Never thought I would say this... but I'm a Kindle DX girl now...

purl4peace · 06-11-2009, 06:22 PM

I got my DX today and never thought that I could prefer a device over my beautiful red sony but Amazon has really done a great job with this... I can tell already this is going to be my new primary reader. Here's why:

1. Size. I feel like it is the difference between sleeping in a king size bed vs a twin bed. It really isn't as "bulky" as you would think and the extra real estate on the screen makes a big difference in terms of reading text. Larger text an more white space on a bigger screen means better reading experience because you aren't having to turn pages (and disrupt your reading) as often (not to mention saving battery life with fewer page turns).

2. Screen rotation: Amazon really thought this through. They allow it to rotate 90, 180, 270 degrees. That means if you are a lefty -- you can flip it upside down and have your buttons on the left side. However, they reorient the thumb stick so that the relative direction stays with the orientation if that makes sense. It is really slick.

3. Solid feel: Much more substantial feeling than the smaller kindles. It is probably heavier than the Sony but I don't mind the extra weight -- I've always preferred hardcovers anyway.

I wouldn't have thought it was possible but this screen is actually clearer than the Kindle 2 -- better contrast and sharper lines. Still not quite as good as the Sony but still better than the K2. Again, I wouldn't have thought the short amount of time between the introduction of the K2 and the DX would make a difference.

Overall, I'm very impressed in a way that I wouldn't have expected. I still despise Amazon's book business practices but the koolaid is starting to taste pretty good.

Gideon · 06-11-2009, 06:23 PM

DAMN YOU UPS! GET HERE!!!

AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

GraceKrispy · 06-11-2009, 07:54 PM

ooh... you've piqued my interest, and I'm definitely a sony girl.... Thanks for the review!

Stingo · 06-11-2009, 08:05 PM

Well, I got mine and I'm definitely a Sony guy but...I think I'm in love. The extra real estate on the screen is fantastic. Really feel like a different experience. Comics are sharp and easy to read. Books are a pleasure with far fewer page turns. The contrast on the Sony PRS505 screen is still better but this is pretty good. My only regret was getting the standard cover rather than the neoprene. I think that the standard cover adds too much weight. No regrets here. I hate to say this but I'm going to find it very hard to go back to the little Sony screen.

Kali Yuga · 06-11-2009, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by purl4peace

I still despise Amazon's book business practices but the koolaid is starting to taste pretty good.

Which business practices, by the way?

TheMadBrewer · 06-12-2009, 01:21 AM

Got mine today and so far it seems pretty good. When I ordered it I didn't realize it didn't have buttons on both sides -- I am right handed but have always held the readers (Sony, K2 and now DX) in my left hand. Then I realized I can just hold it upside down and it works fine. The five way controller also realizes its upside down so it works naturally.

The only time I have to flip it right side up is to use the keyboard (which I don't use very often).

That being said, I am a little disappointed in the PDF viewer. If you have a detailed image (such as a map) you can't zoom or pan around. You can to to landscape mode and you will get half the image in a larger size, but if what you want to see is in the middle of the page it will be split between the two pages.

I can live with it though -- the PDF was gravy for me, not the meat. She Who Must Be Obeyed never express much interest in my K2 but I may have to fighter to get my DX back

Acextreme · 06-12-2009, 06:16 AM

Hey, all new Kindle DX owners, I got a question that I need your help in answering to aid my decision-making process. First and foremost, is there a "Go to page..." or "Jump to page..." function where you can specify to go to page 345 immediately rather than having to flip pages one at a time till you reach your desired page? One owner of Kindle 2 seems to mention that this feature is not there though it was in Kindle 1. Could someone verify whether this is there in the Kindle DX?

Second, does the Kindle DX supports (unofficially) the USB Networking accessible after enabling debug mode? Someone mentioned this feature vanished after updating Kindle 2 firmware from 2.0.2 to 2.0.3. So I was wondering if Kindle DX has that unofficial feature?

Third, are there any limitations on the number of bookmarks per book? Can I rename the bookmarks that I make so that it doesn't just appear as bookmark 1, bookmark 2, etc? Pardon me if I sound quite noob but that's because I want to be sure that all the basic features that anyone expects are there rather than assuming it and be disappointed; furthermore, I don't reside in the US so refunding it is going to be tough.

Fourth, when highlighting, I can add annotations or notes to that highlight, right? However, can I add annotations or notes without highlighting? And after you highlight passages in the book, how easy is it to refer back to them? Does it show all the highlights that you have made in a convenient page so that you can click on those highlights and be brought to the relevant pages of the book?

I think that's it for now, thanks in advance for your time in answering my questions.

sirbruce · 06-12-2009, 03:48 PM

1. For PDFs, there is "Go to page". For regular Kindle books, there is a "Go to location", which works the same but since you probably don't know what location you want in the book (locations are not pages, they are every 128 bytes) then it's less useful. But you can always add bookmarks to various places, and most books have a Table of Contents.

2. No idea about USB networking, but I would guess probably not. If so, it would be removed. It wasn't really even an "unofficial feature"; it was a hack.

3. Great question, but I'm not aware of any limits on the number of bookmarks per book. Maybe 100?

4. I have not used highlights and notes often enough to answer your specific questions.

kevindorsey · 06-12-2009, 06:24 PM

People are fast to switch..

purl4peace · 06-12-2009, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevindorsey

People are fast to switch..

A polite way of saying I'm fickle. I'm afraid of what will happen if Sony comes out with a larger reader later this year! I have NO self control!!!!

Nate the great · 06-12-2009, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Which business practices, by the way?

Amazon blackmailed POD publishers last fall.

purl4peace · 06-12-2009, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Which business practices, by the way?

In terms of objectionable business practices:

1. Amazon threatened with website with legal action due to some posters referring to a set of tools which should not be named. These tools were being used to allow users who lawfully purchased content from one bookstore to allow that content to be read on the Kindle -- something Amazon really really doesn't want.

2. Amazon (potentially) abuses the wireless feature to keep tabs on what you have on your reader and making sure you are behaving yourself. When publishers were demanding the TTS feature be disabled, it was believed that Amazon would push an updated copy onto your kindle without your consent. (though I'm not sure if this fear/threat was ever confirmed).

In essences, Amazon wants to create a monopoly on where you get your digital content from (pardon the dangling preposition).

mdibella · 06-13-2009, 11:52 AM

I gotta agree, I am just LOVING this DX. I am a fast reader, very fast, and that tiny screen on the K2 was a problem. I'd scan it so fast that I literally spent more time waiting for page turns than I did reading.

This wonderful DX feels like reading a real book!!!

06-11-2009, 06:22 PM	#1
purl4peace Mommy of Many Interests Posts: 139 Karma: 660 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Wake Forest, NC Device: Kindle DX, Sony PRS-505, Cybook Gen3	Never thought I would say this... but I'm a Kindle DX girl now... I got my DX today and never thought that I could prefer a device over my beautiful red sony but Amazon has really done a great job with this... I can tell already this is going to be my new primary reader. Here's why: 1. Size. I feel like it is the difference between sleeping in a king size bed vs a twin bed. It really isn't as "bulky" as you would think and the extra real estate on the screen makes a big difference in terms of reading text. Larger text an more white space on a bigger screen means better reading experience because you aren't having to turn pages (and disrupt your reading) as often (not to mention saving battery life with fewer page turns). 2. Screen rotation: Amazon really thought this through. They allow it to rotate 90, 180, 270 degrees. That means if you are a lefty -- you can flip it upside down and have your buttons on the left side. However, they reorient the thumb stick so that the relative direction stays with the orientation if that makes sense. It is really slick. 3. Solid feel: Much more substantial feeling than the smaller kindles. It is probably heavier than the Sony but I don't mind the extra weight -- I've always preferred hardcovers anyway. I wouldn't have thought it was possible but this screen is actually clearer than the Kindle 2 -- better contrast and sharper lines. Still not quite as good as the Sony but still better than the K2. Again, I wouldn't have thought the short amount of time between the introduction of the K2 and the DX would make a difference. Overall, I'm very impressed in a way that I wouldn't have expected. I still despise Amazon's book business practices but the koolaid is starting to taste pretty good.

06-12-2009, 06:16 AM	#7
Acextreme Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: none	Hey, all new Kindle DX owners, I got a question that I need your help in answering to aid my decision-making process. First and foremost, is there a "Go to page..." or "Jump to page..." function where you can specify to go to page 345 immediately rather than having to flip pages one at a time till you reach your desired page? One owner of Kindle 2 seems to mention that this feature is not there though it was in Kindle 1. Could someone verify whether this is there in the Kindle DX? Second, does the Kindle DX supports (unofficially) the USB Networking accessible after enabling debug mode? Someone mentioned this feature vanished after updating Kindle 2 firmware from 2.0.2 to 2.0.3. So I was wondering if Kindle DX has that unofficial feature? Third, are there any limitations on the number of bookmarks per book? Can I rename the bookmarks that I make so that it doesn't just appear as bookmark 1, bookmark 2, etc? Pardon me if I sound quite noob but that's because I want to be sure that all the basic features that anyone expects are there rather than assuming it and be disappointed; furthermore, I don't reside in the US so refunding it is going to be tough. Fourth, when highlighting, I can add annotations or notes to that highlight, right? However, can I add annotations or notes without highlighting? And after you highlight passages in the book, how easy is it to refer back to them? Does it show all the highlights that you have made in a convenient page so that you can click on those highlights and be brought to the relevant pages of the book? I think that's it for now, thanks in advance for your time in answering my questions. Last edited by Acextreme; 06-12-2009 at 06:33 AM.

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06-11-2009, 06:23 PM	#2
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	DAMN YOU UPS! GET HERE!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

06-11-2009, 07:54 PM	#3
GraceKrispy It's Dr. Penguin now! Posts: 3,909 Karma: 4705733 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: (USA) Device: iPad mini, Samsung Note 3, Sony PRS-650 (rarely used now)	ooh... you've piqued my interest, and I'm definitely a sony girl.... Thanks for the review!

06-11-2009, 08:05 PM	#4
Stingo Fanatic Posts: 581 Karma: 1334691 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Miami Device: KH2O, KPW2, KDXG, KPW1, K3, S505	Well, I got mine and I'm definitely a Sony guy but...I think I'm in love. The extra real estate on the screen is fantastic. Really feel like a different experience. Comics are sharp and easy to read. Books are a pleasure with far fewer page turns. The contrast on the Sony PRS505 screen is still better but this is pretty good. My only regret was getting the standard cover rather than the neoprene. I think that the standard cover adds too much weight. No regrets here. I hate to say this but I'm going to find it very hard to go back to the little Sony screen.

06-12-2009, 01:21 AM	#6
TheMadBrewer Connoisseur Posts: 50 Karma: 145210 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Device: Kobo Aura Limited Edition, Kindle Voyager.	Got mine today and so far it seems pretty good. When I ordered it I didn't realize it didn't have buttons on both sides -- I am right handed but have always held the readers (Sony, K2 and now DX) in my left hand. Then I realized I can just hold it upside down and it works fine. The five way controller also realizes its upside down so it works naturally. The only time I have to flip it right side up is to use the keyboard (which I don't use very often). That being said, I am a little disappointed in the PDF viewer. If you have a detailed image (such as a map) you can't zoom or pan around. You can to to landscape mode and you will get half the image in a larger size, but if what you want to see is in the middle of the page it will be split between the two pages. I can live with it though -- the PDF was gravy for me, not the meat. She Who Must Be Obeyed never express much interest in my K2 but I may have to fighter to get my DX back

06-12-2009, 03:48 PM	#8
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	1. For PDFs, there is "Go to page". For regular Kindle books, there is a "Go to location", which works the same but since you probably don't know what location you want in the book (locations are not pages, they are every 128 bytes) then it's less useful. But you can always add bookmarks to various places, and most books have a Table of Contents. 2. No idea about USB networking, but I would guess probably not. If so, it would be removed. It wasn't really even an "unofficial feature"; it was a hack. 3. Great question, but I'm not aware of any limits on the number of bookmarks per book. Maybe 100? 4. I have not used highlights and notes often enough to answer your specific questions.

06-12-2009, 06:24 PM	#9
kevindorsey Evangelist Posts: 488 Karma: 258 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: kindle	People are fast to switch..

06-13-2009, 11:52 AM	#13
mdibella Groupie Posts: 193 Karma: 1107 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Infinite Kindles, Occasional Sony's	I gotta agree, I am just LOVING this DX. I am a fast reader, very fast, and that tiny screen on the K2 was a problem. I'd scan it so fast that I literally spent more time waiting for page turns than I did reading. This wonderful DX feels like reading a real book!!!

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