Maybe it's ok to upgrade an o($100) device once after, checks notes, 14 years?
Incredible longevity compared to any other device
Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers
131–140 of 344 posts
Re: Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers
#132Earlier quoted context omitted.
+1. It seems like there is just a vocal minority who complain about the missing HW buttons etc. I’m sure Amazon has enough actual customer data to make their product decisions based on what moves the most volume.
Just like the 3.5mm headphone jack, which a very vocal bunch of people are still complaining about, 10 years after iPhone got rid of it.
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Re: Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers
#133Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don’t know how I feel about it. I’ve been on one side, looking at usage numbers of older iOS versions, and arguing that low single digit percentages were fine to stop supporting with the new version. On the other hand, I view my kindle as an appliance, and I don’t need it to have updated functionality. I think this is true of many electronics: digital cameras, printers, misc USB peripherals, etc. I believe Amazon c…
I'm supporting a 30 year old product, the oldest one in the field are 20+ years old, we still support them. I'm just in the process of developing a lifecycle policy, being able to cut off support for a 12 year systems would make my life much more full of joy.
Presumably that “support” you officer is tied to a nice fat multi-year support contract, no?
You can’t equate that to providing ongoing updates and support for a $100 hardware device indefinitely.
Re: Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers
#134Having used an early kindle and a recent kindle, they are incredibly similar. One of the main innovations of the new models appears to be adverts you have to pay to get rid of.
> adverts you have to pay to get rid of
Those have been around since day 1 afaik - my second gen kindle had them over ~12 years ago
Re: Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers
#135Earlier quoted context omitted.
Different way to think about it: Whatever failings device might have, people still buy it for Amazon service integration. Also "but people buy it anyway" is terrible way to disregard legitimate criticizm without thinking
“But people cry about it” doesnt mean the criticisms are legitimate. To be fair, I don’t think the criticisms are illegitimate by your definition, I just think they’re pointless and from vocal crybabies.
You are only making complaints about criticisms (which you acknowledge as legitimate). If complaints from consumers about consumer devices are pointless and the consumers are "vocal crybabies", then how would you categorize yourself and your complaints about their complaints?
Re: Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers
#136Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don’t know how I feel about it. I’ve been on one side, looking at usage numbers of older iOS versions, and arguing that low single digit percentages were fine to stop supporting with the new version. On the other hand, I view my kindle as an appliance, and I don’t need it to have updated functionality. I think this is true of many electronics: digital cameras, printers, misc USB peripherals, etc. I believe Amazon c…
I'm supporting a 30 year old product, the oldest one in the field are 20+ years old, we still support them. I'm just in the process of developing a lifecycle policy, being able to cut off support for a 12 year systems would make my life much more full of joy.
(This may be a very ungenerous reading of your comment, so my apologies if this is not what you mean.)
The phrase that jumps out at me is:
> being able to cut off support for a 12 year systems would make my life much more full of joy
I think this is a nearly-poetical capturing of the core problem.
The focus is on the joy and well-being of the maintainer, not the impact to all the people who will be impacted by this change. Possibly some people rely on these devices and it adversely impact their joy and livelihood when support is ended.
This happens over and over again in tech.
Re: Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers
#137Earlier quoted context omitted.
Seconded. I bought a Libra 2 a few years ago and loved it so much that I’ve gifted a couple more. There’s nothing about it I’d want to change.
I'd change mine so that the portrait and landscape button layout were separately configurable.
Huh. OK, fair point. I have my portrait buttons swapped because my thumb naturally rests next to the top button. I don't use in landscape enough to be an issue.
BTW, slapping a pop socket on the back so I can comfortably read with one hand was a game changer.
Re: Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers
#138Earlier quoted context omitted.
The device isn’t locked, and you can continue to read anything on it. You just can’t put new things on it directly from Amazon via its built-in interface. An original-model Kindle has more of its original functionality than an original-model iPad.
The OS is locked, no? That's why people have to jailbreak it to install software like KOreader?
Yes, the OS is locked. I misunderstood the point of your statement.
But all you are losing is the ability to use the Amazon store and borrowing that requires DRM. It still works fine as an e-Ink reader.
Anecdotally, the OSes on the really old ones are easily jailbroken. They have never updated them to an unbreakable one that I am aware of.
More than I can say for my first-gen iPads, which would still be wonderful devices for reading books today. I have a Kindle because it is, and long has been, the cheapest e-Ink device. It’s my reading-outdoors device; I don’t use it except at the beach/pool.
Re: Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers
#139Earlier quoted context omitted.
14 years of support for a device is pretty incredible.
Yeah, I do not really see the problem here. These devices are ancient and the panic is unwarranted. The older Kindles can be jailbroken if anyone cares that much. I think there is a smaller argument that the newer Kindles don't feel as nice. The Oasis was the pinnacle of e-reader hardware design, and it'll be sad when they stop supporting it, but it certainly won't be worthy of a news article or this kind of reaction…
Sigh. The unnoteworthy useless ancient device Noone should talk about that has the features everyone wishes the newer versions had.
Yeah, it's the smells wherever you go problem.
Re: Kindle loyalists scramble as Amazon turns page on old e-readers
#14014 years support window is so insanely good. But as it goes... You either die a hero or you live long enough to become the villain.
My local library has some dead tree format books with a 500 year support window. Or dead animal or dead reed format books with more like a 2000-year support window. Planned obsolescence is always bad.
> 500 year support window
Err, no. Something “existing” is not the same as something being supported. Is the original printer still providing free translations to modern languages? Fixing typos and other mistakes? Adding chapters on a regular basis?
It’s kinda ludicrous to call the fact that a thing didn’t spontaneously disappear “support”.