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Amazon Just Called to Say It Loves You, And Please Update Your Kindle

23080205740_e0bed2b1f4_hIn the month and a half since Amazon first announced the mandatory Kindle ereader firmware update, they’ve sent emails, post cards, and more emails to remind Kindle owners that they have to update their ereaders. (This story has gotten so much attention that even Snopes weighed in, confirming that this is not a hoax.)

And now Amazon has taken the reminder process to a whole new level. The retailer is reported calling Kindle owners to remind them about the update. I haven’t gotten a call myself (perhaps because I’ve complained about Amazon stalking me on Twitter), but I’ve heard from a reliable source who has.

Earlier today Glinda Harrison posted:

Today, however, Amazon took it one step further. We actually got a recorded phone call at the house from Amazon reminding us that we need to update our Kindles in order to keep accessing the Kindle libraries and Amazon’s servers. The recorded message, which was repeated twice, re-iterated the instructions on theKindle update page and emphasized that Amazon customer service was available any time to offer assistance by calling 1-866-321-8851.

The recording instructed us to please disregard the message if we had already updated within the last few days.

Crazy, isn’t it?

Well, it’s going to get worse. My inside source has told me that Amazon will soon be sending telegrams to Kindle owners, carrier pigeons, and drones. (Speaking of which, I’ve just realized why a package containing a fax machine is sitting on my porch. Maybe I should go plug it in.)

Did you get phone call? What about a post card?

image by Praveer Sharma

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Comments


Chris Meadows March 22, 2016 um 7:37 pm

And after all this, Amazon support will still get deluged by angry customers demanding to know why their Kindle has stopped working.


Gary March 22, 2016 um 7:56 pm

I don’t have a kindle, but I have "Kindle for PC".

I was going to say that my copy of K4PC hadn’t been updated, but when I opened it a minute ago, to make certain of the time of the last update, the software asked me to wait while it updated automatically. (I had previously checked the box to enable automatic updates when I installed the software.)

Does anyone actually know what critical new or updated feature has been added to the software? I can’t see any vendor going to this much trouble for a bug fix, or for anything else that is minor.

Nate Hoffelder March 22, 2016 um 8:09 pm

I don’t know what that update added, exactly, but I do know that it was a mandatory update.


Syn March 22, 2016 um 9:35 pm

I heard they were even going to revive Pony Express to deliver the message by horse, just for Prime users.

Now that’s service. B&N doesn’t stand a chance.

Nate Hoffelder March 22, 2016 um 9:50 pm

LOL


Scott Lewis March 22, 2016 um 9:36 pm

I believe the update was to fix an imminently expiring SSL certificate. If the certificate expired, you’d no longer be able to access the store, get updates, etc, as it would stop trusting Amazon’s servers.

Nate Hoffelder March 22, 2016 um 9:51 pm

I don’t know if that is what prompted the PC app’s update.


puzzled March 23, 2016 um 5:01 am

I have it on good authority that Charon is now working for Amazon.

Amazon really wants to make sure that your Kindle continues to work, regardless if you ended up in Elysium or Tartarus.


“Abgehängte” Kindle aktualisieren: So geht’s » lesen.net March 23, 2016 um 5:56 am

[…] bewegen. In Deutschland versandte der Konzern wiederholt E-Mails, in den USA gab es Postkarten und zuletzt sogar Telefonanrufe (!), in denen eine Bandansage zum Update mahnte. Das “kritische Software-Update” […]


Sarah March 23, 2016 um 11:53 am

I work at a public library, and patrons have started calling, very frantic about this after it was reported in the news yesterday. Maybe next Amazon will be sending libraries posters to put out in the lobby?


Glinda Harrison March 23, 2016 um 2:21 pm

I am really hoping that Jeff Bezos shows up at my house next! Maybe with one of the space rockets…. 🙂

Nate Hoffelder March 23, 2016 um 2:32 pm

LOL


How To Manually Update Your Kindle If You Miss the Deadline | The Digital Reader March 23, 2016 um 6:41 pm

[…] only a day past the 22 March deadline for the critical Kindle update, and early reports suggest that not everyone got the emails, post cards, and phone calls from Amazon about the […]


Virginia Cross June 20, 2016 um 8:51 pm

I need help updating my "original kindle" which I ordered when it was first advertised on The Oprah Show by Jeff Bezos for approx.$300. I was not notified probably because my email address changed from bellsouth.net to a gmail.com account.
Please advise. Thank you, Virginia Cross

Scott Lewis June 20, 2016 um 10:08 pm

Virginia, the following link has information on updating any Kindle as well as links to the required updates themselves.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201994710


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