A strange problem on the screen of the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft is delaying shipments

Waiting until mid-December may be fine for some, but those who changed their previous e-readers They run out of devices. Even if customers decide to use the rebate to purchase a new basic Paperwhite or Kindle, they can’t take advantage of trade-in promotions because they no longer have devices to ship. Instead, they will have to pay full price. According to several comments on the Colorsoft product page on Amazon, customer service representatives have told customers that the original discount cannot be transferred to another Kindle. It doesn’t help matters that Amazon’s new line of e-readers is more expensive than their predecessors.

What are the “defects” due to?

The basic Paperwhite or Kindle works by applying voltages to electrodes that bring black and white pigments to the top of each pixel of the display. These pixels reflect ambient light creating a paper-like display. In the case of Colorsoft, the voltage applied to each electrode is different and requires color filters without too much light, otherwise the screens would be low resolution or dark.

In X, analyst Ming-Chi Kou suggested that the mishap with the Colorsoft screens had to do with the hardware. Everything seems to indicate that Amazon changed the optically clear adhesive (OCA) for a more opaque material. When the manufacturer announced its e-reader color, claimed that the coatings were “custom” formulated and would improve the color display, which many analysts and desperate customers strongly refute.

We have contacted Amazon to address these complaints and express our views regarding the mishaps in the display of the Kindles, but the company had not made any comment as of press time. For his part, Ming-Chi Kou believes that the company will lean towards a solution based on softwarealthough component suppliers have developed several solutions in hardware.

Some clients have had better luck

Depending on the type of trade-in, Amazon sometimes deposits the gift card into your account instantly, as long as you ship the device within 30 days. Some kept their original Kindle until they received the new one, while one customer got an extension on its return. Instant payments seem to apply only in the US. In several Reddit threads, people in the UK argue that Amazon has to evaluate their devices before receiving trade-in credit.

Again, I did not experience the yellow bar or discoloration on my review unit, but I have other comments about the Colorsoft. The color screen is impressive, but the constant updating to display colors and loading times are a bit annoying; However, this is a problem with most color e-readers. It’s also overpriced, costing $80 more than the Paperwhite Signature, which has many of the same features except the color screen. It also doesn’t have page turn buttons or stylus support, which discourages purchase.

Article originally published in WIRED. Adapted by Alondra Flores.