Amazon Kindle DX Leather Cover Review

Amazon Kindle DX Leather Cover Review
The new leather cover for the Amazon Kindle DX is surprisingly very simple, nothing overdone unlike the previous Kindle covers. The leather cover is nothing fancy on the outside, but dependability wise, it’s really more than it seems, and it really fulfills its promise of protecting the Amazon Kindle DX.
This is one of the best things invented and I think that with e-books being published on the internet everyday, a gadget that will read e-books is the most helpful thing. If you love your Kindle and if you love reading e-books then the jacket is one thing that you should be without.
What I love about the new Kindle DX leather cover is the simplicity of the clips and edges designed specifically to offer protection to the Amazon Kindle. It only has a few fastening hinges, all of which are enough to keep the Kindle secure and away from scratch or any kind of tampering.
The thickness of the leather cover, I’ll say is to be about average. The thickness will obviously change and you can feel it, especially if you’re someone who really appreciate the thinness of the kindle. But at the same time, it also protects very good. I’ve learned how to adjust to the thickness, since I originally wanted something that’s both simple yet very effective anyway.
The outside of the Kindle DX leather cover is just a black rough genuine leather, and the edges are like soft felt. I love that it looks classy and it looks very professional. I love how the Amazon Kindle DX looks with its leather cover on, because it makes it look so much better. But what’s the best thing about the Kindle cover? It’s very affordable.
For more information, check other Amazon Kindle DX Leather Cover reviews.Erika Ayala works part time for a consumer review company.
Like the iPhone, the Kindle DX will automatically rotate the screen from portrait to landscape mode when you flip the unit on its side.

Kindle DX Sold Out!

Kindle DX Sold Out!
Its only been six days since the Amazon Kindle DX release…and already it’s sold out!
Either they didn’t make enough or there is a huge demand. Whatever the reason, It’s really hard to tell without the numbers.
In any case, if you order the device today, you will have to wait until June 22 for shipment. Add another couple days and you should get it in a week.
That’s not bad compare to Kindle1 back in November 2007. The wait time was much longer…yet faithful followers were willing to join the line and wait regardless of time.
Oh how times have changed!
Are you a Kindle DX enthusiast?…or a potential early adopter? If you are, then you will need to join the line now! If you don’t, t you could be waiting for a while.
Until next time.
Kindle DX… does Size really matter?
What is the real scoop with the Amazon Kindle DX? Why was it built with such a large screen…9.7″… when the only difference between it and Amazon Kindle 2 is it’s size and capacity?
The answer …it was built with Newspapers, magazines and textbooks in mind!
Yes, Kindle 2 can display magazines, newspapers…but where are the ADs that goes along with them?…they are all missing in action!
…as a result, Amazon not only set the price for these Newspapers and magazines, but also deprive the publishers of making additional income.
The publishers are grumbling, and Amazon is listening. After all, what else can they do, when there are some many competitors on the horizon?
They have to oblige if they are going to stay ahead of the game!
…and what will this mean for the public? Magazine and Newpaper subscriptions will be cheaper, Amazon will still gets it share, and publishers will stand to earn more from the ADs… so they can afford to cut subscription prices.
I can almost assure you that very soon after the Kinlde DX is released, you will see an advertising component added to its newspaper and magazines issues.
When and how it will be done? We don’t know yet, but it’s coming…mark my words.
One more thing about this new Kindle DX, the increased screen size is “perfect’ for magazine and newspaper display…making them somewhat closer to the “real” thing.
TextbooksOne other component that’s being tested right now is textbook. Imagine the income potential from making textbooks available on the Kindle DX. Schools will get involved, more people will become aware of the Amazon Kindle, Kindle sale will skyrocket, and the snowball will grow out of control.
…well, its in the works!
In fact there are pilot programs going on as we speak.
Can you see into the future? Kindle DX is about to change some things for sure.
Until next time….Let us know your thoughts!.

Kindle DX: Bigger and Better

Amazon Kindle DX: Bigger and Better

I just finished my first session with the Kindle DX, and I am absolutely delighted. I have subscribed to the customer service blogs for the Kindle 2, and have watched “nit pick” after “nit pick” come cascading from people, who quite frankly, need to get a life. If you do not want a book for a penny more than $9.99, don’t buy it! If you are in the remote hills of Asia, and the product is wireless only in the USA, move home! And so on!When you turn on your Kindle DX, you are now holding a perfectly sized book, substantailly heavier, but, oh, those large fonts. They are glorious. I am 55 years old and have had lasik surgery on one eye only. My vision corrects to 20-20 without glasses, but neither close-up nor far away feel absolutely perfect. That is the price I pay for not having to wear glasses.With the Kindle DX, the font is perfect, using one of the two larger sizes. Compared to the Kindle 2, there is more content per page turn for the same size font, due obviously to the increased real estate on the screen.Next, when I am wanting to find something, like for example a bible verse, I go to a smaller font, and get WAY MORE content. Once I am where I need to be, a quick pop to a larger font has me home free.Of course, I want the backlight and the color, and would pay for them, but they will come in due course.Do not subscribe to the USA today, unless you want a very watered down view of the paper. This device is not ready for a color newspaper. You would be much better served by subscribing on your PC, or reading the free USA today site on your iPhone or PC.The iPhone integration continues to be superb, and if you want a quick bedtime read, it is backlit!The downloading and upgrading remain remarkably easy.Obviously, removing the left side buttons was a terrible mistake, and the cries of horrified anger will undoubtedly cause the problem to be solved on the next generation.Will the next Kindle DX be better? Of course! Will the next iMac be better? Of course! Will the next generation Windows computer be better? Of course. Ditto for flat screen TV’s, cars, and telephones.If you are a technology freak who has to get the latest and greatest immediately, you already have your Kindle DX. If you are almost that far towards the “bleeding edge” you should enthusiastically pony up for this baby, ’cause you are going to love it. You already know that you can sell your Kindle DX for about 70% of what you paid for it when the next one comes out. As a matter of fact, if the next one has color and/or backlighting, and you buy it the first day, you will get almost 90% if you sell quickly.So, if you are a first time Kindl’r, it is time to get in the game. If you are an upgrade candidate, this is a clear buy if screen size and font size matter. When the backlit, color version hits, watch for my presale, I always keep my equipment in brand new condition!

By Richard Gruber

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…

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

Reed College to Test Amazon Kindle DX in Fall 2009

Reed College to Test Amazon Kindle DX in Fall 2009

Reed was selected by Amazon as one of five colleges to test the Kindle DX for classroom use.
Portland, OR (May 6, 2009)–Amazon announced today that Reed College is a pilot school for testing the Kindle DX. The lightweight electronic device allows students to download textbooks and class materials assigned by their professors, including syllabi and reading lists. The Kindle DX has a keyboard that provides the ability for note taking, and additional technology that allows for the highlighting of pertinent text.
“We welcome the opportunity to explore this new technology and evaluate its potential in different areas of the curriculum,” said Martin Ringle, Reed’s Chief Technology Officer. “We are eager to see if this is the watershed device that will make electronic texts a viable option for college students.”
Students in select classes (approximately three upper-division classes) will begin using the Kindle DX devices in fall 2009. The Kindle will give students wireless delivery of books, and the capacity to carry thousands of books in one small device. It also saves on the economic and environmental costs of printing on paper.
Amazon’s Kindle DX Release Ignites Blogging Bonfire
Amazon’s digital reader Kindle is being heralded by the press with a mixture of fear and adoration better suited to an apocalypse than a machine. But, according to some, the Kindle could turn out to be just that for the publishing industry.
Especially since Amazon’s newest release is the Kindle DX, the so-called “Big Kindle,” created specifically for textbooks and (execution drum roll, please) periodicals. As print editions of the Seattle P.I., the Rocky Mountain News and Blender bite the dust, the appearance of a digital reader sounds like yet another death-warrent.
As we all know, larger national publications like New York Times and the Chicago Tribune are hemorrhaging money because, among other reasons, subscribers have fled. Free online content draws readers, as opposed to costly subscriptions. So the question is not how to keep publications from going online, but how tocreate competitive digital content that readers will pay to receive.

So, even though Kindle’s appearance may seem terrifying, it might, according to some, actually be a buoy to keep sinking publishing companies afloat. Amazon has revealed that it’s set up partnerships with Washington Post Co. and New York Times Co. that will allow consumers living outside the newspapers’ delivery areas to get discounted Kindles if they subscribe to the Times, the Post or the Boston Globe on their device. According to the Los Angeles Times, Sarah Rotman Epps, a media analyst at Forrester Research, is especially optimistic about the Kindle’s role in the news industry. “Newspapers are reaching the end of their rope. The e-readers are looking like newspapers’ last best hope,” she says.

But some are more wary, especially in book (as opposed to periodical) publishing. Amazon has already become a book-selling mega-mall, forcing independent sellers out of business, and many are worried that Amazon’s reader, which allows buyers to purchase books only from it’s own e-store, will only further this. In aSlate piece, Paul Aiken, executive director of the Authors Guild, verbalizes this fear, saying, “Everyone is worried that Amazon will end up becoming to books what Apple is to music.”

However, there are some that are neither warning death nor fervently seeking redemption through Kindle. These moderates are given a voice in the Gizmodo.com essay “Why There isn’t a Perfect Ebook Reader.” With E-Ink, flimsy plastic gadgets and colorless screens, the essay argues, Kindle still isn’t quite convenient enough (or cheap enough, at $489 each) to revolutionize anything yet. It’s still a marginal tool, for a niche culture of technophiles who love to read.

But, according to the site, “yet” is the key word here. Like the iPod several years ago, it predicts, Kindle’s time will come.

Amazon Kindle DX Vs Kindle 2

Amazon Kindle DX Vs Kindle 2 - Sizing Up the

Two Popular Ebook Readers

Ever since the Amazon Kindle DX became available for pre-order in early May, many Kindle users and would-be owners have been wondering how much of a "makeover" the popular device has undergone. If you’re an owner of a Kindle 2 considering an upgrade, or a reading enthusiast undecided on which would be the better fit for your lifestyle, wonder no more.
This comparison is your quick reference guide to what sets the new Kindle DX apart from the previous version.

Display
The Kindle 2’s 6″ diagonal screen is obviously no match for the Kindle DX’s 9.7″ diagonal auto-rotating screen. In addition to being 2.5 times larger than the earlier Kindle’s display, the DX also has an auto-rotate feature that allows you to toggle between a portrait and a landscape mode by simply rotating the reading device. This makes it the more suitable gadget for reading newspapers, image-rich books, or any material that contains maps, charts, and tables.

Size of the Device
The Amazon Kindle DX measures 10.4″ x 7.2″ x 0.38″ in overall size while the Kindle 2 is naturally much smaller at 8″ x 5.3″ x 0.36″. While both devices are about as thin as a typical magazine at 0.3 of an inch deep, the DX tips the scales at 18.9 ounces compared to the Kindle 2’s 10.2 ounces. If you plan on using your ebook reader "on the go" then the Kindle 2 is the more portable device.

Storage Capacity
The storage capacity is also a major factor to consider. The Kindle DXboasts a 4GB internal memory - double the 2GB capacity of the Kindle 2. That’s storage for approximately 3,500 books and 1,500 books for the DX and the Kindle 2 respectively.

Built-in PDF Support
With the Kindle 2, reading PDF files are a bit of a hassle as you have to go through the process of emailing your files to Amazon for file conversion - a service that you need to pay for, albeit with a minimal fee. With the Kindle DX, PDF support is built-in, so you can just download your PDF files directly to your device and read them immediately. If you read a lot of PDFs, then the DX is the better option.

Price
Here’s the real deal maker or breaker between the two Kindles. The Kindle DX costs a steeper $489, while the Kindle 2 is still priced high at $359. Even for the most avid readers, the price of either of these ebook readers leave a big hole in the pocket. However, students eager to leave behind their heavy textbooks and professionals who usually work with PDF files, will find a way to justify the steep price of the Kindle DX.

Amazon Kindle DX vs Kindle 2 - Closing Thoughts
While the Kindle 2 still packs a punch for its price and features, those looking for the ultimate reading pleasure will find the Kindle DX the best choice between the two devices. Like I said, the price is always the deciding factor in the equation so weigh the costs versus your needs and budget before making the ultimate decision.

By Travis Van Slooten

Amazon Kindle DX will cost $489

Amazon Kindle DX will cost $489

Amazon Kindle DX will cost $489 but newspapers will subsidize the price
Here’s what you need to know about Amazon.com’s (AMZN) Kindle DX that you didn’t know yesterday: It will cost $489. If you subscribe to the New York Times, Washington Post or Boston Globe, it will cost less.
How much less will be announced this summer by the publishers, when the Kindle DX begins to ship, Amazon.com chief executive Jeff Bezos said today at Manhattan’s Pace University.
Following the model consumers are familiar with from cell phone plans, if you subscribe to the New York Times, for example, and agree to pay a certain amount a month for a period of time, the gadget will cost less.
Will consumers pay for both the Kindle DX and monthly subscriptions to their favorite newspapers, magazines or blogs? The same content is available on laptops and cell phones, but it’s free.
Some will pay for the convenience of having their newspaper waiting for them on theKindle and its 9.7 inch screen, graphics and all, instead of squinting at their 3.5 inch Apple (AAPL) iPhone screen or running around with their laptop looking for a wi-fi connection.
Arthur Sulzberger, New York Times chairman, doesn’t care how folks get their digital news.
“We are using every available medium to meet every growing demand for high-quality journalism across every platform,” he said today. “The issue with new technology is how can we best use it.”
More details on the Kindle DX: No actual release date, other than this summer, has been set. You can pre-order it now at Amazon.com. It’s not for sale anywhere else. The screen is still black and white, so no color. There is no memory card slot.
It comes with 3.3 GB of storage, meaning it will hold up to 3,500 books, Amazon said. There’s no monthly cost for the 3G wireless access, which, like the Kindle 1 and 2, can download a bestseller in less than a minute. The Kindle 2, with its six-inch screen, will still be sold for $359 by Amazon. The page refresh rate is the same on the DX as the Kindle 2.
The DX means “deluxe,” Steven Kessell, head of global digital media for Amazon, toldDailyFinance. Users have wireless access to newspapers, magazines, blogs and up to 275,000 books, at monthly costs ranging from 99 cents to $14.99.
“We’re adding content everyday,” Kessell said.
The E-Ink display on the Kindle DX now has 16 shades of gray and PDF support for documents that can be imported in via USB. As with an iPhone, if you rotate the DX to the side or upside down, the screen will adjust.
Textbooks from three of the top five textbook publishers — Cenage, Pearson, and Wiley — and more than 75 university press publishers will be available in Amazon’s kindle store this summer, the company said.
When the DX begins shipping, Amazon will also launch trial programs with universities, including Arizona State University, Case Western Reserve University, Princeton University, Reed College, and Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. The Kindle DX will be available for students in the fall.

Compare Kindle DX with Kindle

Compare Kindle DX with Kindle

That was a short wait! Kindle DX is already out, and we do get the standard letter from Jeff Bezos to Amazon Customers on the front page of Amazon. Amazon has decided to get away for numbers for now, which is why Amazon is calling the new device Amazon Kindle DX. I have been calling it Kindle 2.5 as it is not really the third generation Kindle but it does offer some improvements over Kindle 2.0.
Kindle DX is only 1/3 inch thick. That means it’s almost as thin as your everyday magazine. It has also been improved upon Kindle 2.0 in the storage area. Kindle 2.0 can hold 1500 ebooks on average. With Kindle DX, you can carry 3500 ebooks. But the major improvement with Kindle DX is the 9.7 inch diagonal rotating screen. That’s much bigger than the previous generation Kindle. That is going to make Kindle DX very attractive to college students and those who want to use their Kindle to read magazines and newspapers on the go.
Here is a summary of what Kindle DX features:
Screen: the 9.7″ screen makes Kindle DX more attractive to college students and newspaper publishers/readers.
Color: no color yet. But you get 16 shades of Gray which is currently the best in the industry.
Auto-Rotate: unlike Kindle 2.0, you can now auto-rotate your Kindle DX’s screen (portrait, landscape) as you turn your device.
PDF Reader: Amazon Kindle DX now provides native support for PDF (finally!).
Thickness: it’s as slim as a regular size magazine. So it’s almost as portable as Kindle 2.0, and it’s not that heavier either.
Storage: holds 3,500 ebooks on the 4 GB internal memory.
Wireless: you still get wireless 3G connection on your Kindle DX which is fast enough to download books fast.
Read To Me: the voice to speech feature that raised a lot of controversy is still included on Kindle DX. But Amazon clearly discloses that publishers have the right to disable this.
Battery Life: you can read your device with wireless turned off for two weeks. If you have to keep your wireless connection on, then you can expect your battery to last for 4 days.
iPhone: you can easily switch back and forth between your Kindle and iPhone by using Kindle for iPhone app.
.docx support: Microsoft’s .Docx is supported on Kindle DX.

Here is a graphical comparison of Kindle DX and Kindle 2.0:

Overall, Kindle DX is a bigger, better version of Kindle 2.0. It’s more expensive too! Amazon is seemingly targeting college students, engineers, and other niche segments to expand its business. I am not sure how many Kindle 2.0 owners will upgrade to Kindle DX but it’s certainly worth a look.
Kindle DX Accessories:
2-Year Extended Warranty for Kindle DX
Amazon Kindle DX Leather Cover