Amazon wants feedback on an “early preview of the next software update” for Kindle 3 and refers to this update-preview as software update version 3.01.
They stress this is offered so that “Customers who want to try this early release of the software and provide feedback can download the update from their servers.”
Amazon explains that this update will add
‘ the ability to create a new Amazon.com account directly from your Kindle, as well as
additional performance improvements.After installing this update, please share your feedback with us at kindle-response@amazon.com. We look forward to hearing about your experience and appreciate your feedback. ‘
The performance improvements would include software responses to reports that some Kindle 3’s have had freezes and/or reboots — and in phone calls that Kindle tech support reps have made to customers in proactive responses to forum notes, they’ve offered the interim update with success on most of the problem Kindles, although some forum members have been given replacement Kindles within a day or so, either so that the Kindle crew could analyze them or because they felt a replacement Kindle would be best for the symptoms reported. One technical representative was reported to have suggested there might be a modem problem in some cases.
To report any unusual problems like this, it’s best to write kindle-feedback@amazon.com, as that mail tends to be routed to the development team.
Installing this preview update, if you’re having any problems, will probably be the fastest route to a normally-functioning Kindle, which most people I know have been enjoying, although Len Edgerly did report problems with his Kindle 3.
Instructions at their preview-update page start with:
‘ Here’s how to download Kindle software update version 3.0.1 and transfer it to your Kindle via USB:
- Determine which type of Kindle you have: Look at the serial number located on the Settings screen. To view the Settings screen, press Home, then Menu and select Settings.
{ You should see something like the following in the bottom right of the status line. }
- Download your software: Visit the appropriate link…to download the software update file directly to your computer: … ‘
They have a good diagram showing how you can determine which software you’d download, depending on your serial number and the type of Kindle 3 you have.
You’ll see step-by-step directions there for the download. I’d say there’s no need to install this unless you actually are seeing any problems like this, but I don’t expect it would hurt, since programming code will check status to see if a fix is needed.
Via Andrys Basten’s A Kindle World blog.
