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Old Kindles Will Be Disconnected Unless You Update By Tuesday (cnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the update-your-kindle-dammit dept.

An anonymous reader writes: If you have a Kindle device, you must update it before March 22 or else it's going to lose internet connectivity. Losing access to the internet means that you won't be able to use Kindle Store to purchase books, and your device won't be able to sync with the cloud. From a CNET article, "According to Amazon, the update is required to ensure the Kindle remains compliant with continuously evolving industry web standards." These are the devices that need to be updated: Kindle 1st Generation (2007), Kindle 2nd Generation (2009), Kindle DX 2nd Generation (2009), Kindle Keyboard 3rd Generation (2010), Kindle 4th Generation (2011), Kindle 5th Generation (2012), Kindle Touch 4th Generation (2011), and Kindle Paperwhite 5th Generation (2012). If you own a Kindle Paperwhite (6th or 7th Generation), or a Kindle 7th Generation, or a Kindle Voyage 7th Generation, you do not need to worry about the update. And suddenly, Amazon sending postcards to remind people about this update doesn't feel that wrong.

6 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. Only if they've been offline for a while by cyberchondriac · · Score: 4, Informative

    This whole thing is a bit misleading. Kindles update automatically, so this is only for some older models, and only if you've left it off in a drawer somewhere for the past couple of years. If you use the Kindle regularly, this should be a non-issue.

    --

    Look back up at my post, now look back down, you're on the Internet. Now look back up. I'm a signature.
    1. Re:Only if they've been offline for a while by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Agreed, and not just that, but the patches have been around for a while.

      For instance, they're saying to update my Kindle Keyboard to v3.4.2, which was released in July 2015.

  2. Update over USB by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I think the post fails to mention: you can update the Kindle over USB after the deadline.

  3. Re:Another Reminder that your Device Isn't Yours by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    I said nothing about books already stored locally on the device, I said books that were "safely stored on the cloud". Which yes, you will lose access to them. Or does "and your device won't be able to sync with the cloud" mean something different to you?

  4. It's a Certificate Update by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's an updated certificate store. If you don't get the new certificate(s) onto your Kindle, it won't connect to Amazon any more. You'll lose access to any books not already downloaded onto your device, and be unable to sync newly-purchased Amazon content to it over-the-air, or sync reading positions, etc.

  5. Re:So how will users update with no internet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    USB Cable.

    You should try to look into what the term "bricking" actually means, because you're not using it right.

    The device will be fully functional with the exception of being able to access the store UNTIL you manually update via USB. This is all irrelevant if you simply update before the deadline which has been highly advertised to any and all owners of Kindle devices.