WSJ Review of Kindle DX

[chrissy]

WSJ: The Latest Kindle: Bigger, Not Better, Than Its Sibling

The WSJ reviews the Kindle DX in this article, concluding that the Kindle 2 remains the reviewer's go-to option for standard books, but that the larger screen and expanded storage capacity are nice touches, and that it would be a great replacement for college textbooks given their cost and weight.

Unfortunately, I've been testing the Kindle DX and I didn't like it nearly as much as the Kindle 2, which I own and enjoy using daily. While it performs its promised tasks adequately, I found that its size and weight made it awkward and tiring to hold for long periods of reading. It's still fairly thin and light, but it's 85% larger and heavier than the standard Kindle.

In addition, Amazon has degraded the user interface. To prevent the device from being even larger, the company had to remove the left-side page-turning buttons, confining all the controls to a vertical strip on the right. The keyboard at the bottom is also more vertically cramped.

Although I wasn't able to test college textbooks, I suspect they may be the killer app for this product. Many already are so expensive and heavy they could make the weight and price of the Kindle DX seem trivial in comparison.

But for standard books, I'd stick with the smaller, more comfortable Kindle 2.

[Teddman]

Probably the most negative review of the DX I've seen yet. He does bring up a few points I hadn't thought of before, such as the awkwardness of the page-turning controls in landscape mode and the change from a per-document to a per-megabyte conversion charge.

[sirbruce]

First, the removal of the left-side buttons has nothing to do with the size of the device; it's still the same width on either side, just like the Kindle 2.

The buttons are small, though, and they eliminated the purely numeric row of numbers at the top and made them accessible via the Alt key for the top row of letters instead.

I feel both moves were ticky-tacky cost-saving measures that save Amazon a few bucks but make the device much less user-friendly.

[goodellboy]

Originally Posted by sirbruce

I feel both moves were ticky-tacky cost-saving measures that save Amazon a few bucks but make the device much less user-friendly.

Agreed.

[TallMomof2]

I miss the left hand side buttons and removing the number keys is tacky but I love the large screen and the ability to read PDFs.

[junkyardwillie]

Can't say this review surprised me, I'm waiting for Plastic Logic for a real PDF viewer

[katysax]

So far I haven't read a single review in a mainstream publication that understands the DX. To me, the ability to read pdfs in native format at a size that renders them readable, in a device that doesn't tire my eyes like a laptop, is huge.

People who read 8-10 hours a day and deal with massive quantities of documents (like lawyers) will find something like this to be enormously valuable.

Reviewers look at these devices as if their only purpose is reading books.

[mdibella]

ummm if you want the buttons on the left side, just turn it over. The screen image will rotate to compensate.

[sirbruce]

We want buttons on both sides. Sometimes I want to hold it in my left hand and sometimes my right. Flipping it over each time I do so is tiresome.

Plus, the flipping function is picky; it relies on gravity to tell that you're flipped the page. If you're at anything less than about a 45 degree angle, it won't register when you turn the device.

[fugazied]

I ordered mine without physically touching one, I hope they aren't right about the weight being a bit much. I usually read sitting on a bench or in bed..
Also I didn't think about the button issues. Oh well if worse comes to worse I can get my Kindle 2 back off my relative and return the DX.

[sirbruce]

I think the Kindle DX without the cover isn't too heavy, but they don't recommend having the cover off when it's next to your body due to RF radiation. Although these are just precautionary FCC guidelines; there's little solid medical evidence suggesting this is dangerous.

[katewilly]

Ya know what? I still love my Sony 700. It fits in my purse just fine (I read simply for pleasure). I love the virtual keyboard for making bookmarked notes. The keyboard is there when I need it, and gone when I don't. And with shopping around, I have rarely spent more than $9.00 per book. Of course, in my former pbook life, I always waited for the trade paperback to come out, I never bought a hardback.

I'm perfectly happy...it just goes to show that each of us have different preferences for reading, and what suits one, will not be satisfactory for another.

I can see why some would want bigger and it's wonderful that something is coming out to fulfill those needs, but I really don't need it, nor do I care. There will always be a market for those of us who want 6" or less. And there's a market for those of us who will spend $10-12.00 for the ebook version of a hot new hardback release, and otherwise spend $4-8.00 (for the ebook) when the book is released as a trade pbook.

[zerospinboson]

Originally Posted by katysax

So far I haven't read a single review in a mainstream publication that understands the DX. To me, the ability to read pdfs in native format at a size that renders them readable, in a device that doesn't tire my eyes like a laptop, is huge.

People who read 8-10 hours a day and deal with massive quantities of documents (like lawyers) will find something like this to be enormously valuable.

Reviewers look at these devices as if their only purpose is reading books.

Huh? Lawyers will prefer something that also allows them to annotate, and that device already exists: the DR1000S. Sure, it's more expensive, but at least the PDF support isn't half-assed.

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by sirbruce

First, the removal of the left-side buttons has nothing to do with the size of the device; it's still the same width on either side, just like the Kindle 2.

The buttons are small, though, and they eliminated the purely numeric row of numbers at the top and made them accessible via the Alt key for the top row of letters instead.

I feel both moves were ticky-tacky cost-saving measures that save Amazon a few bucks but make the device much less user-friendly.

Frankly I was amazed at the button locations in the initial announcement videos. And now after reading more about the keypad, anymore it's not a keyboard if it can't QWERTY... , but here Amazon had a HUGE chance to make the keypad larger and more like a real keyboard layout which all work to make a much easier to use overall UI, they didn't take the advantage. Maybe the fear was a larger more keyboard like change would make it look too big and more slate/table PC like?

As for the moving of the number buttons to require multiple key presses...I know how frustrating that can be...I have an iGo BT Keyboard for my N800 and while I love the feel of the keys, the required key stroke combinations often involve holding multiple keys on the same side of the keyboard the key/function you want access to, also resides. frustrating on mist days.