Nice TechFlash Hands on Review of the KDX

brecklundin · 06-13-2009, 08:14 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Aijb...eature=related

Seems pretty honest and practical. Interesting in her take on the KDX not being good for it's target market, allegedly, that is the college student. I think many here have said note taking is imperative and key to study, even with ebooks.

She shows how cumbersome it is to annotate a section...it looks so much so that using the KDX the device becomes the focus rather than the subject being studied.

For that reason alone if I had a kid in school, no chance I would pop for a dedicated reader with such a poorly conceived feature set the KDX. I would gladly pay 2x-3x more for a convertible or a laptop and a slate PC where there are packages dedicated toward note taking as well as reading...enter Pixel Qi I suppose.

Still it's a nice sized device and has potential, just not anywhere near $500 worth though. Might as well have a Sharper Image logo on it for all the real usefulness it actually brings to the table, I mean beyond the size being great.

I really cannot believe Amazon has stuck with that AWFUL keyboard layout over the standard QWERTY that everyone knows...talk about a tool, again, becoming the focus over the use of the tool. Tools/devices need to be transparent to the task for which they are intended. Having to stop and learn another keyboard layout just does not seem to fit that concept.

But, as I said, nice looking device...perfect Sharper Image fodder.

Gideon · 06-13-2009, 08:21 PM

They keyboard is godawful. As bad as it was on the K1, it is MUCH worse on the KDX. I have no idea how to use it comfortably, and I have big hands.

brecklundin · 06-13-2009, 08:33 PM

oh, wow...I never thought of that on the KDX...looking at the images the keyboard sure does look a lot farther away & out of easy reach isn't it?

Since you're using it as a student how does the reviewer's take on the KDX compare to your experience with it? I know it was a BIG expenditure for you.

Gideon · 06-13-2009, 08:42 PM

I'm about to post a review. But long story short - it does kill any chance of annotating. I simply won't go through the effort to do so.

And of course, you can't annotate, look things up, or highlight PDFs at all anyway.

Teddman · 06-13-2009, 08:49 PM

Yeah, I don't really think the DX is going to catch on with colleges. Not at its current model/featureset/pricepoint anyway.

brecklundin · 06-13-2009, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gideon

I'm about to post a review. But long story short - it does kill any chance of annotating. I simply won't go through the effort to do so.

And of course, you can't annotate, look things up, or highlight PDFs at all anyway.

Oh, dang...I'm truly sorry to read that for you. I put myself through college too and know how every important each penny can be. I will look forward to your review for sure! I have had a sense the KDX was rushed to market to beat the other announced devices to keep everything compared to the "Kindle Family".

06-13-2009, 08:14 PM	#1
brecklundin Banned Posts: 1,906 Karma: 15348 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: mine	Nice TechFlash Hands on Review of the KDX http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Aijb...eature=related Seems pretty honest and practical. Interesting in her take on the KDX not being good for it's target market, allegedly, that is the college student. I think many here have said note taking is imperative and key to study, even with ebooks. She shows how cumbersome it is to annotate a section...it looks so much so that using the KDX the device becomes the focus rather than the subject being studied. For that reason alone if I had a kid in school, no chance I would pop for a dedicated reader with such a poorly conceived feature set the KDX. I would gladly pay 2x-3x more for a convertible or a laptop and a slate PC where there are packages dedicated toward note taking as well as reading...enter Pixel Qi I suppose. Still it's a nice sized device and has potential, just not anywhere near $500 worth though. Might as well have a Sharper Image logo on it for all the real usefulness it actually brings to the table, I mean beyond the size being great. I really cannot believe Amazon has stuck with that AWFUL keyboard layout over the standard QWERTY that everyone knows...talk about a tool, again, becoming the focus over the use of the tool. Tools/devices need to be transparent to the task for which they are intended. Having to stop and learn another keyboard layout just does not seem to fit that concept. But, as I said, nice looking device...perfect Sharper Image fodder.

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06-13-2009, 08:21 PM	#2
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	They keyboard is godawful. As bad as it was on the K1, it is MUCH worse on the KDX. I have no idea how to use it comfortably, and I have big hands.

06-13-2009, 08:33 PM	#3
brecklundin Banned Posts: 1,906 Karma: 15348 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: mine	oh, wow...I never thought of that on the KDX...looking at the images the keyboard sure does look a lot farther away & out of easy reach isn't it? Since you're using it as a student how does the reviewer's take on the KDX compare to your experience with it? I know it was a BIG expenditure for you.

06-13-2009, 08:42 PM	#4
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	I'm about to post a review. But long story short - it does kill any chance of annotating. I simply won't go through the effort to do so. And of course, you can't annotate, look things up, or highlight PDFs at all anyway.

06-13-2009, 08:49 PM	#5
Teddman Addict Posts: 242 Karma: 695 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	Yeah, I don't really think the DX is going to catch on with colleges. Not at its current model/featureset/pricepoint anyway.

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