The Godzilla of Kindles

The Godzilla of Kindles tries to conquer the Ereader world,
I’ve been a very happy 1st-generation Kindle (referred to henceforth in this review as the K1), since last April, and as a disabled person who’s always loved to read but for various reasons (including the physical difficulties in handling an actual book), the device reintroduced the reading experienced and substantially changed my world. When the 2nd-generation Kindle (referred to henceforth as the K2) came on the scene, I didn’t feel overly compelled to upgrade to the new version because there was not a significant advantage, in my view, to do so. But when the Kindle DX was announced with it’s larger screen and specifically the native PDF support, which as one who had converted many software manual PDFs for reading on the K1 with passable but not great results, I couldn’t resist taking the plunge and upgrading. I’ve now been using the Kindle DX (referred to henceforth as the KDX), since Thursday (this review is being typed on Sunday), so here is my first impressions review.
The first thing I noticed about the Kindle DX is that it could as easily be called the Kindle Jumbo, or The Kindlenormous, because compared to my K1 (as stated above, I never owned a K2) it’s huge! I’ve seen several people comment on the difference in size, and one might get the impression from various comments (including my own above) that the device requires a forklift to pick up and a warehouse to house. The truth is that the Kindle DX is only big in relation to the prior Kindles. In fact, if this had been the size of the first Kindle, I think everyone would have felt it was the perfect size. As for the increased weight over its smaller brethren, if I personally had to manually hold it, for me with my disability, it would be a real problem. It’s not really the weight itself, but due to the center of gravity being more spread out as opposed to the more compact K1 and K2. Basically, if you hold the device vertically near the bottom, it becomes top heavy. Because of this, I don’t know if I’d consider the Kindle DX the best choice for the casual reader, especially one who hasn’t owned a Kindle before. Sort of like buying a full-sized Hummer for the little old lady from Pasadena who just wants to run to the grocery store twice a week. Doesn’t mean a Hummer isn’t great in itself, but it would be just a bit of overkill for the proverbial old lady’s needs.
As for the Kindle DX itself (and keep in mind that I’ve never owned or touched a K2, so some of the things that impressed me might be applicable to the K2 as well), it is truly amazing. My own feeling is that this design greatly improves upon what was begun with the K1. In fact I’d go so far as to say that the K1 seems more like a production or Beta model…a great Beta model, but a Beta model nonetheless. The Kindle DX feels more sturdy (and I think this due more to the case construction than the overall weight), and as I said, more polished than the K1. I like the 5-way controller (introduced with the K2) much more than the K1’s scroll wheel. While I used the scroll wheel without any qualms whatsoever, it always felt a bit kludgy, as if it was a bit “low tech-ish” for such an advanced product.
The K1 display is great, and if images are done well, they can be quite beautiful. However, if images are done right for the Kindle DX, they are mind blowing in comparison. The K1 always has looked great to me considering it’s limited abilities, but the Kindle DX shows just what eInk technology is capable of. Seeing this screen now has me excited for the first time about the prospect of a color eInk screen one day, because if they can do this with 16-shade grayscale now, imagine what we’re in store for in a few years. I checked how a couple of my own books’ covers looked on the KDX, and they looked great even at the larger size. The Kindle DX screen is also more elongated than it’s little brothers’, so you get more text per screen not just because of the larger size, but because of proportionally having more screen real estate to work with. Text is sharp and the interface differences from the K1 are also pleasurably improved. Again, I would use the expression “more polished” to describe the difference. Some of that is due to the improved screen resolution, I’m sure.
The Kindle DX’s responsiveness is better overall, although that’s a relative thing since a large PDF or a page laden with images will take longer to display than a plain text page, regardless of which Kindle you own. I do notice that when one scrolls the cursor with the 5-way controller, that it flies down the page. Not sure if the K1 could have done that it if had used the same controller, so I think the screen refresh rate is improved on the Kindle DX (again, this may be true for the K2 as well).
I don’t subscribe to any newspapers currently, but blogs look great on the KDX. On my K1, if you viewed the article list in a blog, you’d get a simple list of article titles. On the KDX, you get titles, a summary or first line from the article, and divider lines separating each listed article. Not to sound repetitive (although clearly I am guilty of just that), but “more polished is again the way I’d describe this difference.
I also own several Kindle books that are now listed as “DX optimized” (most of them being software reference books). These books look as if their layouts are very close to, if not identical to, their printed counterparts. One thing I’ve noticed, and I’ll use one of the books I own, How to Do Everything: Adobe Illustrator CS4, as an example. My guess is that the images contained in the book are in color in the printed book, and were directly scanned into ebook format “as is.” This becomes problematic because of the grayscale display, which shows these images as various shades of gray, often with little contrast between the different shades. The biggest problem, however, is that the gray in the images do not contrast well to the gray background of the screen. The gray screen provides plenty of contrast for text on the Kindle DX, but for images with a lot of gray shades in them, the lack of contrast makes the images look washed out. I would therefore strongly urge Amazon to take the “DX optimized” designation even further and make sure that the images in these books are also optimized for the grayscale display, because they do the KindleDX fabulous display capabilities justice.
The PDFs I have loaded onto my Kindle DX look wonderful as well. Most of my PDFs are Adobe software manual, and therefore they are true PDFs (not all PDFs are the same, or true PDFs) with lots of imagery, and they seem to display almost flawlessly in their native format. So the it appears that the promise and the biggest reason I once again invested a significant amount of money with Amazon has proven to be well worth it.
A personal note about the Kindle DX’s size. The KDX is too big for my Kindle stand from Octo, so I have to prop up against other stuff on my bed, Which is fine, and actually works well for this Godzilla of Kindles. However, when I want to charge the KDX while I read (which I generally do nightly), I have to turn it upside down because the charging plug is on the bottom of the device, and so can’t be “stood up” on that end while charging. So for me, the screen flipping technology is a godsend, although oddly enough, neither the screen savers nor the Kindle store will flip. Probably because neither could display properly in horizontal mode. Still, it’s annoying to be using the Kindle in one orientation but then be forced to reorient the device if I want to dash off to the Kindle Store briefly. While certainly a minor thing, I’d really like to see Amazon enable the screen flipping technology to work with the Kindle Store as well.
Overall, I already love my Kindle DX. While I’ll always love my K1 as well, I just don’t have the need for both, so I’m glad the K1 will have a happy new home with my sister. The KDX is an excellent addition to the Kindle family, while it was promoted as a device targeted to students and others with specific large-format document needs, the KDX could have easily been the first Kindle released, and I believe that it would have been equally successful even at the larger size.
If you’re thinking of buying a Kindle DX, or are especially debating between a K2 or KDX, I’d recommend you really assess your needs and uses for your Kindle, and use those to help make your decision. The KDX itself is amazing and expands on the promise and functionality of the original Kindles. But some may buy the Kindle DX and then criticize it, not because of the device’s failings (of which I have seen none yet), but because they perhaps would have been better served by a smaller Kindle instead.
So while I say any potential Kindle buyer should choose wisely depending upon their needs, the Kindle DX is in itself an outstanding product that will only help to solidify the Kindle brand as the standard by which all other ereaders will be compared.
Where I gave the 1st-generation Kindle 5 stars, based upon how the Kindle DX has improved upon the design and functionality, I’d give the KDX 10 stars if I could.

By Gregory Bernard Banks - 2012: Seeking Closure…

Kindle DX: Bigger Screen, Higher Price

Kindle DX: Bigger Screen, Higher Price, Many Questions

Ending a week of heavy media speculation, Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos unveiled the new, larger-format Kindle DX in front of about 200 journalists and camera crews at Pace University in lower Manhattan. Using a giant projection screen, Bezos delivered a presentation on the Kindle DX, which is essentially a Kindle 2 with a bigger, 9.7-inch screen; a new “native” PDF reader; and three gigabytes of storage that will sell for $489. Bezos also announced agreements to launch a pilot program with six universities that will distribute the Kindle DX to students and load the devices with textbooks from three of the largest U.S. textbook publishers—Pearson, Cengage and John Wiley—as well as a newspaper deal with the New York Times, Boston Globe and Washington Post. But while much of the early speculation about the Kindle DX focused on its ability to deliver newspapers, Amazon’s pilot agreement with the universities and publishers seems just as critical to the device’s future and fraught with many pitfalls.
Despite the Kindle DX’s enhanced display (and a few new but minor features), questions remain about whether the device is likely to gain traction in the newspaper market, let alone in a higher-education textbook market long focused on highly discounted, full-color digital textbook editions. In published reports, Dallas Morning News publisher James Moroney has already noted that Amazon’s terms to newspapers (Amazon gets 70% of revenues and wants licensing rights) are not looked on favorably by the industry. And while the universities involved in the school distribution agreement—Arizona State, Case Western Reserve, Princeton, Reed College, Pace University and the University of Virginia—tout the device’s potential utility and the opportunity to survey student feedback, they offer few details of how the plan will be structured. Will either the device or the books be subsidized in some way or will students pay full price for books or device?
When questioned, the answer from both the universities and the publishers has been “more information to come,” including questions about just how many students will be involved in the pilot. At the press conference, Case Western president Barbara Snyder said the Kindle DX pilot would put “thousands” of books on the device and allow the schools to “see how the device affects learning and relationships with teachers.” Pace University provost Geoffrey L. Brackett told PW he expects to have at least 50 Pace students “from discrete sections of coursework,” including students from its publishing program, in the pilot program by the fall semester. Brackett suggested that Pace may subsidize some of the cost of the device while students pay full price for the e-textbooks; he was quick to emphasize “we’re still working out the details.”
While there have been reports that the pilot may include only about 300 students, at the press conference Laura Porco, director of Kindle Books, told PW that the pilot would include “hundreds to thousands” of students as well as “hundreds to thousands of books.” She also stressed to PW that Amazon did not plan to discount the e-textbooks used in the pilot. While Amazon has offered professional titles in Kindle editions, it’s a first for Amazon to offer Kindle editions of highly formatted academic texts for higher education. Asked about pricing, Pearson spokesperson Wendy Spiegel said she was unable to provide answers just yet. “The ink isn’t dry on this agreement,” she said, noting that the books, the disciplines covered and the price points were still to be discussed in “conversations to come.” PW received a similar response from John Wiley and Cengage. Spiegel also pointed out that in 2008, 25% of Pearson’s textbook sales from pre-k through higher education come from digital content. Indeed, Pearson offers students access to Web-based texts through CourseSmart, a consortium of six major textbook publishers (including the three publishers in the pilot), that offers access to more than 6,000 digital texts at half the list price of the print edition. Do students (and universities) really want a new device designed to provide access to more expensive digital textbook editions?
That said, Kindle is undeniably popular among customers. Bezos said 35% of all Amazon Kindle DX book sales of titles available in print and digital formats are Kindle editions, up from 10% early in the year. But can a large-screen black-and-white dedicated reading device that costs nearly $500 with relatively low computing power and a clunky mechanical navigational system compete in an educational marketplace in which students often have powerful full-color miniature netbooks ($500 and much less) and laptops (just as cheap)—not to mention a slew of sleek touch screen handhelds like the iPhone and iPod Touch? So far, neither Amazon, the publishers or the universities present at the Kindle DX press conference seemed able to provide any answers to that question.

By Calvin Reid

Kindle 2 Or Kindle DX

Kindle 2 Or Kindle DX - Which One is For You?

The original Kindle was released by the earth’s largest book seller, Amazon, more than a year ago. Needless to say, it revolutionized the way we approached book reading. Since then, Amazon has released two more versions of the Kindle, which are both targeted at different market segments. In this article, we will quickly compare the differences between these two devices and see which is the best device suited for you.
The Kindle 2 has a much smaller screen than the Kindle DX, which means that it is much more portable. At the same time, a smaller screen implies that you cannot read daily newspapers and magazines so easily on the Kindle 2. The Kindle DX is the ideal device if you are planning to read journals, magazines and textbooks. The Kindle DX also comes with automatic screen orientation, similar to the one you find on the iPhone. The book you are reading automatically switches to landscape or portrait orientation depending upon how you are holding the device. This dramatically improves the readability of the book and comes very handy when you are reading a newspaper.
The Kindle DX also comes with a native PDF reader which is not available in the Kindle 2 device. This makes it very easy to carry your office documents and other e-books without the need for conversion.
One area where there is a stark difference between the two devices is the keyboard layout. Even though it is much larger, the Kindle DX has one less row of keys, which means you need to use a shift key mechanism to enter numerals using the keyboard. This may not be a major deterrent as mostly you will be reading books rather than entering large quantities of text on the device.
In summary, I would say that you should opt for the Kindle 2 if you have portability in mind and do not read many magazines or newspapers on the wireless e-book device. On the other hand, if you are a student who wants to carry all your textbooks in the Kindle, get the Kindle DX version.

By Cindy R Adams

Kindle DX : The Definitive Electronic Book… finally!

Kindle DX : The Definitive Electronic Book… finally!

Although I was an early adopter of the original Kindle, I’ve eagerly anticipated Amazon Kindle DX. The original device was, and is, well-suited for light reading of non-serious material, but its small screen size and lack of PDF support made it mostly a recreational device. I quickly realized that any serious technical book still worked better in physical form. That, combined with the original Kindle’s inability to handle PDFs in a usable form (the conversion left a lot to be desired), made me look at other eReaders, particularly the iLiad iRex. Unfortunately, the iRex, at above $800, was still a work-in-progress, with serious deficiencies in terms of functionality and reliability, and I didn’t want to be an alpha tester of a device that might never BE finished. Amazon’s announcement of the large-format Kindle DX with native PDF support seemed like the answer… so I plunked down the money for a DX and the Amazon case and got on the waiting list.Why would you want native PDF support? The small Kindles support PDFs file via translation; you send a PDF document to Amazon and they convert it to the Kindle’s AZW format and send it back to you, either to your desktop email account (free) or directly to your Kindle ($0.10 per document). However, if your document is anything more than simple text, formatting and imagery are mangled. What you get is readable but not nearly as readable as a Kindle document that was specifically prepared for the device. This is an inherent restriction caused by the difference between a document file structure that is meant to preserve formatting (PDF) and one that is meant to allow for text flow despite screen or font size concerns (AZW). The result was that you couldn’t practically use either the original or 2nd gen Kindles for reading even reasonably complex PDF documents. Having an integral native PDF reader on the new Kindle DX solves this problem and opens up a HUGE world of documents to the Kindle owner.

I’ve had the Kindle DX for about a day now, and it’s everything I was looking for. PDFs render beautifully, and Kindle AZW documents render even better than they did on the original Kindle due to the larger screen size and 16-tone grey scale capability. The large screen really elevates the new DX into something more than a convenient device for light reading. The Kindle DX shows the true utility of an electronic reader for the first time. It’s what the Kindle should have been from the start.

What has improved? Performance is better, particularly the screen refresh rate. The new button design means not turning pages accidentally anymore (although I wish they’d kept buttons on both sides of the device for us left-handers). I don’t like not having an SD card slot on the device, nor do I like not being able to change the battery without sending the device back to Amazon. Being able to turn the Whispernet modem on and off via software (menu item) is scads better than having to move a switch. The web browser’s ‘desktop’ mode makes the browser very usable, especially when combined with the rotation feature. Speaking of rotation, the ability to rotate the device and view documents in either landscape or portrait mode is KILLER. Text-to-speech works well, but I have yet to try it for actually ‘reading’ (listening to) a document while doing something else, e.g., driving, to see if it is really useful or just a checklist feature. The Amazon cover (extra charge) is WAY above the original Kindle’s flimsy cover; it actually holds the device securely, protects the screen, yet is easy to open (beware of the magnetic latch around external hard drives or near the bottom of your laptop).

Okay, so now I have two Kindles. My wife asked me why I need two, a good question. My answer is, the small Kindles are great for light reading… the latest fiction novel, public-domain classics, etc., but they’re useless for PDFs or more serious reading such as technical books because the screen size is too small and images, formulas, etc., don’t display well. The Kindle DX is great for any type of reading and shines with PDFs and more serious books, yet it is considerably heavier than the original Kindle (I’d say twice as heavy, if not more so) and not as convenient to stuff in a carry-on bag. I’ve already moved all of the technical books I own over to the Kindle DX, as well as many PDF documents. I had decided to not buy any serious books for my Kindle, using it only for light reading… but the new Kindle DX has changed my mind. The experience of reading a technical book is as good or better than the physical book, and that is something that could not be said about the smaller Kindles.

If I had to own just one electronic reading device, the choice is obvious: the Kindle DX. Amazon has gotten it right; the Kindle DX finally fulfills the ‘book’ paradigm in an electronic device.

By John Clifford

Amazon Introduces Large Screen Kindle DX

Amazon Introduces Large Screen Kindle DX
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) introduced Amazon Kindle DX, the new purpose-built reading device that offers Kindle’s wireless delivery and selection of content with a large 9.7-inch electronic paper display, built-in PDF reader, auto-rotate capability, and storage for up to 3,500 books. Kindle DX’s display has 2.5 times the surface area of Kindle’s 6-inch display. The larger electronic paper display with 16 shades of gray has more area for graphic-rich content such as professional and personal documents, newspapers and magazines, and textbooks. Kindle reads like printed words on paper because the screen works using real ink and doesn’t use a backlight, helping to eliminate the eyestrain and glare associated with other electronic displays. Kindle DX features a built-in PDF reader using Adobe Reader Mobile technology for reading professional and personal documents. Like other types of documents on Kindle, customers simply email their PDF format documents to their Kindle email address or move them over using a USB connection. With a larger display and built-in PDF reader, Kindle DX customers can read professional and personal documents with more complex layouts without scrolling, panning, or zooming, and without re-flowing, which destroys the original structure of the document. Everything from annual reports with graphs to flight manuals with maps to musical scores can be viewed on a single, crisp screen with Kindle DX. Kindle DX’s display content auto-rotates so users can read in portrait or landscape mode, or flip the device to read with either hand. Simply turn Kindle DX and immediately see full-width landscape views of maps, graphs, tables, images, and Web pages.
New Built-In PDF Reader
Kindle DX features a built-in PDF reader using Adobe Reader Mobile technology for reading professional and personal documents. Like other types of documents on Kindle, customers simply email their PDF format documents to their Kindle email address or move them over using a USB connection. With a larger display and built-in PDF reader, Kindle DX customers can read professional and personal documents with more complex layouts without scrolling, panning, or zooming, and without re-flowing, which destroys the original structure of the document. Everything from annual reports with graphs to flight manuals with maps to musical scores can be viewed on a single, crisp screen with Kindle DX.
New Auto-Rotation
Amazon Kindle DX’s display content auto-rotates so users can read in portrait or landscape mode, or flip the device to read with either hand. Simply turn Kindle DX and immediately see full-width landscape views of maps, graphs, tables, images, and Web pages.

New 3.3 GB Memory Holds Up To 3,500 Books
With 3.3 GB of available memory, Kindle DX can hold up to 3,500 books, compared with 1,500 with Kindle. And because Amazon automatically backs up a copy of every Kindle book purchased, customers can wirelessly re-download titles from their library at any time.
Incredibly Thin
Kindle DX is just over a third of an inch thin, which is thinner than most magazines.
3G Wireless, No PC, No Hunting for Wi-Fi Hot Spots
Just like Kindle, Kindle DX customers automatically take advantage of Amazon Whispernet to wirelessly shop the Kindle Store, download or receive new content in less than 60 seconds, and read from their library—all without a PC, Wi-Fi hot spot, or syncing. Amazon still pays for the wireless connectivity on Kindle DX so books can be downloaded in less than 60 seconds—with no monthly fees, data plans, or service contracts.
Syncs With Kindle for iPhone and other Kindle Compatible Devices
Just like Kindle, Kindle DX uses Amazon Whispersync technology to automatically sync content across Kindle, Kindle DX, Kindle for iPhone, and other devices in the future. With Whispersync, customers can easily move from device to device and never lose their place in their reading.
Massive Selection of Books—Plus Newspapers, Magazines, and Blogs

The Kindle Store currently offers more than 275,000 books, including popular books like New York Times Bestsellers, New Releases, and fiction and nonfiction released in the past several years. Dozens of newspapers and magazines are also available for subscription or single-edition purchase. BusinessWeek and The New England Journal of Medicine are available in the Kindle Store starting today, and The Economist will be available soon. Subscriptions are auto-delivered wirelessly to Kindle overnight so that the latest edition is waiting for customers when they wake up. Over 1,500 blogs are available on Kindle and updated and downloaded wirelessly throughout the day.

Kindle DX goes on sale at Amazon.com for $489

The Kindle DX started shipping from Amazon.com on Wednesday, as promised,for $489, and could reach customers Thursday when initial owner reviews are expected to start hitting blogs and Websites.

Amazon.com began listing the larger, 9.7-in. wireless reading device as “In Stock” today on its site, with overnight shipping available.

The company also offered up several “reviews,” even though none of the reviewers owns a new DX and instead simply gave reasons for ordering it. The discussions mainly focused on the larger screen as a reason for ordering thekindle DX over the Kindle 2. Some also raised concerns about the absence of an external storage card in the Kindle DX.

One reviewer, R. Joyce, wrote about selling a first-generation Kindle to pay for a Kindle 2, and then selling the second Kindle to be able to pay for the DX. “As you can tell by now, I am a Kindle fan: this device brought me back to reading for pleasure, for which I am grateful,” the Kindle fan wrote, adding that 600 books acquired for use with the devices had not used up all the internal storage.

But M. Jobay “Lucky Luke” complained that $489 is too steep a price for a student to afford: “I was going to buy the Kindle DX because I am a student and it would be much easier if I could carry the Kindle DX to school rather than my school books that sometimes could weigh over 15 pounds. …I was hesitant due to the price. I mean, the way the economy is today, this seems like a costly investment.”

One other writer was concerned that the Kindle DX has no color screen, meaning Amazon is missing out on a market for art books and cook books.

A professional review by Steven Levy on Wired.com that first appeared yesterday noted that the DX has 2.5 times more display space than the Kindle 2’s 6-in. screen, but is virtually the same thickness as the Kindle 2, weighs only 19 ounces, “won’t tax your wrists…[and is] very comfortable to hold.”

Levy also credited the Kindle DX for including a built-in PDF reader, unlike previous Kindles. He was able to download a Google Books public domain autobiography and email it to his Kindle DX and then read the scanned pages. “The DX crisply displays monochrome output of PDF or MS Office files,” he wrote.

But Levy noted that while Amazon wants to aim the Kindle DX at students needing textbooks as well as workers who need access to business documents, the textbooks are yet to arrive. Levy also noted that while Kindle DX is supposed to help with future-generation newspapers and magazines, the predicament today is that subscribers to Kindle periodicals “are stuck with a cumbersome interface that makes magazine articles readable but dull in appearance. Reading a long newspaper article on the DX can be daunting, as it appears like a dense block of text.”

Kindle DX - An Improved E-Book Reader

Kindle DX is Amazon’s newest and improved version of Kindle, the famous portable e-book reader. This new release of the popular electronic device contains several improvements over its predecessors.
It is now possible to read PDF files without having to convert them first. Previous Kindle versions allowed you to read PDF documents, but only after converting them to the device’s proprietary format, AZW. The Kindle DX’s ability to recognize PDF as a native format eliminates this hassle.
Considering the amount of content that is available as downloadable PDF files all over the Internet, this new feature is extremely convenient. It makes it especially useful for those who collect reports, white papers and e-books released in the format created by Acrobat. So, next time you subscribe to a newsletter and get an e-book as a gift, you will be able to comfortably read it on your Kindle DX as long as it is a PDF document.
Another important feature is its built-in accelerometer. For you, the final consumer, it means that whenever you turn your device on its side, the electronic paper display will change its alignment as well.
The result of this change in the screen alignment is that you can read documents in either portrait or landscape mode. Just choose the appropriate mode according to the file you want to read, rotate your Kindle DX and its screen will conform to the right orientation.
A notable improvement concerns its storage capacity. Previous Kindle versions allowed you to save around 1,500 e-books. Now you can store 2,000 additional items. By being able to save up to 3,500 files on your memory, you can rest assured that document storage won’t be a problem for you.
As nice as the improvements mentioned above are, you probably won’t notice them at first sight when you purchase your Kindle DX. What you will notice for sure is the device’s bigger screen size.
Older Kindle versions, although already useful, were rather small. The new display is two and a half times larger than that of its immediate predecessor, Kindle 2. The higher screen resolution will make it much more comfortable for you to read your college text books and/or your favorite newspapers, among other large-sized publications.
Thanks to all its new features, the new device can ensure that you will have a better user experience. Amazon Kindle DX may be just the e-book reading device you need.

By Jan Cummings