Quote:
Originally Posted by Zarich
I was looking at the sony 350 today (being the 650 is MIA everywhere) and I noted it was only aluminum on front and back but the entire sides of the unit was plastic.
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The 350 is more compact, and with a metal parts it does use, it's still a pretty solid little unit.
The main issue with the Kindle is that it's so long and thin, and it's plastic doesn't seem to be a high strength FRP material, just cheap thermoplastic.
Even these low cost plastic materials are amazingly strong if the cross section is a little thicker; witness the typical TV remote that can survive being sat on; but when you have something like the Kindle that is only 8mm thick then you have to adjust your expectations accordingly.
With my Sony 650, I worry about falling asleep with the device in bed because if you roll over on it, and have the misfortune to get an elbow on the screen, and exert enough pressure, you could end up with a cracked screen.
With the Kindle this is about 10 times the concern, because you not only have to all the same worries as the Sony about the equally vulnerable glass screen getting cracked, but also about the much more flimsy plastic case. Even if the Kindle is face down and the screen protected against the mattress, the back of the unit could crack like an egg if you roll over on it with any significant pressure.