So I got a Kindle in July. It was a gift (I never would have spent that much for it). I’ve liked it fine, because I’m a cheapskate I have been discovering a lot of out-of-copyright classics that can be had for 99 cents.
Anyhoo, yesterday the battery ran out. All of a sudden, between lunch when the battery was at about 50% when I turned it off, to totally nothing when I tried to read on the way home.
So I plug it in when I get home. This morning, still nothing. The battery is now completely dead. So I go online to see how long it will take to get a new one.
At least 5 weeks!:eek::eek::mad::mad::mad:
Because they are out of stock and won’t be in stock until at least December 1. Because, I guess, the damn things are made in China. As is the Kindle itself (assembled there, at least).
I start reading the comments. Apparently these things typically only last 3 months, and many commenters who sounded like they understand such things said that Amazon should check into the quality of these batteries. And that Amazon has known about these problems for a long time and done nothing about them. A lot of 1-star ratings.
The bottom line:
If you own a Kindle, be very careful about preserving your battery (don’t wait for it to run down before re-charging, etc.; other tips are in your Kindle guidebook). Prolly better order your batteries from Amazon now to get in line early (good god, I just realized they are probably stocking up for the holiday season. Oy).
As for me, I ordered a battery on EBay. From England. It will take at least a week to get here. Better than 5 weeks. And I’m only paying about $5 more than Amazon. I’ll also be buying a couple of backups from Amazon, for when I need them in March and June next year.
It’s not bad enough that you have to buy all your books from Amazon (if there’s another way I don’t know about it). That they have these weird-ass batteries that you can’t find anywhere else, and they can’t even keep them in stock, is beyond foul.
If you don’t already have a Kindle, don’t buy one!
Roddy