Amazon offers to replace troublesome Kindle covers

By Geoff Duncan December 20, 2010

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Amazon is offering to replace or issue refunds for Amazon-branded non-lighted cases it sells for its 6-inch Kindle electronic readers, responding to reports that the cases can make the devices spontaneously restart or freeze.

The problem is apparently caused by metal hooks that interfere with the device’s operation. The covers have received numerous negative reviews from customers complaining that once they installed the covers, their Kindles began locking up and restarting without warning.

According to PC World, Amazon is still looking into the cause of the problem, but has decided to honor refund or exchange requests from customers experiencing difficulties. “We will be pleased to replace it for free with a different cover or accept a return for a full refund, no matter when the cover was purchased,” Amazon wrote in its customer support forum.

Amazon has never said how many Kindle devices it sells—hinting for the first time last week that the number is in the “millions” just for the current quarter—but consistently claims the Kindle is the most-gifted device offered on Amazon.com.

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