Tolino Vision and Shine Screen Damage: Understanding Warranty, Repair, and Replacement Options

Almost every device user knows that the screens of smartphones and tablets can crack. However, significantly fewer people are aware that this also applies to the screens of eBook readers. This is probably because the appearance of dedicated eReaders often differs significantly from the shiny glass surfaces of tablets and phones. The fact is that the displays of most eReaders also use glass as a substrate, making them just as vulnerable as other mobile electronic devices.

From time to time, I receive emails from visitors asking for advice after their Tolino, Kindle, Sony, or Kobo eReader suddenly starts showing strange display errors. After further correspondence, it usually becomes clear that the screens of these devices are likely cracked.

Risk for (Almost) All Manufacturers

I seem to get relatively frequent messages from users of Tolino Vision or Shine with such problems, which may also be because these bookseller community devices are significantly more widespread than those of Sony, PocketBook, or Kobo. Although I haven’t heard any similar complaints from Kindle owners, the Amazon models are also not immune to screen cracks.

Some time ago, a report made the rounds suggesting that Kindle eReaders could be damaged by airport X-ray machines. What I initially thought unlikely was later clarified by a scientific explanation: It’s not the X-rays that can damage the display, but rather the electrostatic charge that occurs inside the security devices. If such a charge is transferred to the eBook reader, it can cause the voltage-controlled microcapsules not to respond.

Only one mainstream model has a display with a plastic substrate: the Kobo Forma. Using plastic as a substrate protects the screen from breaking and also makes it somewhat lighter. However, even these displays are not indestructible and can sustain damage if handled carelessly. The Forma also has two drawbacks: firstly, Kobo no longer sells its eReaders in Germany, and secondly, the eReader costs as much as two Tolino Shine 3 devices.

Reasons for Breakage

Returning to the current Tolino models and other manufacturers: Users often assure me via email that their devices were treated very carefully, always kept in a case, and never dropped. Thus, a screen crack comes as a surprise to many.

In such circumstances, there are generally two possible reasons for such damage:

1. The eReader was placed in a bag, backpack, or some other container where (uneven) pressure was applied to the device or the display. Even a slight twist can be enough to break the glass substrate. Such transport can be fine 99 times, but with bad luck, the screen could break on the hundredth time. Because eReaders are larger than smartphones, but often have less rigidity due to the lack of a hard glass front and broader design, such a problem can (but does not have to) arise. A very similar issue has increased with the Apple iPhone 6 (Plus), which, due to an apparently awkward design, is particularly flexible at a certain point, increasing the risk of display damage.
2. The second possibility is less likely, but not impossible: It could be that the display was not installed without tension. If that’s the case, then theoretically even a small temperature change (e.g., due to sunlight, heating near a radiator, etc.) could cause a crack. This issue seems to be more common with various smartphones and can also happen with eBook readers.

The biggest problem here is determining the cause of the screen breakage, both for the customer and the retailer. Unfortunately, in almost every industry, it is automatically assumed that a broken screen is the user’s fault. This holds regardless of the type of device or its manufacturer.

This is undoubtedly problematic for customers because, although many screen damages are likely due to user error, there are always individuals who are absolutely certain they did not cause the damage. This can occur, for instance, when you place your eReader on the nightstand in the evening and discover the damage the next day.

Steps in Case of a Screen Defect

The first step with such a problem should definitely be to contact the retailer. Either go directly to the store where you bought the eReader or contact their service department electronically. In both cases, it’s advisable to clearly state that the device was well taken care of and that you can rule out any impact as the cause of the damage (provided this is indeed the case).

What happens next depends on the retailer’s procedure. In the case of Tolino Shine or Tolino Vision, you may often be referred to the manufacturer, Longshine.

As a customer, you would then need to get in touch with their service team to discuss further steps (see below). As mentioned earlier, the issue is that such damage is almost always automatically considered the customer’s fault by most manufacturers of electronic products.

Warranty and Guarantee

In such cases, one cannot generally hope for a warranty claim, as a warranty is a voluntary service provided by the manufacturer. Neither the retailer nor the producer is obligated to perform repairs.

If you’re lucky, and even the store employee agrees that the (newly purchased) eReader shows no other signs of damage, you might get a replacement device on the spot. However, this is more of an exception.

A warranty submission on a whim is not recommended, as, if rejected, costs for shipping (and returning the defective device) and the technician’s inspection would typically arise. In other words, even if the warranty request is denied, you might still have to pay. Usually, these costs range from around 20 to 40 euros. The corresponding notice can be found on the warranty application form, which must be signed before sending the eReader.

Fortunately, besides the manufacturer’s warranty, there’s still the statutory warranty period, generally lasting two years. According to § 476 BGB, it is assumed that any defect appearing within six months of purchase was already present at the “transfer of risk,” unless the defect is obviously due to another cause.

In plain terms, this means that if a defect appears within six months and it’s clearly not caused by the customer, then the retailer must prove it’s the customer’s fault or fix the issue. Thus, if you’re within this six-month warranty period, as a customer with a defective device (provided it’s not user-caused and the eReader has no external damage), you should explicitly refer to your warranty rights—if necessary, in writing. A receipt is essential for any warranty or guarantee claim.

Unless the retailer or manufacturer accommodates you right away by replacing or repairing the device at their cost, this warranty route is essentially your only option for a free solution.

Replacement Displays and Paid Repairs

Unfortunately, your options after the first six months are limited, as the customer now has to prove that the fault was not self-caused or already existed from the factory, which is not cost-effective for private individuals.

Thus, one may have to bite the bullet and either repair the device themselves, have it fixed by the manufacturer at a cost, or simply purchase something else.

Self-repair assumes that you can acquire the display unit. While the replacement process itself is relatively straightforward, there’s virtually no current device for which the appropriate spare part can be purchased. Although you can find various E-Ink displays on the B2B platform Alibaba and occasionally on eBay (for around 30 to 40 euros), they are mostly intended for different unlit Kindle models (Kindle Keyboard or Kindle 4). No replacement is available for current illuminated models of Kindle, Tolino, Kobo, or PocketBook.

Therefore, only the paid repair by the official service center remains. For Tolino, as already mentioned, this is the manufacturer Longshine, which can be contacted at phone number: +49 (0) 4102 492233 or email: tolino@longshine.de. As of October 2014, Longshine charged 65 euros for a display repair of a Tolino Shine, Vision, or Vision 2. However, it’s recommended to clarify exactly what needs to be done and how much it will cost before sending in the device.

Before deciding on a paid repair, it’s worth checking the current market and price developments. It might be possible that there are better devices available now for just a small additional cost. A new purchase then also comes with a new 24-month warranty period, which might make this the better option overall compared to repairing the defect.