Kindle 2 Software Update 2.0.2 (309510017)
My Amazon Kindle 2 just updated itself to new firmware version 2.0.2 (309510017).
At the moment there are no official release notes from Amazon.com, however by looking at the source code I could speculate that there are some changes related to sound system (most likely bugfix). There seem to be changes related to watchdog timer. In plain English it’s a software and hardware system that will reboot your Kindle automatically in case it freezes and stops responding to user input.
Some people have reported that screen seems to refresh a tad faster now. Now that I’ve read it I seem to notice it too but it could be the placebo effect. Please leave a comment if you noticed any changes in your Kindle 2 after the update was applied.
If you have Kindle 2 Screensaver Hack installed you’ll need to uninstall it first and then apply the update manually. After update is installed you can re-install the hack.
I applied the update today, I don’t see any differences.
But, just so you know you do not have use a PC to get the updates manually. I uninstalled the screen saver hack, then went to ‘Menu’, ‘Settings’, ‘Menu’, ‘Sync & check for items’ and it re-initiated the software update. Then I reinstalled the screen saver hack.
Do you know where I can get the 2.02 update to manually install it into the kindle? The other link was just for the 2.01. Thanks!
Edited: I found the answer: http://www.amazon.com/UNOFFICIAL-Manually-Update-Your-Kindle/forum/Fx2EGRL42MHF15D/Tx2U86OY4EWFCYB/1/ref=cm_cd_ef_tft_tp?_encoding=UTF8&asin=B00154JDAI
It also explains a bit more of the update. “As for what’s new in 2.0.2, Amazon has again not released patch notes. However, some are reporting that the UI is faster, page refreshes are faster, and the “partial refresh” when viewing images now works. Your mileage may vary.”
I’ve read that the update allows publishers to disable the text-to-speech function.
Someone at Engadget noticed that the Kindle Daily Post blog seems to have changed. It looks like they’re testing out paging without blacking out the entire page. I can’t recall if this is a new behavior for the KDP, but it definitely looks like it to me, and I have to say that, increased ghosting artifacts aside, it’s actually quite nice. So far as I know, this is the only objectively noticeable difference with the 2.0.2 update.
After my Kindle2 was updated I ran into the reboot function. For some reason my next page key did not respond. After clicking on next page three time my Kindle rebooted and everything worked fine.
I have to say I did not have any freeze up problems before this one time. So I do not know if the update caused the problem. My Kindle2 still works great and I will be looking for the rumored color version at the end of the year.
I have found that page turns for content I created myself through MobiPocket are VERY slow, with a fade effect (instead of blacking out and showing new text, the new text displays along with the old text, then the blackout, then just new text). The Kindle User’s Guide also has this slow pagte-turning effect.
Books purchased from Amazon or Feedbooks turn just fine, though.
I think the update may also improve whispernet reception. I have two Kindle 2′s one with 2.0 on it and the other with 2.02. In a remote area I was unable to connect or download with the 2.0 Kindle, was able to connect easily and download content with the 2.02 machine. Unless there was some other variable operating, I can’t think on any other reason for the difference in reception than the firmware version.
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