fyrMay 7
dan 💾
With Amazon killing off all the old kindles, they’re super-cheap right now. And it turns out that jailbreaking is a minor faff, but not too difficult, really. This one was £10 and is going to somebody who was pondering getting an expensive eink ebook reader just a couple of weeks ago. :D
#permacomputing
May 6 at 5:53pmWeb
Show threadFELSQUALLE.COMMay 6
@billgoats Did this to my Kindle 4 from 2011 a few months ago. Now it has ePub support *g*
Show threadAleksei 🇪🇪May 6
@felsqualle @billgoats epub? damn, I should've done this years ago 😩
Show threadOwl EyesMay 6
@felsqualle @billgoats big win - the epub support. Bezos will sweat all through the night knowing this
Show threadnickaposMay 6
@billgoats Why would you jailbreak a kindle? I can load mobi books to it without jail breaking?
Show threadCassandrichMay 6
@nickapos @billgoats Because Amazon is bricking them otherwise.
Show threadSamuel MummMay 6

@nickapos @billgoats

Amazon: Older Kindles can no longer download e-books

Amazon: Older Kindles can no longer download e-books

They were cut off from the store some time ago, and now they can no longer download e-books either: Amazon is rolling back support for older Kindles.

heise online
Show threadnickaposMay 7
@wolfgang @billgoats I usually transfer the books via calibre.
Show threadKlingon SpongeMay 6
@nickapos @billgoats Well for starters there's the fact that all other e-book devices support e-pub just fine so it's restricted in that regard. There's also the fact that once you've jailbroken it you can use a program called KO Reader as your e-book reader and it is so far beyond what is included with the Kindle I could not go back.
Show threaddan 💾May 6
@nickapos If your device already does everything you need it to, then even better 💯
Show threadskategoat 🐐 🇵🇸May 7
@nickapos I feel the most appropriate question is why wouldn't you want to own your devices
Show threadnickaposMay 8
@felipe It seems that the way I use my kindle is not very common. I have always used calibre to manage my books and only a small part of my books come from amazon.
Jailbreaking is good and all but as always there is a risk of introducing instability.  I usually jailbreak stuff when I have an active reason for it, not just for the fun of it, although I can understand that point of view as well.
Also my kindle never had any ads so I guess some people have that motivation to do it.
Show threadskategoat 🐐 🇵🇸May 8
@nickapos these days I look at it from an extractivism and power perspective: everyone that can "should," to shift the window and remove power from companies. Of course people have other priorities and all, but asking why do it just creates the kind of discussion that unknowingly contributes to the unspoken understanding that it is not a thing reasonable people do by default.
Show threadSunshine and WindMay 8

@nickapos @felipe my usage is just like yours. If it's an issue I'll do something. Otherwise I'll just use it as it is.

I just need a good enough portable e-reader. Anything else is a distraction.

Show threadIan M. NooneMay 6
@billgoats I should see if I can do my old one. I don't even know if the battery will hold a charge anymore
Show threadJukka 'Shrike' KolehmainenMay 6
@ianmnoone @billgoats the battery is quite easy to change, I've done it to two paperwhites (pw2 and 3,I think).
Just be careful, I found a guide at ifixit.
Show threadhazelnot May 6
@billgoats wait, killing them off how? o.o
Show threadphraktalzMay 6

@hazelnot @billgoats

https://www.theregister.com/on-prem/2026/04/08/amazon-thanks-loyal-kindle-devotees-by-bricking-their-kit/5228020

Amazon thanks loyal Kindle devotees by bricking their kit

Updated: To 'minimize disruption,' Bezoscorp offers a 20% discount on new hardware you didn't want

theregister
Show threadhazelnot May 7

@phraktalz @billgoats ooof, I think I narrowly avoided this, but my Kindle isn't jailbroken and I don't even know if it can be?

Last time I checked it wasn't cause it was running too new of a firmware, but that was ~6 years ago so maybe things changed since then?

Show threadmhoyeMay 6
@billgoats Got a good URL for that?
Show threadphraktalzMay 6

@mhoye @billgoats

https://www.theregister.com/on-prem/2026/04/08/amazon-thanks-loyal-kindle-devotees-by-bricking-their-kit/5228020

Amazon thanks loyal Kindle devotees by bricking their kit

Updated: To 'minimize disruption,' Bezoscorp offers a 20% discount on new hardware you didn't want

theregister
Show threadMetnixMay 6

@phraktalz
@mhoye @billgoats

"These models have been supported for at least 14 years — some as long as 18 years — but technology has come a long way in that time, and these devices will no longer be supported moving forward."

...and along that way old hardware is apparently no longer capable of the incredibly demanding task of downloading a bunch of text and displaying it in the form of static images...?

Show threadTerminhellMay 7

@metnix @phraktalz @mhoye @billgoats I'm not condoning what they're doing here, but it could be that the soc doesn't support modern web stuff. Possible exploits that can leave user accounts compromised etc.

Edit: I don't mean browsing the web, but the API calls and such, encryption types.

Show threadAndrew  May 7

@metnix aka “we made these too durable, and people stopped giving us money, but we want more money”

@phraktalz @mhoye @billgoats

Show threadSMay 7
@metnix @phraktalz @mhoye @billgoats That's such a stupid thing of them to say. I have a Kindle Voyage from around 2014 or so, and while it isn't (yet) part of the group of models about to be bricked, it's still basically on par with the e-readers released today. The technology itself hasn't really made any notable advancements for over a decade now. With the exception of some slight improvements to the panels that can show colours I guess, but that isn't too impressive either.
Show threaddan 💾May 6
@mhoye Different models seem to have different jailbreak methods, so your best bet will be a search for your model + jailbreak 💪
Show threadColes Street PotholeMay 6
@billgoats You're talking about used Kindles for cheap, right? Or is there some NOS inventory being cleared somewhere?
Show threaddan 💾May 6
@ColesStreetPothole Yeah, people getting rid of them on ebay and similar.
Show threadColes Street PotholeMay 6
@billgoats Oh yeah, 4th Gen. are super cheap on Ebay now, saw one for $12.95.
Show threadTobias, or?May 6
@billgoats my old Kindle has been offline for ten years, been using Calibre to convert and upload books, no faffing about needed.
Show threadTanquistMay 6
@pixelworship @billgoats
Mine too. I don't know if the jail breaking problem has to do with wanting internet access. I keep mine in airplane mode. I add books by connecting it with a cable to a computer running Calibre.
Show threadharbeiderMay 6
@tanquist @pixelworship @billgoats
Here too, but different: Calibre on my Linux desktop and reading (also) on an Android tablet. (Including ACSM files)
Show threadTired Bunny  May 6
@billgoats Are there some good resources on which models can be jailbroken?
Show threadGames That I MissedMay 6
@tiredbun @billgoats I used the information and guides here to jailbreak my Kindle: https://kindlemodding.org/
KindleModding - Home

The best resource for Kindle modding on the internet

Show threaddan 💾May 6
@tiredbun Different models seem to have different jailbreak methods, so your best bet will be a search for your model + jailbreak 💪
Show threadVicent FerrerMay 6
@tiredbun @billgoats here
https://kindlemodding.org/kindle-models.html
KindleModding - Kindle Models

Identify your Kindle model and the jailbreak method best suited for it.

Show threadAlberto CotticaMay 6
@billgoats that's great. If it accepts ePub, I would gladly buy one or two. Is anyone selling, that you know of?
Show threaddan 💾May 6
@alberto_cottica Yeah, seems to be happy with most things I've thrown at it, right down to animated gifs, where it treats each frame as a page ;) Just found this one on ebay.
Show threadPierricMay 6
@billgoats I tried it on my 3g but it didn't work. Didn't brick it either. Just did nothing. 🤷‍♂️
Show threadBigHeadModeMay 6

@PierricD they're a little fickle! You can try a different jailbreak, try a factory reset, etc..

there's also a secret service menu, I can't remember how to enter it, but it will also activate if it fails to boot normally. i believe you can reset in that menu.

most(?) jailbreaks require the kindle to be 'registered' first meaning it connects to wifi and you are logged in.

Show threadStuMay 6
@BigHeadMode @PierricD wait, does it actually need to be on wifi? When I applied the jailbreak to my Kindle 3 keyboard it was in airplane mode and, while it *seemed* to work and applied the new firmware, it definitely didn't enable what it should have.
Show threadBigHeadModeMay 6

@tehstu going back a few years but iirc yes, kindles are known to be in Spooky mode* until the one-time "registration" online is complete.

jailbreaks are not designed to work unregistered, afaik.

the two big sites I know about from a few years ago are
https://kindlemodshelf.me/
https://www.mobileread.com/

Mobileread bans discussion of modding to remove ads ("special offers"). This is a safety move on their part. They don't want Amazon suing.

*my term

Kindle Modding Tools & Resources

Up-to-date Kindle jailbreak tools, KOReader plugins, games, media players, and guides. Everything you need to unlock your jailbroken Kindle.

KindleModShelf
Show threadPierricMay 6
@tehstu @BigHeadMode same. I never have WiFi on. The firmware application seemed to work but afterwards, nothing was different. I suppose I'll try again with WiFi enabled before applying the firmware!
Show threadBigHeadModeMay 6

@PierricD specifically you need it to be registered to an amazon account. when you first buy a kindle you need to log in. if it's factory fresh with no login it might not be jailbreakable.

watch out for updating to a firmware that cannot be hacked.

Show threadPierricMay 7
@BigHeadMode ah ok. It's been registered long enough to buy alcohol (well maybe not in the US 🤭).
Firmware is 3.4.2. I haven't seen mentions of unhackable versions for the 3g, but maybe I missed something?
Oh well. 🤷‍♂️
Show threaddan 💾May 6
@PierricD That's a shame. Took a couple of tries with slightly different methods to get this one going too.
Show threadSimon BrookeMay 6
@billgoats excellent! I have been wondering what to do with my old kindle. The hardware still works very well indeed.
Show threadJennifer Moore 😷May 6

@billgoats

If you have the jailbreak instructions, I would be interested in bookmarking them for later! I have what I think is that exact same one as in the pic, and at the moment I only use it in aeroplane mode anyway (with documents of my own), but if it did accidentally get connected and bricked, I would definitely be interested in rejuvenating it :-)

Show threadJessamynMay 6
@unchartedworlds @billgoats Googling Apprentice Alf has been my goto for solving this particular problem.
Show threadJennifer Moore 😷May 6

@jessamyn

Thanks!

Show threaddan 💾May 6
@unchartedworlds Different models seem to have different jailbreak methods, so your best bet will be a search for your model + jailbreak 💪
Show threadJennifer Moore 😷May 6

@billgoats

Thanks!