My Kindle Is Toast

Q: My kid stepped on my Kindle, and now half of the screen is completely destroyed. Have I lost all of the books I bought? Is there any chance that Amazon will replace it?

A: Sorry about your Kindle! Right now might not be the best time to mention it, but you should really consider getting a hard cover for your Kindle. Fortunately, your books are safe. All of them are waiting for you to redownload once you get a new Kindle. In the interim, you can also read them on the Kindle app on any iPhone, iPad or Android phone or tablet, and you can even read them on the web at http://read.amazon.com.

The other good news is that Amazon provides a limited one-year warranty on all new Kindles. Depending on how long ago you bought your Kindle, Amazon might replace it for free. Go to http://amazon.com/kindlesupport and click “Contact Us” on the right-hand side. From there you’ll be given an option to contact Amazon by email, phone or chat. If you’re lucky, they might give you a free replacement Kindle. They've also been known to occasionally replace them for half-price if you’re out of warranty. Here's something for you to keep in mind, though. Technically, Amazon doesn't have to replace your Kindle because the warranty specifically excludes damage from accident, misuse and neglect, but Amazon's customer service is rivaled only by Apple's in the tech industry. They'll often replace it, even though they don't have to. It probably wouldn't hurt to be nice to them.