Kindle DX : Everything I expected it to be!

Customer Reviews : Kindle DX
I an early adopter of the new Kindle DX. This is new territory for me as I usually let a product be on the market for awhile before stepping in, but it was my 50th birthday,I wanted to rediscover my passion for reading and decided to go for the larger format of the Kindle DX.The Kindle DX is performing exactly as expected. The screen is crystal clear and I have found the ability to modify the fonts very convenient as I like the larger fonts at night when my eyes are tired, but the smaller fonts other times.
The ability to order books is as easy as Amazon says it is. A couple of clicks and 60 seconds later the book is ready to read. Personally, I peruse books using my computer on the website easier and faster, as I like to navigate more as I look for titles.
The devices ability to rotate was more useful than I realized it would be. In particular, I find myself reading upside down to put the next page key on the left-side when I’m snuggled with my wife watching television.
Also, as a do a lot of reading and research while I travel, the ability to download pdf documents a real plus and the elimination of a few pounds of material is good news for my shoulders.
The battery life is excellent and with the wireless turned off, I easily get more than a week of usage (I’ve haven’t pushed the battery life beyond 10 days yet with the wireless off).
Things to note are that not all newspapers / magazines are created equal. It is worth your time to read the reviews and try them them before you buy. As publishers tailor their content for this medium, the quality should go up.
The ‘blink’ when you go from one page to the next took me about an hour to get used to. Now, I don’t even notice it.
Finally, this is a device designed for ‘readers.’ If you are looking for quality pictures or high-end graphics the Kindle DX is not for you!
Overall, highly recommended!


Kindle DX exceeds expectations
After patiently waiting for the release of the Kindle DX, I must say that short deprivation paid off handsomely. The device works very well and both ergonomically and menu structure wise. Using this device suits my reading style and reference and bookmark needs very well. As a left-handed user, I have found the auto rotate feature to be a great bonus as I can now have my page controls either right or left oriented- what innovation! As for battery life and use of whispernet for book and periodical delivery, another grand slam for the Kindle DX. This device has really got me immersed back into reading and enjoying books more than ever.Also, use the device for PDF technical documents and that feature works well for my needs. Yes, it would be great in the future to see TOC integration for PDF, but for the first iteration, the Kindle works great.
E-ink screen is awesome to read in all kinds of lighting conditions and very easy on the eyes. Only negative about the Kindle DX is the tic tac size keys on the keyboard- agree with the other reviewers that they are hard to press and rather tiny; however I did not buy the Kindle to use as a typing device. For notes and such, you can get by just fine and this minor shortcoming will give the Kindle team one more nuance of the device to improve upon in future generations.
Overall, very pleased with my Kindle and Amazon offerings and account settings for the device. Kudos to the Kindle development team for making a great product even more stellar.

By W. Reister “Walt”

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…

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.”

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.

Review Kindle DX: Pros And Cons

Kindle DX: Amazon’s 9.7″ Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation)

I have owned both Kindle 1 and Kindle 2, so I’m already committed to the basic idea: e-ink reading in a slim form factor with excellent connectivity to a large selection of books and subscriptions. I have come to rely on my Kindle experience, and it has seriously enhanced my reading.

The Kindle DX was not an obvious upgrade for me, but two features put me over the edge: the larger screen, and the native PDF reader. I now have the DX in my hands, and can report PROS, CONS, and NEUTRALS:

PROS:
– the larger screen is a definite plus. I use the larger type size on my Kindle 2 (older eyes), and at this type size I get far more text per page on the Kindle DX. This makes the whole reading experience more book-like (and should be a boon to people who buy large-print books.)

– the screen is also sharper and crisper than my Kindle 2 in a side-by-side comparison: the text is darker, and the contrast is much better, making for better visibility overall.

– on a side note, the larger screen also makes it possible to read poetry on the kindle, even at large type sizes. On earlier Kindles, the smaller screen cut off lines, so that you would lose the sense of when the poet ended the line. On the Kindle DX, you can see the whole line exactly as the poet meant it, with the cut-off in the right spot.

– the PDF reader works as advertised, and is extremely convenient. PDF documents appear on the DX exactly as they do on a computer screen. Moreover, you can drag and drop your documents directly to the device using the USB cable (or use the for-a-fee email if you absolutely must.) The only downside: at least for the documents that I’ve used so far, I cannot adjust the type size as I can with native Kindle documents.

– screen rotation also works as advertised: it operates as a mild zoom on both graphics and text and offsets slightly the downside of not being able to adjust the typesize on PDF documents. One nice design touch: the four-way navigation stick introduced on the Kindle 2 is rotation-sensitive, and will move as expected relative to the screen rotation.

– more of the device space is devoted to the screen, while the white plastic border around the screen seems to have shrunk, both in general and compared to the proportion of screen to plastic on the Kindle 2. I like this (but see below about the keyboard).

– storage: I like the increase in storage space, and don’t mind the lack of an external storage card. I can see some people having trouble with this, but only those folks who either a) must regularly carry around PDF documents totalling more than 3.5 GB of space or b) must have nearly 3500 books regularly at their fingertips. I fall in neither category.

CONS:
– price: it’s expensive, as you can tell pretty quickly. If you value the larger size, and the native PDF reader, these features may justify the roughly 30% premium you pay for the DX over the Kindle 2. In truth, the Kindle DX SHOULD cost more than the Kindle 2, and a 30% premium isn’t unreasonable. But, for my money, Amazon should drop the price on the Kindle 2 to $300 or so, and charge $400 or a little less for the DX. Still, I bought it, and will keep it at this price.

– one-sided navigation buttons: all of the buttons are now on the right side, and none are on the left. I’m a righty, so I shouldn’t complain, but I found myself using both sides on the Kindle 2. Lefties have reason to complain, I think.

– One-handed handling: I often read while I walk, with my Kindle in one hand, and something else in my other. Because of the button layout, this will be more difficult on the Kindle DX.

– metal backing: I miss the tacky rubberized backing on my Kindle 1. When I placed my Kindle 1 on an inclined surface, it stayed in place. Not so my Kindle 2 and now my DX. This is not a complaint specific to the Kindle DX, but it’s still there.
NEUTRALS (i.e. things worth noting):

– weight: the Kindle DX is heavier, noticeably so. This is only an issue if, like me, you regularly use the kindle with one hand . . . and even so, it’s still doable.

– keyboard: the keyboard has 4 rows, and not 5: the top row of numbers from the Kindle 1 and 2 has been merged into the top qwerty row, so that numbers are now only accessible with an alt-key combination. The keys are vertically thinner too, so that the whole keyboard is no more than 1″ tall (compared to over an 1.5″ on the Kindle 2). At the same time, the keys themselves are a bit easier to press, a bit more protruding than on the Kindle 2. For someone with big fingers (like me), this will be a slightly harder keyboard to use, but only slightly.

That’s all I can see. Overall, the pluses outweigh the minuses for me, and I’m satisfied with my purchase. I can now think of using my Kindle DX for work documents on a regular basis, because of the PDF reader. The screen size and screen rotation make the overall reading experience more immersive.

Overall, the Kindle DX feels more like text and less like device and comes closer to the stated goal of the Kindle: for the device to disappear, leaving only the joy of reading.

By Alexander Scherr

Kindle DX Has Landed!

Kindle DX Has Landed!

Kindle started receiving their new Kindle DXs yesterday. The earliest arrival was memberandyadler who received his DX at 10 am. He did note he lives in Louisville, KY, which is the central shipping point for many Amazon deliveries. I am in Maine and mine arrived at 10:38 am and was out of its box by 10:39.
Initial impressions of the Kindle DX seem to be positive. The screen is bright and clear, with good contrast. One member took hers out into the sun and did not report any problems with fading, as was seen on so many of the Kindle2s. (I couldn’t test mine since the great State of Maine has been under a blanket of rain for the past three days!) Personally, I think the auto-rotate feature is very cool. While I was eating lunch, I turned it upside down so the buttons were on the left, allowing me to use my left hand to change the page and continue using my fork with my right hand.

Weight: the Kindle DX weighs 18 oz and my Kindle2 in its Oberon cover weighs 20 oz. Interestingly, the DX "feels" heavier. I think it has to do with the center of gravity, especially if you hold it near the bottom. Of course, the perfect solution was sitting right on my desk: an old, metal copy holder for papers (which I never use anymore). TheKindle DX fits like a glove. It also fits very nicely in the Peeramid pillow.
We have lots of mini-reviews and first impressions posts at KindleBoards. Some of the more popular include Kindle DX: Your Mini-Reviews, It’s Almost Here, Time for the DX to Ship, and First Person to Receive a Kindle DX. There are also three reviews, with comments, posted in the Reviews Forum, which can be found here.

The Technologizer Review: Amazon Kindle DX

The biggest difference by far is the Kindle DX’s 9.7-inch screen, which is not just far more spacious than the 6-inch display on the Kindle 2 but larger than the Kindle 2, period:
The extra real estate lets the Kindle DX fit more than twice as many words onto a page than the Kindle 2 does; it reduces the amount of button-pushing you need to do and just plain makes the experience feel more like reading a printed book. Like the Kindle 2, the DX is only a third of an inch thick, but it’s much heavier–18.9 ounces instead of the Kindle 2’s 10.2 ounces. I found the extra bulk slightly distracting–while reading, I was more aware I was holding a gadget, and had to worry more about keeping the Kindle balanced in my hands. It’s not a major strike against the DX, but I noticed that Amazon buries the device’s weight in its description of the device and no longer touts it as a virtue.
The company has been pitching the Kindle DX as a better Kindle for reading richly-formatted magazines and newspapers. But it’s important to understand that the magazines and newspapers it sells aren’t Zinio-like replicas of the originals. The E-Ink display is only capable of providing a rough approximation of photos and other images, as shown by this TIME cover:
Worse, TIME’s interiors are plain-text only, making for a pretty drab experience no matter how good the articles are. The only new benefit the Kindle DX offers is more of that plain text on a page than with the little Kindle:

The good news is that the Kindle DX introduces native support for documents in PDF form. You can connect the Kindle to a computer via USB and drag PDFs over, or e-mail them to yourself for wireless transfer to the Kindle by Amazon (which charges 15 cents a megabyte for the service). The ones I moved onto the device retained their formatting and looked good given that the Kindle’s screen has only sixteen shades of gray to work with:

Kindle DX first impressions from a former Kindle 2 user

KindleDX first impressions from a former Kindle 2 user

Here are my first impressions of the KindleDX which I received earlier today. I’ve been using the Kindle 2 for the past three months and have loved it. It has improved the way I read by making it easy to download and try books before purchasing them, and allowing me to carry a variety of reading material with me. I was disappointed with the way it handled PDF’s, which is important to me, so I sold the Kindle 2 and bought the Kindle DX.

- The KindleDX works like the Kindle 2 in terms of keys, navigation, joystick etc., except all the navigation keys are on the right.

- Was concerned about lack of navigation on the left, but if you flip it 180 degrees, the display auto rotates and you can use your left hand. Very slick.

- The DX is heavier, but is still comfortable to hold and read.

- The overall size of the KindleDX is not as big as I expected from the pictures on the web.

- The digital ink looks similar on both, but a little sharper on the DX.

- The DX works much better for PDF’s overall. The bigger screen really helps here.

- A complex powerpoint I converted to pdf looks just like it does on my pc except in b&w.

- PDF’s with columns work fine. I couldn’t read them on the Kindle 2.

- If you have a PDF with multiple columns, the print may appear small on the DX, and you can’t adjust fonts in PDFs.

- Newspapers are easier to read on the KindleDX, especially pics and tables.

- I downloaded a sample chapter of a textbook. I can see this working well for students.

- The rotate feature is excellent on the DX; works as advertised.

- The Kindle 2 weighs less and is more portable. If reading only books, I’d probably prefer the Kindle 2, given the lower price and size, and nav keys on both sides.

Regarding the price, while I’d love Kindles to cost less, I think the price is reasonable. Here’s how I justified it. I assumed I could resell the KindleDX in 2 years for 50% of its purchase price, or $245. (50% seems reasonable based on the experience of Kindle 1). So my net cost is $245. The differentiating feature of the Kindle is the built in wireless capability. Not only is it elegant and integrated, it is also included in the purchase price. If unlimited wireless were priced separately, a reasonable price would be around $10/month. So effectively my out of pocket cost using the DX for 2 years is roughly equivalent to what the wireless would cost me if it was priced separately.

Both the KindleDX and Kindle 2 are good values. If you only read books, the Kindle 2 is probably better. If you already own a Kindle 2, and don’t read PDF’s, I recommend keeping your Kindle 2. If you read a lot of pdf’s or newspapers, or you like to read with large fonts, you’ll be happier with the DX. For my needs, I like the KindleDX more.

By New England Book Reviewer