Amazon doubts Kindle X-ray damage report

Amazon doubts Kindle X-ray damage report

Amazon has said airport X-ray machines don't damage its Kindle ebook reader, following reports of fried E Ink screens during security checks.

According to a report in the UK Daily Telegraph, “Kindle users' holiday reading plans could be disrupted by airport security measures”, with the paper claiming "multiple complaints" had been made over the issue.

The paper cited only one Kindle user who said his device had been rendered useless after passing through an airport scanner in Madrid, and included comments from a professor who said static within the X-ray machines could “conceivably” damage E Ink screens.

Yet Amazon's forums reveal no complaints from users of the devices – and in more than 40 comments on the Telegraph story no-one else had witnessed the problem with E Ink in X-ray machines.

Amazon said airport security machines do not cause problems with the Kindle, echoing comments from readers who also pointed out E Ink was used in several other devices.

“Exposing your Kindle to an X-ray machine, such as those used by airport security, should not cause any problems with it,” a spokesman told The Telegraph. “Many Kindle users travel by air, and their Kindles are screened by airport security every day without issue.”

We are waiting to hear back from Amazon regarding the number of devices it has replaced due to the issue to determine the scale of the problem.

This article originally appeared at pcpro.co.uk

Source: Copyright © PC Pro, Dennis Publishing

See more about:  amazon  |  doubts  |  kindle  |  xray  |  damage  |  report
 
 

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Comments: 5
skarpethinn
22 November 2011
This sounds suspiciously like a consumer who buggered his own Kindle & is trying to fob off the blame to get it replaced for free.


Comment made about the PC & Tech Authority article:
Amazon doubts Kindle X-ray damage report?
Amazon has said airport X-ray machines don't damage its Kindle ebook reader, following reports of fried E Ink screens during security checks.

What do you think? Join the discussion.
ory_zm
23 November 2011
I wonder if it matters whether the device is on? Maybe that's why his got (supposedly) fried and others (including my own) are fine.
photohounds
28 November 2011
Sounds a little odd to me - ONE person???

Say two travellers on each flight has one. That would mean that tens of Kindles would be x-rayed every day.

FUD from the competition who only have battery-chewing LED screens, perhaps?
amcmo
28 November 2011
Doubt there's any conspiracy from the LED brigade.

Wonder what he did to fry his Kindle (then claim X-Ray damage)?

Guess it's always possible that on in every x thousand could fail, but was it on the way out already and that's when it was noticed, or the X-Ray tipped it over the edge.

If it were a failing with the device you'd expect to hear about it on the forums.


Edited by amcmo: 28/11/2011 06:10:51 PM
ory_zm
28 November 2011
Agreed, the lack of publicity of this issue shows IMO that it is nil
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