MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Disappointed with K3

jlmwrite · 10-06-2010, 05:33 PM

(Disclaimer: Part of this post appeared in another post earlier today.)

So when I brought home a shiny new K3 last week and posted my initial thoughts on it, primarily how disappointed I was by the lack of a bookshelf view and the primitive collection management. A day or two later, I went to B&N and was persuaded by a VERY knowledgeable and helpful clerk to bring home a nook.

One of the things about the nook that really struck my fancy was the LCD screen, particularly the coverflow ("Show covers") feature. I really hate that my K3 doesn't show cover art thumbnails anywhere. Alas, the coolness factor of that wore off very quickly. With a few hundred books loaded, the coverflow has a definite lag. The LCD screen, as with most LCD screens -- fades away to the point of being useless in the sunlight. When I turn on the nook to resume reading where I left off, the LCD screen distracts me more that anything shiny does to my missus' cats.

There have been a number of debates on weights of the various e-readers to each other and to a hardback novel. I think my K3 is a bit lighter (without the lighted case, that is) than the nook. Perhaps not to you, but I do feel a difference when reading one-handed in bed.

I'd initially noted that I thought the page turns were about the same but after a while I realize the delay on the nook is slightly longer and more annoying than it is on the K3. Mind you, the difference is probably measurable in milliseconds but it's still noticeable when switching back and forth between the two readers.

The K3's graphite case fades away while the shiny white iplastic bezel on the nook (and presumably on the white K3, to be fair) reflects glare, especially when using the cover's attached LED light. The pearl e-ink display on the K3 really does look better and offers better contrast. Some letters on the nook (especially the lower case "d") aren't well-formed and the contrast is striking after long periods of reading.

I'm still disappointed with the limitations on collections management on the K3 but the nook fares no better here. The e-pub format will probably still emerge the winner in a few years but at that point my K3 will be ancient history. Besides, I can convert all those MOBI formatted files to e-pub, thanks to calibre. I would truly appreciate a bookshelf view and I know that thumbnail cover art can easily be displayed.

All in all, I bonded better with my K3 than with the nook. And yes, I really do like it!

10-06-2010, 05:33 PM	#1
jlmwrite Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 13398 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Golden, Colorado Device: Samsung Tab S8.4, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge	Disappointed with K3 - Redux (Disclaimer: Part of this post appeared in another post earlier today.) So when I brought home a shiny new K3 last week and posted my initial thoughts on it, primarily how disappointed I was by the lack of a bookshelf view and the primitive collection management. A day or two later, I went to B&N and was persuaded by a VERY knowledgeable and helpful clerk to bring home a nook. One of the things about the nook that really struck my fancy was the LCD screen, particularly the coverflow ("Show covers") feature. I really hate that my K3 doesn't show cover art thumbnails anywhere. Alas, the coolness factor of that wore off very quickly. With a few hundred books loaded, the coverflow has a definite lag. The LCD screen, as with most LCD screens -- fades away to the point of being useless in the sunlight. When I turn on the nook to resume reading where I left off, the LCD screen distracts me more that anything shiny does to my missus' cats. There have been a number of debates on weights of the various e-readers to each other and to a hardback novel. I think my K3 is a bit lighter (without the lighted case, that is) than the nook. Perhaps not to you, but I do feel a difference when reading one-handed in bed. I'd initially noted that I thought the page turns were about the same but after a while I realize the delay on the nook is slightly longer and more annoying than it is on the K3. Mind you, the difference is probably measurable in milliseconds but it's still noticeable when switching back and forth between the two readers. The K3's graphite case fades away while the shiny white iplastic bezel on the nook (and presumably on the white K3, to be fair) reflects glare, especially when using the cover's attached LED light. The pearl e-ink display on the K3 really does look better and offers better contrast. Some letters on the nook (especially the lower case "d") aren't well-formed and the contrast is striking after long periods of reading. I'm still disappointed with the limitations on collections management on the K3 but the nook fares no better here. The e-pub format will probably still emerge the winner in a few years but at that point my K3 will be ancient history. Besides, I can convert all those MOBI formatted files to e-pub, thanks to calibre. I would truly appreciate a bookshelf view and I know that thumbnail cover art can easily be displayed. All in all, I bonded better with my K3 than with the nook. And yes, I really do like it!