Search for the perfect lighted Kindle e-ink reading experience (alternatives to PW)

[fearindex]

Originally Posted by new

I am going to wait for PW3 next year if then. I am now enjoying my K4NT (baby kindle or $69 kindle)
I am fine tuning my cover for the K4NT, I put masking tape over the light as it was sooo bright and white. Now is more subdued and yellow like I like. It covers the whole page to read too, no shadows at the bottom like my PW has.

So I am happy reading on that. Yes the PW cover is nicer, but the lighting is better for me right now with the new baby. Also I do have to hit the little switch to turn on, but I don't have to do that to turn off it does it automatically when I stop turning pages. But I will use both readers.

I do want to make the outside of the cover more grippy, non-slip. Any ideas? The cover is slick, not like the PW cover.

By the way it is the 2013 model by the description you gave before, not the older model. But the light is much better than the clip-ons I have tried in the past, I have a closet full of them.

Yes, I think all versions of the Kindle 4 official lighted cover light are pretty bright - some are just a little different in brightness and hue still as I've posted and linked to above. If I recall my Kindle 3 lighted cover has a more subdued light in comparison, but I haven't checked for while.

Also, great to hear you found a solution to keep you going at least until PW3 or whichever becomes the next solution. Personally I'd love an upgraded non-front-lit e-ink Kindle from Amazon. I would be so all over that, but until then I expect to use the $69 Kindle as my main reader.

For the grippier cover, I unfortunately don't have any suggestions. Some have put DecalGirl on the cover, but removing the will also hurt the leather, so tread carefully if you attach something to the covers and that matters to you. Personally I just flip the front cover behind the Kindle when reading and that felt there feels nice in the hands, plenty grippy for me.

[fearindex]

Originally Posted by Steinhoff

You know, for me some of greatest attributes of e-readers are:
- Convenient portable library at size of your palm
- Built in Dictionary at the tip of your finger, so as not to break the flow of reading immersion. (Which in my case is really important, because I am obsessive with vocabulary, I want to savor every nuance and subtleties unfamiliar words that are conveyed in the context)
- The Internets huge wealth of content gratis.
- Annotations, bookmarks and highlights,etc..

This is a really good summary. For me most of these are important, the dictionary is an especially welcome thing that I didn't expect to need or like or probably even knew Kindle had when I ordered the first one, but quickly became a very common usage from Kindle 2 forwards. It makes every reading session an opportunity to learn new words too.

But personally I would put e-ink on top of that list of yours. I couldn't read books on LCDs and I wouldn't be into e-readers without e-ink. I have owned various smartphones and tablets and tried, but I just can't. The bright light shining into your eyes simply takes too much away from the experience. Reading some guide books or magazines or websites is one thing, but "proper" books, fiction etc., really getting lost into the world of the book, for that I find e-ink mandatory.

E-ink, for me, is book-like-enough to get lost into. And that's a great thing, because having a screen like that allows me to enjoy all the other benefits you list above that e-ink readers have. I would also add instant book deliveries to the list - I simply read more books thanks to e-ink, than I ever have before. No question about it. And that's a good thing.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by fearindex

I have owned various smartphones and tablets and tried, but I just can't. The bright light shining into your eyes simply takes too much away from the experience.

You state the problem yourself - "the bright light shining into your eyes". Turn the brightness down so that the screen is the same brightness as the ambient light of the surrounding, and you won't have that problem. Most people use tablets with the screen brightness turned up way too high.

[fearindex]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You state the problem yourself - "the bright light shining into your eyes". Turn the brightness down so that the screen is the same brightness as the ambient light of the surrounding, and you won't have that problem. Most people use tablets with the screen brightness turned up way too high.

Sure, but I read in the dark and sepia modes or low-light modes on tablets just don't have the same contrast as an e-ink reader and a small reading light. Plus backlight by shines towards my eyes, unlike a reading light or even frontlight.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by fearindex

Yes, K4NT is the $69 Kindle still available from Amazon. I think it comes from the words Kindle 4 non-touch. Some call the black $69 Kindle Kindle 4B and some call it Kindle 5, although that is not the habit on this forum. Some also call it the baby Kindle due to its smallest size or the basic Kindle.

Thank you, fearindex.




Don

[fearindex]

Another great contender, still available from Amazon.com shipping globally, at least for a little while more... the Kindle DX "Graphite" Global 3G.

They got me at the cheap price (and the cheap official leather cover, $189 + just $9.99), so I pulled the trigger on it. As a regular e-ink reader, it is wonderful, just plain no complaints great. As a PDF reader, well, there are some issues but I can see it still being more useful for the purpose than a regular e-ink Kindle.

I wrote a review on it and took a couple of photos, here is the Kindle DX in the middle, a Kindle 2 on the left and Kindle 3 Keyboard on the right:



Bigger image: http://imageshack.us/a/img59/4659/ne7s.jpg

Another picture and my full review text here: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/top...tml#msg2365476

[soulfuldog]

I've never seen a pic of it in relation to other Kindle's, it looks huge next to the Kindle 3!

Originally Posted by l_macd

I've never seen a pic of it in relation to other Kindle's, it looks huge next to the Kindle 3!

Yes. I remember when I had both the KDXG and the K3 that the screen alone on the KDXG was about the same size as the entire K3! I wish I had kept my KDXG, but decided that it was a bit to big for holding in a chair/bed and reading.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by fearindex

Another great contender, still available from Amazon.com shipping globally, at least for a little while more... the Kindle DX "Graphite" Global 3G.

They got me at the cheap price (and the cheap official leather cover, $189 + just $9.99), so I pulled the trigger on it. As a regular e-ink reader, it is wonderful, just plain no complaints great. As a PDF reader, well, there are some issues but I can see it still being more useful for the purpose than a regular e-ink Kindle.

I wrote a review on it and took a couple of photos, here is the Kindle DX in the middle, a Kindle 2 on the left and Kindle 3 Keyboard on the right:

[Image deleted - MODERATOR]

Another picture and my full review text here: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/top...tml#msg2365476

That's a superb review on Kboards.com, and a wonderful piece of writing.

I disagree that it is a bit large for getting lost in fiction since - for me, anyway - it's that exact largeness that allows me to feel like I'm actually reading or holding a hardback.

Thank you for your excellent thoughts on our 'abandoned' Kindle.



Don

[fearindex]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

That's a superb review on Kboards.com, and a wonderful piece of writing.

I disagree that it is a bit large for getting lost in fiction since - for me, anyway - it's that exact largeness that allows me to feel like I'm actually reading or holding a hardback.

Thank you!

As for "getting lost in fiction", the comparison to a hardback actually crossed my mind too an hour or so ago when I was reading a bit on it. Obviously my "review" is really a first impressions review from the past two days or so, full-fledged experiences build up over time...

It might work for fiction too, for me as well. Hard to say yet. I think the biggest obstacle may be the weight and lack of a lighted cover (although third-party options for lighting of course are plentiful), because of the way I like to read... Buying the whole thing was a huge impulse purchase, but so far I'm not regretting it. What a nice piece of hardware.

[new]

Originally Posted by fearindex

Thank you!

As for "getting lost in fiction", the comparison to a hardback actually crossed my mind too an hour or so ago when I was reading a bit on it. Obviously my "review" is really a first impressions review from the past two days or so, full-fledged experiences build up over time...

It might work for fiction too, for me as well. Hard to say yet. I think the biggest obstacle may be the weight and lack of a lighted cover (although third-party options for lighting of course are plentiful), because of the way I like to read... Buying the whole thing was a huge impulse purchase, but so far I'm not regretting it. What a nice piece of hardware.

I have my DXG in my closet, it is a nice ereader. But alas the clip on book lights never worked for me. I either had a droopy one or one that I couldn't aim right. I am strictly a night reader with complete darkness.

It does have a TTS I believe, I can't remember anymore.

Back to the K4BNT ($69 baby kindle) what I find interesting for me is I can now read on smaller size fonts that I was unable to on any other reader I have had

I tried the small fonts on PW and nope I can't see it. I wear glasses (older eyes) and I can read it without my glasses too. I an nearsighted. So between the built in clip on light and the nice dark fonts on the K4BNT I am quite happy with it. I put a few strips of the fabric tape on the back of the cover so it won't slip off my bed at night. Works fine.

By the way my PW went bonkers and I had to deregister it and start over. You know when you open a book (new one) several books down it should put that book on top as "recent". Well it wouldn't do that anymore. Also it would lock up like a computer (mine anyway) and was unresponsive alot. Don't know what to make of the buggy software. I have had it almost one year, is it going to just die quietly now?

[Barbara1955]

Thanks for all the information...needless to say I am on Overload LOL I had been leaning towards a Big Keyboeard to replace my K3 esp now that prices are dropping. But no page turner on left stopped that idea. Baby Kindle no TTS gosh I wish they leave things alone! Bering back the K3!

[Psykhe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You state the problem yourself - "the bright light shining into your eyes". Turn the brightness down so that the screen is the same brightness as the ambient light of the surrounding, and you won't have that problem. Most people use tablets with the screen brightness turned up way too high.

A Tablet LCD is with minimal brightness still faaaaar to bright for nighttime reading.

There is a reason most people who have both eInk readers and tablets prefer reading on the eInk readers.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Psykhe

A Tablet LCD is with minimal brightness still faaaaar to bright for nighttime reading.

There is a reason most people who have both eInk readers and tablets prefer reading on the eInk readers.

In darkness I agree - I was referring more to indoor daytime use. Your eyes don't care whether the photons they receive are emitted by a screen or reflected from it; it's nonsense to say that LCD screens are "inherently" more liable to cause eyestrain than eInk screens, IF the LCD screen can be set at an appropriate brightness level.

In the dark I totally agree that eInk screens are much more pleasant to use. I use both an iPad and a Kindle PW daily.

[fearindex]

Originally Posted by new

I have my DXG in my closet, it is a nice ereader. But alas the clip on book lights never worked for me. I either had a droopy one or one that I couldn't aim right. I am strictly a night reader with complete darkness.

It does have a TTS I believe, I can't remember anymore.

DXG has TTS, yes, I have checked. K4NT does not, of course.

So far I'm torn whether or not to try clip-on lights for the DXG. It was an impulse buy. I'll keep it, of course, but I don't know what its use is going to be yet.

In the Kindle DX thread (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=50) ThomasC shared this tip as a good one for the big DX screen:

Dick Smith LED e-Reader Flexible Kindle / Booklight
http://www.dicksmith.com.au/ereaders...ght-dsau-s4182

Originally Posted by new

Back to the K4BNT ($69 baby kindle) what I find interesting for me is I can now read on smaller size fonts that I was unable to on any other reader I have had

I tried the small fonts on PW and nope I can't see it. I wear glasses (older eyes) and I can read it without my glasses too. I an nearsighted. So between the built in clip on light and the nice dark fonts on the K4BNT I am quite happy with it. I put a few strips of the fabric tape on the back of the cover so it won't slip off my bed at night. Works fine.

Yes, I agree with these points. The integrated lighted cover and the nice blackness level on K4BNT have made it the best solution so far for me as well. Personally I haven't had issues with cover slippiness, but good that you found a solution! Thanks for the tip.

Originally Posted by new

By the way my PW went bonkers and I had to deregister it and start over. You know when you open a book (new one) several books down it should put that book on top as "recent". Well it wouldn't do that anymore. Also it would lock up like a computer (mine anyway) and was unresponsive alot. Don't know what to make of the buggy software. I have had it almost one year, is it going to just die quietly now?

I haven't come across that. I use PW very little, though.