# 2.5.2 = no hacks anytime soon (mostly resolved)



## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

Heads up for those waiting on updated hacks: Bad news. Don't hold your breath. 

http://blogkindle.com/2010/06/unicode-font-hack-and-kindle-software-update-2-5-2/

Translated--the easy way into the Kindle system has been plugged. While this post comes from the guy who did the Unicode font hack, the screensaver hack and TedSan's font hack also used the same mechanism to install, and that mechanism is no longer viable under 2.5.

IF YOU HAVEN'T YET UPGRADED--you need to decide what's more important to you, collections, or fonts/screensavers. Unlike the last several updates, we can't necessarily count on a hack being available in a week or so, and once you do the update, you can't go back.

I'm going to download the update to my laptop so I have it available, but not install it. Right now, I can't see enough improvement in the font "upgrades" to make the original fonts readable.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Yep, see this thread: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,26805.0.html.


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

That's a bummer.  I've never had a problem with the font, but the default 'screensavers' are horrid.


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## Whidbeyislandgirl (Apr 19, 2009)

Hate the screensavers, but totally love the collections! I'll live with the dead authors, the upgrade is worth it.


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## Clover (Apr 26, 2010)

Oh, that is indeed bad news.  I've been looking forward to the updated unicode hack.  Seems like I'll have to stick with .pdf files... and dead authors on top of that...  To be honest, the images themselves don't bother me, it's the flash of inverted colours that creeps me out...  Those vacant eyes and pale/charred flesh as if struck by lightning...    I guess it's a good thing that I never installed any hacks to begin with, so I don't need to "go back" to the old ways.

Personally, I think what Amazon should do is to release extra (and unicode) font types and unlock the screensavers through optional updates.  This way, those who need/want such functions can download and install the optional updates at the expense of taking up more space on the Kindle.  Those who don't want these functions can keep their Kindles the way they are, without sacrificing any storage space.  Such optional updates should work like add-ons and not interfere with the major updates.

I suppose those who want more fonts and/or screensavers should all e-mail the Kindle team and let them know our thoughts on the current limited choices.


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

I really don't understand why Amazon don't make it part of the software that you can choose between say three or four font faces and upload your own screensavers. If the hack compilers can do it, it can't be difficult. Is there a downside to it, apart perhaps for taking up more space? They'd have been better spending their time and resources working that out than on some of the less popular parts of the new upgrade, that no-one asked for and hardly anyone wants.

I'm hoping that they've closed this door so that they can do it themselves in a later upgrade.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I'm betting they closed the back door so the app developers will be able to make money by doing it through the front door.


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I'm betting they closed the back door so the app developers will be able to make money by doing it through the front door.


I suppose that the "upside" would be that at least one might have some reassurance of not bricking their Kindle using a legitimate application, since the article mentioned that this had sometimes occurred with the old hack... I'm not certain I would have been willing to take that risk, as much as I dislike some of those screensavers.


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I'm betting they closed the back door so the app developers will be able to make money by doing it through the front door.


Does that mean we would have to _buy_ the 'hack', sorry app, from a licenced third party provider? Presumably Amazon would get a slice of the pie - hence their not making it a part of the main programming. Sneaky little .........


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Too bad.  I didn't really care about the folders, and we can't even have a periodicals folder, but I did organize my books.  The font now offers two larger ones.  With the font hack in Helvetica 2, I was able to see better without making the font as large.  Now I have to make it larger just to see it a bit darker.


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

For me, it's not the font they use; I'd pay to be able to have greater contrast.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I'm not as freaked out about the dead authors as I thought I would be. The most offending one of all seems to be gone. I would like to put my hunky Disney guys back on, but I'll try to be patient. In the meantime, I just wake my Kindle up BEFORE I open the case. 

I do miss the Georgia2 font but not enough to give up my collections.

As for the "hack" bricking a Kindle, I have to say I don't believe I ever saw that happen. The worst I saw was it going into some sort of endless loop that required a recovery mode. But it was fixable.


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## liannallama (May 29, 2009)

> it's the flash of inverted colours that creeps me out


 I agree--Emily Dickinson is the worst to me, LOL! She looks like a vampire or something.

That is one benefit to the Nook--they actually have new screensavers you can download from their site!


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## bvlarson (May 16, 2010)

Those original screen savers were clear proof that writing makes you look funny... eventually.


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## Pirate (Jul 5, 2009)

fuschiahedgehog said:


> That's a bummer. I've never had a problem with the font, but the default 'screensavers' are horrid.


At one time I came across an Amazon link that told how to change the default screen saver pictures to whatever you wanted. It was really simple. But, alas I have looked and looked and cannot fine hide nor hair of it.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Pirate said:


> At one time I came across an Amazon link that told how to change the default screen saver pictures to whatever you wanted. It was really simple. But, alas I have looked and looked and cannot fine hide nor hair of it.


Yes, it was a hack.. and that hack doesn't work on 2.5.


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## Pirate (Jul 5, 2009)

mlewis78 said:


> .........and we can't even have a periodicals folder, ....


yep found this our as well, darn it.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

For some reason, the default screensaver I like the least is the birds, even though I do like birds generally.  It just seems out of place there.  The authors are just too bold and look like Barnes & Noble totebags.


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## Pirate (Jul 5, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> Yes, it was a hack.. and that hack doesn't work on 2.5.


Amazon's kindle developers are former Wal-Mart employees. If they (Kindle) doesn't have it,,you don't need it. And the more you want it, the more determined they are to not give it to you. I guess it just shows us who the boss it.


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## rosedaughter (Jan 3, 2010)

Seriously?  Geeze, it can't be that difficult for Amazon to make it easy for us to change the screensavers.  I haven't yet got the update yet, hmm, maybe I won't want it now.  I never installed the font hack so that doesn't make a difference for me.


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

I'm really missing my font hack.  My old font size is too small and one size up is too big.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

It is rather strange that Amazon hasn't come up with alternative fonts.  B&N has more than one, and Bookeen Cybook Opus (which I have) had a software update a few months ago that is great, including the option to bold or not, serif and sans-serif.  Maybe they are saving it for K3.


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

Oh no!  The screensavers don't matter to me - but the native fonts are just too light.  This is not good customer relations.  Given the higher price of their books and now - no way to make the text darker (I don't think the update helped much) - they certainly have lost some of my devotion.    Maybe its time to look into a different reader??

Actually - I may just reinstall 2.3...


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

I do tend to think that yes, this is part of the setup for the upcoming App Store.  And yes, I am in fact willing to pay extra for both of these "features", so long as they are as flexible as the current hacks (i.e.--I can pick my own images and have multiple font choices), and so long as they then are not breakable when Amazon releases an update.

But here's the thing-- it's already been some 6 months of waiting for an App Store, and there's still nothing.  Put on top of the agency 5 mess and especially the Penguin debacle, it all just leaves a sour taste in my mouth towards Amazon.  Add in that I can read all of my Kindle books on another device, and I find I'm less and less interested in keeping my K2.

This isn't a rant.  It's not even a whine.  I just find it sad to realize that in the first week of January, I was as dedicated a Kindle owner as you'd find, and by mid June I've lost so much faith in Amazon.  That just kinda stinks.

Meh, think I'll go eat some ice cream and see if that makes me feel any better!  Maybe the App Store really is just around the corner and won't require a K3 to use.  

bordercollielady--if you manage to go backwards from this update, be sure to post it.  No one has been able to roll them back in the past.


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## Neo (Mar 30, 2009)

I have to say I am doing the same as VictoriaP: I've downloaded 2.5.2 to my computer, but not sure I'll install it on my Kindle quite yet. 

For now I'm just enjoying my Disney hunks SS too much (believe it or not, I just installed the SS hack this past week-end!) - and I never really needed the folders/collections - I almost exclusively read epic fantasy, so I really don't have much to organize


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

I  still had the 2.3.3 update file on my PC - so I tried moving it to the Kindle Root.  But the "update" menu option was still greyed out.  I did a restart - and the bin file is now gone (very strange) but it didn't help.  Sigh..  My 61 yr old eyes need a darker font..


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

liannallama said:


> I agree--Emily Dickinson is the worst to me, LOL! She looks like a vampire or something.
> 
> That is one benefit to the Nook--they actually have new screensavers you can download from their site!


I have to google Emily and see if she really looked like that. If she were alive I am sure she would sue over that picture! uuuhhhhhgggg.

Scott


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I guess the fact that I've worked one way or another in the software industry for 20 years leaves me more used to missed deadlines and delayed releases. Amazon's biggest mistakes in this respect has been leaking to much info and making too many preliminary press releases with over-optimistic expectations. They should never have announced a delivery date for 2.5 until after a successful beta test, instead of announcing a date, pushing it out to a few owners, and then suddenly using those few as an ad hoc beta test and delaying the release for nearly a month. Likewise, I have to imagine that the lack of a Kindle Apps Store to date has something to do with problems in the development kit beta test and the working out of bugs in it.

Am I happy? No, but it's something I'm so used to* that I guess it doesn't get to me that much. I can still read books on my Kindle and adjust the type size to accommodate my poor eyes, so I'm still good.
___________
* Why Software Projects Tend to Fail


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## srmalloy (Mar 3, 2009)

VictoriaP said:


> IF YOU HAVEN'T YET UPGRADED--you need to decide what's more important to you, collections, or fonts/screensavers. Unlike the last several updates, we can't necessarily count on a hack being available in a week or so, and once you do the update, you can't go back.


The 'collections' tagging is not similar enough to actual folders to make me eager enough to acquire the update that I'll throw away my custom screensaver images. I'll keep the older software version until either a new way around the Kindle firmware lockdown is found, or until Amazon comes to their senses and releases an update that allows us to load our own screensaver images.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

So many people here were anxious to get this update and now it's pretty much a dud.


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

NogDog said:


> I guess the fact that I've worked one way or another in the software industry for 20 years leaves me more used to missed deadlines and delayed releases. Amazon's biggest mistakes in this respect has been leaking to much info and making too many preliminary press releases with over-optimistic expectations. They should never have announced a delivery date for 2.5 until after a successful beta test, instead of announcing a date, pushing it out to a few owners, and then suddenly using those few as an ad hoc beta test and delaying the release for nearly a month.


Yup. Agree with that. I think the Russians and Chinese are working on the hacks now. That's gotta help as long as they dont ask for my banking details......


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## r0b0d0c (Feb 16, 2009)

mlewis78 said:


> So many people here were anxious to get this update and now it's pretty much a dud.


Not for me - I *love* the collections organization, and now absolutely wouldn't go back, even if I could. The lack of font choices is an irritation, and I never did mind the screensavers (I only see them for a second, when I awaken the Kindle from sleep).


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

fuschiahedgehog said:


> That's a bummer. I've never had a problem with the font, but the default 'screensavers' are horrid.


Me, I can live with the screensavers, but I miss the fonts. If they're gonna make it "unhackable", wish they'd give us more font options (and let us change the screensavers like we could on the K1). Ah well.



Linjeakel said:


> Does that mean we would have to _buy_ the 'hack', sorry app, from a licenced third party provider? Presumably Amazon would get a slice of the pie - hence their not making it a part of the main programming. Sneaky little .........


That's quite possible since they've got people working on apps. I'd happily pay for a font app and (probably) a screensaver app, depending on the price. I don't spend a lot of time looking at the screensavers so those aren't that big a deal to me, but I do miss my font hack.

I do really like the collections feature, though.


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

I dont think it is a dud, I love the collections feature.  But I will put on the hacks when they arrive.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

A Kindle app could be sold for free, just as books can, should the author of either decide to.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

NogDog said:


> A Kindle app could be sold for free, just as books can, should the author of either decide to.


True - maybe we should all hop on over to that thread about apps and beg for what we want.


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

And the thing is, if someone can develop an app for the hacks, then someone on any of the kindle forums can do likewise, just as they have always done, for free!


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## Cardinal (Feb 24, 2010)

I for one am amazed fonts and custom screensavers aren't available for Kindle.  Barnes and Nobles advertises these features directly against Kindle and have employees in their stores talking about how the Nook can be personalized unlike Kindle.  I really was expecting these as part of the big summer upgrade (2.5).  I agree with others that these will probably be part of the App Store.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

My main objection to this update is the font, but I would love to be able to just put one screensaver of my choice on that comes up every time it sleeps and get rid of all the default screensavers.  Just one, please!

I might start turning off my kindle instead of putting into sleep mode.  I don't hate their screensavers, but they are a constant reminder that something isn't quite right.


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

Wish I had seen this before I installed the update... I'd *MUCH* rather have my Georgia 2 & Screensaver hacks than collections. =(


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

911jason said:


> Wish I had seen this before I installed the update... I'd *MUCH* rather have my Georgia 2 & Screensaver hacks than collections. =(


I'm just the opposite. I've been using and enjoying the Kindle without any hacks, and although a little more contrast on the screen would be desirable, I much prefer having collections. I can always increase the font size if my eyes are tired and the 3 or 4 pictures on the screensavers that I really hate, well, I can ignore them or close the cover quickly.


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

I look at it like this: 99% of my time is spent reading the books, so the font hack is extremely important to me. The 1% of the time between books when I'm deciding what to read next is not that big of a deal to me.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

Trophywife007 said:


> I'm just the opposite. I've been using and enjoying the Kindle without any hacks, and although a little more contrast on the screen would be desirable, I much prefer having collections. I can always increase the font size if my eyes are tired and the 3 or 4 pictures on the screensavers that I really hate, well, I can ignore them or close the cover quickly.


In this case, you're passing judgment on something you haven't tried. Personally, while I've been one of the ones begging loud and long for folders, it took just two hours without the font hack last month to remind me of what was really important. And thank God for that, because had I not figured it out back then, I'd be pretty deeply regretting it now!

I literally can't read for even a fifth as long on my Kindle when it's unhacked. The letters are fuzzy and the contrast so low that it gives me eyestrain at any size. I have 20/20 vision, but the native font is that bad. I always though perhaps it was because it was an very early K2US model, but recently at a get together, I lined my K2 up side by side against several others, both older and newer, comparing contrast. Looking at these unhacked Kindles plus mine, the difference was really amazing. Not one of them was what I'd consider acceptable, and age/model didn't make a consistent difference positive or negative. And unhacked, mine would've fit right in with the others...it falls within what Amazon probably considers the "normal" range of acceptable contrast for the device. I maintain their standards are too low.

Until you've actually seen the difference, you don't know. In this case, not only would I gladly pay to keep my font improvements, but Amazon couldn't pay me enough to give them up. "Folders" and the like are worthless on a device I can't actually read on. If the App Store fails to materialize, and a reasonable* hacking solution isn't found, I suspect I'll continue to read more and more on my iPad, where I actually CAN control the contrast to a level that allows for comfortable reading.

*-What's being talked about on MobileRead right now isn't in that category. It requires an additional program, decent knowledge of programming and a willingness to potentially brick your device, unlike the hacks we're used to, which can be implemented by anyone willing to follow directions. Sorry, but I'm not pinning my hopes on that particular solution.


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

VictoriaP said:


> In this case, you're passing judgment on something you haven't tried.


I don't think Trophywife is passing judgement, so much as she's just perfectly happy with the fonts as they are. We all have our preferences and there's no right or wrong, just personal choice. I've never bothered with the font hack either, because I have no difficulty reading for as long as I want to with the default font. I find it sharp enough for my eyes. I'm happy to acknowledge the hack fonts are probably even better and, given the choice, I might pick one if it were available, but not at the cost of features like collections, which I like having. This is _my_ choice, based on _my_ circumstances and preferences.

The real point is, Amazon should make all these things available - collections, font choices, screensaver personalisation and others, so that we can all customise the Kindle to suit our very individual needs and preferences. The more choice, the better the customer experience and Amazon need to get on board with that concept as soon as possible. Hopefully, the advent of a Kindle app store will address some of these problems.


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

VictoriaP said:


> I literally can't read for even a fifth as long on my Kindle when it's unhacked. The letters are fuzzy and the contrast so low that it gives me eyestrain at any size. I have 20/20 vision, but the native font is that bad.


I will say that while I definitely do want my Georgia 2 font back, the default Kindle font in 2.5.2 does look sharper and a bit darker to my eye than it was before. That may just be my wishful thinking though. =)



Linjeakel said:


> The real point is, Amazon should make all these things available - collections, font choices, screensaver personalisation and others, so that we can all customise the Kindle to suit our very individual needs and preferences. The more choice, the better the customer experience and Amazon need to get on board with that concept as soon as possible. Hopefully, the advent of a Kindle app store will address some of these problems.


Very well said.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

mlewis78 said:


> So many people here were anxious to get this update and now it's pretty much a dud.


Not a dud here either. Once I get all my books sorted, this will be a major improvement. Right now I have over 700 items that came from Amazon that have just been organized by the "heap method." So I'm doing some preliminary organizing with what's on my K2 and this weekend I'll tackle the rest of it.
I would really like a san serif font to use and I don't see why we can't add our own sleep pictures, but I'm hopeful that will come in time.


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## lorezskyline (Apr 19, 2010)

You know other than the screensaver and some new fonts i'm not sure there's anything i'd want from a Kindle appstore am I just being unimaginative?  I guess whatever is on there will be limited in the UK anyway if their Apps that require web access.


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## DD (Nov 9, 2008)

I also have downloaded the bin file for the update and am saving it just in case the for hacks are updated.  I just can't get along without the font hack.  I never felt a great need for folders as I only keep a few books at a time on my Kindle and don't store all of my books there.  The archive feature was enough organization for me.  The font hack is just too important.


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## andy_in_virginia (Dec 3, 2009)

VictoriaP said:


> I do tend to think that yes, this is part of the setup for the upcoming App Store. And yes, I am in fact willing to pay extra for both of these "features", so long as they are as flexible as the current hacks (i.e.--I can pick my own images and have multiple font choices), and so long as they then are not breakable when Amazon releases an update.


I believe this would be the most logical thing for Amazon to be exploring.

They must keep a watch on boards like this and others and understand how much people enjoy(ed) having control over the fonts and the "screensavers". They must also know how the hacks worked and no doubt reverse engineered them to make sure the ability to install the hacks was removed in this update. They also very carefully did not advertise the fact it would kill the ability to install hacks, and orchestrated the release so as many people as possible would jump on it before they knew that it would mean the hacks could no longer be installed.

All of which would seem to point to these things being offered for sale in some kind of Amazon App Store in the future once a developers kit has been released. A fairly smart business move as it means more revenue and at the same gives them back control over the actual hardware and software.

To me, not having these on my Kindle is not a deal breaker. *Everyone* that owns a Kindle originally never had personal screensavers or fonts and I am betting nobody sent back their Kindle demanding a refund complaining that they couldn't read it. It's just like it was when it came out of the box brand new, and if it worked for you then, it should work for you now. Personally I hate the dead authors, but as I only see them for a split second when I turn it off or just before I turn it on, it's no big deal. It's not like I am sitting and staring at their pictures all day - and if you do, then you can always turn it off and turn it on again until you get to picture you *do* like...


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## PG4003 (Patricia) (Jan 30, 2010)

I would be willing to pay for something that would allow me to put my own screensavers on.  I spent a lot of time making the ones I used to have on it, I had my name/personal info on them.


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

" Everyone that owns a Kindle originally never had personal screensavers or fonts and I am betting nobody sent back their Kindle demanding a refund complaining that they couldn't read it"

But I owned a Kindle 1.. when I got the Kindle 2 - the contrast degradation was noticeable.  I kept K2 given the font hacks.  I won't send it back.. but I won't be reading as much.  And why can't we reinstall 2.3?  I'm not happy with Amazon right now


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## andy_in_virginia (Dec 3, 2009)

bordercollielady said:


> But I owned a Kindle 1.. when I got the Kindle 2 - the contrast degradation was noticeable. I kept K2 given the font hacks. I won't send it back.. but I won't be reading as much. And why can't we reinstall 2.3? I'm not happy with Amazon right now


AFAIK, you have *never* been able to go back a version after an update has been installed, so this is nothing new.


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## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

andy_in_virginia said:


> To me, not having these on my Kindle is not a deal breaker. *Everyone* that owns a Kindle originally never had personal screensavers or fonts and I am betting nobody sent back their Kindle demanding a refund complaining that they couldn't read it.


Actually, I remember reading a lot of posts here, and on Amazon about people sending k2's back 2,3 even 4 times until they got one with contrast/text they thought was readable. And I remember reading a couple of people sent the Kindles back and got refunds.


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## andy_in_virginia (Dec 3, 2009)

LauraB said:


> Actually, I remember reading a lot of posts here, and on Amazon about people sending k2's back 2,3 even 4 times until they got one with contrast/text they thought was readable. And I remember reading a couple of people sent the Kindles back and got refunds.


And this would be a negligible amount out of numbers that (according to some sources) are over 3 million units sold. It also had nothing to do with losing the ability to install font hacks of course. I don't think anyone is going to be able to ask Amazon for a refund because they are no longer able to add unsupported 3rd party software.

To make my point again, I am sure that at some point in the future you will be able to install custom fonts and images but you will likely have to pay for that pleasure.


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## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

And to make my point you said, "I am betting nobody sent back their Kindle demanding a refund complaining that they couldn't read it." Very strong words. I suspect if you did a search on this forum you would find you would lose the bet and I'd win the chocolate. That is the bet right. My favorite chocolate. I love that thread. 
Yummy.


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## Granvillen (Dec 12, 2009)

It seems to me, that the people who are now complaining about not being able to install 3rd party fonts, etc. are more than likely the same people who were complaining and threatening Amazon about how they handled the 2.5 rollout.  I agree with Ann, you bought the Kindle to read books.  At that time, you had no bloody idea what a hack was, and more than likely, happy with the fonts.  Sure, I would like a different font, but if I buy a hard copy of a book, I am stuck with the font they used to print it.  My gosh, relax.


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## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

I think that people need to stop picking on/at other Kindle owners. If some people feel like it is difficult to read their device then that is how they feel. It isn't about picking sides. There is no conspiracy. Just people with preferences. And to say that you (in the broad sense, not any particular poster here) don't agree, therefore, they are unjustified is, IMHO, unhelpful. If they need to vent let them. Truth be told a lot of that venting could be what led to the font hacks being developed in the first place. Then that lead to a lot of authors selling even more books, because the people who had issues with the native fonts now could read more comfy, and therefore read/purchase more books. Sometimes part of the problem solving process is identifying problems. Even if they aren't universal. 

Besides, she said "bet" and hey, that is putting the hook out there


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Well, I think we should all take a deep breath. . . . .iiiiinnnnnnn. .. . .oooooouuuuutttttt. . . . . . .there.  Isn't that better?  

Seriously, I realize that a lot of you really enjoyed the alternative sleep pictures you had, and I realize that the alternative fonts were actually a big improvement for many folks.

BUT. . . .I don't see that we can blame amazon for locking that back door.  

AND I do believe that, at some point, among the 'apps' that become available via the 'app store' will be ones that will allow folks to customize screen savers and font styles.

Best thing to do is to let Amazon know that those are two things you'd really like to see come available, and then be patient. 

Though I also understand that a some griping makes a lot of folks feel better. . .so here's a good place to get out the gripes -- courteously, please!   -- and move on.  

ALSO, it is still possible that someone will find a way to pick the lock. . . . . .


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

It'd be interesting to see a poll as to how many here on KB use(d) just the font hack, just the screensaver hack, both hacks, or neither hack. Me, I used neither. I could (and did) read for hours on my K1 and I can (and do) read for hours on my K2, without the font hack, with no problem. Would the hack have helped? Perhaps so; I'll never know now unless a work-around is found and then I might try it. The screensavers never have bothered me, I see for them for a couple of seconds or less, I don't sit and stare at them.

But I love having collections now, even though I've only had the update for less than 48 hours and have just barely started organizing things. I have 1,001 items (literally! LOL) on my K2 right now, including books, samples, blogs and # of collections, and those are 99.8% unread things. And I haven't even moved all my samples over from K-PC or all my other books from my K1 yet! I *need* organization, desperately.  Different screensavers, not so much. Different fonts, well, I haven't *needed* them yet, even if they might be nice.

This update isn't a dud, for *me*, just because the hacks aren't available. I'm sorry that the hacks aren't going to be available, though, for those to whom they are important.


----------



## andy_in_virginia (Dec 3, 2009)

LauraB said:


> And to make my point you said, "I am betting nobody sent back their Kindle demanding a refund complaining that they couldn't read it." Very strong words. I suspect if you did a search on this forum you would find you would lose the bet and I'd win the chocolate. That is the bet right. My favorite chocolate. I love that thread.
> Yummy.


I win. Nobody sent a Kindle back saying "they couldn't read it".

They may have sent it back saying "I don't like the font" or "I don't like the contrast" or something along those lines. The only way that you wouldn't be able to read it, is if it didn't work at all. Any returns for those reasons were due to personal preferences and nothing else.

Don't bother sending me chocolate, I don't like the stuff.


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## Sunnie (Apr 3, 2010)

> I believe this would be the most logical thing for Amazon to be exploring.
> 
> They must keep a watch on boards like this and others and understand how much people enjoy(ed) having control over the fonts and the "screensavers". They must also know how the hacks worked and no doubt reverse engineered them to make sure the ability to install the hacks was removed in this update. They also very carefully did not advertise the fact it would kill the ability to install hacks, and orchestrated the release so as many people as possible would jump on it before they knew that it would mean the hacks could no longer be installed.
> 
> ...


Andy couldn't have expressed it better for me if he tried. 

I have 'markers' for macular degeneration in my left, previously weaker eye, and had 'Posterior vitreous detachment' in March in my right "good" eye, resulting in a constant state of spider-web like floaters now permanently in that eye. The main reason I bought the Kindle was to increase my ability to read as my eyes continue to deteriorate. Of the original 6 fonts, right now, the middle 3rd one has been perfect. I suspect as time progresses, I'll move up in font size.

I never had the font hack; didn't want to be bothered with hacks' need to be uninstalled every time there was an update. At this point though, I would definitely install/buy any screensaver hack/app, because I truly do hate what they have on screensavers. But, like mentioned by many, its only for a split second I have to view them, so I can live with them. For now.

Color screensavers; one can only dream. Down the road, I guess.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Gwennie said:


> Color screensavers; one can only dream. Down the road, I guess.


Well. . . . .not on the current Kindle or DX 'cause they don't support color!  Though I have no doubt Amazon is working on that; I think in fact Bezos has said it's in development but not ready ready yet. . . .


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## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

Gwennie said:


> I never had the font hack; didn't want to be bothered with hacks' need to be uninstalled every time there was an update.


Really, because you are the one who started a thread to ask it the *font hack* would need to be updated for 2.5. I find that mildly interesting. 
But, I'm going to follow Ann's advice and move on.


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## Sunnie (Apr 3, 2010)

Ann, I fully realize that.  I'm dreaming of what I want in my next gen Kindle, down the road.


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## kory (May 29, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Best thing to do is to let Amazon know that those are two things you'd really like to see come available, and then *be patient.*
> 
> ALSO, it is still possible that someone will find a way to pick the lock. . . . . .


If the weather will continue to be so crapy as it is now, we will start working on "Picking The Lock" this weekend. Be patient!!! There is hope.


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## Sunnie (Apr 3, 2010)

LauraB said:


> Really, because you are the one who started a thread to ask it the *font hack* would need to be updated for 2.5. I find that mildly interesting.
> But, I'm going to follow Ann's advice and move on.


Hmmmm, my memory is a sieve these days, but I don't recall starting such a thread. In any case, Laura, if I did start such a thread, that didn't mean that I had the hack previously. Or that just because I hadn't had it, didn't mean I wasn't interested in one, in the future. After I saw how easy it was to load the upgrade from Amazon, I'm not so afraid of installs / uninstalls anymore. One CAN teach an old dawgette a new trick! 

In any case, I understand everyone has their own needs and opinions. I was just agreeing with Andy.


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

I am not too happy about the direction Amazon is going.  Before I got my kindle all I heard was good about Amazon.  Now it seems all I hear is bad.  As a businessman that has experience in dealing with the public there is no excuse for the lack of information and the way Amazon is handling the update.  They shot themselves in both feet.  A simple post on the site that would have taken an employee 10 minutes would have cleared up a lot and saved them a lot of customer goodwill.  "We are having a technical problem with the update." or "We see the need to improve the update before a major roll out."  One sentence. Maybe a few later with "We have a target date of June 10th for the release and it will be up on the site for download the 11th."  Simple English.  One sentence would have saved tons of goodwill.

Then now we hear they killed fonts and screen savers.  Yes they were hacks, but they were hacks for functions that Amazon was not providing and were high on the wish list.  If you don't provide what the customer wants someone else will.  People that had the kindle had screen savers, now with the update they don't. If we don't blame Amazon for killing the hacks who do we blame?  Can you imagine the uproar if on windows 7 the only screen savers you could use were microsoft choices?  The Justice dept. would be at their door for breakfast.  I am not a Nook fan, but didn't I read they provided a custom screen savers option?  Why doesn't Amazon if they want to be a leader in the market?  If they are working on it why not say so?  Heck, we have seen the contests where prizes were awarded for hacking security for Apple and others and it happened in days or even hours.  Why can't Amazon, with their resources turn out a new update every month instead of the painful drip, drip they put us through?  I moved an entire factory department in 5 days once and for 3 of those days it was on the trucks. These things can be done if there is a desire to do them.

Sure, it is a book reader and it was a book reader and a lot of people couldn't care less.  However, I have made my living in business and in the open market for 14 years now and I can tell you it is a dog eat dog world out there and you can't offer the same today that you offered yesterday and still stay in business.  People expect more and someone will deliver, that is why we have air conditioning in our cars and heat.   Why we have am and fm on our radios.  Why we have cable and satellite.  

I like Amazon, but I am afraid they are dropping the ball.  They need a Kindle evangelist that drives the product line and customer experience like fighting fire.  Customer after customer of mine is going bankrupt.  They are coming in today trying to do what they did yesterday and it won't work.  I do a little consulting.  I am thinking of quitting that entirely.  It is too frustrating.  Very, very few companies or people will change what they are doing.  You just beat your head against the wall trying to get them to change as they keep heading for foreclosure.

Sure I am making a big deal out of it, but it is a big deal.
I bought out a vending company because the man lost his big accounts when he couldn't get peanut butter cups at the local club warehouse.  His largest customer told him to pull the machines at all of their locations if he couldn't get peanut butter cups, he was tired of hearing about it.  The local club saw it as "it is just a candy bar they quit stocking, big deal" but that man lost his business and the employees lost their jobs over the "it's just a candy bar" mentality.

I hope Amazon doesn't become what we call in business a "deaf company."

Everyone should go out and do their job today to the best of their ability.  You don't know who is depending on  you.  Think "It's a Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart.

best to you and yours,
Scott


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Well, I disagree with you, Scott. I think Amazon were reasonably forthcoming about the update. . .they changed the announcement when they new they wouldn't meet the timeline they set. It could be argued that they shouldn't have announced it at all until they were sure -- but I betcha they're looking into that now. I don't think it was an intentional thing. . . .I think something completely unforeseen came up. <shrug>

And I don't blame them for closing the hole that allowed the customizable sleep pictures and alternative fonts. . . .especially with the plan for a Kindle app store in the future. I expect they are and have been 100% aware of them from the first, and elected to make them not "standard" but something customizable with an app. To do that, they have to protect their developers by making it something people will be willing to buy legitimately. Again, <shrug>.

Really, the industry is changing fast. . . .new readers with different capabilities, etc. . . .they're trying to stay in front of the pack, but also have to keep up with innovations. Personally, I think they're doing a decent job.


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## Tuttle (Jun 10, 2010)

But they did tell people that they were taking longer. They put up on the update page the fact that they had rolled it out to a few people and based on feedback were improving it. This says that they were fixing bugs that were found. Yes, it would have been better to be a formal beta, but even a formal beta not everyone gets into and people would have been making just a big of a deal about it.

Also, it makes sense for amazon to block the hacks. The hacks were unsecure for amazon, it was people loading code that they didn't know what it did onto a device that amazon was responsible for dealing with and paying the network costs for. People were bricking their kindles and it was falling on amazon to fix this because of them loading other people's code. More importantly, it would have been trivial for someone to put malware on thousands of kindles, and it would have fallen to being amazon's fault to have a faulty device. Amazon would have been blamed for the malware that was loaded on by people putting code that a random person on the internet said would do what they wanted. I know the hacks that people were using were developed with the people being somewhat involved, but that doesn't change that someone could copy one of those, add in malware, and release it and get it to the first result on google. And that malware could have used the network that amazon was paying for for us, and cost amazon more. 

I'd rather the software I use be right than fast. I don't mind waiting. I don't mind waiting even beyond when it was expected to be. People complain about not getting their updates fast enough, but forget about the complaints from back when the Nook was new about how terrible the software was because it was rushed. Amazon doesn't want to rush, and that is professional. There is a big difference between breaking security and patching the holes. One you only need to find a hole. The other, you need to block that hole, all related holes, and make sure that this doesn't interfere with anything else. Would you want collections if it made your kindle suddenly reboot every half hour? 

Having at least written programs in school, I can say that debugging is a pain and takes way longer than people expect it to. People see programming as "I type a few things in to a computer and it magically works" and it is not that simple.


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## Sunnie (Apr 3, 2010)

Frankly, I was surprised that Amazon didn't void warranties because of the hacks.  Many/most companies would have.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

Yeah, I'm having trouble with the 'blame Amazon' mentality. Would I have liked to have gotten the update sooner/faster? Sure. But would I rather it be as stable as possible? Absolutely. And they still met their original "in the first half of 2010" deadline.

As for them blocking the hacks, as Tuttle says, probably better to block the unauthorized hacks and prevent potential problems they would be blamed for [even though I seriously doubt Amazon did anything to block the hacks maliciously, rather just tightened up their software and the hacks being blocked was just a side effect]. Hopefully for those who want those features, either Amazon will include them in future software or they'll be in apps somewhere down the road.

One thing to remember too is that out of this forum, the Amazon forum and the Mobileread forum (and any other forums/blogs out there), there is still probably only a very small minority of Kindle users that even knew about the hacks, let alone used them. Most Kindle users who don't read forums and/or blogs probably have/had no clue about them and get along just fine without them, and Amazon is going to generally apply their resources to the common majority. So definitely send emails to feedback to let them know you want to be able to change font types and screensavers, if that's important to you.


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## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

Gwennie said:


> Frankly, I was surprised that Amazon didn't void warranties because of the hacks. Many/most companies would have.


They posted on the Amazon forum, I read it myself, that they wouldn't void warranties but they would not assist with any problem that came up from a hack. And may not have been able to assist with problems unrelated to a hack if one was on the Kindle. 
I have the 2.5.2 on my DX, but have a font hack on my k2i to keep it from installing, because (mainly) I prefer (for now) the original sort method of the Kindle. I did download the 2.5.2 to my computer, so I will have it to update if I decide, after I play with both kindles I like 2.5xx best after all. 
I can't say I have any "anger" towards Amazon, but I will say these sorts of (in my eyes) major updates irritate me. I have the same "irritation" when Apple does one. The last time they did an "update" to the system it made a change to how my contacts were organized on my iphone that I still haven't adjusted to! I wish there was some sort of thingy where we could check which parts of an update we want, or none. But with Kindle the only way, for now, is to hack it.


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

Ann:  We can disagree and still be agreeable.  

Tuttle:  Much too little too late in communication and as evidence I cite hundreds of posts on this forum.  If they had communicated sufficiently there would be hundreds or maybe a thousand or more fewer posts on this and other forums with people upset or at a loss about the update.  Remember it was Amazon's game, they made the first announcement and set the rules. If I were Amazon I wouldn't have wanted the number one topic to be "why don't I have the update and you do?" and the number two topic "When are they going to tell us something?"  Does anyone know the difference between 2.5.2 and 2.5.3 yet? No Amazon announcement that I see so more posts that distract from the actual kindle experience.

As to the hacks and the "hole blocking"  they should have learned from Apple and the problems they had with "door closing."  Amazon took a favorable or at least tolerant stand on hacks.  Then they closed the door.  I didn't see any warning that if you update you will lose your dear hack features?  Did I miss the Amazon warning to those that had screen savers and custom fonts, "Guys we are stopping this with the update and by the way there is no way to go back supported by Amazon."  "Update at your own risk!"  You take features away from your customers at your own risk!

I am not pro-hack but I would fight for your right to hack what you buy if you are willing to face the consequences.  

I am pro-feature, not pro-hack.  My complaint is there are no cute pictures of my grandson on my screen saver, not that I can't hack my kindle.  Who do we blame?  luvmy4brats can't have her disney guys, did Amazon do something that increased her experience or diminished it?  Others here with vision problems can't get their clearer fonts back, do they now make better word of mouth advertisers for Amazon?

It is all about the customer experience.  The customer couldn't care less in most cases about company issues or even security when you see the figures on how many people don't have up to date anti-virus software, they are interested in their experience.  Period.

I practically shut down a competing car wash and the owner sold it because I added color foam to the wash I was consulting with next door. Basically the same equipment, the same soap, the same result-a clean car, but the color foam was an added experience to the customer so they flocked to that wash.

We are talking color foam here.  We took this man's business away with color foam that cost us less than a penny more a car. We didn't do a better job washing cars, we made a better car washing experience. The guy could have added color foam as easy as we did, but he didn't know how to play the game.

At the corporate level I have seen guys write a machine program while I was at lunch.  These guys and gals are amazing and know their stuff.  I am not buying the "it takes a village a year to write an update."  If it does they have the wrong people.  Most of this is pre-written program blocks and established operating systems anyway.  Computers are often used to debug the program by doing thousands of operations a second and simulating years of customer usage.  They don't catch everything, but it is a lot easier than it used to be when we locked people in a room with something to test and a golf counter to punch for every operation they tested and a notepad to write down the result.

I want Amazon to succeed.  It is like your ball team when the coach pulls a dud strategy.  You have a right to fuss if you also cheer!

Scott


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

I wasn't going to post anything more  - but since I have been a senior software developer for 32 years (which now explains why my 61 year old eyes which have stared that long at a computer screen have developed glaucoma and cannot discern low contrasts anymore) -  I agree that you dont' want someone "getting around" your system but - since they knew we used hacks - they should have let us know they were closing the hole so we could decide if we wanted the update or not.

My warranty is not active anymore anyway to that would not have been an issue to me.

I was not upset about how much time they took to deliver the update -  just that I would never have installed it had I known what would happen.  

I provide full release notes with my software releases..    Just saying...


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

It appears we have at least screensaver hacks::

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87187

I can confirm it works on my K2


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

luvmy4brats said:


> It appears we have at least screensaver hacks::
> 
> http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87187
> 
> I can confirm it works on my K2


Is it just me or is she always ahead of us mere mortals?

If the Amazon team had been trying to hack the update it would have taken them . . .

Scott


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

LOL! 

PG4003 found it on MobileReads... I was just crazy enough to attempt it!


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## andy_in_virginia (Dec 3, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> It appears we have at least screensaver hacks::
> 
> http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87187
> 
> I can confirm it works on my K2


I find it interesting that anyone would download a zip file from a message board that has been posted by somebody with only three previous posts on that board, unzip that file on their PC and load the file on their Kindle.

I am very security conscious and so personally I would be very wary of something like that, as you really have no idea what else it may be doing in the background. Maybe I am a little too distrusting or cynical, but that's just me.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

andy_in_virginia said:


> I find it interesting that anyone would download a zip file from a message board that has been posted by somebody with only three previous posts on that board, unzip that file on their PC and load the file on their Kindle.
> 
> I am very security conscious and so personally I would be very wary of something like that, as you really have no idea what else it may be doing in the background. Maybe I am a little too distrusting or cynical, but that's just me.


Thank you for your concern. What can I say, I'm a risk-taker.

And just so you know, I didn't download the file from the person with only 3 posts. I downloaded the files in the next post down...By somebody that I do trust. (Who's been a member for over a year)


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

andy_in_virginia said:


> I find it interesting that anyone would download a zip file from a message board that has been posted by somebody with only three previous posts on that board, unzip that file on their PC and load the file on their Kindle.
> 
> I am very security conscious and so personally I would be very wary of something like that, as you really have no idea what else it may be doing in the background. Maybe I am a little too distrusting or cynical, but that's just me.


Actually, the files in question were posted there by "Clarknova", who has 150 posts there.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

NogDog said:


> Actually, the files in question were posted there by "Clarknova", who has 150 posts there.


If I recall correctly, he's actually the one who came up with the screensaver hack originally.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

VictoriaP said:


> If I recall correctly, he's actually the one who came up with the screensaver hack originally.


I think you might be right. I just know I recognize his icky Avatar


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

There are some smart people out there.

Why can't they be in high places?

I would swear the girl I buy gasoline from is smarter than most Nobel prize winners.

She was discussing her marketing plan with me for the hot sauce her dad makes.

She said it was all a matter of product placement.

I will wait to see if luvmy4brats is still on her feet in a few days and then I will try the screen saver hack!

Scott


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## Vicki G. (Feb 18, 2010)

Heather, is there any word out about the font hack? <pants, grovels and puts on a very needy look>

@ Scott - I totally agree with everything you said. At work and trying to type a quick reply so my nose and bad eyes may get back to the grindstone.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Vicki G. said:


> Heather, is there any word out about the font hack? <pants, grovels and puts on a very needy look>


Apparently the fonts will only need to be repackaged (I have no idea what that entails, just passing on information)

I personally expect we'll see it pretty quick now that they've found the back door they were looking for.

If my Kindle explodes because of the screensaver hack, I'll make sure I let you all know first.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

LOL - I think some folks are thinking you came up with this new hack, Heather, rather than just being the first KB guinea pig for it.


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## clarknova (Jun 16, 2010)

luvmy4brats said:


> I think you might be right. I just know I recognize his icky Avatar


It's not icky! Clarknova was the name of the cockroach typewriter in the movie version of Naked Lunch. And that cockroach avatar is from Oscar Zeta Acosta's Revolt of the Cockroach People.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Steph H said:


> LOL - I think some folks are thinking you came up with this new hack, Heather, rather than just being the first KB guinea pig for it.


I may have installed it before her, but it was a matter of minutes (or seconds) either way.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

clarknova said:


> It's not icky! Clarknova was the name of the cockroach typewriter in the movie version of Naked Lunch. And that cockroach avatar is from Oscar Zeta Acosta's Revolt of the Cockroach People.


EEEWWWW! It IS ICKY!!!! You obviously don't know how squeamish I can be.   

Don't ever ask me why I don't eat white rice....


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## Vicki G. (Feb 18, 2010)

Heather is our master detective and she deserves an award for spending her time doing the things we can't.

<applies for "brat" status>


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

NogDog said:


> I may have installed it before her, but it was a matter of minutes (or seconds) either way.


  That's only because I was busy trying to fix my dishwasher....


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

clarknova said:


> It's not icky! Clarknova was the name of the cockroach typewriter in the movie version of Naked Lunch. And that cockroach avatar is from Oscar Zeta Acosta's Revolt of the Cockroach People.


However, icky cockroach aside, you are my hero!


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Vicki G. said:


> Heather is our master detective and she deserves an award for spending her time doing the things we can't.
> 
> <applies for "brat" status>


LOL!

It wasn't me this time!

clarknova did it, PG4003 posted about it, NogDog tried it...then I tried it.

I just have a big mouth and tell everyone about it!!!!


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## lveale (Jun 8, 2010)

Worked fine for me, too (K2 US).  So far, so good.


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## DD (Nov 9, 2008)

luvmy4brats said:


> EEEWWWW! It IS ICKY!!!! You obviously don't know how squeamish I can be.
> 
> Don't ever ask me why I don't eat white rice....


I agree with Heather...icky!  and you are a hero, clarknova. Heather, please don't ask me about raisins!


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

I just ran the jailbreaker - with expected results.. now patiently waiting for my fonts back.. Thanks everyone!


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## Neo (Mar 30, 2009)

Yaayyyy! Now I can upgrade to 2.5.x


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Neo said:


> Yaayyyy! Now I can upgrade to 2.5.x


I actually thought of you as soon as I installed the hack.. I'm off to find my Disney Hunks to put back on my Kindle. I think they're on my old laptop.

BTW, don't remove the screen_saver folder when you uninstall the hack (you don't need to) and they will be back on there when you install the new hack for 2.5, you won't need to add them again.


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

mrscottishman said:


> I would swear the girl I buy gasoline from is smarter than most Nobel prize winners.
> 
> She was discussing her marketing plan with me for the hot sauce her dad makes.
> 
> ...


Temporary thread hijack:
The idea of hot sauce in Scotland makes me chuckle. Maybe it would improve those kippers!


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## Vicki G. (Feb 18, 2010)

luvmy4brats said:


> I just have a big mouth and tell everyone about it!!!!


Well then.... Thank God for your big mouth!!!


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## Granvillen (Dec 12, 2009)

Thank you, Luvmy4brats.  It worked on my K2i'


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

You know, based on Heather's remarks about rice.....I have conjured up a lot of unsavory images.
Add to that DD's remark about raisins - I may never eat again.

This has been such a fun month.
Consider all the entertainment Amazon has provided us with just by announcing an upgrade with "folders".

Just sayin......


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## Neo (Mar 30, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> I actually thought of you as soon as I installed the hack.. I'm off to find my Disney Hunks to put back on my Kindle. I think they're on my old laptop.
> 
> BTW, don't remove the screen_saver folder when you uninstall the hack (you don't need to) and they will be back on there when you install the new hack for 2.5, you won't need to add them again.


Ooooh, thank you thank you thank you for the tip Luv, much appreciated!!!!!!!!! Now we all know how I'm going to spend my evening 

Just one last question: I just install the uninstall.bin file on my K and update, that's it, right? Nothing to remove from the K?

Seriously, I LOVE those Disney hunks, and while I used to try to not look at my SS before, I now actually stare at them and drool a bit before turning on my K


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

geoffthomas said:


> You know, based on Heather's remarks about rice.....I have conjured up a lot of unsavory images.
> Add to that DD's remark about raisins - I may never eat again.
> 
> This has been such a fun month.
> ...


LOL. Hopefully all the excitement will wear off soon..I need some rest!



Neo said:


> Ooooh, thank you thank you thank you for the tip Luv, much appreciated!!!!!!!!! Now we all know how I'm going to spend my evening
> 
> Just one last question: I just install the uninstall.bin file on my K and update, that's it, right? Nothing to remove from the K?
> 
> Seriously, I LOVE those Disney hunks, and while I used to try to not look at my SS before, I now actually stare at them and drool a bit before turning on my K


Yep, that's all you do. And I know exactly what you mean about the Disney hunks. I remember Betsy and Ann teasing me about them.


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## Neo (Mar 30, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> Yep, that's all you do. And I know exactly what you mean about the Disney hunks. I remember Betsy and Ann teasing me about them.


LOL! Thank you Luv, I'm getting so good at this now ... Seriously, I do consider myself IT challenged, so I'm kind of happy (ok, and proud, let's admit it) to have dared (and succeeded!) to do this hack thingie - and boy was it worth it


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Just got my screensavers back with these files.  Yes!!!!!!  And my thanks to LuvMy4Brats and NogDog!  Haven't tried it with my DX yet, but there are files in the same thread in MobileRead forum.


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## davem2bits (Feb 2, 2009)

Wake me up when the font hacks are available.  That's what I'm waiting for, before I will be updating.



Thanx


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

davem2bits said:


> Wake me up when the font hacks are available. That's what I'm waiting for, before I will be updating.
> 
> Thanx


I expect we'll see them in the next few days. From what I read, they just need to be repackaged (not sure what that entails, that's way beyond me)


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## MinaNoir (Mar 30, 2009)

Neo,
              Where do you find those Disney pics you use as screensavers? I love Disney and would love some. I have never done the screensaver hack before but since it is out for the new update I am going to try for the first time. Can I use pics of my hubby as a screensaver? Can they be in JPEG? Thanks, MinaNoir


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

MinaNoir said:


> Neo,
> Where do you find those Disney pics you use as screensavers? I love Disney and would love some. I have never done the screensaver hack before but since it is out for the new update I am going to try for the first time. Can I use pics of my hubby as a screensaver? Can they be in JPEG? Thanks, MinaNoir


Here's the link for the Disney hunks...

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,6508.msg141156.html#msg141156

I'm going to let others that are more knowledgeable about the screensavers answer your other questions. I only beg, borrow, and steal them. I've never made my own.


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## Belita (Mar 20, 2010)

I was worried since I had just decided to try the screensaver hack when I saw the screensavers here this weekend. After I had already updated to 2.5.2. I just installed the new screensaver hack and it says it works (looks like luvmy4brats's screenshot). How do I put the screensavers on to work? Do I just save them to my Kindle or do I need to do anything else?


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Belita,

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,11566.msg221060.html#msg221060

These are the instructions for 2.3 other than the version, the process is the same.

NOTE: to anyone else reading, the links in that post will NOT work with 2.5


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## tnolan (Feb 28, 2010)

However many people contributed to the new screensaver hack for the 2.5.2 Kindle International (and others), thank you so much! Not only are all the grim looking pics gone (they know who they are), but working from an idea I picked up elsewhere on the boards, I was able to make a custom screensaver for my Valentine (K2I) to go with his Cascade wallpaper. I have posted a pic, hope the experts don't think it too bad, because I am far, far from an expert with this stuff.


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## NavyGirl Leigh (Apr 9, 2010)

I need instructions on how to make the hack work... blah I suck!


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

NavyGirl Leigh said:


> I need instructions on how to make the hack work... blah I suck!


I only recommend doing the hack if you're comfortable with fiddling with the computer and following directions to a T. (not that it's difficult) Also, make sure you have the correct file. 95% of all problems come from trying to use the wrong one.

Use the 2.5 files you have and then follow these directions:



luvmy4brats said:


> Belita,
> 
> http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,11566.msg221060.html#msg221060
> 
> ...


----------



## leslieray (Mar 16, 2010)

Awesome job on your screensaver, tnolan!


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## NavyGirl Leigh (Apr 9, 2010)

No I meant the screensaver hack, I got it all updated to 2.5!


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

NavyGirl Leigh said:


> No I meant the screensaver hack, I got it all updated to 2.5!


Those are the directions for the screensaver hack.

The hack files are here:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=963004&postcount=2


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## NavyGirl Leigh (Apr 9, 2010)

duh... reading too fast, be back shortly to let you know if it worked.  Thanks!


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## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

Okay, my screen savers are back!
It's a beautiful thing.


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## NavyGirl Leigh (Apr 9, 2010)

I dont have the screensaver file in the system file?


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

Well, certainly Amazon never pledged to support the hacks, and they're under zero obligation to do so.  Would it mean positive customer goodwill to perhaps exchange your Kindle?  Sure it would, but there's still no guarantee you'd get a better one.  As I said before, I've compared mine side by side with multiple others, and there wasn't a single one that I thought was better than mine prior to the hack...and certainly none were better than mine WITH the hack.

So personally, I'll wait for the next hack to happen, knowing that Amazon will once again probably crack it with the next update, and hope too that when they finally get around to getting the App Store up and running, other font options will be available that are equivalent to what I currently use.

Ideally, the unit would be perfect out of the box and none of this would be necessary, but that isn't happening.  At least the outlook for the situation is certainly better than it was this morning, or last night!


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

I am in the same boat.. and just waiting for the font hacks..  Now that the screensaver hacks are working - its just a matter of time when we will have our fonts back.  In the meantime - I'm watching TV.. hah!


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## Belita (Mar 20, 2010)

Yay! I had to organize all the pics I downloaded on Sunday, but I now have Disney hunks and some Disney princesses on my Kindle!   I'm going to have a hard time keeping myself from switching them around too much. I did have to restart my Kindle after putting the screensavers on, but now it works just fine and I'm having a hard time preventing myself from switching the screensavers on and off instead of reading!

Thanks everyone!


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

My inclination is to completely ignore their response and hope the font hack is ready soon.   Seems to me like somebody missed the entire point.  That has to be the worst response I've ever had from Amazon about anything.  What would you do?

Vicki

Well, first off, know that you are not alone.  I think a phone call gets more attention, but I wonder if there is a real email where that they look at it for suggestions.  I was going to try the one on the kindle screen saver.  I like the kindle and amazon, but I think they could use our help.

In business we say that some companies are deaf.  I think that might be an insult to deaf people when it comes to some companies.  I have been shopping at Sams clubs for 20 years, mostly for my business and mostly because I don't have a choice.  The number one complaint 20 years ago was "They move things around to where I don't know if they quit carrying them or just moved them."  However today, 20 years later, the number one complaint is, "They move things around to where I don't know if they quit carrying them or just moved them."

Don't you love progress?

Scott


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## Neo (Mar 30, 2009)

I just wanted to report back that I just successfully upgraded to 2.5.2 (after easily uninstalling the SS hack) and re-installed the SS hack (immediately - didn't even see one of the original SS   ). All is super well and I am one very happy camper  

Thank you Luv for all your kind help - and for having the courage to try all this stuff


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## Vicki G. (Feb 18, 2010)

I didn't mean to delete that!!  Well, I did cause I made such a mess out of it but thought I would have gotten rid of it before you had a chance to read it.  

Hate it when I do that!  lol


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## lovesangelrn (Dec 28, 2009)

Vicki G. said:


> I didn't mean to delete that!! Well, I did cause I made such a mess out of it but thought I would have gotten rid of it before you had a chance to read it.
> 
> Hate it when I do that! lol


Hopefully you kept a back up of the file of your SS on your computer?!?!?! I keep a separate file called "current SS" within my SS folder on the computer to just in case I would need to delete the folder from my kindle. I have way more SS then I actually load onto the Kindle.....I like to have options, lol


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## Vicki G. (Feb 18, 2010)

lovesangelrn said:


> Hopefully you kept a back up of the file of your SS on your computer?!?!?! I keep a separate file called "current SS" within my SS folder on the computer to just in case I would need to delete the folder from my kindle. I have way more SS then I actually load onto the Kindle.....I like to have options, lol


uhhhhh... I was talking about my previous that Scott and Victoria replied to.


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## lovesangelrn (Dec 28, 2009)

Vicki G. said:


> uhhhhh... I was talking about my previous that Scott and Victoria replied to.


oh...oops...that's what I get for reading forum pages too quicky, sorry


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## Sunnie (Apr 3, 2010)

Successfully installed the screen saver hack for 2.5.x!  Never had it before!  Awesomeness!  How often do the pics rotate?  Is there a maximum number one can have?

THANK YOU!!!

<--- kid in a candy shop now.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

They don't rotate like a traditional screensaver. They only change when you put the Kindle back to sleep. I've had over 100 on my Kindle in the past, but that eats up a good chunk of memory. At the moment I have one, but I'll probably have about 15-20 before the week is out.


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## Basilius (Feb 20, 2010)

And this seems as good a time as any to repost my hack uninstall tip:

Create a folder on your kindle under documents named "uninstall" and place the appropriate uninstall bin files in there for any hacks you install. You'll never have to worry about where that uninstall went when the time comes.


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

luvmy4brats said:


> At the moment I have one, but I'll probably have about 15-20 before the week is out.


Fickle.

Scott


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## Casse (Oct 16, 2009)

Thank you everyone.... dead authors are now replaced


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

The new SS hack worked for me - hopefully the font hack isn't far behind - that's the one I really want!


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## Sunnie (Apr 3, 2010)

luvmy4brats said:


> They don't rotate like a traditional screensaver. They only change when you put the Kindle back to sleep. I've had over 100 on my Kindle in the past, but that eats up a good chunk of memory. At the moment I have one, but I'll probably have about 15-20 before the week is out.


So there's no point sitting here staring at it occasionally while watching So You Think You Can Dance? LOL

Thanks!


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Not unless you really like that particular picture. It's there until you wake it up and when the Kindle goes to sleep again, you'll have a new one.


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## Bigal-sa (Mar 27, 2010)

What's very interesting to me in this thread is how people knock Amazon for blocking the loophole which allows the hacks. From a blog (which appears to be by an author of one of the hacks) linked to Luv's post to the new bypass code:



> As simple as UFH installation was, *some people still bricked their devices with the old hack for one reason or another*. So until a new method of jailbreaking the Kindle is found that is as simple as the old ones, I'm going to postpone UFH development.


http://blogkindle.com/2010/06/unicode-font-hack-and-kindle-software-update-2-5-2/comment-page-1/#comment-7586#ixzz0r1asG8w5

(Bolding by me.)

Once they've bricked their Kindle, folks expect Amazon to fix/replace it...


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## DD (Nov 9, 2008)

Can hardly wait for new 2.5.x font hacks.  I anxiously check KB every morning to see if someone has figured it out overnight.  I just know I will see good news soon!


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## NavyGirl Leigh (Apr 9, 2010)

I still can't get it to work, I did the file just as instructed but still not working.  I dont have the screensaver file in the system file, any ideas?
This is fusterating!


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## clarknova (Jun 16, 2010)

NavyGirl Leigh said:


> I still can't get it to work, I did the file just as instructed but still not working. I dont have the screensaver file in the system file, any ideas?
> This is fusterating!


Leigh, can you do two things:
1) Make sure it is actually installed by checking the Settings menu and making sure the bottom version string ends with " + SS 0.3" or something similar.
2) If so, try entering the path for the screen_saver directory directly into a windows explorer path bar: "K:\system\screen_saver" (where K: is the actual drive letter that your kindle appears as).


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

As to bricking, I just don't get it.  Over the years I have had major computer crashes that required reinstalling the operating system (hard drive failure, major file corruption, os just gets slow and clunky).  Is there no way to reinstall the kindle operating system?  When we get a new Kindle can we not just copy the files and burn an emergency disk?  Could Amazon not just post the os on the website or is it somehow peculiar to each kindle?  Maybe they should ship with a basic disc (like most computers did until recently) and it would get you to 2.3 and you could download the rest of the upgrades.  I even had a cell phone that had a software problem and they just installed new firmware at the cell store.  Worked like new after.  My netbook had instructions on how to burn an emergency disc with an external drive.

Maybe I am missing something here.

Just in case I think I will burn an emergency disc at the next docking. It might also be a way to go back to older firmware if you don't like the updated version.

Scott


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## clarknova (Jun 16, 2010)

Everyone please note, that the screen saver hack for 2.5 has been updated.  This especially applies to all of the super smart people who keep uninstall folders on their kindles.  The previous version's uninstaller had a typo in the regular expression that wouldn't remove the version tag " + SS 0.3" from the end of the version file correctly, and this will prevent official updates from installing.  The new uninstaller works correctly.  There's no reason to re-install the hack, just make sure you have a copy of the new uninstaller.

This sucks, and I totally should have tested this before release, but frankly the screen saver code hasn't changed since the DX was released.  The only thing that's changed are the version numbers and the method of installation.


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## mishymac (May 13, 2010)

so I've hacked my 2.5.3 update to be able to do my own screensavers....which btw it's the first time I've done this and LOVE it........but am wanting to know if there is a font hack, and how to use it, where to get new fonts from if it does come out.....please help me!?!?!


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

Dear Clarknova,
Is there a link to the new and updated screen saver file?

Thanks for your hard work!
Scott


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

mrscottishman said:


> Dear Clarknova,
> Is there a link to the new and updated screen saver file?
> 
> Thanks for your hard work!
> Scott


I think if you just go back to the original forum post and redownload the zip file, the new uninstaller is now in there.


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

Linjeakel said:


> I think if you just go back to the original forum post and redownload the zip file, the new uninstaller is now in there.


Great idea!

Where was that?

Scott


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## clarknova (Jun 16, 2010)

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=963004&postcount=2


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

Thanks, I didn't bookmark it.

Scott


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## Bigal-sa (Mar 27, 2010)

mrscottishman said:


> As to bricking, I just don't get it. Over the years I have had major computer crashes that required reinstalling the operating system (hard drive failure, major file corruption, os just gets slow and clunky). Is there no way to reinstall the kindle operating system? When we get a new Kindle can we not just copy the files and burn an emergency disk? Could Amazon not just post the os on the website or is it somehow peculiar to each kindle? Maybe they should ship with a basic disc (like most computers did until recently) and it would get you to 2.3 and you could download the rest of the upgrades. I even had a cell phone that had a software problem and they just installed new firmware at the cell store. Worked like new after. My netbook had instructions on how to burn an emergency disc with an external drive.
> 
> Maybe I am missing something here.


Yip. You are missing something. As an average Kindle user, if you bricked it, do you think you could fix it, even if you had the OS?

The Kindle is not sold as a computer with an OS, it's sold as a reading device...


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

My computer thinks the kindle is a hard drive.  

Just like a usb drive or thumbdrive

Theoretical Bricked Kindle repair

1.  Make recovery disc before you have a problem

2.  Delete all files on bricked Kindle

3.  Reinstall them with your recovery disc

4.  Drink an iced tea and read a book

Works with computers (kindle is a drive with a processor, sounds like a form of computer to me) cell phones, mp3 players, netbooks . . .

I don't understand why it wouldn't work.  Someone somewhere put the files and operating system on it to begin with.  Did they use pixie dust?


Scott


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

Well, why don't you try making the recovery disc, deleting all the files, and then reinstalling them, and let us know how it works? You can be the guinea pig!


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

Steph H said:


> Well, why don't you try making the recovery disc, deleting all the files, and then reinstalling them, and let us know how it works? You can be the guinea pig!


I am making a recovery disc. Just in case.

I am sure there are people around here that know how the innards of a kindle work.

Maybe we will hear from them.

I back up pretty much everything, I have got the back up religion now since I lost a lot in a hard drive crash years ago.


Scott


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I've also updated the Zip file on my site* with the latest (0.4) version of the screen-saver hack uninstaller fix.
___________
* Has the "jailbreak" and screen-saver files all in one zip file.


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## megachirops (Dec 29, 2009)

mrscottishman said:


> As to bricking, I just don't get it. Over the years I have had major computer crashes that required reinstalling the operating system (hard drive failure, major file corruption, os just gets slow and clunky). Is there no way to reinstall the kindle operating system? When we get a new Kindle can we not just copy the files and burn an emergency disk? Could Amazon not just post the os on the website or is it somehow peculiar to each kindle? Maybe they should ship with a basic disc (like most computers did until recently) and it would get you to 2.3 and you could download the rest of the upgrades. I even had a cell phone that had a software problem and they just installed new firmware at the cell store. Worked like new after. My netbook had instructions on how to burn an emergency disc with an external drive.
> 
> Maybe I am missing something here.
> 
> ...


Yep. Definitely missing a few things... On your computer you can see/install/control everything. The directories you see when you connect the Kindle to your computer are no where near all of the directories on the internal file system. You only see the ones Amazon chooses to make writable by the user. If everything was open you wouldn't need "jailbreaks" and "hacks" to make changes to the Kindle; you could just copy new stuff onto it. You aren't going to be able to copy enough to be able to call it a "backup".

Firmware Developers, in general, typically have specially modified versions of the device (or at least special tools that they can plug onto the device) to allow much greater access for programming, debug, flashing, etc. Also, the apps for programming a fresh/bricked device aren't typically designed to be user-friendly enough for most end-users (hence the need to take you cell phone into a dealer to recover vs being able to do it yourself).


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## Hoosiermama (Dec 28, 2009)

Thank you! I had never tried a hack on my K2 before. I got my Kindle for Christmas, and now I have my very own screensavers! Also thanks for linking to the directions for prior hacks. I couldn't find the screensavers directory on mine until I found the old directions to uncheck "hide system files".

Happy here!


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## leslieray (Mar 16, 2010)

Steph H said:


> Well, why don't you try making the recovery disc, deleting all the files, and then reinstalling them, and let us know how it works? You can be the guinea pig!


Steph H, where do you get those cute, make me laugh out loud, emoticoms? I love them!!!!


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

Thanks, Leslie! Most of them I've gotten off of other forums, and then copied/loaded them up onto my own web space so I can use them on this forum and other places. (That could probably be done with photobucket or another image site, I'd think.) The choices here are _so_ limited, I like variety. 

And may I say in return, that your kitty avatar is just toooo cute!


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## leslieray (Mar 16, 2010)

Steph H said:


> And may I say in return, that your kitty avatar is just toooo cute!


Well thank you!!!!!!!!


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## clarknova (Jun 16, 2010)

mrscottishman said:


> As to bricking, I just don't get it. Over the years I have had major computer crashes that required reinstalling the operating system (hard drive failure, major file corruption, os just gets slow and clunky). Is there no way to reinstall the kindle operating system? When we get a new Kindle can we not just copy the files and burn an emergency disk? Could Amazon not just post the os on the website or is it somehow peculiar to each kindle? Maybe they should ship with a basic disc (like most computers did until recently) and it would get you to 2.3 and you could download the rest of the upgrades. I even had a cell phone that had a software problem and they just installed new firmware at the cell store. Worked like new after. My netbook had instructions on how to burn an emergency disc with an external drive.
> 
> Maybe I am missing something here.


I agree. Most hardware devices that I buy have fully flashable firmware downloads available for updates and repair. In fact, it would seem as the kindle has (had?) this ability, as you could boot into recovery mode which would allow you to place an update bin back on the kindle, and reboot to fix it. Unfortunately, we don't have the full docs on how this works. We can make some educated guesses that the contents of the update would be a clean image dump of the root file system (which most of us make with each new version), but no one I know has bricked their kindle to the point of being so unrecoverable that they were willing to try it out.


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

I am not a computer expert, but it would look like with an iso file program you could see the entire image.  I can't imagine Amazon going to the trouble and money of creating an entirely new file/data method.

I am not a lennox  man myself, but I understand that the Kindle operates some form of lennox and lennox is pretty well known in circles.


A couple of college kids, mountain dew, pizza and a room with a computer, couch and video games, I am saying we could turn out some kindle apps in a week or so . . .


Scott


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## Granvillen (Dec 12, 2009)

Not trying to be picky, but I think you mean Linux.


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

There is always one.  I couldn't spell it in any way the spell checker would accept it and my grandson started crying so I had to run and then came back and just pressed post.  It doesn't recognize even the correct spelling.

Doesn't Annie have an operating system?



Scott


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## KeRaSh (Jun 7, 2010)

Mrscottishman, there is also the concern of piracy. With full access to the internal memory where the OS lies you could easily reprogram the device to disregard any DRM. This is just the first thing that came into my mind. I bet there are creative people out there who could think of other ways to use a fully hackable Kindle for other purposes that could harm Amazon or others.

The same goes for almost any electronical device with a built in OS. Take cell phones for instance. Same thing. 
With PC OSs it's somewhat different. It's not really comparable to the Kindle. You actually pay extra for it and expect it to let you customize it. People expect their Kindles to display books and that's what you get. 
Now I understand you would only use this kind of device access for the right reasons but Amazon has to think of all the bad people out there.


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## suicidepact (May 17, 2009)

K2 US screensaver hack installed with no problems. Thanks to all involved. It's weird that it needs to be 'jailbroken' when previous versions didn't. Amazon didn't seem to mind that users were modifying their Kindles before. I hope this doesn't signal a more Apple-like approach to people being locked out of their own hardware platforms, even if no attempt is being made to break DRM. Again, thanks to the coders! Much respect!


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## clarknova (Jun 16, 2010)

mrscottishman said:


> I am not a computer expert, but it would look like with an iso file program you could see the entire image.


Yes, as long as you unpacked the update. Again, we haven't explored creating our own full image update bins very much since it comes at great risk, but this is how it was for the K1 with the SquashFS filesystem, and seems to be for the K2 with the ext2/3 filesystem.



KeRaSh said:


> Mrscottishman, there is also the concern of piracy. With full access to the internal memory where the OS lies you could easily reprogram the device to disregard any DRM.


 We've always had access to the internal memory (the root filesystem) since Igor Skochinsky first published his findings on the K1. This is how the hacks are done. I can send you a copy if you'd like -- the image is about 400MB.
Also, the DRM of mobi/topaz books uses encryption and can't just be ignored -- you still have to know the key. The bigger concern are those who have attempted to use the device for free 3G access. This has generally been frowned upon by the community, and presumably it would be easy to trace illicit use by Amazon if this occurred, at which point they could just disable the 3G access of the offending kindle.


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

We are getting way out on a limb here to what I started with and that is fine, I just don't want to steal books or wireless.  I just said basically we need and or there may be a way to reinstall the operating system.  I know people look at the kindle as a mystical electronic book, but I see it as a word processor running on a computer and it even has speakers and internet connectivity.  I have drivers that came with my cell phone so I can link and add music and backup my contacts and who knows what else.  I don't see that reinstalling the original kindle operating system is a threat to drm. That is a whole different issue since there is a lot of drm "avoidance" going on I hear off the kindle.  I think it is interesting that Amazon does not offer a book management program like Apple offers itunes with mp3 players. There are several possibilities there. As to apps, I keep hearing that Amazon has hired a bunch of people to do that, so if they aren't all working on K3 then we should see something there soon.  I like the book-like nature of the kindle and love the e-ink, but would it be so bad if I wanted a calender with an alarm?


Scott


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I've never heard of anyone bricking their kindle with screen-saver or font hacks.  They either work or they don't, but the kindle still works.


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

mlewis78 said:


> I've never heard of anyone bricking their kindle with screen-saver or font hacks. They either work or they don't, but the kindle still works.


It was all theoretical.

Everyone can go back to their book now. . . 

Scott


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

mlewis78 said:


> I've never heard of anyone bricking their kindle with screen-saver or font hacks. They either work or they don't, but the kindle still works.


I keep thinking that if anyone was going to brick their Kindle it would be me with all the stuff I subject it to.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Fortunately, the font and screensaver hacks that have been posted have been created by well-meaning individuals, not people who want to wreck your Kindle. The same cannot be said for some of the 2.5 update files that were floating around on some websites, which did brick a few Kindles. If you are going to be messing with your Kindle's operating system, make sure the files you get are from a reputable source.


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## Tuttle (Jun 10, 2010)

mlewis78 said:


> I've never heard of anyone bricking their kindle with screen-saver or font hacks. They either work or they don't, but the kindle still works.


I actually have heard of people bricking their kindle with the hacks, but only because of them not following the directions correctly. There's also the fact that if someone posts a "hack" that doesn't do what is intended then you don't know what'll do to the kindle.



clarknova said:


> We've always had access to the internal memory (the root filesystem) since Igor Skochinsky first published his findings on the K1. This is how the hacks are done. I can send you a copy if you'd like -- the image is about 400MB.


Should we PM you or something if we're interested in getting an image of the root filesystem? I did so. It seems interesting enough to have around, and could theoretically be useful. I had PMed you mentioning this, but am commenting in here anyways.


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

suicidepact said:


> K2 US screensaver hack installed with no problems. Thanks to all involved. It's weird that it needs to be 'jailbroken' when previous versions didn't.


When the International kindles were released, they needed to be jailbroken, although that term wasn't used. The most recent update (before 2.5) also included this protection; which is why my screensaver hack continued to work (have an International) but new ones had to be created for all the original K2's.


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## NavyGirl Leigh (Apr 9, 2010)

GROOVY! the new hack update worked!  Thank you so much!  now I can get busy!


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

I have a question.
The way this new "hack" works.....can we put it on and will we still get upgraded from 2.5.2 to 2.5.3?
Or do we have to wait until after 2.5.3?


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

geoffthomas said:


> I have a question.
> The way this new "hack" works.....can we put it on and will we still get upgraded from 2.5.2 to 2.5.3?
> Or do we have to wait until after 2.5.3?


You won't be able to get any updates while you have a hack on. The file might download to your Kindle but the update would fail.


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## bonzi (Jun 15, 2010)

I can't find them now, but Amazon has published on their site source code archives of modified Linux they are using, as they should as per GNU license. Their reader software is, of course, proprietary. However, to use that to "resurrect" your bricked device there should be some kind of bootstrap loader in separate R/O ROM, and the question is, which input device would it use? Now, Amazon (or whoever manufactures/refurbishes/repairs Kindles) obviously has a way to load Kindle SW from the scratch, but they are very unlikely to make it public, and it might involve specialized hardware.


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

geoffthomas said:


> I have a question.
> The way this new "hack" works.....can we put it on and will we still get upgraded from 2.5.2 to 2.5.3?
> Or do we have to wait until after 2.5.3?


The way I understood it from the "hacker's" post was that you would be able to get the updates because of the way this hack had to be done. In the past you weren't able to update with the hacks on, but I'm pretty sure he said this one wouldn't interfere. I'll see if I can find his post.


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

"Also, I didn't include an uninstaller for the repackaged jailbreak, since the jailbreak doesn't change anything, it only installs the public key to /etc/uks/pubhackkey01.pem . And this should never affect an official update. If it turns out later that amazon specifically writes an update to fail if that file is there, then it's a simple case of making an uninstaller that simply removes the key."

This is part of his post about not affecting updates, but maybe it just refers to the jailbreak file and not the actual hack file I guess.


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

KindleGirl said:


> "Also, I didn't include an uninstaller for the repackaged jailbreak, since the jailbreak doesn't change anything, it only installs the public key to /etc/uks/pubhackkey01.pem . And this should never affect an official update. If it turns out later that amazon specifically writes an update to fail if that file is there, then it's a simple case of making an uninstaller that simply removes the key."
> 
> This is part of his post about not affecting updates, but maybe it just refers to the jailbreak file and not the actual hack file I guess.


I believe it is just the jailbreak part, which is why he provided an uninstaller for the screensaver hack, but not for jailbreak. I think he re-wrote the original jailbreak file specifically so it wouldn't need to be removed but you need to uninstall the screensaver hack to get any future updates. I would imagine it also means you won't have to re-run jailbreak in order to put on future hacks.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Thanks,
I kinda thought that was what had been said, but I was not sure whether I had misunderstood.
But it is now clear(er).


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## Crystalmes (Jan 28, 2010)

OMG!!! I love the hack!!! THANK YOU!


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## Sunnie (Apr 3, 2010)

I can attest that the new hack and newer uninstall for the hack works....because I got the notice that my whispernet had an update for me; it was 2.5.3.  It wouldn't work.  I installed the newer screensaver hack uninstall (the one that was fixed)....and then successfully upgraded to 2.5.3 (after my manual upgrade from Amazon's 2.5.2. update a few days earlier), and then re-installed the 2.5.x screensaver hack, and I'm happily at 2.5.3 with a ss hack version of .4

Life is good!


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## Vicki G. (Feb 18, 2010)

I hate to sound stupid(er) than I really am but it's been so long since I've had any kind of update automatically.  How/where did you receive a notice that your Whispernet had an update for you?


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## Sunnie (Apr 3, 2010)

Good point.  'Notice' was the wrong word.  I was in settings and saw "Update (or is it "upgrade"?) your Kindle" darkened.  I'm so sorry for giving the wrong impression here.  But seeing it darkened was my 'notice' that an upgrade awaited me.  My bad...


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## Vicki G. (Feb 18, 2010)

's ok, Gwennie.  I won't beat you this time.  lol


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## Sunnie (Apr 3, 2010)




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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

Well, I did it. I added the screensaver hack today. I'd never had the screensaver (or font) hack before, on either the K1 I've had for 2 years or the K2 I got last month, never really felt the need; but I thought I'd try it this time around. Easy to do with all the available info put together by the assorted parties, especially with the files and instructions compiled on Nogdog's page (tip o' the hat to you, sir!). So now I've got about 25 assorted images loaded up, lifted from 911jason's artwork in the thread down in the Photo forum (and a tip o' the hat to you as well, sir!), to get me started.








I love new 'toys'.


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## cloudyvisions (May 21, 2009)

Has there been any updated info anywhere about how the font hack might be coming along? I'm ready to update, but I am just waiting until I know for certain I can put my favorite font back on!


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

I think the fonts might take a little more time, but you can bet as soon as they are done, it will be posted on this forum!


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## NavyGirl Leigh (Apr 9, 2010)

Pushka said:


> I think the fonts might take a little more time, but you can bet as soon as they are done, it will be posted on this forum!


Not paitently waiting! haha


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## pokesomi (Dec 27, 2009)

wait doesnt the gpl included any source code used in conjunction with an already gpl compliant source code release??  Example, the ereader software source has to be released alongside the linux distro?


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

pokesomi said:


> wait doesnt the gpl included any source code used in conjunction with an already gpl compliant source code release?? Example, the ereader software source has to be released alongside the linux distro?


I don't believe that the Linux OS has that type of license restriction. Otherwise nobody in the private sector would ever use it. They might have to make any modifications of the Linux kernel and associated Linux programs available, but applications running on top of it do not have to be (remembering that I am not a copyright/patent lawyer).


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## Bigal-sa (Mar 27, 2010)

pokesomi said:


> wait doesnt the gpl included any source code used in conjunction with an already gpl compliant source code release?? Example, the ereader software source has to be released alongside the linux distro?


No. Look at VirtualBox. Although there is an open source edition included in most repositories, it is marginally better than useless as there is no USB support. The closed source version offers USB support, but no source code, so NogDog is correct.


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

NavyGirl Leigh said:


> Not paitently waiting! haha


Me neither!!! or Me too!!! Whatever! I want my Georgia 2 back!!!


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## Vicki G. (Feb 18, 2010)

911jason said:


> Me neither!!! or Me too!!! Whatever! I want my Georgia 2 back!!!


Me three!!

Funny, I was going to post last night to ask that very same big-time redundant question but figured y'all would throw rocks or something at me so I just shut down my computer and went to read on my poor pitiful hackless Kindle.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

No worries. We don't throw rocks. But Verena has a stick and Betsy has a cattle prod. 

I'd like my Georgia2 fonts back too.


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## tsger (Feb 23, 2010)

I did the jailbreak / install ss hack.  Once the kindle rebooted it was frozen.  Eventually I did a hard reboot, it came up, screensavers worked, but the time zone was set to Anchorage for some reason...weird!  So I uninstalled the SS hack.

Anyone have a similar issue?  Also, is it normal for the unit to seem to freeze up after installing the SS hack?

Edit:
Guess I should mention, I have K2i, version 2.5.3.


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## pokesomi (Dec 27, 2009)

yeah mine stayed on the kindle feedback image cause that was the only 1 i didnt remove.


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

No problems here.  Manually went to v2.5.2, then added the screensaver hack.  Just today noticed that it was trying to update itself, but it failed.  Uninstalled the SS hack, re-ran the newly-delivered update (the file of course was still on the Kindle), re-applied the SS hack, now running v2.5.3 w/no probs.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

With 17,000 members now this is just a reminder:

Remember to visit the "KB Photo Gallery" Forum on this site to find inspiration for your screensavers. There are plenty down there, and many of us are willing to help you make your own, or just ask and someone can help make customized ones for you.


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## lorezskyline (Apr 19, 2010)

Quick question this is the first time i've installed the hack for the screensavers and it seems that anytime you want to add another image to the screensavers you have to install the hack again is this correct as simply restarting the kindle doesnt seem to work for me?  It took me a while to work this out after removing all the standard dead writer ones as I kept getting a blank screen.


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

No, you only need to install the hack once, pop your screensavers into the folder, and each time you put a new one in there, you should only need to restart.


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## lorezskyline (Apr 19, 2010)

Thanks will give it another go and see if it works this time.
Still amazed at how many great screensavers there are to choose from on the boards here!


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