Recently, Amazon Kindle users encountered a frustrating outage that prevented them from downloading both newly purchased and previously owned books to their e-readers. The issue was brought to light on Amazon’s support forums and Reddit, prompting many users to express their frustrations online.
According to Amazon devices spokesperson Jackie Burke, the problem was quickly resolved. In an email sent to The Verge, Burke reassured Kindle customers that the issue was addressed promptly. Despite the reassuring statement, Good e-Reader reported that Amazon support initially attributed the problem to “server issues” and indicated that it could take up to 48 hours (or even longer) for ebooks to start downloading again.
Steps for Resolution
To address the ongoing problems faced by some users, a staff member on Amazon’s support forums recommended restarting the device by holding down the power button for 40 seconds and then attempting to download the books again. However, many users reported that their Kindles were only able to download the title and cover art of the books before the progress indicator stalled at 1 percent. The issue also seemed to impact the ability to download books from Overdrive to Kindle devices using Libby.
Fortunately, the outage did not affect the ability to download books to the iOS and Android Amazon Kindle apps. This meant that users could still access their ebooks through alternative means while the issue persisted on the e-reader devices.
Recent Troubles for Kindle Users
This outage comes on the heels of another problem reported by Kindle users on Reddit involving Amazon’s “Send to Kindle” feature. This feature allows users to sideload ebooks and documents onto their e-readers without the need to connect to a computer. Some users experienced error messages indicating that their files could not be delivered due to a service error, while others continued to face issues with the service even after the initial reports were made.
While technical glitches and outages can be frustrating for users, it is important for companies like Amazon to address these issues promptly and transparently to maintain customer satisfaction. The recent challenges faced by Kindle users serve as a reminder of the importance of reliable tech support and clear communication during such incidents.
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