Kindle with Special Offers

futurebear · 05-12-2011, 05:42 PM

I bought one because I am poor. I wanter to put my own screen savers on it (although the offers are pretty decent) so I set off to find out how to do that on the 3.2 firmware. Since there are many posts around, I wanted to *try* and consolidate the information I found.

The first thing I would like to state is there is no way to *downgrade* the firmware with the 3.1 firmware on the amazon site. Many people have asked this on the net, and most were not given an answer to why so I will try and explain. At first I thought it was because the device would not accept a lower firmware being flashed, after reading on how to hex edit the file to be accepted by the Kindle anyway and talking with some hacking developers, the firmware is a patch, not the entire system folder so it wouldn't work anyway. The only way to *downgrade* would be able to gain access to the main system files, and overwrite them with the files from another kindle. I have not tried it yet because I do not have the 3.1 wifi rootfs.img. If someone with access to a 3.1 wifi and a 3.2 wifi want to try this let me know how it turns out!

Secondly I read some posts randomly on the net, that said Amazon original planned for you to be able to pay to have the ads stop. So far nothing I have come across has proven this. If I log into my Amazon account, I can see my kindle email address ect just like a regular Kindle, but there is a new category called, "Special Offers" and it is on. There is no option for me to pay for it to be turned off. That makes me think that even though my device is still a B008, they use serial numbers to track which is and isn't "Special Offers" Enabled. If someone could log into their Amazon account that has a regular kindle, could you please tell me if you have the "Special Offers" set to off?

As someone has already posted, the 3.2 and 3.2.1 firmware is on the amazon site for download. I do not have enough talent to sort through it, nor do I want to.

If I reset to factory settings, I don't have ads. The regular screen savers show up. The ads only start up once you connect to the internet for the first time. So far I have just reset to factory settings and just update my Kindle through my computer. I like all my files to be named and sorted neatly, not with random numbers and letters! It isn't that big of a deal, even if I have to see the ads, I just like the idea of being able to customize the screen savers.

Lastly, if you connect to the internet, a file gets created you can see by enabling hidden files and folders in windows. Inside is more folders randomly named with corresponding gifs for the ad itself, the screensaver, and something else I don't know what it is for. If you delete this, you don't go back to the regular screen savers, you get a default ad and screen saver that says "Connect to the internet to get special offers" Somewhere there is a boolean that says go with screen savers, or go with ads. I need to find it. I just hope that if I put it to go with screen savers on my system, it doesn't reset every time I connect to the internet because of an amazon database.

All in all, I am happy with the ads even though I don't get to customize. they aren't very obtrusive as you don't see them while your reading a book. Only while your going through your library or your screen saver is on.

You can install the jailbreak, the screensaver hack, and the update hack and it will not brick your device. Nothing will happen though.

patientxtr · 05-12-2011, 06:11 PM

I tried installing latest jb on my kindle with special offers , which it seems upgraded itself today to v3.2.1 (576290015) Everytime it gives update is not successful and resets the machine. I don't really want the ads to go but at least to try to use the neat programs people created to get more from the device. I even tried the Duokan and it gave the same can't update error too ...

yifanlu · 05-12-2011, 06:12 PM

If you give me a copy of your rootfs.img, I can find you a way to use screensavers without downgrading. Use ssh (usbnetwork) and type in: dd if=/dev/mmcblk0p1 of=/mnt/us/rootfs.img

The image should be on the kindle USB partition.

patientxtr · 05-12-2011, 06:20 PM

I meant the ads OK, I don't have a problem with them but when I read about a more capable mp3 player, audio recording etc. I thought these would be better. Yet, it seems the latest update maybe broke the support for jb ? I got mine just last week so don't know much about kindle hacking.

futurebear · 05-12-2011, 06:47 PM

I will look into it. Haven't played around with usbnetwork but I think I can figure it out. Thanks!

kranu · 05-13-2011, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yifanlu

If you give me a copy of your rootfs.img, I can find you a way to use screensavers without downgrading. Use ssh (usbnetwork) and type in: dd if=/dev/mmcblk0p1 of=/mnt/us/rootfs.img

The image should be on the kindle USB partition.

Just wondering; doesn't this give away a lot of personal data?

futurebear · 05-13-2011, 04:04 AM

Not if you don't have any personal data to give?

giorgio130 · 05-17-2011, 09:02 AM

Hi! Just registered

I could provide this, but I'm doubtful: firmware 3.2.1 seems to break current jailbreaking, and while I'm still on 3.2, when and if amazon rolls out the update to my device I'd be pretty screwed as I could not remove any hack anymore. Is my fear not something to worry about or should I wait for a proper jailbreak for 3.2.1? Also, are firmware updates automatic? When do they happen? Thanks

futurebear · 05-20-2011, 12:46 PM

Firmware updates are automatic. They happen when Amazom pushes them to your device. In order for it to not update, you could just keep off wifi and 3g like I do. Even so, when you turn on wifi or 3g it could update right then and when you put it to sleep it will update. Amazon pushes them at different times apparently like cell phone firmware updates because while others on this forum have gotten 3.2.1 I haven't. I am guessing they do this to prevent 3g from becoming overloaded.

With jailbreak, there is supposed to be a feature that does not allow you to use amazon updates until you uninstall jailbreak, but I am pretty sure that will not work with us because none of the other features worked for me when I used jailbreak.

futurebear · 05-20-2011, 12:49 PM

Also, I have tried to get the rootfs off my kindle, but i can't connect through usbnetwork. Either I am doing something wrong, or jailbreak isn't working. When I type `Help i get the USBNetwork command to come up so I don't think they got rid of it in 3.2 The tutorials I read said you still need to have it jailbroken for usbnetwork so I am guessing jailbreak just doesn't work at all for it.

giorgio130 · 05-21-2011, 02:51 PM

I got my update yesterday, before attempting jailbreaking.

Well now nothing stops me trying it! Let's see what I can come up with...

giorgio130 · 05-24-2011, 04:13 PM

I've got an interesting finding, if you've still Duokan installed you can put a file called install.sh in a folder called DK_DownLoad ; such script will get executed at boot from duokan. Now I just have to make Jailbreak in form of such script...

EDIT:
I got it, I posted it on the official jailbreak thread... check it out..

giorgio130 · 05-29-2011, 05:24 PM

futurebear I've partially solved this by deleting the ads from the mass memory, and replacing the "connect to wifi to download new special offers" with my custom screensaver, and the banner with a white rectangle. You can easily do this if you have usbNetwork running. Only problem this works only with a single image, probably I could write a script changing them every now and then.

SamReading · 01-09-2012, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by giorgio130

futurebear I've partially solved this by deleting the ads from the mass memory, and replacing the "connect to wifi to download new special offers" with my custom screensaver, and the banner with a white rectangle. You can easily do this if you have usbNetwork running. Only problem this works only with a single image, probably I could write a script changing them every now and then.

Have you listed the steps on the forum? BTW, would this qualify for violation of Amazon's ToS?

inameiname · 01-10-2012, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamReading

Have you listed the steps on the forum? BTW, would this qualify for violation of Amazon's ToS?

This is an old thread. Just do the method I put at the bottom of this thread:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...=139279&page=8

After you have done that, you can then install the custom screensaver hack found below to enable you to install custom screensavers:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88004

05-12-2011, 05:42 PM	#1
futurebear Member Posts: 17 Karma: 132 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Louisiana, Unfortunately. Device: Kindle 3	Kindle with Special Offers I bought one because I am poor. I wanter to put my own screen savers on it (although the offers are pretty decent) so I set off to find out how to do that on the 3.2 firmware. Since there are many posts around, I wanted to try and consolidate the information I found. The first thing I would like to state is there is no way to downgrade the firmware with the 3.1 firmware on the amazon site. Many people have asked this on the net, and most were not given an answer to why so I will try and explain. At first I thought it was because the device would not accept a lower firmware being flashed, after reading on how to hex edit the file to be accepted by the Kindle anyway and talking with some hacking developers, the firmware is a patch, not the entire system folder so it wouldn't work anyway. The only way to downgrade would be able to gain access to the main system files, and overwrite them with the files from another kindle. I have not tried it yet because I do not have the 3.1 wifi rootfs.img. If someone with access to a 3.1 wifi and a 3.2 wifi want to try this let me know how it turns out! Secondly I read some posts randomly on the net, that said Amazon original planned for you to be able to pay to have the ads stop. So far nothing I have come across has proven this. If I log into my Amazon account, I can see my kindle email address ect just like a regular Kindle, but there is a new category called, "Special Offers" and it is on. There is no option for me to pay for it to be turned off. That makes me think that even though my device is still a B008, they use serial numbers to track which is and isn't "Special Offers" Enabled. If someone could log into their Amazon account that has a regular kindle, could you please tell me if you have the "Special Offers" set to off? As someone has already posted, the 3.2 and 3.2.1 firmware is on the amazon site for download. I do not have enough talent to sort through it, nor do I want to. If I reset to factory settings, I don't have ads. The regular screen savers show up. The ads only start up once you connect to the internet for the first time. So far I have just reset to factory settings and just update my Kindle through my computer. I like all my files to be named and sorted neatly, not with random numbers and letters! It isn't that big of a deal, even if I have to see the ads, I just like the idea of being able to customize the screen savers. Lastly, if you connect to the internet, a file gets created you can see by enabling hidden files and folders in windows. Inside is more folders randomly named with corresponding gifs for the ad itself, the screensaver, and something else I don't know what it is for. If you delete this, you don't go back to the regular screen savers, you get a default ad and screen saver that says "Connect to the internet to get special offers" Somewhere there is a boolean that says go with screen savers, or go with ads. I need to find it. I just hope that if I put it to go with screen savers on my system, it doesn't reset every time I connect to the internet because of an amazon database. All in all, I am happy with the ads even though I don't get to customize. they aren't very obtrusive as you don't see them while your reading a book. Only while your going through your library or your screen saver is on. You can install the jailbreak, the screensaver hack, and the update hack and it will not brick your device. Nothing will happen though.

05-24-2011, 04:13 PM	#12
giorgio130 Time Waster Posts: 422 Karma: 289160 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kobo Glo and Aura HD	I've got an interesting finding, if you've still Duokan installed you can put a file called install.sh in a folder called DK_DownLoad ; such script will get executed at boot from duokan. Now I just have to make Jailbreak in form of such script... EDIT: I got it, I posted it on the official jailbreak thread... check it out.. Last edited by giorgio130; 05-25-2011 at 02:31 PM.

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05-12-2011, 06:11 PM	#2
patientxtr Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 2392 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Turkey Device: Likebook Mars, Kindle 3(sold), Jetbook Lite (gave away)	I tried installing latest jb on my kindle with special offers , which it seems upgraded itself today to v3.2.1 (576290015) Everytime it gives update is not successful and resets the machine. I don't really want the ads to go but at least to try to use the neat programs people created to get more from the device. I even tried the Duokan and it gave the same can't update error too ...

05-12-2011, 06:12 PM	#3
yifanlu Kindle Dissector Posts: 662 Karma: 475607 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Amazon Kindle 3	If you give me a copy of your rootfs.img, I can find you a way to use screensavers without downgrading. Use ssh (usbnetwork) and type in: dd if=/dev/mmcblk0p1 of=/mnt/us/rootfs.img The image should be on the kindle USB partition.

05-12-2011, 06:20 PM	#4
patientxtr Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 2392 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Turkey Device: Likebook Mars, Kindle 3(sold), Jetbook Lite (gave away)	I meant the ads OK, I don't have a problem with them but when I read about a more capable mp3 player, audio recording etc. I thought these would be better. Yet, it seems the latest update maybe broke the support for jb ? I got mine just last week so don't know much about kindle hacking.

05-12-2011, 06:47 PM	#5
futurebear Member Posts: 17 Karma: 132 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Louisiana, Unfortunately. Device: Kindle 3	I will look into it. Haven't played around with usbnetwork but I think I can figure it out. Thanks!

05-13-2011, 04:04 AM	#7
futurebear Member Posts: 17 Karma: 132 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Louisiana, Unfortunately. Device: Kindle 3	Not if you don't have any personal data to give?

05-17-2011, 09:02 AM	#8
giorgio130 Time Waster Posts: 422 Karma: 289160 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kobo Glo and Aura HD	Hi! Just registered I could provide this, but I'm doubtful: firmware 3.2.1 seems to break current jailbreaking, and while I'm still on 3.2, when and if amazon rolls out the update to my device I'd be pretty screwed as I could not remove any hack anymore. Is my fear not something to worry about or should I wait for a proper jailbreak for 3.2.1? Also, are firmware updates automatic? When do they happen? Thanks

05-20-2011, 12:46 PM	#9
futurebear Member Posts: 17 Karma: 132 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Louisiana, Unfortunately. Device: Kindle 3	Firmware updates are automatic. They happen when Amazom pushes them to your device. In order for it to not update, you could just keep off wifi and 3g like I do. Even so, when you turn on wifi or 3g it could update right then and when you put it to sleep it will update. Amazon pushes them at different times apparently like cell phone firmware updates because while others on this forum have gotten 3.2.1 I haven't. I am guessing they do this to prevent 3g from becoming overloaded. With jailbreak, there is supposed to be a feature that does not allow you to use amazon updates until you uninstall jailbreak, but I am pretty sure that will not work with us because none of the other features worked for me when I used jailbreak.

05-20-2011, 12:49 PM	#10
futurebear Member Posts: 17 Karma: 132 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Louisiana, Unfortunately. Device: Kindle 3	Also, I have tried to get the rootfs off my kindle, but i can't connect through usbnetwork. Either I am doing something wrong, or jailbreak isn't working. When I type `Help i get the USBNetwork command to come up so I don't think they got rid of it in 3.2 The tutorials I read said you still need to have it jailbroken for usbnetwork so I am guessing jailbreak just doesn't work at all for it.

05-21-2011, 02:51 PM	#11
giorgio130 Time Waster Posts: 422 Karma: 289160 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kobo Glo and Aura HD	I got my update yesterday, before attempting jailbreaking. Well now nothing stops me trying it! Let's see what I can come up with...

05-29-2011, 05:24 PM	#13
giorgio130 Time Waster Posts: 422 Karma: 289160 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kobo Glo and Aura HD	futurebear I've partially solved this by deleting the ads from the mass memory, and replacing the "connect to wifi to download new special offers" with my custom screensaver, and the banner with a white rectangle. You can easily do this if you have usbNetwork running. Only problem this works only with a single image, probably I could write a script changing them every now and then.

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