Imagine investing nearly $300 in the first full-color Kindle, only to notice a subtle yellow tint at the bottom of the screen that doesn’t seem to go away. This has been a common observation shared by some new Kindle Colorsoft users on social media, with responses ranging from mild annoyance to refund requests.
Amazon introduced the Kindle Colorsoft a few weeks ago, sparking excitement among fans. This new full-color Kindle is especially appealing for readers of comics and graphic novels, and even those upgrading from older Kindles can now enjoy vibrant, full-color book covers.
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Though we can’t say for certain, the yellow bar could be part of a software problem, as some users report that this digital coffee stain wasn’t visible until a recent software update, so it can likely be remediated with another over-the-air update. ZDNET recently reviewed the Kindle Colorsoft, and Allison Murray, the writer currently testing the e-reader, reports she can’t see a yellow tinge on the screen while reading, though it is noticeable in pictures (see above).
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If this is only a software issue, it shouldn’t stop customers from buying the new full-color Kindle. However, if the sight of the yellow tinge bothered me enough to return a device because of it, I’d hold off on buying a Kindle Colorsoft until the issue was fixed.
“This is incredibly noticeable when the device is supposed to be evenly lit and colored like a piece of paper,” a Reddit user wrote in a post sharing his dissatisfaction with the Kindle Colorsoft. “I contacted Amazon about it and they are sending a replacement device under warranty. I will see if this new one is any better, but may be returning it in the end and keeping my years old Paperwhite if this new one is not up to expectations for a $300 device.”
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The mysterious yellow bar isn’t glaringly obvious, but it’s enough to bother many users, which I wouldn’t judge when they’ve paid $280 for the device. It’s the kind of thing that once you see it, you just can’t unsee it.