What's in store for the Kindle (x) keyboard?

[speedlever]

I have this feeling that the Kindle (x) is going to go touchscreen. It just seems to be the way of things. If that is the case, I will sorely miss the physical keyboard. I have yet to find a virtual keyboard that I really like, including the iPad.

Will it be the K4? K5?

I'm hoping to see the restoration of the number keys on the next iteration. But it'll probably be a TS Kindle instead.

[wyndslash]

hmmm. i'm not sure about my feelings on a touchscreen. the only touchscreen i like is the one on my ipod touch. it's very responsive and i don't have to press too hard.

[cathie]

Ugh! I hope not. I dislike those things intensely.

[Giggleton]

I would expect Amazon to introduce a touchscreen tablet reader probably with non eink screen for high price while also selling kindles at ever lower price. I'll stick with non touch eink.

[kindlekitten]

I'm certainly not fond of the touch screen on my android... trying... but it isn't coming

[bZkindle]

I'll take a kindle touchscreen please.
I would think that even if you don't like an ereader touchscreen, for the amount that it's actually used, it wouldn't be a big deal.
If you do use it constantly then a tablet is probably more to your needs anyway.

[montalex]

Maybe it is just because I am an old fart, but I find my Kindle 2 nearly perfect for my needs. I use the keyboard for taking the occasional note or for searching for a term or name in a book I am reading, and of course, when using the browser. I certainly would not want an ungainly LCD-screened tablet for a reader. I take my Kindle everywhere, and read it one-handed while on the bus or metro. I recently spend a week in the hospital, a couple of nights of which were spent on a gurney in a corridor. With my Kindle and some earplugs, I was just fine.

My vote is: no, for touchscreen; and yes, for keyboard.

A slide-out keyboard might be a nice space-saver, if it didn't add too much weight.

[Barty]

Sure, I like physical keyboard. The one on my desk! The one on the kindle is pretty horrible. Fortunately, I never use it for anything except search. I'd just as well have a touch screen kbd if it means a smaller, lighter unit, or dare I dream, a bigger screen in the same body.

(All my fingers are amputated and I have these big knobs but still manage to use iPhone and iPad, so I really don't understand what normal people are complanning about with touch screens.)

[kranu]

I personally don't mind the removal of the keyboard, since I rarely use my Kindle anyways. Plus, with a touch screen, the web browser would be a lot easier to use (no 5-way controller to deal with). However, I can see how it can be of use, so I deal with it.

What I think would be best is if they kept the keyboard, but added touch screen support (AND touch sensitive buttons). That way, people would be able to choose. Then again, people will complain about that too.

[wyndslash]

@kranu: people complain about everything but i do like having choices however, if amazon decides to go along with this, i think i'd prefer it to be a separate "edition" of sorts? i mean, if it adds a substantial $$$ to the price, people might get turned off

[kranu]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

@kranu: people complain about everything but i do like having choices however, if amazon decides to go along with this, i think i'd prefer it to be a separate "edition" of sorts? i mean, if it adds a substantial $$$ to the price, people might get turned off

That could work, but it could be very confusing:

• Kindle WiFi
• Kindle WiFi Touch
• Kindle 3G+WiFi
• Kindle 3G+WiFi Touch

• (I know that DX does not have a WiFi model yet, but I think that it's inevitable)
• Kindle DX WiFi
• Kindle DX WiFi Touch
• Kindle DX WiFi+3G
• Kindle DX WiFi+3G Touch

A more practical solution would be to offer a "Touch" edition only in the premium models. For example, you cannot get a white Kindle WiFi; you have to pay $50 for the 3G. Similarly, they could make it so that only the 3G model could support touch.

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by kranu

That could work, but it could be very confusing:

• Kindle WiFi
• Kindle WiFi Touch
• Kindle 3G+WiFi
• Kindle 3G+WiFi Touch

• (I know that DX does not have a WiFi model yet, but I think that it's inevitable)
• Kindle DX WiFi
• Kindle DX WiFi Touch
• Kindle DX WiFi+3G
• Kindle DX WiFi+3G Touch

A more practical solution would be to offer a "Touch" edition only in the premium models. For example, you cannot get a white Kindle WiFi; you have to pay $50 for the 3G. Similarly, they could make it so that only the 3G model could support touch.

yeah, i can see where everyone would just get confused more

i just don't want amazon trying to make its kindle "trendy" or...how shall i say it, everything-all-at-once thing. it's going to be a challenge for them to figure out how to make the screen size bigger without making the overall kindle size bigger and still keep the keyboard, which many people here seem to want to stay. some here have suggested that the keyboard just be a slide-out thing, but it might add to the weight and i wonder if that kind of tech seems more fragile since you keep pushing and pulling it out.

[Yolina]

I find the touchscreen on the Sony 650 very good, so it wouldn't particularly bother me if they used the same on the Kindle and ditched the physical keyboard. I have to say that when I read something on my Kindle just after using the Sony, I sometimes get really annoyed that I have to use the 5 way thingy.

[bZkindle]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

i just don't want amazon trying to make its kindle "trendy" or...how shall i say it, everything-all-at-once thing.

I don't want to see it turn into a tablet either!

[Paulinafrica]

Originally Posted by montalex

Maybe it is just because I am an old fart

I'm also one of those, but I'm very much in favour of a touch screen, providing it's smooth and responsive with a well thought out and intuitive layout.
Cheers
Paul