My New $69 K4 is here!

Blossom · 09-12-2012, 02:32 PM

I just unboxed my new K4B! It comes in a all black Kindle box.

I am in awe! The difference is breathtaking! The background on the K4B is near white just like my K3! Oh I am so happy I've got happy tears going at the moment! *sniff*

The text is black not near black but black and this is using the condensed font.

The front bezel feels like black smooth plastic. It's a much nicer feel and no fingerprints! Very similar to the KF's shiny black. Woot!

The back feels a little more smoother but it's same backing just in black.

The page keys are not stiff at all! Just a little push and it turns the page. They feel is less clicky for lack of description. Now I can turn pages this easy I can read without my cover now if I want and not worry about dropping it with my tiny hands!

The glass is the same but maybe a different tint. It's really hard to tell. They have made some minor but wonderful improvements.

This is not a color trick or illusion as some would claim. The screen contrast between black and white is serious noticeably.

Wow Amazon you have me again!

I will check it to the K3 after I upgrade the firmware. K4B has blacker text than K3 will see if that is still true with 3.4.

Update: 3.4 did improve the K3's text contrast but the K4B is still better in both background and text contrast.

jswinden · 09-12-2012, 02:55 PM

Cool. It sounds like they must have used an updated eInk screen from last year's model. Maybe this K4B is a real upgrade in HW, other than the black bezel.

Blossom · 09-12-2012, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswinden

Cool. It sounds like they must have used an updated eInk screen from last year's model. Maybe this K4B is a real upgrade in HW, other than the black bezel.

The speed is the same. So I don't notice any difference there. I haven't put my font back on but plan to give it a try and see if I still need it. It's currently indexing 135 books.

It's nice not having a grey background anymore.

the old one always looked dingy. This one is clean and clear!
I will add pics later I'm running on 3 hours of sleep. Total sleep in 3 days is probably 9 hours. So my typing it all over the place.

I'm love my new Kindle!

eSheri · 09-12-2012, 03:08 PM

Congrats!!!! Enjoy!!!

JSWolf · 09-12-2012, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

The speed is the same. So I don't notice any difference there. I haven't put my font back on but plan to give it a try and see if I still need it. It's currently indexing 135 books.

It's nice not having a grey background anymore.

the old one always looked dingy. This one is clean and clear!
I will add pics later I'm running on 3 hours of sleep. Total sleep in 3 days is probably 9 hours. So my typing it all over the place.

I'm love my new Kindle!

Time to try the fonts I sent you.

andyh2000 · 09-12-2012, 03:12 PM

I ordered two (here in the UK it's the £69 Kindle) and they're due tomorrow. Excited now! After 4 years and 4 devices I'm jumping ship from Sony - I finally got fed up with managing books and 'last read' positions manually across my work reader, my home reader and my phone. Looking forward to that whispersync goodness...

Andrew

Blossom · 09-12-2012, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyh2000

I ordered two (here in the UK it's the £69 Kindle) and they're due tomorrow. Excited now! After 4 years and 4 devices I'm jumping ship from Sony - I finally got fed up with managing books and 'last read' positions manually across my work reader, my home reader and my phone. Looking forward to that whispersync goodness...

Andrew

Oh you're gonna be in love with your new Kindles! Whispersync is why I will always be a Kindle user even though get this....I prefer epub.

The ability to email a book to my Kindles is must and now we have syncing on Personal Documents it's perfect!

Blossom · 09-12-2012, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Time to try the fonts I sent you.

I will try it with the K4S. I may just got back to default on the K4B it's really is nice and black.

I have to say the black bezel makes the K4 looks sleek and IMO Sexy!

Hubby thinks I'm nuts to call a device that but

I'm a girl so I like pretty things. The silver bezel just looks cold and mechanical. The black looks so much nicer. Now I want a new case! My case it too ratty and not black enough for this pretty baby.

jswinden · 09-12-2012, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

I will try it with the K4S. I may just got back to default on the K4B it's really is nice and black.

I have to say the black bezel makes the K4 looks sleek and IMO Sexy!

Hubby thinks I'm nuts to call a device that but

I'm a girl so I like pretty things. The silver bezel just looks cold and mechanical. The black looks so much nicer. Now I want a new case! My case it too ratty and not black enough for this pretty baby.

Is it a matt black finish so that it doesn't glare or show fingerprints?

DustyDisks · 09-12-2012, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

I will try it with the K4S. I may just got back to default on the K4B it's really is nice and black.

I have to say the black bezel makes the K4 looks sleek and IMO Sexy!

Hubby thinks I'm nuts to call a device that but

I'm a girl so I like pretty things. The silver bezel just looks cold and mechanical. The black looks so much nicer. Now I want a new case! My case it too ratty and not black enough for this pretty baby.

Congrats!

Well new toys DO need to be pampered!

Blossom · 09-12-2012, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswinden

Is it a matt black finish so that it doesn't glare or show fingerprints?

Yes it's Matte. No glare problems that I can tell of. The fingerprint problem on the silver is fixed with the black bezel. I was always wiping my other down because of it.

Blossom · 09-12-2012, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DustyDisks

Congrats!

Well new toys DO need to be pampered!

I took a lint roller to my case. It looks a little better. I have Mareware case that I wouldn't buy again because of the staining issue. My K4S has black stains on the back from some kind of chemical reaction. I love the case though it has a hand hold and I love that feature!

soulfuldog · 09-12-2012, 03:50 PM

I'm almost more tempted by this Kindle than the Paperwhite.....

s4nder · 09-12-2012, 03:53 PM

I hope some new cheap units with improved screens but no touch, light or other gimmicks will be developed as a successors for K3 and 4. They're functionally perfect but could benefit from a better screen.

That said, an attractive price like 69$ will convince at least a few of my friends to go for a Kindle as it is.

Blossom · 09-12-2012, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by l_macd

I'm almost more tempted by this Kindle than the Paperwhite.....

For $69 the temptation is worth the risk.

I don't know if everyone remembers how disappointed I was with the K4S when I got it. I had to exchange it because the background was really grey. The background on the replacement was a little lighter but the dingy grey cast was always there. I finally found a tolerance for it after finding a custom font that was dark enough for me to read comfortably. I had many people come to me with the same screen problem.

Some tried to say we were seeing things.

They even measured the colors on their K4s, made Photoshop graphics to demonstrate it was the bezels' fault. I bought a $20 dollar black skin and put it on only to have the dingy screen now look dirty and no real difference in the text. I took it off. It was worth a shot. I finally just learned to live with it.

The K4B has renewed my faith in the Kindle line. Amazon has listened to our complaints and they have addressed this issue. A bezel changed, some hardware changes and maybe screen/glass tint...what I don't know but I can't believe I'm saying this but the contrast is better than my K3!

I'm a one happy Kindle user now!

I wont miss the K3 either now I have something with better contrast. I'm still getting the PW though.

09-12-2012, 02:32 PM	#1
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	My New $69 K4 is here! I just unboxed my new K4B! It comes in a all black Kindle box. I am in awe! The difference is breathtaking! The background on the K4B is near white just like my K3! Oh I am so happy I've got happy tears going at the moment! sniff The text is black not near black but *black* and this is using the condensed font. The front bezel feels like black smooth plastic. It's a much nicer feel and no fingerprints! Very similar to the KF's shiny black. Woot! The back feels a little more smoother but it's same backing just in black. The page keys are not stiff at all! Just a little push and it turns the page. They feel is less clicky for lack of description. Now I can turn pages this easy I can read without my cover now if I want and not worry about dropping it with my tiny hands! The glass is the same but maybe a different tint. It's really hard to tell. They have made some minor but wonderful improvements. This is not a color trick or illusion as some would claim. The screen contrast between black and white is serious noticeably. Wow Amazon you have me again! I will check it to the K3 after I upgrade the firmware. K4B has blacker text than K3 will see if that is still true with 3.4. Update: 3.4 did improve the K3's text contrast but the K4B is still better in both background and text contrast. Last edited by Blossom; 09-12-2012 at 11:40 PM.

09-12-2012, 03:53 PM	#14
s4nder Connoisseur Posts: 75 Karma: 546874 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Aura One	I hope some new cheap units with improved screens but no touch, light or other gimmicks will be developed as a successors for K3 and 4. They're functionally perfect but could benefit from a better screen. That said, an attractive price like 69$ will convince at least a few of my friends to go for a Kindle as it is. Last edited by s4nder; 09-12-2012 at 03:56 PM.

09-12-2012, 02:55 PM	#2
jswinden Nameless Being	Cool. It sounds like they must have used an updated eInk screen from last year's model. Maybe this K4B is a real upgrade in HW, other than the black bezel.

09-12-2012, 03:08 PM	#4
eSheri Addict Posts: 323 Karma: 1015098 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Middle of the US Device: K3+3G, Sony 350, Kindle Fire HD, iPad Mini	Congrats!!!! Enjoy!!!

09-12-2012, 03:12 PM	#6
andyh2000 Avid reader Posts: 880 Karma: 6399168 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: UK Device: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 / Kindle Paperwhite / TCL Nxtpaper 14	I ordered two (here in the UK it's the £69 Kindle) and they're due tomorrow. Excited now! After 4 years and 4 devices I'm jumping ship from Sony - I finally got fed up with managing books and 'last read' positions manually across my work reader, my home reader and my phone. Looking forward to that whispersync goodness... Andrew

09-12-2012, 03:50 PM	#13
soulfuldog I ♥ Calibre Posts: 2,073 Karma: 5678911 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Voyage, Sony PRS-350, Hudl2	I'm almost more tempted by this Kindle than the Paperwhite.....

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