A creative user has repurposed an ageing Kindle into a customised automation device, using jailbreaking and KOReader to trigger a bedside lamp at night, showcasing the potential of unsupported hardware for practical smart home routines.
Jailbreaking an ageing Kindle has given one reader an unexpected second life for the device: not just as an e-book reader, but as a trigger for a bedside smart-light routine. The experiment began after Amazon ended support for the Kindle 4, prompting the owner to unlock the device and install KOReader, an open-source reading app designed for e-ink hardware and other platforms. According to KOReader’s own site, the software supports formats including EPUB, PDF and MOBI, and is built for extensive customisation, local use and user-controlled integrations.
The setup uses KOReader’s event-based scripting tools to run a short script when a book is closed. In this case, the Kindle connects to Wi-Fi, waits a few seconds, sends a webhook to Home Assistant on the local network and then switches Wi-Fi off again. KOReader’s Book Shortcuts and Profile features make that script callable as a named action, while the auto-execute option ties the action to the “On Book Closing” event. Guides to KOReader installation on jailbroken Kindles note that the app is commonly used for deeper device customisation, including better format support, navigation tools and display controls.
At first, the automation simply worked: close the book, and the lamp turned off a few seconds later. But the owner then refined the script so it only fires after 9pm, avoiding accidental daytime triggering. That detail matters because it turns a novelty into something closer to a practical routine, rather than a one-off demonstration of what the device can do.
The broader appeal is less about the light itself than about what KOReader enables on unsupported hardware. KOReader is described by its developers as a lightweight, fast reader with broad file compatibility, detailed typography controls and support for e-ink devices, while Kindle modding guides show that jailbreak users often pair it with other custom features such as gestures, hot corners and altered font settings. In this case, the result is a small but polished automation: read in bed, close the book and let the lamp fade out without reaching for a switch or a phone.
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