Now that the K2 supports PDF

Nate the great · 11-27-2009, 07:15 PM

I didn't like the absence of an SD card slot back when the K2 was announced, but it wasn't a serious issue. 2GB is a vast amount of space when all you're storing is Mobipocket ebooks. I myself have a collection of around 1k ebooks in just under 1GB.

This past week Amazon added PDF support to the K2, and 2GB isn't enough anymore. PDF is the most space intensive ebook format. I've been working with PDFs for a while now, and I've noticed that PDFs usually take about 6 times more storage space than the source text+images. That's 6 times _larger_ than the source material, not smaller.

I think the missing SD card slot is now a mistake. Limited storage + space intensive format = limited use of that new format. I don't know about you, but I'm used to carrying around all my Mobipocket ebooks (it's one of the reasons I went digital). I would love to be able to do the same with PDFs, only Amazon made it impossible.

That's my opinion. What do you think?

Ervserver · 11-27-2009, 08:19 PM

I agree, Amazon needs to immediately issue a firmware update for the K2 to grow a memory slot

rcuadro · 11-27-2009, 11:33 PM

I dont think that the amount of internal space is an issue. I am not the type that NEEDS to have 2000 books with me at all times. I have a couple hundred right now and I keep the rest of my books on my computer and on my Dropbox account... and some on my MobleMe iDisk... I take a good look at my books on the Kindle before I go on a trip so I have a couple of books to read so again, not an issue.

Those are my $0.02

HarryT · 11-28-2009, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

That's my opinion. What do you think?

As your book collection grows, sooner or later there will come a point at which you can't carry it all with you. The amount of memory on the device merely determines where that cut-off point is. I've been reading e-books for something like 25 years, and my book collection won't fit on ANY portable device.

Once you acknowledge that you need to be selective about what you have with you, it doesn't really matter very much whether you can "only" carry around 100 books or 10,000. Both are "large numbers" in terms of reading material (100 books is probably a year's reading for me).

So, personally I'm not particularly bothered. I have devices with a memory card slot, but I don't use it (other than, for obvious reasons, on the iRex DR1000!).

Kali Yuga · 11-28-2009, 09:21 AM

I agree that "more memory is better," although I don't see much of an advantage to an SD slot. I suspect it costs as much to put in and maintain the slot as it would to just add the RAM, plus it slightly increases the complexity of a class of device that IMO should be as simple as possible. I expect (but may be wrong) that adding either more RAM or a media slot will also result in higher power consumption.

Even with PDF support though, the K2's screen is too small (for me, at least) for extensive PDF usage. To me, that's a much more serious imposition on PDF usage than storage capacity. If you're using PDF's all day long, I'd think you will need a larger-screen device anyway.

Sydney's Mom · 11-28-2009, 02:23 PM

I like the SD card for organization. If the firmware upgrade will provide some manner of organization, it probably isn't necessary to have an SD slot. I would be happy to download the first 10 in each catgory to my kindle - fiction, romance, mystery, thriller, nonfiction politics, nonfiction economics. I don't really care about the increased size of PDF files, because I convert everything to mobi, and use compression.

pthwaite · 11-28-2009, 02:30 PM

However, you can re-save the pdf to shrink the file size, it's probably easier on the MAC than the PC by default though. Nevertheless, my vie is some form of memory card slot or usb port to read memory sticks is a benefit for any reader.

Sydney's Mom · 11-28-2009, 02:44 PM

I don't think I will ever be able to, or want to, divorce my reader from my computer. So long as the computer has these functions, it is very easy to pick out which book to drag to my reader. Actually, I should create those categories now, and just drag the top books to my reader. I'm sure with 100 or so books, rather than the 800 it has now, it will run better, too!

catsittingstill · 11-29-2009, 11:06 AM

Personally I think that the SD card slot is very useful on the K1 and would be even more so on the K2, especially now that it can handle pdfs (though the pdf handling still leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion, but that's a different issue).

Sure you could add more ram to hold more files--but you can only do that when the reader is constructed, and once the RAM is full it's full. Add an SD card slot, and you can have 2, 3, 4x more "RAM" just by tucking another SD card into your wallet.

There's nothing wrong with using the Kindle as a backpack, holding a handful of books you plan to read soon, rather than as a library. But I'd like to at least have the option of using the K2 as a library.

TallMomof2 · 11-29-2009, 11:24 AM

I still think that the SD slot should be returned in future models. Back in the old days of reading on my Clie I would use memory sticks to arrange my library by subject. Nowadays with Dropbox my library is available to all my PCs and my mobile phone but *not* my Kindle. My Calibre folder is nearly 10GB (I've purchased a lot of books and also have many more free books in Calibre) so carrying my entire library on a portable dedicated reader will require a bit more memory.

PDFs are much larger than other ebook formats and I know that my DX fills up fast if I'm loading PDFs. I always thought it was a peculiar choice by Amazon not to include an SD slot on the DX when it supported PDF.

fugazied · 11-29-2009, 04:23 PM

I wouldn't be suprised to see the SD slot make a comeback in Kindle 3. Make sure you have a whinge to Amazon over it, the feedback adds up and will have an effect!

JSWolf · 11-29-2009, 04:26 PM

I have a 505 and it does have 2 memory card slots. I have never actually used them for content as the internal memory is just fine.

carlobee · 11-29-2009, 10:06 PM

I agree with "The more memory the better". Really depends upon preference but i'd love to carry around all my books with me.

Kali Yuga · 11-29-2009, 10:54 PM

I doubt they will put the SD cards back in the next Kindle, they'll just put in enough RAM to obviate the issue. 4-8gb should do it.

Nate the great · 12-01-2009, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

I doubt they will put the SD cards back in the next Kindle, they'll just put in enough RAM to obviate the issue. 4-8gb should do it.

There is an urban legend that we should keep in mind. Bill Gates is reputed to have said that 640k RAM is enough for anyone. How much RAM do you have right now?

The point I'm trying to make is that just because you can't think of a reason to use that extra ability doesn't mean no one else will either. "That should be enough" is design fallacy, IMO.

11-27-2009, 07:15 PM	#1
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	Now that the K2 supports PDF I didn't like the absence of an SD card slot back when the K2 was announced, but it wasn't a serious issue. 2GB is a vast amount of space when all you're storing is Mobipocket ebooks. I myself have a collection of around 1k ebooks in just under 1GB. This past week Amazon added PDF support to the K2, and 2GB isn't enough anymore. PDF is the most space intensive ebook format. I've been working with PDFs for a while now, and I've noticed that PDFs usually take about 6 times more storage space than the source text+images. That's 6 times _larger_ than the source material, not smaller. I think the missing SD card slot is now a mistake. Limited storage + space intensive format = limited use of that new format. I don't know about you, but I'm used to carrying around all my Mobipocket ebooks (it's one of the reasons I went digital). I would love to be able to do the same with PDFs, only Amazon made it impossible. That's my opinion. What do you think?

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11-27-2009, 08:19 PM	#2
Ervserver Wizard Posts: 2,624 Karma: 1008294 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch	I agree, Amazon needs to immediately issue a firmware update for the K2 to grow a memory slot

11-27-2009, 11:33 PM	#3
rcuadro Wizard Posts: 1,686 Karma: 874275 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Device: Kindle DX	I dont think that the amount of internal space is an issue. I am not the type that NEEDS to have 2000 books with me at all times. I have a couple hundred right now and I keep the rest of my books on my computer and on my Dropbox account... and some on my MobleMe iDisk... I take a good look at my books on the Kindle before I go on a trip so I have a couple of books to read so again, not an issue. Those are my $0.02

11-28-2009, 09:21 AM	#5
Kali Yuga Professional Contrarian Posts: 2,045 Karma: 3289631 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 4 No Touchie	I agree that "more memory is better," although I don't see much of an advantage to an SD slot. I suspect it costs as much to put in and maintain the slot as it would to just add the RAM, plus it slightly increases the complexity of a class of device that IMO should be as simple as possible. I expect (but may be wrong) that adding either more RAM or a media slot will also result in higher power consumption. Even with PDF support though, the K2's screen is too small (for me, at least) for extensive PDF usage. To me, that's a much more serious imposition on PDF usage than storage capacity. If you're using PDF's all day long, I'd think you will need a larger-screen device anyway.

11-28-2009, 02:23 PM	#6
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,895 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	I like the SD card for organization. If the firmware upgrade will provide some manner of organization, it probably isn't necessary to have an SD slot. I would be happy to download the first 10 in each catgory to my kindle - fiction, romance, mystery, thriller, nonfiction politics, nonfiction economics. I don't really care about the increased size of PDF files, because I convert everything to mobi, and use compression.

11-28-2009, 02:30 PM	#7
pthwaite Fanatic Posts: 597 Karma: 430 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ellesmere Port, UK Device: DR1000S Sony PRS505 iPad iPhone	However, you can re-save the pdf to shrink the file size, it's probably easier on the MAC than the PC by default though. Nevertheless, my vie is some form of memory card slot or usb port to read memory sticks is a benefit for any reader.

11-28-2009, 02:44 PM	#8
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,895 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	I don't think I will ever be able to, or want to, divorce my reader from my computer. So long as the computer has these functions, it is very easy to pick out which book to drag to my reader. Actually, I should create those categories now, and just drag the top books to my reader. I'm sure with 100 or so books, rather than the 800 it has now, it will run better, too!

11-29-2009, 11:06 AM	#9
catsittingstill Guru Posts: 643 Karma: 551634 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle 1.0.8, iPod Touch, Kindle Keyboard	Personally I think that the SD card slot is very useful on the K1 and would be even more so on the K2, especially now that it can handle pdfs (though the pdf handling still leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion, but that's a different issue). Sure you could add more ram to hold more files--but you can only do that when the reader is constructed, and once the RAM is full it's full. Add an SD card slot, and you can have 2, 3, 4x more "RAM" just by tucking another SD card into your wallet. There's nothing wrong with using the Kindle as a backpack, holding a handful of books you plan to read soon, rather than as a library. But I'd like to at least have the option of using the K2 as a library.

11-29-2009, 11:24 AM	#10
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	I still think that the SD slot should be returned in future models. Back in the old days of reading on my Clie I would use memory sticks to arrange my library by subject. Nowadays with Dropbox my library is available to all my PCs and my mobile phone but not my Kindle. My Calibre folder is nearly 10GB (I've purchased a lot of books and also have many more free books in Calibre) so carrying my entire library on a portable dedicated reader will require a bit more memory. PDFs are much larger than other ebook formats and I know that my DX fills up fast if I'm loading PDFs. I always thought it was a peculiar choice by Amazon not to include an SD slot on the DX when it supported PDF.

11-29-2009, 04:23 PM	#11
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	I wouldn't be suprised to see the SD slot make a comeback in Kindle 3. Make sure you have a whinge to Amazon over it, the feedback adds up and will have an effect!

11-29-2009, 04:26 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,887 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I have a 505 and it does have 2 memory card slots. I have never actually used them for content as the internal memory is just fine.

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11-29-2009, 10:06 PM	#13
carlobee Fanatic Posts: 535 Karma: 972 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: The new iPad	I agree with "The more memory the better". Really depends upon preference but i'd love to carry around all my books with me.

11-29-2009, 10:54 PM	#14
Kali Yuga Professional Contrarian Posts: 2,045 Karma: 3289631 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 4 No Touchie	I doubt they will put the SD cards back in the next Kindle, they'll just put in enough RAM to obviate the issue. 4-8gb should do it.