Kindle 2 User’s Guide 2nd Edition 24
1.4(Status(Indicators(
At the top of every screen, you also see Whispernet and battery life status indicators to keep you
in the know.
Whispernet Status Indicators The Whispernet status indicator shows you whether the wireless radio is turned on or off, the
signal strength of your Whispernet service, and the connection speed. Here are the possible
indicators and their meanings.
The Whispernet service is active and your Kindle has a strong signal. The more bars that are
filled in with black, the stronger the wireless signal.
None of the bars are filled in. This means the wireless signal strength is too low to connect. You
will not be able to connect to the Kindle Store, Basic Web, register your device, retrieve content
from Archived Items, or receive your subscriptions.
The bars are outlined in grey. This means Whispernet is checking for signal strength. This
usually lasts less than 30 seconds.
The Whispernet service is turned off. You can turn on the wireless by pressing the Menu button,
and using the 5-way controller to navigate to "Turn Wireless On."
When you activate a menu, a 1X or 3G icon appears to the left side of the signal bars that
indicates the speed of your Whispernet service. The 1X icon indicates that your Kindle is
connected to the 1XRTT wireless network, which is slower than the 3G Whispernet service.
Kindle will automatically switch back to the faster 3G EVDO network when available.
Battery Status Indicators You have your Kindle plugged into power and the battery is charging. The charge indicator light
on the bottom of your Kindle also lights up. Note that if your Kindle is plugged into a low
powered USB port such as those found on some keyboards or older computers, you will only
derive enough charge to avoid depleting the battery but not enough to recharge it.
The images above show the various states of the battery as it discharges. As you deplete the
battery, less of the battery indicator will be filled in.