{"id":47093,"date":"2021-01-03T10:01:31","date_gmt":"2021-01-03T14:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=47093"},"modified":"2021-01-03T10:01:31","modified_gmt":"2021-01-03T14:01:31","slug":"reviving-a-kindle-hacking-a-nook-and-more-e-ink-please","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/01\/reviving-a-kindle-hacking-a-nook-and-more-e-ink-please\/","title":{"rendered":"Reviving a Kindle, hacking a Nook, and more E-Ink, please?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I remember back in 2007 when Amazon announced their first Kindle E-Ink portable reader, I honestly couldn’t imagine how it could be useful. Why in the world would I abandon print books and stare at yet another screen?<\/p>\n

A couple years later, I sat next to a (rather talkative) passenger on a trip to Seattle. She had an Amazon Kindle–it was the first time I’d seen one in person. While I knew all about the device’s functionality, I couldn’t get over how appealing the E-Ink display appeared.<\/p>\n

The image was greyscale, there was no backlighting and the print was incredibly crisp. It looked like great paper copy. She handed me her Kindle and I read a couple pages and was hooked.<\/p>\n

In November, 2011, I purchased my first Kindle E-Ink reader: the Kindle III keyboard. That particular model sported Wifi and free international 3G connectivity.\u00a0 It also had a cool experimental page with a functional, basic web browser that could actually cruise the internet–albeit with an interface that was never designed to do so. For a while there, I had free 3G service through that browser which came in very handy when I was off-grid two months the following summer on Prince Edward Island, Canada.<\/p>\n

While I didn’t use the Kindle every day (I do still love paper books) it became an amazing and useful travel companion. It was great hopping on a flight with a whole library of books in tow.<\/p>\n

Fast-forward a decade…<\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

These days, I’m not sure if the 3G functionality still works, but my Kindle still does. Indeed, it works as well as the day I purchased it, save the battery life.<\/p>\n

I used to charge the Kindle and it would operate for weeks on one charge. Lately, it needed charging almost daily. Not a surprise as this device celebrates it’s 10th birthday this year.<\/p>\n

Even though consumer electronics manufacturers these days don’t want you to know, you can almost always replace batteries in devices as long as you’re willing to crack open the case and even solder battery tabs on occasion. I’ve replaced batteries in iPhones, Android phones, tablets, and numerous rechargeable devices.<\/p>\n

I ordered a $15 replacement battery for my Kindle and installed it last week; it was a very simple, solder-free installation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>And it works like new again!<\/p>\n

I’m such a believer in E-Ink tablets, I backed the Earl Android tablet in 2013<\/a>. Earl was a rugged device that was supposed to even include a basic shortwave radio receiver.<\/p>\n

It was a brilliant concept, but sadly failed. I believe the guys behind the crowdfunding campaign were sincere in their desire to create the product, but they lacked the experience to bring it to fruition, were poor communicators with their backers, and many lost their crowdfund contributions when the Earl project simply disappeared. A very, very sad ending to what could have been a revolutionary product.<\/p>\n

Nook Hacking<\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In 2018, I presented<\/a> at Hackers On Planet Earth (HOPE)<\/a>. My buddy, Dave Cripe (NM0S), and I split the cost of a room at the Hotel Pennsylvania where HOPE was held that year. One evening we started talking about the Earl tablet (I believe Dave was also a backer) then he showed me his uber-cool, do-it-yourself E-Ink tablet: a Hacked Nook Simple Touch<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

He showed me how, through a fairly simple process,<\/a> you could root the Nook and replace its operating system with a basic Android OS. This opened the Nook up to more uses like web browsing and even adding some apps from the Android market.<\/p>\n

After returning home from HOPE 2018, I hopped on ShopGoodwill.com<\/a> and purchased two Nook Simple Touch readers for a whopping $15 US.<\/p>\n

I knew it was risky purchasing from ShopGoodwill.com because these devices had not been tested and I had no idea how old they were. Still, the bet (or winning $15 bid) paid off: both Nooks worked perfectly.<\/p>\n

I rooted both units.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Funny thing is, I gave one of the units to my wife and it has become her favorite digital device. Once she discovered Project Gutenberg<\/a>–a massive searchable repository of public domain books–and the fact that one of her favorite authors (P.G. Wodehouse) had numerous books in the archive<\/a>, she was hooked. I loaded her Nook device with over 100 books she hand-picked from the archive.<\/p>\n

My rooted Nook is loaded with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle<\/a> novels and loads<\/em> of other classics. I also have a PDF of my car’s owner’s manual, a copy of “Where There Is No Doctor,”<\/em> and a number of other useful reference books (like issues of The Spectrum Monitor<\/a> magazine!).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It must be the best $15 I’ve ever spent.<\/p>\n

I also love the fact we gave these two discarded Nooks a second (upgraded!) life.<\/p>\n

E-Ink love<\/h1>\n

E-Ink devices have improved over the years and backlighting options now are most impressive.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

I’ve come so close to purchasing the Mobiscribe Origin, even though it lacks a GPS and other functionality I’d like.<\/p><\/div>\n

Ideally, I’d still love to have an E-Ink tablet that’s somewhat weatherproof, sports a large rechargeable battery, allows for on-screen writing with a stylus, connectivity for a Bluetooth keyboard, features a GPS with topo maps, and supports full pinch-to-zoom functionality.<\/p>\n

Please, if a device like this ever surfaces, let me know.<\/p>\n

Any other fans of E-Ink devices in the SWLing Post<\/em> community? Please comment!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I remember back in 2007 when Amazon announced their first Kindle E-Ink portable reader, I honestly couldn’t imagine how it could be useful. Why in the world would I abandon print books and stare at yet another screen? A couple years later, I sat next to a (rather talkative) passenger on a trip to Seattle. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4199,3,554],"tags":[1923,9069,1941,1939,9072,9071,9070],"class_list":["post-47093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-accessories","category-news","category-slightly-off-topic","tag-android","tag-e-ink","tag-earl","tag-earl-backcountry-survival-tablet","tag-nook-hacking","tag-nook-rooting","tag-nook-simple-touch"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-cfz","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":37132,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/equinox-a-novel-that-blends-sci-fi-with-ham-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":47093,"position":0},"title":"EQUINOX: A novel that blends sci-fi with ham radio","author":"Thomas","date":"May 7, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post reader and author, DM Barrett (N4ECW), who recently shared the following press release which features his latest book: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EQUINOX Blends Science Fiction And Amateur Radio 1 May 2019 (Tampa, Florida) A new science fiction narrative, EQUINOX, has taken amateur and shortwave radio\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books"","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Equinox-Book-768x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Equinox-Book-768x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Equinox-Book-768x1024.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4369,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/09\/new-book-focuses-on-chinas-firedrake-jamming\/","url_meta":{"origin":47093,"position":1},"title":"New book focuses on China’s Firedrake jamming","author":"Thomas","date":"September 4, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I just received the following press release from\u00a0Steve Handler (N9ABC), author of\u00a0Firedrake \u2013 China\u2019s Secret Shortwave Jamming Project Exposed! Priced at $3.99, his new 45 page eBook is available at\u00a0Amazon.com: Firedrake \u2013 China\u2019s Secret Shortwave Jamming Project Exposed!\u00a0 by Steven Handler is the new revised and updated version of this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books"","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/FiredrakeBook.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6564,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/05\/introducing-earl-a-rugged-solar-powered-gps-and-android-tablet-with-built-in-shortwave-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":47093,"position":2},"title":"Introducing EARL: a rugged, solar-powered GPS and Android tablet with built-in shortwave radio","author":"Thomas","date":"May 23, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"A good friend recently introduced me to the Earl Backcountry Survival Tablet; a crowd-funded\u00a0project that may very well come to fruition. What makes this tablet really stand out are its impressive list of features which are all based on outdoor survival\/adventure. Features include: A rugged, waterproof\/weatherproof body; IP67 rated! Built-in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Products"","block_context":{"text":"New Products","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/new-products\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Earl ","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/EarlFront-300x231.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":34282,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/09\/the-tv-b-gone-reviewing-a-fun-and-incredibly-useful-kit\/","url_meta":{"origin":47093,"position":3},"title":"The TV-B-Gone: reviewing a fun and (incredibly) useful kit!","author":"Thomas","date":"September 30, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Post readers might recall that I attended and\u00a0presented at \u00a0Circle of HOPE (Hackers On Planet Earth 2018 in New York City. One of the many cool things about HOPE was the Hardware Hacking Village: a space with 40 or so fully-stocked soldering stations that HOPE attendees could use anytime during\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Kits"","block_context":{"text":"Kits","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/kits\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/HOPE-Hardware-Hacking-Village.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/HOPE-Hardware-Hacking-Village.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/HOPE-Hardware-Hacking-Village.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20690,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/sticky-radios-john-shares-yet-another-solution\/","url_meta":{"origin":47093,"position":4},"title":"Sticky radios? John shares yet another solution.","author":"Thomas","date":"August 19, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John Figliozzi, who writes: Sean at Universal Radio in Reynoldsburg, OH put me on to another terrific product that does the job fabulously and quite easily. It's called MaxPro Ink\/Adhesive Remover and is a citrus-based cleaner\/solvent that won't harm the radio's plastic casing. You\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Eton-e1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Eton-e1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":59702,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/05\/don-discusses-am-radios-future\/","url_meta":{"origin":47093,"position":5},"title":"Don discusses AM Radio’s future","author":"Thomas","date":"May 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Don Elliott, who shares this piece in which Radio Ink interviews him regarding the future of AM radio:\u00a0 https:\/\/radioink.com\/2023\/04\/28\/getting-in-the-am-radio-war-room-with-don-elliot\/","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/AM-Dial-Digital-Grundig-Mediumwave-MW-lg.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/AM-Dial-Digital-Grundig-Mediumwave-MW-lg.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/AM-Dial-Digital-Grundig-Mediumwave-MW-lg.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/AM-Dial-Digital-Grundig-Mediumwave-MW-lg.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47093","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47093"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47093\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}