I have the K3 which I love and the Fire. Am in total agreement with the thread mentioning their comparison. Now I have a friend coming to stay who has just been in a bad car accident, is about as non tech as can be and I would like to get a kindle for her to use. I thought the kindle would be easier to hold than a book being as she is in all kinds of braces. I thought maybe the NT might be easier to explain how to use, but maybe touch easier to use. Oh and she is left handed. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

I'd say it depends on if she has use of her hands. I have the NT and prefer it over the Touch as I like the physical buttons, but I think if I only had one hand or limited use of my hands the Touch would be a far better choice as you could prop it up and it doesn't take any pressure to operate...just break the IR field and it works.

I have MS which means for me optical nerve damage and a very weak arm. I love my touch. I can increase the font up and prop my arm hand on a pillow and just tap. It is a very easy grip. The only thing I wouldnt invest in is one of those oh so cute skins. This made the gri[ less secure. With the font so easily adjustable you can prop it where ever it is comfortable for your friend and just increase up the font for greater distance.

I am very new to all this but love my kindle it gave me back the ability to read.

applesauce

I think NT is easier to use with one hand.

If you're holding the KT with your left hand, it can be kind of awkward stretch to tap the screen for the next page.

I think NT is easier to use with one hand.

If you're holding the KT with your left hand, it can be kind of awkward stretch to tap the screen for the next page.

The OP (or her friend, at least) is left-handed, and hence will probably hold the KT in her RIGHT hand (at least, I'm left-handed, and that's what I do). I find it very easy to use one-handed, but of course it's much easier two-handed - hold the KT in your right hand, and tap the screen with your left.

Thanks all, some very good points.

I have a 650 and I find the touch very easy to use. It's easier to use then the buttons on the old 500. You don't have to worry about being able to change the screen from a set point on the reader. So if your friend is able to use the touch screen, go for the touch screen.

Another consideration is price. Starting tomorrow (4-29), Walmart is selling the Kindle NT for $49 ($79 + free $30 GC).


Upcoming sale: Kindle at Walmart ($79 with $30 gift card) (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175794)
When will we see a $49.99 Kindle? (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176272)
Walmart Ad Image
(http://akimages.shoplocal.com/dyn_rppi/600.600.88.0/walmart/large/120429_01_7mfli.jpg)

The vast majority of left-handed people are ambidextrous. Even if they were born totally left handed, growing up in a right-handed world forces us to be adept at using our right hand.

I prefer buttons but that's just me. Keep in mind, that if you get a Kindle from Amazon you have 30 days to return it no questions asked. Sooooo, if you wanted, you could try one and if it didn't work well try the other. You could even order two and return the one you didn't want. If it were me I'd tell Amazon what I was doing and about the friend in the accident and I don't think they'd have any problem sending you two knowing one would be returned.

I think NT is easier to use with one hand.

If you're holding the KT with your left hand, it can be kind of awkward stretch to tap the screen for the next page.

It's not necessary at all to stretch your hand and tap the other side of the screen. This is something that people keep repeating for heaven-knows-what reason.

You can hold the Touch with your left hand and swipe right-to-left with your thumb. You don't have to reach anywhere special, you can do it anywhere on the screen. Yes, if you have some kind of vendetta against swiping (Why would you?) you would have to reach over and tap.

It's not necessary at all to stretch your hand and tap the other side of the screen. This is something that people keep repeating for heaven-knows-what reason.

You can hold the Touch with your left hand and swipe right-to-left with your thumb. You don't have to reach anywhere special, you can do it anywhere on the screen. Yes, if you have some kind of vendetta against swiping (Why would you?) you would have to reach over and tap.

If the priority is ease of use then tapping would be preferable to swiping and less time consuming. The function most often used is the 'next page' one by far, tue NT is far more convenient as you have the button under your finger and don't have to do any moving just push down.

Some other features are more easily navigable because of the touch screen, such a dictionary look up, and collection creation but these are not used as often as "next page"

Ultimately it comes down to personal preference and what you feel is morefitting for your specific needs.

If the priority is ease of use then tapping would be preferable to swiping and less time consuming......


I was about to reply to your earlier post, but then read on to mikeschr's, who basically wrote what I was about to write.

We don't find it any more time consuming to swipe, as a short swish or swipe is all that's necessary, with negligible pressure required, & find it very intuitive to use the Touch. Is it practible to take your friend to a shop to actually try out the Touch for herself?

I have experience of using both the Touch and NT. Currently I use the Touch, which is great but there are aspects of the NT which in my opinion allow a more physically comfortable user experience.

Namely the size/weight and the previous/next buttons.

I can hold the NT comfortably in one hand, with the Touch it is a little more awkward and also you have to leave your thumb free to navigate to the next page, so you have to balance it on your palm and four other fingers. With the NT your hand can stay in it's original and more sturdy position when clicking through to the next page.

I thought most people agreed that the buttons were a better option when reading through pages than having to touch the screen. This was one of the main criticisms of the Kindle Touch, many believing that it would have been significantly improved by having Previous/Next page buttons.

In fact I'll go as far as to predict that the next Kindle will have Touch screen as well as the Page next/previous buttons.

The vast majority of left-handed people are ambidextrous. Even if they were born totally left handed, growing up in a right-handed world forces us to be adept at using our right hand.


So true. I read with my K4 in my right hand. I am a left handed but use my right hand for mouse, cutting and Kindle. I find the K4 easy to hold because it's very light and tiny but it does take some time to break in the stiffness of the page next buttons for one hand turning. I own a marware case that has a hand strap on it which makes it very easier to hold a Kindle without too much effort and keeps me from dropping it. The Eco-Flip (http://www.amazon.com/Marware-Eco-Flip-Genuine-Leather-Kindle/dp/B005KDY8AU/) case I own even though it stained the back of the Kindle, makes it easy for me to prop the Kindle on a pillow easel style and turn with one hand when I can't hold anything due to the muscles in arm my seizing from some condition I have.

It's not necessary at all to stretch your hand and tap the other side of the screen. This is something that people keep repeating for heaven-knows-what reason.

You can hold the Touch with your left hand and swipe right-to-left with your thumb. You don't have to reach anywhere special, you can do it anywhere on the screen. Yes, if you have some kind of vendetta against swiping (Why would you?) you would have to reach over and tap.

I use a 650 sometimes in my left hand and I find using my thumb to swipe is not a problem at all.

If weight is a problem for your friend the lighter of the two (I believe that it is the non-touch) might be easier to hold for an extended period of time, so that is something that you may want to take into consideration as well. I don't think that the weight difference between the two is huge (about 30 g, I believe), but it may make a difference.

Route 66 I can't unfortunately take her to try them. She is arriving today with back and neck braces, walker and other equipment. I think this is much worse than I thought. Anyway, after reading all your comments and I really appreciate them, I think I will try the NT first. She is so non tech that I am afraid she might get frustrated with the Touch if she has multiple page turns by accident, can't figure out how to back up a page, etc. This is just about her being able to read a book easily. Just hope the buttons on the NT are as easy to use as the K3. Oh well if she doesn't like it, I just have an extra back up reader.

Carmelreader - I think she'll love the NT. It's super easy to use and for you buying, head to Walmart!! They have them on sale this week until May 5th $79 for the reader & get a $30 Walmart gift card!!

If you're as wonderful a friend as you sound, use the Walmart gift card to buy a $25 Amazon gift card so she gets a wonderful reader and $25 to spend on books. :D and you can use the remaining $5 to buy a drink for yourself or snacks while she reads.

I have issues with my wrist and in sheer numbers, the added difference in weight of the touch may not seem like much on paper but it certainly adds up to pain in practice!!! So it most definitely does matter. The lighter non-touch will make a world of difference to her.

I can't say if this will work for her, but maybe the Kindle Touch in a stand.

I'll let you all know how she likes it and how it works out.
Thanks again.

I use a 650 sometimes in my left hand and I find using my thumb to swipe is not a problem at all.

As a lefty with a 650, I'd agree with this. I switch hands if/when my hand gets tired from holding the reader and feel comfortable with one-handed operation either way.

A 350 might be nice, just because it's smaller (if one could be found) and even lighter.