How Kindle devices are tested before launch

Kindle is for reading e-books, and Google is for searching online. That should tell you a lot about the Kindle’s capabilities, not only its reach as a leading e-reader, but also its build quality. We’ve come across stories of people still enjoying their Kindles that they bought a decade ago. These Kindles still work remarkably well, except for maybe a dead battery. That’s extraordinary, but for Amazon it’s just another day at the office.

More specifically, at Lab126, Amazon has an entire section where men and women work day after day to develop ways and methodologies to break a Kindle. The sole purpose of this endeavor is to ensure that only the best-suited Kindle reaches the market. The effort is led by Senior Hardware Reliability Engineer Xijia (Erica) Duan, who describes her role at the Amazon facility as putting Kindle prototypes through the most rigorous testing to ensure the most stable and reliable hardware configuration.

As Duan said in the blog post, their work begins with assessing the ways users are likely to use their Kindle devices, and how e-book readers are likely to suffer in the process. For example, it may fall from, say, waist height, either from a table or when placed in a bag or pocket. Likewise, there is a chance that water or coffee will be spilled on it or someone will accidentally sit on your Kindle. Therefore, the priority will be to design the Kindle in a way that can absorb the impact in such cases.

One way to ensure Kindle is robust is to establish these criteria during the conceptualization and design phase. The next priority is to provide appropriate material for the production of the device. There should be no compromise on quality either; otherwise, all efforts to produce a reliable device will be in vain.

These are the tests that Kindle prototypes must pass before the final design is created.

1. High-quality material testing: Kindle devices are made of high-quality materials. They undergo tests like the four-point bend test to see how much bending force their glass screens can withstand. This helps decide which glass is best and how to improve future designs.
2. Virtual testing: Before creating physical prototypes, engineers run computer simulations to see how well the Kindle will handle drops and bumps.
3. Physical Testing: Once the prototypes are made, they are subjected to rigorous testing:

• Drop test: Kindles are dropped from different angles to see how they handle drops on different surfaces.
• Drop Test: This test simulates throwing the device in a machine to test its resistance to accidental drops.
• Backpack Test: Imitates the stress your Kindle is subjected to by carrying it in a backpack to see if the device can withstand the pressure.
• Touch Test: Simulates how your device’s touchscreen responds to repeated touches during use.
• Twist test: Checks how well your Kindle withstands bending or twisting, for example when packed in a bag.
• Chemical Testing: Checks how Kindle materials react to substances like sunscreens and lotions, ensuring they won’t degrade.
• Sun exposure test: Checks how well your Kindle stands up to sunlight without cracking or fading.
• Waterproof Testing: Ensures your Kindle’s waterproof capabilities will withstand accidental immersion in water.

These tests help ensure that Kindle devices are durable, reliable, and resistant to the wear and tear of everyday use.

As I am interested in technology, I try to keep up with the latest developments in technology and gadgets. This includes smartphones and tablets, but extends even to artificial intelligence and autonomous cars, the latter being my latest fad. Apart from writing, I enjoy watching movies, reading, listening to music, and experimenting with different recipes. Film is another aspect that interests me a lot and I will probably make a movie sometime in the future.