Kindle DX Graphite or wait?

zetareticuli · 07-24-2010, 11:51 AM

Ok, so I have decided to buy the Kindle DX Graphite model. For a while there, I was really against buying now and in favor of waiting for the better devices that will come out by the end of this year. However, I have thought about it a lot and here are the points that have influenced my decision in favor of buying the Kindle DX Graphite model right NOW:

1. I already have a high-end portable computer with all the bells and whistles on which to do whatever extras cannot be done on an e-reader.

2. I already own a 11" netbook running Windows 7 with all kinds of features.

3. I already own an iPad and it is great for reading except the weight and the LCD screen, which causes eye strain.

4. I want something specifically for reading that has eInk and is easier on the eyes. I don't need it to do anything else other than reading. 90% of reading material is in PDF.

5. Any device would be obsolete in 6 - 12 months anyway. Whether it is an e-reader, laptop, netbook, tablet, car, media player, anything.

6. I don't care much for annotations, text-to-speech, highlighting text, etc. It simply needs to display the reading material on the screen. Most of the reading material is PDF. The rest are text files.

7. Adding external storage would be a nice feature such as the ability to add an SD card. The Kindle devices have no such features. However, I don't plan to have hundreds of thousands of documents stored on my reading device. Since I am human, I can only access and read one a time. I see no need to have hundreds of thousands of documents accessible on the storage device when I can only deal with a handful at a time. Though it would be nice to have external storage, I think the 2 GB storage on the Kindle DXG is plenty for my current and any reasonable future need.

What do you guys think? Does the above seem logical to you to simply go buy the Kindle DXG right now? Or is my logic flawed?

Grierson Huffman · 07-24-2010, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Ok, so I have decided to buy the Kindle DX Graphite model.

Everything else in your post (including the title!) says that you haven't.

ATDrake · 07-24-2010, 06:38 PM

The technology is fresh, the upgrade is recent, the price relative to the previous model got significantly dropped, and it seems to fit your needs.

I say go for it, unless you're holding off because of lurking budgetary or "deep down I don't really think I need this right now and I'm trying to talk myself out of it" concerns, which are perfectly valid reasons to say no.

Maybe there'll be something newer and shinier just in time for Xmas, but in the meantime you'll have been getting good use out of and hopefully enjoying your Kindle DXG for a solid few months.

jj2me · 07-24-2010, 07:19 PM

It's all so personal, but if I had your requirements (mainly PDF), I'd get the GDX for the reasons ATDrake gave.

You mentioned the weight of the iPad--there are DX users who complain of its weight, usually compared to a 6" eInk device.

zetareticuli · 07-24-2010, 07:22 PM

Thank you, guys, for your comments. Basically, what I tried to say in my post above is what I think are key points in favor of getting a Kindle DXG now. I was just wondering if my logic is flawed or if my logic is right on. Thanks.

brecklundin · 07-24-2010, 07:55 PM

Based on your stated reasons, sure, WTF buy now. It would be super to have a nice large format EPD display device now. And if you don't need color, you already have the iPad so that's covered, then the DXG is not a bad device to own...

I'm waiting for plastic and color...don't have a pressing need for a device now so no need to buy now. The DXG is nice but I was disappointed Amazon still left out a way to operate the reader left handed. I am right-handed but have to use my left hand very often because of physical stuff. This, even over price, might be my biggest reason for NOT selling my K2i to get a DXG. FYI, I have RA that affects my hands so handling matters a lot to me, more than most folks. Still, I remember how often I read holding a book left handed while taking notes with my right hand. Sure you can rotate the display 180º but having the keyboard above the panel just bugs me for some reason, even on my K2i my pea brain refuses to get used to it...hehehehe....

But at the current price the DXG is a nice device but who knows what will come with the next gen devices this fall.

And no please don't drag out that tired old "...there is always something coming out..." while true, for me I see no compelling large format device. If Amazon had dropped the DXG to $279 I would have sold my K2i instantly and picked up a DGX because for that price I can begin purchasing some of my references and use them. They don't look worth a darn on a 6" panel though...bummer.

zetareticuli · 07-24-2010, 08:05 PM

Breck, thanks for your post. I am sorry about your problem with your hands. I agree that Amazon needs to take all these things into account. What new devices are scheduled to come out this fall? I have been waiting for the larger eInk or equivalent devices for a while and nothing. The QUE reader, the Skiff Reader, the Dittobook, Jinke A9, etc, and others appear to have vanished. I think the Amazon Kindle DXG is missing many features but I don't see anything else right now that has a large display as is needed for PDFs. If the wait for these new devices to come out is a month or so, I am willing to wait. Now, if the wait is longer 2 months or more, I am prepared to buy the DXG now. When the new devices come out around the Holidays and they are compelling enough, I would be prepared to sell the Kindle DXG and apply that money toward the purchase of whatever the best device available is.

SpeckledJim · 07-26-2010, 06:24 PM

I can't help thinking that the absence of direct competition in the large screen sector is partly to blame for the lack of substantial new DXG features. Whilst the price cut and the improved screen are welcome changes, it does seem like they could have done more to improve PDF support, given that is something they tout as one of the DX/DXG's strenths.

I'm still on the fence about buying a DXG, even with the price cut it's quite a bit more than I wanted to pay, and partly because I'd still like to see at least one or two of the next wave of large screen readers ship, even if it only confirms the DXG is worth the extra cost.

Logseman · 07-26-2010, 06:35 PM

We have a saying in Spanish: "if you want to win, sit and wait for your enemy's corpse to be paraded". Amazon did exactly that with their Kindle DX. Existing (Irex) and non-existing (Skiff, Que) competitors have been shown for months, demoed in trade shows and looked upon with a glimmer of hope... but at the end, people got the DX because it was a click away from them. I hope Pocketbook launches their 901 already. I don't care if it's got a glass screen anymore: I want something for the prospective PDF reading I'm going to have to do at university.

07-24-2010, 11:51 AM	#1
zetareticuli Addict Posts: 367 Karma: 228 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Aztak Mentor	Kindle DX Graphite or wait? Ok, so I have decided to buy the Kindle DX Graphite model. For a while there, I was really against buying now and in favor of waiting for the better devices that will come out by the end of this year. However, I have thought about it a lot and here are the points that have influenced my decision in favor of buying the Kindle DX Graphite model right NOW: 1. I already have a high-end portable computer with all the bells and whistles on which to do whatever extras cannot be done on an e-reader. 2. I already own a 11" netbook running Windows 7 with all kinds of features. 3. I already own an iPad and it is great for reading except the weight and the LCD screen, which causes eye strain. 4. I want something specifically for reading that has eInk and is easier on the eyes. I don't need it to do anything else other than reading. 90% of reading material is in PDF. 5. Any device would be obsolete in 6 - 12 months anyway. Whether it is an e-reader, laptop, netbook, tablet, car, media player, anything. 6. I don't care much for annotations, text-to-speech, highlighting text, etc. It simply needs to display the reading material on the screen. Most of the reading material is PDF. The rest are text files. 7. Adding external storage would be a nice feature such as the ability to add an SD card. The Kindle devices have no such features. However, I don't plan to have hundreds of thousands of documents stored on my reading device. Since I am human, I can only access and read one a time. I see no need to have hundreds of thousands of documents accessible on the storage device when I can only deal with a handful at a time. Though it would be nice to have external storage, I think the 2 GB storage on the Kindle DXG is plenty for my current and any reasonable future need. What do you guys think? Does the above seem logical to you to simply go buy the Kindle DXG right now? Or is my logic flawed? Last edited by zetareticuli; 07-24-2010 at 11:53 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Kindle Wifi Only Available in Graphite?	27spots	Amazon Kindle	2	10-15-2010 11:06 AM
Kindle DX Graphite	Papi	Amazon Kindle	3	08-11-2010 02:55 PM
Accessories Case for Kindle DX Graphite	keeska	Amazon Kindle	11	07-29-2010 07:05 PM
Question about Kindle DX Graphite	zetareticuli	Amazon Kindle	11	07-23-2010 09:55 PM
Kindle Dx Graphite First Impressions	Anarel	Amazon Kindle	61	07-22-2010 11:54 AM

07-24-2010, 06:38 PM	#3
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	The technology is fresh, the upgrade is recent, the price relative to the previous model got significantly dropped, and it seems to fit your needs. I say go for it, unless you're holding off because of lurking budgetary or "deep down I don't really think I need this right now and I'm trying to talk myself out of it" concerns, which are perfectly valid reasons to say no. Maybe there'll be something newer and shinier just in time for Xmas, but in the meantime you'll have been getting good use out of and hopefully enjoying your Kindle DXG for a solid few months.

07-24-2010, 07:19 PM	#4
jj2me Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 8820388 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, -350; Kindle 3 3G, DX, PW 2; various tablets	It's all so personal, but if I had your requirements (mainly PDF), I'd get the GDX for the reasons ATDrake gave. You mentioned the weight of the iPad--there are DX users who complain of its weight, usually compared to a 6" eInk device.

07-24-2010, 07:22 PM	#5
zetareticuli Addict Posts: 367 Karma: 228 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Aztak Mentor	Thank you, guys, for your comments. Basically, what I tried to say in my post above is what I think are key points in favor of getting a Kindle DXG now. I was just wondering if my logic is flawed or if my logic is right on. Thanks.

07-24-2010, 07:55 PM	#6
brecklundin Banned Posts: 1,906 Karma: 15348 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: mine	Based on your stated reasons, sure, WTF buy now. It would be super to have a nice large format EPD display device now. And if you don't need color, you already have the iPad so that's covered, then the DXG is not a bad device to own... I'm waiting for plastic and color...don't have a pressing need for a device now so no need to buy now. The DXG is nice but I was disappointed Amazon still left out a way to operate the reader left handed. I am right-handed but have to use my left hand very often because of physical stuff. This, even over price, might be my biggest reason for NOT selling my K2i to get a DXG. FYI, I have RA that affects my hands so handling matters a lot to me, more than most folks. Still, I remember how often I read holding a book left handed while taking notes with my right hand. Sure you can rotate the display 180º but having the keyboard above the panel just bugs me for some reason, even on my K2i my pea brain refuses to get used to it...hehehehe.... But at the current price the DXG is a nice device but who knows what will come with the next gen devices this fall. And no please don't drag out that tired old "...there is always something coming out..." while true, for me I see no compelling large format device. If Amazon had dropped the DXG to $279 I would have sold my K2i instantly and picked up a DGX because for that price I can begin purchasing some of my references and use them. They don't look worth a darn on a 6" panel though...bummer.

07-24-2010, 08:05 PM	#7
zetareticuli Addict Posts: 367 Karma: 228 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Aztak Mentor	Breck, thanks for your post. I am sorry about your problem with your hands. I agree that Amazon needs to take all these things into account. What new devices are scheduled to come out this fall? I have been waiting for the larger eInk or equivalent devices for a while and nothing. The QUE reader, the Skiff Reader, the Dittobook, Jinke A9, etc, and others appear to have vanished. I think the Amazon Kindle DXG is missing many features but I don't see anything else right now that has a large display as is needed for PDFs. If the wait for these new devices to come out is a month or so, I am willing to wait. Now, if the wait is longer 2 months or more, I am prepared to buy the DXG now. When the new devices come out around the Holidays and they are compelling enough, I would be prepared to sell the Kindle DXG and apply that money toward the purchase of whatever the best device available is.

07-26-2010, 06:24 PM	#8
SpeckledJim Enthusiast Posts: 47 Karma: 18 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: K3 WiFi	I can't help thinking that the absence of direct competition in the large screen sector is partly to blame for the lack of substantial new DXG features. Whilst the price cut and the improved screen are welcome changes, it does seem like they could have done more to improve PDF support, given that is something they tout as one of the DX/DXG's strenths. I'm still on the fence about buying a DXG, even with the price cut it's quite a bit more than I wanted to pay, and partly because I'd still like to see at least one or two of the next wave of large screen readers ship, even if it only confirms the DXG is worth the extra cost.

07-26-2010, 06:35 PM	#9
Logseman Orisa Posts: 1,999 Karma: 1035571 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ireland Device: Onyx Poke 5	We have a saying in Spanish: "if you want to win, sit and wait for your enemy's corpse to be paraded". Amazon did exactly that with their Kindle DX. Existing (Irex) and non-existing (Skiff, Que) competitors have been shown for months, demoed in trade shows and looked upon with a glimmer of hope... but at the end, people got the DX because it was a click away from them. I hope Pocketbook launches their 901 already. I don't care if it's got a glass screen anymore: I want something for the prospective PDF reading I'm going to have to do at university.

Advert

Advert