Amazon has begun notifying its Kindle users to update their software if they wish to continue being able to download new e-books in the near future. This, however, only applies to Kindle e-book readers that are still using older versions of the software. Not updating until the 22nd of March will result in the inability to download any content using an internet connection after that date.
Amazon has so far forwarded notification e-mails to its users saying that several devices’ software will be rendered practically useless after tomorrow, where anyone attempting to download content will be greeted with an error message stating that “Your Kindle is unable to connect at this time. Please make sure you are within wireless range and try again. If the problem persists, please restart your Kindle from Menu in Settings and try again.”
If you encounter this error message starting tomorrow, you should proceed to manually installing the update using a Wi-Fi connection of choice. The affected devices that are expected to no longer function outside of offline use – with pre-downloaded books and content – are Kindle 2nd Generation 2009 and Kindle DX 2nd Generation 2009, running version 2.5.8, Kindle Keyboard 3rd Generation 2010 running 3.4.2, Kindle 4th and 5th generation 2011-2012 using 4.1.3, Kindle Touch 4th Generation 2011 running version 5.3.7.3 and Kindle Paperwhite 5th Generation 2012 running the 5.6.1.1 software build.
The inability to properly function extends to more than just not being able to download books and content, also preventing you from doing things such as syncing reading progress.
In order to regain the ability to run older versions of the Kindle software, users should immediately proceed to manually updating their devices by plugging the Kindle into the mains, connecting to an available Wi-Fi and tapping the ‘Sync and Check for Items’ option from the system menu.
Some individuals may experience difficulty when attempting to upgrade. This can be the result of various factors. Such factors may include different Kindle models that require a special method of updating its native software; in this case, users should visit the official Amazon support website for additional assistance and model-specific help. Furthermore, some devices may not detect an update available in the first stage. In that case, users of pre-2013 Amazon Kindles should proceed and manually restart their devices and reattempt locating the software through the settings menu.
After March 22nd, updating will only be possible by connecting your device to a computer with a valid internet connection and manually applying the update.
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