Quote:
Originally Posted by Alisa
Interesting. I wish they had an image of the case and how it attaches.
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No case, has a slipcover. It's identical to the leaked pics: thinner but fewer features, same price. The lesser functionality will mean that a third party cover will be necessary (and you can't use the one you have, it's the wrong size).
Not a great bargain unless all the rest of the leaked info is completely wrong. Thinner may be sexy to iphone users, but isn't a functional improvement (nor is the much larger case [width/length]) or the ran together keyboard that is further from your thumbs. To be worth the same money, it will need a LOT more features (including keeping a replaceable battery and SD card support with the step backwards in form format (which does appear to be possible, still). Changing up the key size is pretty much a wash, and probably a decrease in usability for some. You still can't grab it anywhere on the edges (as those who try to show how awkward it is, do), but need to hold it by the bottom edge (ie, the keyboard). You can grab it at the top now, but don't know anyone that would (it'll wear out your arms, eventually. The shiny back may get some style points, but is another step backwards over the grabby rubber of the existing battery cover (since there is no case, having it not skid across the table due to a shiny bottom is more important than before, but the material less functional).
The only pluses to the new design, so far: better button placement of the on/off and whispernet controls. Having a button for menu is more intuitive (some people have trouble remembering to press the scroll), but also frees up a line on screen -- which now shows your % thru the book, location and the total number of locations along the top of the dots. Info on the battery and whispernet has moved up top, near the title (instead of book author or the issue date info on magazines or the logo when at Home screen). Having a Home button is a bit overkill (would have been better to have next/prev on both sides and support lefties), but again, some people can't figure out the house pic (they probably don't understand Home either - should have put "booklist" or "catalog" for them). Changing the backspace key to say DEL may confuse those who use computers (ok, 99% of the audience), but does make it clear which button deletes items in the Home menu now.
Hopefully the changes in location of info on the home screen won't mean that the software is entirely incompatible with the original Kindle (none of it is something that could not be supported, at least from appearance). The only "killer" item on most wish lists is probably Folders - and there are no pics to confirm or deny there inclusion.