# Would You JailBreak Your Kindle?



## JayandFunGoo (Jan 20, 2017)

Hey guys! 
I just read this article - http://lifehacker.com/how-to-jailbreak-your-kindle-1783864074

I'm considering doing this to my Kindle. Anyone else do this? The process looks easy but time consuming.

Thanks!

Below is from the article showing what your Kindle can do once it is "jailbroken" 
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Unlike an ereader like the Nook, you can't exactly give your Kindle superpowers with a jailbreak, but you can add some functionality like custom screensavers, an improved PDF reader, and more.

In my case I ran the jailbreak for one simple reason: I wanted the cover of the book I'm currently reading as my screensaver instead of some stupid picture of a pen. So, that's one reason you'd jailbreak, and aside from the cover you can actually change the screensaver to whatever image you want, assuming you've paid the $20 ransom to remove the special offers from your Kindle.

Of course, it's about more than custom screensavers. You can also add in your own fonts, a terminal app, interactive novel readers, an improved PDF reader, a VNC client which allows you to use the Kindle as a low-power display, a video player, and even hack in significantly improved book collection managers. MobileRead highlights all the various apps and hacks you can install after you jailbreak if you're curious about exactly what you can do with it.


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## patrickt (Aug 28, 2010)

Since I've had 9 or so Kindles over the years and have left them all stock, the answer is obviously no, I wouldn't. The reason I have a Kindle instead of another device is the availability of books I want to read. That said, I am absolutely delighted with the Paperwhite. I had a Voyage but got rid of it and bought a Paperwhite. I thoroughly enjoy reading on it.


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## barryem (Oct 19, 2010)

I did jailbreak a Kindle a few years ago.  I don't recall which model it was.  Probably the original Kindle Touch but I'm not really sure.

My reason was simply curiosity.  It was something I hadn't done and I wanted to do it.  As simple as that.  I did it and then I played with it a bit.  My memory of it is that everything worked just fine and I don't recall having any problems with it.  But after I'd satisfied myself I did a factory reset and brought it back to normal.  Actually the process of bringing it back to stock might have been more complex than that.  I'm not sure now.

The whole thing went very well.  I tried a lot of the features.  They were all pretty cool but none of them really mattered to me much.  Then I was done with that and I wanted it back like it was just to not have to wonder what problems it might bring when an update came along.

With my current stock Kindles I can have any font I want using Calibre and any font size I want using the font hack.  When I get a book whose fonts I don't like I sometimes do change them.  But I'm happy with the fonts the device has.

My Kobo has a built-in option to let me have the cover of the book I'm reading as my screen saver.  I like that.  It's not something I care enough about to go to any special effort to get it.  Actually I like the screensaver pictures in the Kindles pretty well.  Usually it's in a case, though, so I rarely see the screensaver.

By the way, "screensaver" is a misnomer in this case.  The idea of a screen saver used to be something that would keep the image moving on the screen so the Windows desktop wouldn't burn into the screen.  I forget which type of screen used to have a problem with that.  AMOLED screens do these days but I don't think our other screen types are subject to burn-in and not many of us are using AMOLED screens except on a few phones.  What we call a screensaver these days is really just a picture when it doesn't matter what's on the screen.  Not that any of this matters.  It's just fun to talk about it. 

Barry


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Don't see the point for myself.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

Me also--The benefits fix non-problems in my view.


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## Muddypawz (Jan 13, 2009)

I've done things on different devices over the years but don't feel that this is worth the trouble for me.


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## BeeTee-Ess (Oct 28, 2012)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Don't see the point for myself.


Ditto


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

No.


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

I used jailbreak on my early Kindles in order to use my own pictures for the sleep screen but since they changed them from the (sometimes) creepy author pictures, I don't have any need for it... which is just as well for me since I don't have the time to play with that kind of thing anymore.


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## hamerfan (Apr 24, 2011)

It'd be pointless for me as I there's nothing I don't like about the stock Kindle. If it ain't broke don't fix it.


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## INFINUS (Dec 25, 2016)

Amazon has pulled/ never released KDK (Kindle Development Kit).
I would looked into kindle apps if it was profitable (commercial/ fun/ home brew). Kindle is such a minimal thing with Yocto project. I would love to enhance my kindle

Features like.... 

Custom font with italic/ bold support (like kobo), 
News App/ RSS Reader (Apple news app like),
Note taking,
List creation,
Wallpapers/ screensaver (currently reading, blank, custom, etc.)
Auto brightness according to local kindle time
Custom Word-Wise
Better Browser functionalities
Battery Percentage
Better Unicode
.... etc. ...


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## JamieL (Feb 23, 2009)

I jailbroke my earlier Kindles (1st gen and Keyboard) because I hated the stock screensavers but with my Voyage I've never seen a reason since the screensavers are better and my cover auto wakes it anyway.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

I don't see a need to jailbreak my eink Kindles.  They do just what I need them to do.
And at least one of mine is still under warranty - technically jailbreaking voids the terms of service with Amazon and if you have trouble or brick your Kindle, they don't have to help you.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Nothing on that list has any use for me. And although I guess it would be neat to have the cover of the book I read as screensaver, in reality, I never see the screensavers. So it would be a moot point. I open the cover and by the time I finish opening, its already awake. I don't read with the cover, but I put it in there for storage and the case of Oasis to charge. 

Even if there was anything on that list I might like, I still would never ever mess with my device. Main reason is that I would have no clue what the heck it was doing and if anything goes wrong, I'd have thrown 200-300 dollars out the window. 

I could use a tad darker bookerly font maybe, but not bad enough that I can't wait for them to maybe put a deeper serif on there. 

I don't mess with my phone either. If stuff works, it works. I rather not break something not knowing anything about the software stuff. If someone is really good at that kind of stuff and can fix anything that might go wrong, I could see someone wanting to fiddle. I just rather read books than fiddle with stuff.


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## NightReader (Apr 25, 2010)

Maybe.  I did the screensaver hack back in the "I see dead people" screen pictures days.  But, the current screen pics don't bother me.

Really, the only 2 things I would be interested in are:

1.  Font sizes between "not quite big enough" and "way too big".  
2.  native epub ability.  

I don't figure the second one is even possible.


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## barryem (Oct 19, 2010)

There is a hack that lets you change the sizes of the built-in fonts. It lets you specify the size you get when you change the font size. It's very simple to do. It's simply a matter of copying a text file with the correct name to the Kindle. I can't recall just where it goes in the Kindle or what the correct name is. I tried it a year or so ago and it works just fine but I didn't really have much need for it so I no longer have it.

As far as I know it still works although I haven't seen much discussion of it recently. Anyway it can't hurt to try it. It will either work or do nothing. This doesn't require jailbreak or anything like that. It's simply a matter of copying a text file to the Kindle.

I've been telling this from memory because I couldn't find a link before I started but I don't remember enough so I searched again for a link and found one. Here it is:

https://www.kboards.com/index.php?topic=235619.0

I read about it on Mobilereads but this link is in this forum with a pointer to Mobilereads.

There is one non-trivial aspect of this but everything else is as simple as turning a door knob. Since Kindle has an OS based on Unix or Linux or some such it has to have the correct line ending for that OS or it won't work. If you create the text file in an editor that will save in *nix format it will work. I keep Notepad++ installed just for situations like that. The Mobileread link in the page I gave above includes a properly saved text file so you can try it with that. Just be sure not to load it into Notepad and save it, although it's no problem to just look at it if you don't save it.

This all probably sounds really complicated but it actually is very simple.

Barry


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## JayandFunGoo (Jan 20, 2017)

Thanks for sharing... I actually decided to not do anything to it. I was told if you do it wrong, you can "brick" you kindle. So I shall not be playing around with it and I don't suggest anyone else to do it either. I don't want my kindle to become a new paperweight.



barryem said:


> There is a hack that lets you change the sizes of the built-in fonts. It lets you specify the size you get when you change the font size. It's very simple to do. It's simply a matter of copying a text file with the correct name to the Kindle. I can't recall just where it goes in the Kindle or what the correct name is. I tried it a year or so ago and it works just fine but I didn't really have much need for it so I no longer have it.
> 
> As far as I know it still works although I haven't seen much discussion of it recently. Anyway it can't hurt to try it. It will either work or do nothing. This doesn't require jailbreak or anything like that. It's simply a matter of copying a text file to the Kindle.
> 
> ...


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## barryem (Oct 19, 2010)

In that thread I linked to Meemo made a comment that no-one had said it bricked their Kindle so she gave it a try.  That wasn't intended to make anyone think it might brick their Kindle.  This is simply a matter of copying a text file to the Kindle and I can't imagine anything safer.  I can't promise you it won't brick your Kindle.  I can't promise you it won't give your car a flat tire or burn down your house.  Offhand I'd guess that those problems are about equally likely. 

Barry


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## northofdivision (Sep 7, 2010)

Surprised on such few responses on being pro screensaver control and font control. I wouldn't own a Kindle if i couldn't. I've had the screensaver and font hack on every single Kindle i've ever owned and it gives it the personalized touch. 

A lot of users have covers which makes screensavers less important but there's something really great about being able to have your own pictures on your Kindle. On my Kindle 3 I keep about 50 random pictures of friends and family rotating as the sleep image. 

The hassle, for me, is and has always been very well worth it being able to have my various Kindles with their own screen images and the choice to have it sleep with a cover of the book i'm currently reading. Mobilereads are really nice people and help walk you through. I use it on my Paperwhite and my Oasis and it was worth the 20 minutes for me. 

On the warranty front, I've said this before but I've returned a Kindle that has the screensaver and hack font on it (A Paperwhite I didn't like the lighting on) and they exchanged it without question. Bricking a Kindle is always a risk but once again, the developers at Mobilereads teach you how to unbrick it if you ever had any problems. From the sound of it, many people just don't feel it's worth the time and energy. But add me to one that thinks it's one of the best things you can do for your Kindle. 

**I also get OTA updates now and have it so it wont' get in the way of my personalized screensavers.


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## John Hopper (Mar 31, 2013)

I use my Voyage without a cover these days (keep it in a slipcase when not in use). I would love to have the screensaver being the book cover, but probably not quite enough to risk the hack. 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk


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## barryem (Oct 19, 2010)

I think what I'd like to see on my sleeping Kindle if it didn't have a cover is the page I was reading when I last stopped.  That way I can just pick it up and continue reading and press the button to wake it up as I read.  That would also have a very small positive effect on battery life; not enough to matter, really, but I threw that in as part of my sales pitch. 

Also there might be a setting to allow the light to come on when the Kindle is picked up.  That's ideal for use around the house although it would have to be turned off when it's being carried somewhere.  In fact, why not even a setting to wake up the Kindle when it's picked up.  All that's needed to begin reading is to begin reading.

Or, better yet, the Kindle could have Alexa powers so I can simply tell my Kindle to wake up, go to sleep, turn the page, search for a word, define a word, etc.  Then I wouldn't even have to pick it up.  I can begin a reading session by saying "Kindle, come here!"

Barry


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

I've never tried to jailbreak a Kindle - for me it's not worth the trouble or the risk.

Back in the days of the early Kindles, I did try the font and sleep picture hacks - but the pics are better now and with an auto cover I barely see them anyway and the choice of fonts, though not quite perfect yet, is considerably wider than it used to be.

These days I'm more interested in just reading a book, than messing with the device.


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## isamilis (Dec 8, 2016)

I had thought to jailbreak my kindle (just like my all apple devices are jailbroken) when I first bought my Oasis. But looking at benefit I don't see it's worth the effort. In addition, I could ask to Amazon to remove special offer and (thank God) they removed it for free.


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## JayandFunGoo (Jan 20, 2017)

isamilis said:


> I had thought to jailbreak my kindle (just like my all apple devices are jailbroken) when I first bought my Oasis. But looking at benefit I don't see it's worth the effort. In addition, I could ask to Amazon to remove special offer and (thank God) they removed it for free.


You lucked out - They wont remove it for free on mine


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

JayandFunGoo said:


> You lucked out - They wont remove it for free on mine


I'm actually mildly annoyed when I hear people have had the ads removed at no charge . . . . I feel like: you buy it with ads and if you don't like 'em you can pay to have them off. It's a teeny bit not fair that they'll take 'em off if people complain.

That said, I do know of one or two who were in contact with Amazon about some other issue entirely and the solution, to compensate for inconvenience or something not working as expected, was to remove the ads -- instead of, say, giving 'em a gift certificate or something. So . . . . not a big deal, really.  I do appreciate that Amazon wants customers to be happy.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I'm actually mildly annoyed when I hear people have had the ads removed at no charge . . . . I feel like: you buy it with ads and if you don't like 'em you can pay to have them off. It's a teeny bit not fair that they'll take 'em off if people complain.


Yeah, I have to say I am getting really peeved at reading more and more stories of them doing it for free for some, while I got to pay again and again. It makes me feel like a total dunce to be honest. I knew when I bought with ads that is was cheaper. I used to be mildly annoyed, but I see so many now saying they didn't have to pay that I am past mildly and full on peeved.


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## Gone 9/21/18 (Dec 11, 2008)

Atunah said:


> I used to be mildly annoyed, but I see so many now saying they didn't have to pay that I am past mildly and full on peeved.


You aren't the only one. If I ever buy another Kindle, it will be with SO, and then I'm going to whine, b itch, and moan until they take them off for free.

As to jailbreak - I never have. I'd like to have covers as my screensaver, and I'd like to have a font size slightly larger than the one I use but not as large as the next one. But I don't want those things enough to make the effort to find out how to do it and do it.


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## barryem (Oct 19, 2010)

I was happy to pay the extra not to have ads on my Kindle.  I really think of it as a discount if I'm willing to be pestered.  I'm not.  I won't let them pay me to put up billboards in my living room or tattoo "Buy Amazon" on my forehead.

Does anyone remember "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" by Phillip K Dick?  I don't, or I barely do.  I read it maybe 40 years ago.  I do remember how Palmer Eldritch became the richest man in the world.  He was CEO and chief stockholder in Coca Cola and one day while out joyriding in his space ship he happened to encounter another ship with aliens from a very advanced civilization.  It was man's first encounter with a species from elsewhere.

He negotiated a deal with them to re-arrange a number of stars visible from Earth so they'd spell out very clearly "Drink Coke!".  And that's how he became the richest man on Earth.

At least that's my 40 year old memory of it. 

Anyway, every time I think of special offers I remember that.  And I also remember how the FDA refused the egg producers association permission to sell advertising space on the eggs we buy in the store.  And how they refused to give the meat packing industry permission to sell advertising space on hotdogs in packages.  Imagine reading a laxative ad on your hotdog as you bite into it. 

Barry


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