Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is only for right hand use

I’ve been using the new Kindle Paperwhite for close to a month now. It seems to be a good replacement for my 3 year old Kindle 3 (with keyboard)  which died on me one cold winter night – just when I needed it the most.

The ability to read without any lights on in the room at night is what makes the Kindle Paperwhite amazing. I’d pay for that any day. Thanks Amazon!

It is an upgrade in some ways and not so much in other ways. Actually, it is a retrogression in some ways.

It’s super responsive touch screen interface is a winner and I love the virtual keyboard.

However, nothing prepared me for the fact that I couldn’t listen to MP3s or play audiobooks on the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. I miss that about the Kindle 3.

The fact that I can’t plug my earphone into my Kindle Paperwhite is a no, no.

Today I discovered another issue about the Kindle Paperwhite while  on my way from school – the Paperwhite is best suited for holding [and reading] using the right hand.

I had moved the Kindle from my right hand to my left hand to read but realized that in order to tap the [the right side of the] screen to move forward/ progress through the ebook, I had to stretch my left thumb all across the screen to tap there. Or I had to m0ve my Kindle into my right hand just to easily tap the screen to progress.

Once again the Kindle Paperwhite is beaten by the Kindle 3 because it offers the convenience to progress through an ebook whether it is being held in the right hand or the left hand.

 

Warranty void by location – Why Amazon might not replace my broken Kindle

I am thinking about the current state of my Amazon Kindle and I am broken hearted. Well, I never anticipated that my Kindle would be dead set on /at ‘The Fishes’ e-ink screensaver. My Kindle simply won’t budge; not even to 10 minutes [of holding the power slide] hard reset. So I’ve not been reading much lately, at least not on the bus to work or back.

For some time now however, I was taking solace in the fact that a new Kindle could soon be coming my way thanks to Amazon’s flexible (and international?) replacement program for broken Kindle e-readers.

But after a few weeks of e-mails going back and forth with Amazon representatives, I am totally frustrated and want to reach out to other Kindle users in Africa if they have successfully got replacements for their broken Kindles.

“Our vision is to be earth’s most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.” I am beginning to wonder if Amazon plans on rolling out their vision statement to the letter; you know to all the earth?

After discovering my Kindle was broken, I called my friend, who walked me through the hard booting/resetting process, recharging battery fully process and we both agreed my Kindle was broken. Luckily enough my Kindle 3 was within warranty period and it was agreed I was going to explore that option.

After about 20mins of international call to the helpdesk to report my broken Kindle, I finally got an officially confirmation/ acknowledgement that my Kindle was broken and was going to be replaced for free. [Make a call to friend to share the good news]. I was promised $20 online credit for the airtime I spent to report problem. *Good customer service*

Fast track to 2 weeks later, I was getting mails requiring me to ship the broken Kindle to a US address to get a gift [shopping] voucher when all I wanted was my replacement Kindle back.

After many e-mails, I was finally told in plain English that Amazon doesn’t ship to Ghana or most part of Africa for that matter and that I should provide an address in the USA for them to ship the replacement Kindle to it. [Calling favours and friends who might be coming to Ghana for summer]

After getting an address and a friend willing to bring my Kindle home, I was informed I had to insert credit/ debit card details (which no charge will be billed against). A few days later I got a mail that the (Ghana) debit card I provided didn’t work (was refused) for some reason I cannot tell so my Kindle will not be shipped.

I am back to square one now and I am still holding my broken Kindle and my account at Amazon still stands at $0.00.

A few questions remain on my mind;

1. If I can ship my broken Kindle to the USA, why can’t Amazon ship my replacement Kindle to Ghana?
2. If Amazon failed to credit me with $20 for calling their helpdesk like they promised, why should I trust them to credit my account with the price of a Kindle 3 and cost of courier-shipping my broken one to their address?
3. What if I don’t know anyone in the USA, does it mean I don’t get a replacement Kindle? Does that mean my warranty is void?
4. What if I was never a prospective customer in Amazon’s marketing plan? This reminds me of the statement alleged to have been made by Tommy Hilfiger about not having Africans in mind when making his designer clothing.
5. What good will it do for me to ship my broken Kindle to Amazon only to get a gift voucher that I can only use to shop on Amazon.com but cannot ship to Ghana? Catch 22

I am now convinced I will not get a new Kindle anytime soon, thanks to an Amazon system which is set up with the average American/European in mind. You know; a credit card wielding person whose home address can be searched on Google Earth and can ‘afford’ a Kindle.

Am I in this rut because I have a taste for things made for people in 1st world countries? Is my warranty void just because I find myself in a 3^rd world country?

I am not happy with Amazon but I still will want my Kindle back. Someone please share a success story.