One of the concerns of large companies when they launch a gadget is how long the gadget will last without being altered or if it will have any alteration that damages them. Apple, Google, Microsoft and also Amazon are the most concerned. To the extent that Amazon recently has released an update that will stop those possible hacks or jailbreaks and that annoy the big companies so much.
Currently there are several hacks for the Basic Kindle and for the rest of the Kindle models that not only make us install what we want but also break the Amazon philosophy. One of these hacks allows us to install an epub reader that would break with Amazon's idea of only reading ebooks in their formats.
The update in question that is avoiding hacks and jailbreaks is 5.6.X, that is, if you have previous versions, it is best not to update or remove automatic updates.
Kindle firmware 5.6 blocks hacks and jailbreaks
But recently, in the forum MobileRead has published a way to free our Kindle if it has that update version, which questions whether Amazon's efforts are enough or not to stop the hacks from the developers.
Normally I totally agree with the hacks and jailbreaks of the new gadgets, since most offer many more improvements than the factory gadget itself, but in this case I have to say that such a situation is quite dangerous and unnecessary. Currently I only find it interesting to do hacks if we want to install specific dictionaries in our eReader, something that is not essential for the eReader in question either.
Although I, as a user of this eReader, usually have the automatic update blocked since it is not known when it is necessary to have the eReader ready for a hack or a jailbreak. So now you know, look at your Kindle and make sure you don't suffer from this damn update.
I hack all my Kindle to show me the cover of the book as a screensaver.
My Kindle is ad-free.
I do not understand why Amazon does not allow me that option and forces me to see those ugly screensavers ...
In the kindle you do not need to do hacks to put dictionaries, if you have a mobi dictionary you put it in documents and you can use it.
On the other hand, the way to jailbreak kindles with firmware 5.6 or higher is complicated, it involves soldering on the motherboard and such.
The main advantage that I see in kindle hacks, apart from being able to read in epub that since azw3 was released it does not matter a bit, is to be able to patch a reading firmware that is quite deficient in configuration options:
- Painful margins that do not allow you to take advantage of the 6 screen »you stay at 5»
- Font sizes quite poorly selected, although for this they have found a solution in mobileread, placing a file with the sizes in the root directory can be changed
- Be able to add fonts. This is pathetic because in paperwhite1 creating a folder you could add fonts and they decided to remove it. What a few touches ...
- To be able to put screensavers of your liking, or the cover of the book you read.
It would be necessary, that this not even with hacks, to be able to see the time without having to go to the menu. To be able to see the pages until the next chapter, or the% of the chapter you are reading.
In short in my case I abandon, my next reader will be open with android. I am tired of a poorly configurable reader, and thanks to the altruistic work of users, what they do not want to give can be improved and Amazon insists on trying to cover it. As a user I have voice and vote, and it is not to buy another kindle.
I do not know what readers are on android ... except for tablets (and I would not use a tablet to read). Anyway, if it is true, that you buy a reader to be versatile and read all kinds of formats, the problem is that the manufacturer also sells electronic books, that's how they make books so that you can only use them in their formats ... I don't think anything was achieved, but it would be nice if someone in the USA, who are very given to it, sue this company for its limitation of competition, by not allowing the use of such a widely established book format.
Carlos Hlz · UNAM
I SELL ONE IN $ 1,900 IT IS WIFI WITH INTEGRATED LIGHT IT IS THE MODEL THAT IS IN 2,399