwise intact, you have nothing to worry about. We have some folks here who reported cracks developing pretty early on but they've never affected the workings of the device -- purely cosmetic flaws.

So your choices are just use it and not worry about it or buy a new kindle.

If you can ignore it, do so.

If it bothers you cosmetically, a skin may solve that issue.

If just knowing it's there bothers you, then the only solution is a new device.

If you contact Amazon about replacement, they _may_ offer a discount (they may not, you're overseas, their policies might be different*) but if so will likely require you to return the Kindle you have. If the device still works, though, I'd consider just getting a new device and keeping the K3 as a back up.

They do not appear to be selling the Keyboard kindle new any longer so you could not replace it with one of those anyway. You might be able to find one second hand -- we have a Buy/Sell/Trade/Barter board here -- but it would be out of warranty as well, most likely.

It's true the kindles currently for sale are a different size so your existing Oberon brand cover will not fit.

* I see they _did_ offer you a discount -- that's excellent and I'd consider it quite generous. Not many companies would do that.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Well, I think the key thing was "out of warranty" not the cover.    My .02.

I think the PW is the ultimate Kindle, so far.  But you can't listen to audiobooks, you can't access the web if you have 3G (which it sounds like wouldn't be a big deal since you use the Nexus).

I think covering the cracks with a skin is a good option.  I've read of several members who've done that.  But getting a discount on a PW is a good thing, too!

Betsy


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## Brigitte (Aug 22, 2011)

I just ended a chat with an Amazon rep and he can still only send me a Kindle Touch or PW 3G. He evaded my question about it being a refurbished device but I strongly suspect this is the case given reports by other customers (Amazon seems to call them "very tested devices"). However, he did offer $20 credit to my account should I wish to purchase a Paperwhite wifi. I would have to place a separate order instead of ordering through the Amazon rep but I would of course rather do that than end up with what basically would be a repaired unit. 

Thanks for your feedback, I'm inclined to accept the offer but I'll also have a look at skins for my Kindle.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I bought my kindle keyboard when they first came out, what was that, August 2010 I think? About 6-7 months later it got a crack in the bezel on the bottom right. It was about 1cm. I had so many books on it, all my collections set up and the kindle worked fine and I just didn't feel like asking for a replacement. 
But the crack drove me crazy as I kept looking at it.  . I didn't want a colorful distracting skin, I had never had a skin on anything, so I picked the matte black woodgrain from decal gal and it blends right into the kindle. Very subtle. I haven't really thought about that crack since and I have no clue what it looks like now over 2 years later. I can tell that it hasn't come all the way to the edge as the edge is not covered in a skin. 

The kindle has worked fine all this time with no issues. So for me it was strictly cosmetic. 

I do have a PW now also and I really love it. You can't go wrong with it if you want to go that direction. 

I also wouldn't worry about refurbished stuff from Amazon. Its pretty much new. 
I don't think it would even be cost effective to repair kindles considering how much less they cost nowadays.


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## Morf (Nov 18, 2010)

Amazon *did* swap my first K3 for this problem when out of warranty...

It was about 16 months old, and had been in an Amazon case.

The replacement was a refurb, and probably lasted less than a year before the cracks started again. This time round I ignored it.

As everybody else says, don't get hung up over these, they are stress fractures only, and where they are it causes no structural problem. Unless you particularly want an upgrade (and remember, they will want the old one back) I'd just put up with it.



Atunah said:


> I also wouldn't worry about refurbished stuff from Amazon. Its pretty much new.
> I don't think it would even be cost effective to repair kindles considering how much less they cost nowadays.


You'd be surprised! I have a cheap android phone, on which the screen failed while in warranty. I returned it, expecting to get a replacement, but I got my old one back (I could tell from the case) with presumably a new screen in it.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Morf said:


> You'd be surprised! I have a cheap android phone, on which the screen failed while in warranty. I returned it, expecting to get a replacement, but I got my old one back (I could tell from the case) with presumably a new screen in it.


I am curious did you use Amazon to replace your phone? Amazon usually sends out the new one before you send in the old one. 
I see no comparison between a kindle and a cheap phone.


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## Morf (Nov 18, 2010)

No, it was a purchase through a local phone shop, returned to manufacturer and repaired. 

The point I was making was that both the Kindle and the phone are cheap electronics - the phone was sub £70 in the UK, so actually cheaper than a Kindle 3 - and they considered it worthwhile replacing the screen in the phone, so I'm sure it is worthwhile replacing components in a Kindle as well.

I suspect part of this is due to the tougher laws on disposal and recycling - they can't just throw returned Kindles away, they have to dismantle and recycle them, so they might as well dismantle and repair them.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Morf said:


> No, it was a purchase through a local phone shop, returned to manufacturer and repaired.
> 
> The point I was making was that both the Kindle and the phone are cheap electronics - the phone was sub £70 in the UK, so actually cheaper than a Kindle 3 - and they considered it worthwhile replacing the screen in the phone, so I'm sure it is worthwhile replacing components in a Kindle as well.
> 
> I suspect part of this is due to the tougher laws on disposal and recycling - they can't just throw returned Kindles away, they have to dismantle and recycle them, so they might as well dismantle and repair them.


Now I see what you were thinking. It is also interesting to note that we are talking about 2 different countries. Here in the US for a cheap phone, they would just hand you another phone and ship the old phone off to wherever it is old phones go to die or be refurbed. Though usually you have to sign a new contract or upgrade your old one to qualify for a new phone. oh and just in US terms, my phone is worth about $30. So really cheap.


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## Morf (Nov 18, 2010)

Part of the difference is that (a) this was within the first 12 months - and UK law means things are warrantied for 12 months, and (b) this wasn't a contract phone, it was Pay As You Go - not sure if you have this idea, it means you pay more like the real cost of the handset, and you are not tied into a contract, you just "load" the phone with credit and, when you've used it, you top it up - or stop using it and buy a new one. I guess this is what the "burner" phones I hear talked about in US TV drama are like.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Morf said:


> Part of the difference is that (a) this was within the first 12 months - and UK law means things are warrantied for 12 months, and (b) this wasn't a contract phone, it was Pay As You Go - not sure if you have this idea, it means you pay more like the real cost of the handset, and you are not tied into a contract, you just "load" the phone with credit and, when you've used it, you top it up - or stop using it and buy a new one. I guess this is what the "burner" phones I hear talked about in US TV drama are like.


This is the kind of phone I use as my everyday phone--which works for me because I don't use it everyday. 

Betsy


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## Brigitte (Aug 22, 2011)

I took the plunge and ordered a PW yesterday. The other day I was traveling by train and hadn't brought my Kindle so I decided to use my Nexus to read a book and the touchscreen was a kind of revelation. I've always hated the D-pad and its clumsy way of navigating. I realise the touchscreen on an ereader is a different user experience but hey, it can't be as bad as the D-pad, right? Also, I never saw the point of the physical keyboard, it only adds unnecessary real estate to the device. Guess I'm spoiled by small devices and touchscreens  

Skins are not for me, I'm having nightmares applying a screen protector to a phone and I can't even imagine having to stick something around the tiny keyboard keys. It was a good suggestion though, I didn't know something like that existed.


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## booklover888 (May 20, 2012)

Brigitte said:


> I took the plunge and ordered a PW yesterday. The other day I was traveling by train and hadn't brought my Kindle so I decided to use my Nexus to read a book and the touchscreen was a kind of revelation. I've always hated the D-pad and its clumsy way of navigating. I realise the touchscreen on an ereader is a different user experience but hey, it can't be as bad as the D-pad, right? Also, I never saw the point of the physical keyboard, it only adds unnecessary real estate to the device. Guess I'm spoiled by small devices and touchscreens
> 
> Skins are not for me, I'm having nightmares applying a screen protector to a phone and I can't even imagine having to stick something around the tiny keyboard keys. It was a good suggestion though, I didn't know something like that existed.


I think you will love the Paperwhite. I could never go back to my keyboard kindle after I got it. So much better. And I love the light.

FYI you can get a "nokey" skin for a Kindle Keyboard....covers all the keys up and they still work fine. That's what I had put on mine, as the letters on the keys were fading.


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## Brigitte (Aug 22, 2011)

I received my PW yesterday and I couldn't be happier. No coloured blotches with only a hint of backlight bleeding but nothing to worry about and definitely not worth replacing. Reading at night without a bedside lamp is great! I love the touch screen and the size is just what the doctor ordered. The only drawback is that Calibre is unable to automate the process of creating collections so I had to to that by hand. It's just a minor drawback though, and adding books to collections is a breeze (something I hated in the KK). The "time left to read" is a real plus and in fact one of the reasons why I decided to upgrade.

A friend of mine has her eyes set on my old KK for her husband, who sometimes confiscates her device, but I think I'll keep it as a spare and for travelling. I'm not ready to part with my Oberon Sky Dragon just yet.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Brigitte said:


> I received my PW yesterday and I couldn't be happier. No coloured blotches with only a hint of backlight bleeding but nothing to worry about and definitely not worth replacing. Reading at night without a bedside lamp is great! I love the touch screen and the size is just what the doctor ordered. The only drawback is that Calibre is unable to automate the process of creating collections so I had to to that by hand. It's just a minor drawback though, and adding books to collections is a breeze (something I hated in the KK). The "time left to read" is a real plus and in fact one of the reasons why I decided to upgrade.
> 
> A friend of mine has her eyes set on my old KK for her husband, who sometimes confiscates her device, but I think I'll keep it as a spare and for travelling. I'm not ready to part with my Oberon Sky Dragon just yet.


A spare Kindle is a good thing....

Betsy


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