Quote:
Originally Posted by poshm
Thanks - I have to say this is one of the most fascinating posts on mobileread 
The Kindle 2 has to be one of the ugliest ebook devices - it doesn't have the wow factor when you look at it like the sleek Sony prs-600 does. However it is my favourite reader to use at home - good, clear screen, page buttons either side, keyboard for annotating, being able to buy books and get samples without moving from my chair! And excellent search functionality.
The only minus for me is the lack of folder support but otherwise an excellent device for me.
So - no (for me at least) looks aren't always such a big deal. |
Thanks a lot.
My initial reaction, when unboxing Kindle 2, was utter "shock". A friend was watching me and asked "what's wrong?".
I've had Sony 505 at that point and some other readers and then I got something with the design of a "cheap kitchen tool". But now, similar to you, I see Kindle 2 differently: Efficient and minimalistic.
Problem is, it doesn't have that many features. PDF support is very basic, support of file formats is rather limited. And some other units, originally at the lower end of my list, move forward a bit, shifting some others closer to the end of the list...
It's really tough to rank. You hardly can leave your gut out of the equation. I just never liked BeBook One, although its features are top and so is the display quality. Objectively, I have to rank it higher, but it doesn't reflect my personal feeling.
Basically, my summary would be: Without its looks, the Sony units loose a bit of ground. Not too much, because of some kind of folder support (collections), ePUB or dictionary. iRex 800 (hopefully just for the moment) enormously looses ground, right now it's basically a crippled unit. Nook looses some ground as well, but is "saved" by its low price and excellent webshop - and the 3rd party apps are helping as well.