This is not true at all of the Kindle. Mine broke immediately. The company refuses to make it right. They charged 200 dollars. This is immoral. If you don't make it right I will not buy anything more from Amazon and you will lose more in the long run because I will eagerly and aggressively tell EVERYONE I know, and I know a lot of people.

I purchased a Kindle two days ago. Yesterday, mine slipped out of the included case and fell a foot and a half (24 inches, less than shown in the drop test above), and the screen is now completely damaged and unusable. As the above poster has found, Amazon will not do anything to assist, other than purchasing a new one at a discounted price. As it is cheaper to replace the whole unit than to repair it, you have no other option. I really liked the kindle for all 24 hours that it was usable, but am now strongly considering other options. BEWARE!

Have you looked at the Kindle 2 drop test featured on www.kindle.com? The drop test is done on a white background and the kindle seems to be dropped on a small piece of black tile. You can see a shadow under the tile indicating the tile is raised by some other material. Now look carefully as the kindle hits the tile, the tile displaces (moves over time in the slow motion movie). This allows the shock to be dispersed over time and lessens the chance of breakage. It is like wearing a crash helmet with crushable liner.

Note that I am not talking about the kindle one movie shown on this page, but the kindle-2 movie shown on www.kindle.com as of April 30 2009.

Firstly, let me qualify the following critique by saying that I am a Kindle addict and, UNTIL TODAY, a devout Amazon loyalist, purchasing as many as 60 items a year through their site.

Since purchasing my Kindle in March of 2009 I've been thrilled with the ability to not only read and store numerous books and subscribe to various magazines and newspapers, but also to shop and buy new material on impulse via the Kindle Store (although I'm still baffled at the unavailability of certain early works by both historical and contemporary authors). Oh, I have the usual complaints, primarily that even in certain well lit environments the words on the Kindle screen can be difficult to decipher due to a low (and nonadjustable) screen contrast as well as a lack of back lighting. But then you can always increase the font size, and all in all, it's been a thrill.

No, my complaint is of a different nature, that being a case of PRODUCT MISREPRESENTATION.

When I first considered buying a Kindle I began by doing what we've all done a hundred times before; I went to Amazon's product website and began reading about the Kindle's various specs and features.

Half way down the web page, prominently displayed within Amazon's quite extensive promotional presentation was (and still is) a video called "WATCH THE KINDLE DROP TEST" showing a Kindle being released from a height of three feet onto what appears to be a hard black marble tile. The video is presented as a scientific experiment of sorts, complete with clean white surfaces, measuring devices, and slow motion repetition of the drop. The Kindle, needless to say, survives, seemingly INTACT (and presumably still working).

NOTE: There is no audio accompanying the video nor a written explanation. The viewer is left to draw his own conclusions which, in my case, was that the Kindle must be a very durable device. Common sense would lead most people to conclude the same. After all, it's not everyday that sellers of electronic devices (televisions, cameras, audio devices) can make the claim that their device can survive (i.e REMAIN FUNCTIONAL) after such a drop. So the Kindle had to be pretty tough, right? I was SOLD!

Nevertheless, since it's purchase I have been very careful NOT to drop my Kindle as I value it tremendously, and why tempt fate? Today, however, while trying to answer the phone my Kindle did slip from my hand and fell a distance of approximately ONE FOOT onto a wooden kitchen table. Instantly, the screen went haywire; the words became unreadable, the functions inoperable, and the device could not be restarted by any means (even the usual 15 second power switch solution).

After speaking with Amazon I was told that the would send me a refurbished device for $135. Furthermore, when asked about the "Kindle Drop Test" I was told that the video was never meant to imply that the Kindle would still be functional after such a drop, but rather that it would remain STRUCTURALLY INTACT (i.e. no cracks or sharp edges) and therefore "not a danger to other people around you". Wow, what a relief.

After laughing at the absurdity of this reasoning, I explained that the only concern of any average buyer of such a device is FUNCTIONALITY. The "Drop Test" video's implied selling point that the Kindle can "take a licking and keep on ticking" is one of the primary reasons for my deciding to buy the device. Without a written or audio explanation accompanying this video, the only logical conclusion to be drawn by anyone would have to be that a minor drop such as the one endured by my Kindle would be of little or no functional consequence or danger.

To date, Amazon has never mislead me in my purchases and my assumption was that, in light of the claims implied by their Kindle "Drop Test" they would replace my Kindle at no cost as show of good faith in their product and myself as a loyal customer. I was dead wrong. No replacement, no consideration, no good explanation for their falsely implied video claims.

In the case of the "Kindle Drop Test", Amazon is guilty of false and misleading advertising and should be held accountable through legal action along the lines of a class action law suit. I have ordered my replacement, but will be pursuing other options after consulting with the appropriate counsel.

The moral of the story. Don't be mislead by the "Kindle Drop Test". As far as functionality is concerned, don't think of your Kindle as any more durable than your average eggshell.

And you can say goodbye to any past illusions that Amazon is a completely honest company. In the case of the "KINDLE DROP TEST", what you see is definitely NOT what you get.

P.S. In asking to speak to a supervisor about the matter I was told that one would call me back immediately. They never did.