Disappointed with K3

[sbtx99]

You know, I've owned three Sony devices (prs-505, prs-300, prs-600) and never really used collections on those because they didn't let you maintain collections on the device. For me personally, it just wasn't worth the effort.

My prs-600 does offer a cover art view. I'd like to use the cover art view, I really would, but I never do because it's just too slow loading images. And despite its lack of functionality, I prefer my plain vanilla prs-300 over my prs-600 because of screen clarity.

It would be great if they all had more sophisticated software, allowing them to be a complete library management tool. But I also realize e-ink is a relatively new technology, still in its infancy. Other than the prs-600, none of my previous e-ink devices have had search capabilities, dictionary lookups, highlighting, or note-taking. None of them had the ability to change to a sans serif font, or offered wifi and syncing locations across devices. At this point, I'm just glad my K3 has the capabilities it has, especially the functions that enhance my reading experience.

[sbtx99]

I guess it all boils down to how someone uses their device.

My reader is my TBR pile and I usually have 50 to 100 books on it. As soon as I'm done with a book, I remove it from the device. So a few simple collections are all I need. But I can see how a more sophisticated collection or folder management system would be important for someone who keeps more books on their device.

As for me, I typically read across three devices: my reader, my iPod Touch, and my Android phone. So for the way I use my device, the wi-fi, syncing across devices, and search function are the most important features.

[jlmwrite]

Originally Posted by sbtx99

As for me, I typically read across three devices: my reader, my iPod Touch, and my Android phone. So for the way I use my device, the wi-fi, syncing across devices, and search function are the most important features.

Absolutely! My other regret is that there isn't a Kindle app for Windows Mobile. Until I got my shiny new K3, I'd done 98% of my e-reading on my Windows Mobile-based phone courtesy of MobiPocket with the precious little remainder done directly on my laptop while on conference calls. I don't do Apple products since Steve Jobs became the grinch who stole technology individuality, and until AT&T has an Android phone with a full-size screen I'm staying with my trusty Tilt 2 and WinMo 6.5.x.

I would LOVE Whispernet syncing my K3, my laptop, and my phone! Not really pointing fingers at Amazon this time, but they did a Crackberry app and left out us loyal WinMo users...

[Sischa]

If you want "wow" with "readability for the show not for the pro" = the iPad is your best friend

If you want serious reading experience with a professional reading setup but less shiny show factor = the K3 with its pearl screen is your best friend

I would say you'll have to make a decision here.

[jlmwrite]

Originally Posted by Sischa

If you want "wow" with "readability for the show not for the pro" = the iPad is your best friend

If you want serious reading experience with a professional reading setup but less shiny show factor = the K3 with its pearl screen is your best friend

I would say you'll have to make a decision here.

Oh, I made my decision -- no way I'm drinking the Apple Kool-Aid and buying the locked-down iPad. Yeh, it's slick (give credit where credit is due) but it's HUGE, unwieldy, hard to read outside, rather delicate, has the built-in Apple luxury tax and just doesn't fit my lifestyle at all. Love my Windows phone with all its apps (including MobiPocket), and love my Kindle.

Apparently I'm in the very small camp of folks who want to carry around my entire collection of books with me. I can't be the only person who used to keep one book on my nightstand, one in my car, one in my briefcase, one in my desk drawer at work, and a medical journal or two open and read them all simultaneously.

I now use my phone (and now my Kindle) the same way. Even with my ICU schedule, I still average 4 books a week. And let's not forget that collection of old favorites I re-read 5 or 6 times a year.

With that, a wee bit of flash to add to the usability doesn't seem to me to be an unreasonable request!

[TallMomof2]

I still want true folders but I've read that Bezos doesn't like folders. 2 or even multi level collections would be nice. Book cover thumbnails are something else I miss. Neither lack or folders or cover pictures are enough to offset everything I love about my Kindle. The screen, the dictionary and easy-peasy book purchases are what are more important to me.

[foghat]

Originally Posted by jlmwrite

Oh, I made my decision -- no way I'm drinking the Apple Kool-Aid and buying the locked-down iPad. Yeh, it's slick (give credit where credit is due) but it's HUGE, unwieldy, hard to read outside, rather delicate, has the built-in Apple luxury tax and just doesn't fit my lifestyle at all. Love my Windows phone with all its apps (including MobiPocket), and love my Kindle.

Apparently I'm in the very small camp of folks who want to carry around my entire collection of books with me. I can't be the only person who used to keep one book on my nightstand, one in my car, one in my briefcase, one in my desk drawer at work, and a medical journal or two open and read them all simultaneously.

I now use my phone (and now my Kindle) the same way. Even with my ICU schedule, I still average 4 books a week. And let's not forget that collection of old favorites I re-read 5 or 6 times a year.

With that, a wee bit of flash to add to the usability doesn't seem to me to be an unreasonable request!

I agree with you 100%. I would very much like to see at least some sort of cover view. And there definitely needs to be better sorting and collection management.

I find the current collection sort option absolutely useless. When I select, sort by Collection, why the heck does it sort my collections by most recently read? It is fubar. and the fact that the collection sort includes books not in collections at the bottom of the list - that is not sorting by collection.

One of Amazon's big marketing things is the Kindle can hold 3500 books - ya, good luck with that with the current sorting options.

[jondelfin]

Surely you would not rather have to go through 200 pictures of book covers and try to decipher what each one is!!??

[jondelfin]

Even though I may have many books on the Kindle and a daily newspaper - realistically I never read more than 2 or three books at a time so they are always there on the first page of the home screen so it is not an issue

[DiapDealer]

Surely you would not rather have to go through 200 pictures of book covers and try to decipher what each one is!!??

If there were any more than four covers to a page, they'd be too small for my eyes to make out what book I was looking at.

[EldRick]

If Amazon was really focused on the reading experience, they would have implemented features to improve readability, such as:

- Enabling the Left Justification choice, for which the code has been in there for a year or more,

- Allowing user-set fine control of line spacing and margins rather than three mediocre choices,

- Providing for more than three seriously-lacking fonts,

- Allowing override of font choices set by publishers, so that many of the cheap books they offer don't have to be read in mono-spaced Courier font.

I am personally disappointed at how little of the potential for readability Amazon has actually enhanced in the last two years.

[foghat]

Originally Posted by jondelfin

Surely you would not rather have to go through 200 pictures of book covers and try to decipher what each one is!!??

It is called having options:

http://www.mobilemag.com/2010/04/08/...bo-ereader-08/

Many ereaders have a cover view option, it is silly the kindle does not.

In the kobo cover view, there are 12 covers to a page - I only get 10 items per page on the kindle's 'list' view.....

[desertblues]

Originally Posted by foghat

I agree with you 100%. I would very much like to see at least some sort of cover view. And there definitely needs to be better sorting and collection management.

I find the current collection sort option absolutely useless. When I select, sort by Collection, why the heck does it sort my collections by most recently read? It is fubar. and the fact that the collection sort includes books not in collections at the bottom of the list - that is not sorting by collection.

One of Amazon's big marketing things is the Kindle can hold 3500 books - ya, good luck with that with the current sorting options.

I don't mind having no cover view. I have a collection called ' Reading' with about 10 books I'm reading now. My other books (2000 ca.)I've sorted in about 20 collections. It's a bit of work; but once it's done, I'm good. Also gave me the opportunity to reread and select some 'forgotten' books.
If I have + 100 books in a collection I'll make two of them( like A-H, I-Z etc.).
I only have 2 or 3 series though, so sorting and finding the books is relatively easy for me.
I'd like some more time to read; that's all.

[ManosHandsOfFate]

Originally Posted by wongdong

97% of the time I use an ebook reader I am reading a book.

More like 99% for me. All I need from the Kindle is an efficient way to find and get to the text of the book. If book cover pictures get me there faster that's fine. If an ugly text interface works best, that's fine too.

[ProfCrash]

I have over 400 books on my DXG and have no problem finding what I want. I simply built my collections in a manner that made sense to me. I have catergories labelled Read and To Be Read folder for each genre as I define it. Then I have a folder titled Reading for books that are in my immediate to be read pile.

I don't use funky characters or tricks to sort mine. I simply created folders that made sense to me.

ETA: The cover art is there, click on a book and you will see it. I get that some people would like to see the book covers when chosing a book to read, I am fine with the title and author. It would be nice to have the option but in the end, you are going to chose the book to read from your device based on the title found in the cover art.