Should I upgrade to the Paperwhite?

redryder · 10-01-2012, 11:42 PM

I have the Kindle 3, which sadly is underused. I basically only use it when I’m on business travel, can’t find time to read when I’m at home. Since I read in a hotel room or plane, I don’t have a problem with the lighting.

For me, the attraction of the Paperwhite is nothing to do with the light. What makes me want to upgrade is - more fonts, higher dpi (squeezing more text on a page), and the touch interface. I am sick of using the keyboard to navigate, it’s a pain when organizing collections.

Do you think I should upgrade?

TXCiclista · 10-04-2012, 01:36 AM

I'm in the midst of (maybe) upgrading from a K3, so here are my answers. others will vary, I'm sure.

Touch is very nice except for turning pages. I still prefer the physical buttons. As a result, the touch feature is something of a wash, perhaps leaning away from the keyboard just because highlighting is so much easier with a touch interface.

The screen is actually worse on my PW than my K3. The text on my K3 is much crisper. The higher resolution on the PW, while nice, doesn't result in a more enjoyable reading experience (so far). It's more enjoyable to navigate menus, but since reading is 95% of what I do, it has to be better. So far, it's not.

The light is pretty slick, but the uneven lighting at the bottom is annoying.

The size is nice, but it's bordering on too small. I'll likely have to buy a cover just to give my fingers a better purchase.

Should you upgrade? My guess is yes. I tend towards the OC side, so I'm pickier than most (I sent my K3 back 3x until Amazon sent me one that was just right). From what I've been able to tell, the average Kindle user loves the Paperwhite. Go for it, but hold on to your K3 until you're sure on the Paperwhite. You can always send the PW back to Amazon for a pittance ($5 or so).

teraflame · 10-04-2012, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXCiclista

The screen is actually worse on my PW than my K3. The text on my K3 is much crisper. The higher resolution on the PW, while nice, doesn't result in a more enjoyable reading experience (so far). It's more enjoyable to navigate menus, but since reading is 95% of what I do, it has to be better. So far, it's not.

I don't know what this guy is talking about, his may be defective. The resolution increase is totally worth it, allowing for extremely clear small font sizes. I can now read chinese pretty easily compared to K3.

booklover6 · 10-04-2012, 08:10 AM

I would say, yes! I love mine. Turning the pages is easy, just tap the screen.

mncowboy · 10-04-2012, 09:06 AM

I have not had a chance to hold or play around with any of the touch models.
I typically read one-handed. How will the PW compare with the K3 for holding the ereader and turning pages with one hand?
Bob

frankelr · 10-04-2012, 11:35 AM

I own a K3kb, KT, NookST and now a Kpw. I don't think that my Kpw is defective, but I am disappointed. Text is crisp and the new fonts are nice, (but not as nice as my NookST). The lighting is pretty even, at levels above 11, but what does that do to the battery life?

I am not going to return the unit, but knowing what I now know, I would not have ordered it. If I was to be able to own only one Kindle; this one would not be the one.

TXCiclista · 10-05-2012, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teraflame

I don't know what this guy is talking about, his may be defective. The resolution increase is totally worth it, allowing for extremely clear small font sizes. I can now read chinese pretty easily compared to K3.

I've posted some screen shots in another thread and "we" have been working through it. It seems a consensus is emerging the text may actually be slightly sharper on the K3, but that's due to the "jags" that come with a lower resolution, and is not necessarily a good thing for the reading experience. There's also the likelihood that the light overlay blurs the text ever-so-slightly as a result of the etching. Several have also commented that I got an unusually good K3 screen, so my experience may not be indicative of most K3 users. I'm going to try PW-only for a week and then come back to my K3 to see if I've changed my mind.

53Mb TIFF of the two side-by-side if you want to download and compare: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1421633/PWvK3.tif

redryder · 10-05-2012, 01:43 AM

I'm late to the party but finally jailbreaked my K3 and installed the font and screensaver hacks. Adds a whole new lease of life to the K3, think I'll hang onto it for a while longer.

ren41 · 10-13-2012, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXCiclista

53Mb TIFF of the two side-by-side if you want to download and compare:

Is the light turned right down in the shot of the PW? I like the look of it better than I expected from the shots on Amazon's website, where it looks too glaringly white.

I like my KK; I have nerve damage in my hands and the KK was a blessing as I was finding paper books hard to hold open - but it gets quite heavy after a while with the lighted cover. The PW is a bit lighter to begin with and the cover will be too. Now all I have to do is hold off until the initial screen problems have been resolved!

joblack · 10-13-2012, 08:17 AM

As you can't switch the light off (despite the manuel saying otherwise) I wanted to buy one but Amazon isn't reacting about my question. So I cancelled my preorder.

As long as there is no way to switch the light completely off I suggest you stay with your Kindle 3. I'll certainly do so.

booklover6 · 10-13-2012, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redryder

I'm late to the party but finally jailbreaked my K3 and installed the font and screensaver hacks. Adds a whole new lease of life to the K3, think I'll hang onto it for a while longer.

I did that recently, to my non SO K3. Love it! And it has a nice skin and a nice m-edge cover + e-luminator. So pretty. I put a lot of non-series books from one genre on it.

jmmcg9 · 10-13-2012, 11:57 AM

I upgraded from the Silver Kindle 4 to the PW. The improved resolution is not obvious to me. I was expecting the same type of improvement like the iPhone had when they went to the retina display. I would not upgrade for the resolution. I would upgrade for the built in light. I have tried at least 4 or 5 types of add on lights over the years. None come close to the built in light on the PW. That said, it is not perfect. I see the highlight of the LEDs at the bottom. I have a replacement. It looks more uneven than my original, but it is still an improvement over any add on light (my PW was replaced due to registration issues, not screen issues). Overall, the PW is an improvement over the KS 4, but it is an incremental improvement, not the major jump I was expecting. For example, the "Paper White" name s a misnomer. It looks just like the KS4 with the gray background unless you crank up the light. The reason I love the e-ink technology, is no eye fatigue, like my iPad. Even though the light is not like an LED or CRT source, I suspect trying to read in total darkness with the light cranked up may cause similar fatigue. I had a vision of always using the built in PW light, especially at night to avoid disturbing my wife. But so far, I still prefer using a lamp when possible. I do see myself using the built in light when a lamp is not available. I rate that as a plus over the K4S. Finally, the touch screen works really well, but I occasionally jump two pages instead of one. Also, with the K4S I could change pages with both hands. With the PW, I can only do that with my right hand since the page turn section is only on the right. I do like the ability to use the dictionary by just touching the word. That was a real hassle on the K4S.
Overall, I think the PW is still the best option available in e-readers today, but in hindsight I probably should have waited for the next generation. But then again, the PW is very reasonably priced. I will probably sell my K4S, so I probably made the right call. Bottom line: a good product, but just an incremental improvement.
Cheers, Joe Mac

David58117 · 10-13-2012, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmmcg9

I upgraded from the Silver Kindle 4 to the PW. The improved resolution is not obvious to me. I was expecting the same type of improvement like the iPhone had when they went to the retina display. I would not upgrade for the resolution. I would upgrade for the built in light. I have tried at least 4 or 5 types of add on lights over the years. None come close to the built in light on the PW. That said, it is not perfect. I see the highlight of the LEDs at the bottom. I have a replacement. It looks more uneven than my original, but it is still an improvement over any add on light (my PW was replaced due to registration issues, not screen issues). Overall, the PW is an improvement over the KS 4, but it is an incremental improvement, not the major jump I was expecting. For example, the "Paper White" name s a misnomer. It looks just like the KS4 with the gray background unless you crank up the light. The reason I love the e-ink technology, is no eye fatigue, like my iPad. Even though the light is not like an LED or CRT source, I suspect trying to read in total darkness with the light cranked up may cause similar fatigue. I had a vision of always using the built in PW light, especially at night to avoid disturbing my wife. But so far, I still prefer using a lamp when possible. I do see myself using the built in light when a lamp is not available. I rate that as a plus over the K4S. Finally, the touch screen works really well, but I occasionally jump two pages instead of one. Also, with the K4S I could change pages with both hands. With the PW, I can only do that with my right hand since the page turn section is only on the right. I do like the ability to use the dictionary by just touching the word. That was a real hassle on the K4S.
Overall, I think the PW is still the best option available in e-readers today, but in hindsight I probably should have waited for the next generation. But then again, the PW is very reasonably priced. I will probably sell my K4S, so I probably made the right call. Bottom line: a good product, but just an incremental improvement.
Cheers, Joe Mac

Actually you can swipe left to right to turn page with one hand. Right to left swipe will turn the page forward.

It's reminiscent of grabbing a page and turning it in a pbook I suppose..

xendula · 10-13-2012, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redryder

I have the Kindle 3, which sadly is underused. I basically only use it when I’m on business travel, can’t find time to read when I’m at home. Since I read in a hotel room or plane, I don’t have a problem with the lighting.

For me, the attraction of the Paperwhite is nothing to do with the light. What makes me want to upgrade is - more fonts, higher dpi (squeezing more text on a page), and the touch interface. I am sick of using the keyboard to navigate, it’s a pain when organizing collections.

Do you think I should upgrade?

There are a few threads in here of customers who received faulty displays, that I would recommend you read through, just to determine if you could live with screen defects. If you don't have very good eyesight, you may very well be happy with the first unit you receive, but otherwise you may end up regretting ordering one.
There is a pretty large issue with them, and it could well be that Amazon will update the PW sooner than normally, or improve their manufacturing or QC process. While I LOVE the new interface, I would not recommend an upgrade at this point just yet. Wait until they fixed the screen issues. I am caught in a loop of replacements myself, and wish I had never even touched one. Now that I have seen the interface, I am still hanging on to the hope that I will get two good screens.

aceflor · 10-13-2012, 12:49 PM

I love mine. It is not perfect, it has a bit of shades where the LEDs are, but I am not bothered by it, and I just love the interface, as well as being able to see how much time I need to finish my chapter. Plus big bonus for me : it is perfectly usable in a ziploc bag.

10-01-2012, 11:42 PM	#1
redryder Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: none	Should I upgrade to the Paperwhite? I have the Kindle 3, which sadly is underused. I basically only use it when I’m on business travel, can’t find time to read when I’m at home. Since I read in a hotel room or plane, I don’t have a problem with the lighting. For me, the attraction of the Paperwhite is nothing to do with the light. What makes me want to upgrade is - more fonts, higher dpi (squeezing more text on a page), and the touch interface. I am sick of using the keyboard to navigate, it’s a pain when organizing collections. Do you think I should upgrade?

10-13-2012, 11:57 AM	#12
jmmcg9 Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 6420516 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Device: Oasis 2, iPad Pro (12.9”), iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPad Mini 5, Forma	I upgraded from the Silver Kindle 4 to the PW. The improved resolution is not obvious to me. I was expecting the same type of improvement like the iPhone had when they went to the retina display. I would not upgrade for the resolution. I would upgrade for the built in light. I have tried at least 4 or 5 types of add on lights over the years. None come close to the built in light on the PW. That said, it is not perfect. I see the highlight of the LEDs at the bottom. I have a replacement. It looks more uneven than my original, but it is still an improvement over any add on light (my PW was replaced due to registration issues, not screen issues). Overall, the PW is an improvement over the KS 4, but it is an incremental improvement, not the major jump I was expecting. For example, the "Paper White" name s a misnomer. It looks just like the KS4 with the gray background unless you crank up the light. The reason I love the e-ink technology, is no eye fatigue, like my iPad. Even though the light is not like an LED or CRT source, I suspect trying to read in total darkness with the light cranked up may cause similar fatigue. I had a vision of always using the built in PW light, especially at night to avoid disturbing my wife. But so far, I still prefer using a lamp when possible. I do see myself using the built in light when a lamp is not available. I rate that as a plus over the K4S. Finally, the touch screen works really well, but I occasionally jump two pages instead of one. Also, with the K4S I could change pages with both hands. With the PW, I can only do that with my right hand since the page turn section is only on the right. I do like the ability to use the dictionary by just touching the word. That was a real hassle on the K4S. Overall, I think the PW is still the best option available in e-readers today, but in hindsight I probably should have waited for the next generation. But then again, the PW is very reasonably priced. I will probably sell my K4S, so I probably made the right call. Bottom line: a good product, but just an incremental improvement. Cheers, Joe Mac Last edited by jmmcg9; 10-13-2012 at 11:59 AM.

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10-04-2012, 01:36 AM	#2
TXCiclista Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: Kindle (Keyboard or Paperwhite, unsure)	I'm in the midst of (maybe) upgrading from a K3, so here are my answers. others will vary, I'm sure. Touch is very nice except for turning pages. I still prefer the physical buttons. As a result, the touch feature is something of a wash, perhaps leaning away from the keyboard just because highlighting is so much easier with a touch interface. The screen is actually worse on my PW than my K3. The text on my K3 is much crisper. The higher resolution on the PW, while nice, doesn't result in a more enjoyable reading experience (so far). It's more enjoyable to navigate menus, but since reading is 95% of what I do, it has to be better. So far, it's not. The light is pretty slick, but the uneven lighting at the bottom is annoying. The size is nice, but it's bordering on too small. I'll likely have to buy a cover just to give my fingers a better purchase. Should you upgrade? My guess is yes. I tend towards the OC side, so I'm pickier than most (I sent my K3 back 3x until Amazon sent me one that was just right). From what I've been able to tell, the average Kindle user loves the Paperwhite. Go for it, but hold on to your K3 until you're sure on the Paperwhite. You can always send the PW back to Amazon for a pittance ($5 or so).

10-04-2012, 08:10 AM	#4
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,533 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle	I would say, yes! I love mine. Turning the pages is easy, just tap the screen.

10-04-2012, 09:06 AM	#5
mncowboy Wanderer Posts: 106 Karma: 472218 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle 3, PaperWhite 2	I have not had a chance to hold or play around with any of the touch models. I typically read one-handed. How will the PW compare with the K3 for holding the ereader and turning pages with one hand? Bob

10-04-2012, 11:35 AM	#6
frankelr Member Posts: 16 Karma: 168 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: k3kb, KTso, Nook ST	I own a K3kb, KT, NookST and now a Kpw. I don't think that my Kpw is defective, but I am disappointed. Text is crisp and the new fonts are nice, (but not as nice as my NookST). The lighting is pretty even, at levels above 11, but what does that do to the battery life? I am not going to return the unit, but knowing what I now know, I would not have ordered it. If I was to be able to own only one Kindle; this one would not be the one.

10-05-2012, 01:43 AM	#8
redryder Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: none	I'm late to the party but finally jailbreaked my K3 and installed the font and screensaver hacks. Adds a whole new lease of life to the K3, think I'll hang onto it for a while longer.

10-13-2012, 08:17 AM	#10
joblack Wizard Posts: 1,745 Karma: 4382514 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somewhere on earth Device: Onyx Boox Tab X	As you can't switch the light off (despite the manuel saying otherwise) I wanted to buy one but Amazon isn't reacting about my question. So I cancelled my preorder. As long as there is no way to switch the light completely off I suggest you stay with your Kindle 3. I'll certainly do so.

10-13-2012, 12:49 PM	#15
aceflor Wizard Posts: 3,470 Karma: 48036360 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: where the sun lives, or so they say Device: Pocketbook Era, Pocketbook Inkpad 4, Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Scribe	I love mine. It is not perfect, it has a bit of shades where the LEDs are, but I am not bothered by it, and I just love the interface, as well as being able to see how much time I need to finish my chapter. Plus big bonus for me : it is perfectly usable in a ziploc bag.

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