Here I am, ensconced in the porcelain-lined library, quietly reading a book, and BAM! the Kindle shuts down and goes into update mode.

Every other device that I have, that gets updates via the internet, has an optional preference setting to just inform the user that there is an update available, and lets the user install the update at his / her convenience.

If there is a setting for this option on the Kindle, it is well hidden. I have not been able to find it.

WTF, Kindle engineers, get your act together!

I keep mine on airplane mode, unless I'm actually downloading a book. Stops updates, and extends battery life a bunch.

My Kindle doesn’t have that problem – it has no Internet connection facility. I like it that way. When I want to buy a new e-book (or borrow one from the library) I download it onto my MacBook, then transfer it to my Kindle via USB.

Pyker’s suggestion is probably the answer for your situation.

pretty crappy situation right there.

Spend some time with YouTube on the can. Even better way to pass the time while taking care of business.

quote:

Originally posted by Pyker:
I keep mine on airplane mode, unless I'm actually downloading a book. Stops updates, and extends battery life a bunch.

This. Unless I’m downloading a book that thing is disconnected from the world.

So you were giving it the porcelain test?

quote:

Originally posted by Pyker:
I keep mine on airplane mode, unless I'm actually downloading a book. Stops updates, and extends battery life a bunch.

This is what I do as well.

I borrow a lot of books on Kindle from my local library. Keeping my device in airplane mode has the additional advantage of letting me keep a book past its due date (otherwise it would be automatically removed from my device).

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This - Offline also extends battery life.

That never happens with a good old hardback copy, sometimes the old ways are best

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
That never happens with a good old hardback copy, sometimes the old ways are best

Amen to that! I bought a Kindle reader about ten years ago and Amazon stopped supporting it about 5 years ago and now it is a Kindle reader paperweight.

My Kindle did a pretty large update sometime two nights ago when I was asleep.

Love it. Got over a thousand books at this point, and for a speed reader that's a good thing.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

That never happens with a good old hardback copy, sometimes the old ways are best

There is a Kindle Reader next to my bed, and one in the crapper. There's a Kindle Reader app on every iThing that I have, as well as one on each computer.

That means that whatever book I'm currently reading will appear on any of these devices and will open at whatever page I last read. Hard copy books don't work that way.

Of course in order to sync like that, wifi must be enabled, and the device not in airplane mode.

The downside is the rude interruption when the Kindle mother ship decides that it's time to update a device, whether or not it's currently in use.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
That never happens with a good old hardback copy, sometimes the old ways are best

I like physical books as well, but I can only bring a handful with me at a time.

On the other hand, I have several hundred books on my Kindle and they go with me everywhere.

I've never experienced an update that did this. But like others, the majority of the time I keep mine in airplane mode.