Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

As a first-gen (2012) Paperwhite owner (pre-ordered, received at launch) who had to exchange his original unit once already, I reacted with a great deal of excitement to news that Amazon was refreshing the PW and that the 2013 model would feature enhancements to the front lighting technology. My first PW had horribly mismatched bottom LEDs. In short, the first (left-most) LED was noticably bluer than the other three, making for a very obvious bluish tint in the lower left quadrant. I actually came to terms with that ultimately. What finally broke this camel's back, however, was a tear/pinhole in the light layer I discovered one night reading with the device up close to my face. For anyone else who's had this issue, it's basically like a hot pixel on an LCD screen: a bright, pinhole of light shooting straight into your eye. Worse than a stuck dark pixel. I had no choice. I had to exchange. The second unit, mercifully, was as consistently lit as the first-gen PW was capable of being. Sure, some ghosting in the bottom, SLIGHTLY hazier contrast (I had both side by side and could compare before I returned the original), and a bit of the color splotchiness all around that most 2012 units exhibit. But usable. Tolerable. And I really love the possibilities of a front-lit e-ink reader, so I finally came to peace with it. Flash forward to 2013. I unboxed my new unit yesterday and was MORTIFIED to immediately notice that AGAIN, the left-most LED was bluer than the other three, significantly so. Given that the new 2013 screen features more warm/neutral lighting to begin with, this was far more distracting. Within 5 minutes, the device was back in the box. No exchange, just a refund. I already wasted ~$140 after tax on the original (without ads) and it was only because I really wanted the perfect screen Amazon was boasting about that I decided I'd eat the same amount again (passing my original PW down to my dad). Look, I'm sure I had a bad egg. I'm sure I could have exchanged (and exchanged) like many did in 2012 and eventually gotten something tolerable. Heck, maybe there are perfect screens out there. Still, the last time really soured me. It was a CHORE of a process back in late 2012, with multiple calls to an overseas CS center. It was only after three or four calls that someone stepped up and politely took care of me. Even then, the replacement unit was just ok, something to tolerate. I've YET to have my excitement fulfilled. The fact that after ALL of the issues Amazon experienced (having to even communicate a new wave of 2012 models at some point to placate all the complaints about green and pink discoloration or distractingly uneven lighting), that they couldn't get such a glaring QC issue addressed prior to shipping the unit out is just mind-bogglingly unacceptable to me. I already own a 2012 PW and the screen on that one, despite the flaws, is more pleasantly colored than the new 2013 model I received. I don't know who is responsible for grabbing handfuls of LEDs in Malaysia or China, but please, for the love of the savvy customers, Amazon: put some effort into making these things and match the four. Some of us are perceptive enough or staring closely enough at the screens that we can't help but see such obvious issues. I still love the idea of the PW but I'm tired of being so disappointed in your execution. Whatever you're advertising so eagerly today is what 2012 first buyers should have received in the first place. That you couldn't even get me a consistently hued screen over one year later is embarrassing. Hopefully you save a bit of your apparently sizeable promotional budget for improved QC.