Kindle Paper white Technology

[jbcohen]

Rather than another thread about Paper white speculation I would rather ask has anyone seen any news reports about new technologies that may be included in the new model of paper whites? I have been hearing some news reports about flexible screens and possibly a 30% faster processor. For one I think it would be interesting if my paper white could bend and flex to fit into those tiny spaces in my brief case.

Nothing earth shattering. A snail that is 30% faster is still a freaking slow as heck snail! Flexible screens might be cool, but they won't improve the resolution or quality of what is quickly becoming a very low resolution screen compared to other screen technologies.

Without any true competition, don't expect much innovation from Amazon. They have no reason to innovate when they have no direct competitor. They could can simply use marketing speak and make a very slight improvement sound big, and many will flock to buy it. Ooooooooo! They changed the logo--gotta have, gotta have!

[soondai]

I think they have it pretty close to right at this point. Waterproof, higher contrast, no shatter screen would all be nice, but the darn things work for what I want. Can't imagine I'd upgrade at this point unless I accidently immersed, twisted, etc the PW1 that I have.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Nothing earth shattering. A snail that is 30% faster is still a freaking slow as heck snail! Flexible screens might be cool, but they won't improve the resolution or quality of what is quickly becoming a very low resolution screen compared to other screen technologies.

Without any true competition, don't expect much innovation from Amazon. They have no reason to innovate when they have no direct competitor. They could can simply use marketing speak and make a very slight improvement sound big, and many will flock to buy it. Ooooooooo! They changed the logo--gotta have, gotta have!

I skipped the KPW2, as my KPW1's screen was already 95% perfect (it has some small shadows on the very bottom of the screen which doesn't bother me, as I only see them in complete darkness, using very low light levels).

The firmware improvements of the KPW2 have been backported, so the only real improvement of the KPW2 is the 25% faster CPU. That doesn't cut it for me.

To be honest, there isn't much more I'd want in an e-reader that doesn't improve the reading experience directly. If Amazon would either...

- Keep the KPW3 exactly as it is now, except at 6.8 or even 7 inch (in 4:3 format) using a resolution that ups the screen to 300 dpi
- Build Kobo-like customizations of fonts and margins and such into the reader

... then I would seriously consider it.

If the only improvement is "We improved the front-light another 5%, made the CPU 20% faster and added some stuff to the Goodreads part", I'll skip this one as well.

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I skipped the KPW2, as my KPW1's screen was already 95% perfect (it has some small shadows on the very bottom of the screen which doesn't bother me, as I only see them in complete darkness, using very low light levels).

The firmware improvements of the KPW2 have been backported, so the only real improvement of the KPW2 is the 25% faster CPU. That doesn't cut it for me.

To be honest, there isn't much more I'd want in an e-reader that doesn't improve the reading experience directly. If Amazon would either...

- Keep the KPW3 exactly as it is now, except at 6.8 or even 7 inch (in 4:3 format) using a resolution that ups the screen to 300 dpi
- Build Kobo-like customizations of fonts and margins and such into the reader

... then I would seriously consider it.

If the only improvement is "We improved the front-light another 5%, made the CPU 20% faster and added some stuff to the Goodreads part", I'll skip this one as well.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree...I view reading on a PW1/2 as like watching TV on an old VGA standard TV. The resolution would suck and so would the image quality. EInk is so behind the curve as to be little more than a joke. The only thing that makes it usable at all is its ability to work in direct sunlight. And the PWs have the most gawd awful screen I've seen on a reader since the Sony PRS-700 introduced Mr. Magoo Vision.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by jswinden

EInk is so behind the curve as to be little more than a joke. The only thing that makes it usable at all is its ability to work in direct sunlight.

I don't care if e-ink is behind the curve. Being usable in direct sunlight is the only thing that really matters to me, as about 50% of my reading is done on the go, waiting for, or sitting in public transport.

I don't care about any frills either: Goodreads, asocial media integration, collections, SD expansion... It all doesn't matter to me. The only thing that matters on top of being usable everywhere, is customization of the reading experience (fonts, margins, page numbers, etc). This latter point is the reason why I keep looking at the Kobo's. Maybe I should just go take a look at an Aura HD H2O.

And the PWs have the most gawd awful screen I've seen on a reader since the Sony PRS-700 introduced Mr. Magoo Vision.

In that case, you've been unlucky. My KPW1 screen is almost perfect, and a huge step upward of the screen my Touch had.

[jbcohen]

I have also heard about lower power requirements for the new generation of processors meaning that the battery will last longer than it has in previous models, which has already been quite good. I am not hearing anything new in the firmware since amazon integrated Goodreads into the firmware. If they optimized the firmware to run faster that might be a step forward.

[JoHunt]

Originally Posted by jswinden

And the PWs have the most gawd awful screen I've seen on a reader since the Sony PRS-700 introduced Mr. Magoo Vision.

My screen is crystal clear. Perhaps a visit to your eye doctor would help Oh I forgot - your only interest in the PW is to bash it.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Nothing earth shattering. A snail that is 30% faster is still a freaking slow as heck snail! Flexible screens might be cool, but they won't improve the resolution or quality of what is quickly becoming a very low resolution screen compared to other screen technologies.

Without any true competition, don't expect much innovation from Amazon. They have no reason to innovate when they have no direct competitor. They could can simply use marketing speak and make a very slight improvement sound big, and many will flock to buy it. Ooooooooo! They changed the logo--gotta have, gotta have!

Just how high of resolution do you need to read text anyways?

[mystika1]

Originally Posted by jswinden

They could can simply use marketing speak and make a very slight improvement sound big, and many will flock to buy it. Ooooooooo!

Reminds me of apple products. no expansion, hardly any improvement that justifies the price. You don't see any reason why people would buy a paperwhite and I see no reason why anyone would buy an overpriced, overhyped idevice. We are even. I use my paperwhite daily. My tablets get left alone to collect dust. I hate reading on shiney screens that suck at battery life.

[HYPE]

Originally Posted by jswinden

And the PWs have the most gawd awful screen I've seen on a reader since the Sony PRS-700 introduced Mr. Magoo Vision.

Weird. I had a Nook STR, a Kindle (basic model, black version) and now I read on a Kindle Paperwhite. Personally I feel the latter has the best display out of the three.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by mystika1

Reminds me of apple products. no expansion, hardly any improvement that justifies the price. You don't see any reason why people would buy a paperwhite and I see no reason why anyone would buy an overpriced, overhyped idevice. We are even. I use my paperwhite daily. My tablets get left alone to collect dust. I hate reading on shiney screens that suck at battery life.

....er, though I did pick up an iPad mini in a package deal from QVC (a weak moment and ez-pay), it's nice but I don't read on it.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Nothing earth shattering. A snail that is 30% faster is still a freaking slow as heck snail! Flexible screens might be cool, but they won't improve the resolution or quality of what is quickly becoming a very low resolution screen compared to other screen technologies.

Without any true competition, don't expect much innovation from Amazon. They have no reason to innovate when they have no direct competitor. They could can simply use marketing speak and make a very slight improvement sound big, and many will flock to buy it. Ooooooooo! They changed the logo--gotta have, gotta have!

30% faster is still faster. Do you want slower or the same? Also, flexible would mean no more glass and not so easy to break when dropped or bashed.

What to you would make an eInk Reader actually good?

[JoHunt]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What to you would make an eInk Reader actually good?

This would sure do it for me

[BenG]

That would be awkward on the bus.