Kindle DXG updates - have contacted the BBC and Watchdog

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by joblack

That's right but where on earth you'll find a similar e-book reader with that display quality and size?

Quite. I left my DXG on a train last week (don't ask...) and if it doesn't turn up (which I don't expect it to ) I will be buying a new one very soon. I looked at the Pocketbook 902, but the VizPlex screen was a dealbreaker; I'm not going back to that.

[avantman42]

Snapply posted the following in another thread. It appears that the DX will still get updates, and they're working on porting the updates from 3.1 to the 2.x firmware:

Originally Posted by Amazon

Customer feedback like yours helps us continue to improve the service we provide, and we're glad you took time to write to us. The Kindle Team will carefully review your message.

We are working hard to have the software update 3.1 for Kindle (2nd Generation) devices. We will soon be sending our next update for Kindle (2nd Generation).

The post is at https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...14#post1395790

[warlock07]

I think some of the users here are more against the updates than Amazon...

[natthayu]

Originally Posted by warlock07

I think some of the users here are more against the updates than Amazon...

they would feel disappointed in the same way if they have bought a dx or dx graphite.

[DiapDealer]

they would feel disappointed in the same way if they have bought a dx or dx graphite.

... and if my aunt had testicles, she'd be my uncle.

[Wolf3]

The DX 2, bizarrely, only has 128MB instead of the 256 in the Kindle 3, even though they came out around the same time, and the DX 2 has an eInk Pearl screen.

So there may be a legitimate hardware reason they can't easily role out the same software to both...the DX 2 is essentially a DX 1 or Kindle 2, it just happens to have an updated eInk Pearl screen.

Now why they'd have a $380 model with old software and half the RAM and introduce a $140 model at around the same time with twice the RAM is beyond me...

I'm kind of guessing they'll have a DX 3 that uses eInk Triton or something (color) this year...maybe. Not sure how well that actually works, but I'd love to have graphic novels and REAL full magazines available, without resorting to an LCD screen, which I love for computers/TVs, but would prefer not to use for books.

[JJanssen]

Originally Posted by warlock07

How do you decide for Amazon?
There are many examples to the contrary.
Of course you would never be disappointed if you are an eternal pessimist.

Update: Just reviewed kindle dxg on Amazon. Gave them a single star

i don't decide anything, I am simply making an observation: DX, no matter whether it is white or grey, is a second generation Kindle which runs the 2.x firmware series, just like K2. Its hardware cannot run the 3.x firmware. there is no way around this (well, except relabeling a 2.x firmware as "3.x for Kindle 2", which would be cheating and doesn't solve anything).

Some of the features from 3.1 may well be backported to 2.x and thus the K2, DX, DXG series, but efforts put into obsolete and niche product software are always going to be smaller than the investments into the flagship, which is the Kindle 3G + WiFi, the K3. Also the hardware capabilities of the second generation platform are simply lower, as others gave mentioned.

Don't get me wrong, I think it'd be great if Amazon would wave it's magic wand and make these problems go away... But that's not going to happen.

I would expect that in six months or so we'll see the fourth generation of the Kindle platform and both 6 and 10 inch versions based on it, and it will be really interesting to see whether they attach an eInk Pearl to it, or if they have found something new, and what. *That* DX will be bang up to date.. But it still won't be the flagship product.

[max99]

Originally Posted by JJanssen

i don't decide anything, I am simply making an observation: DX, no matter whether it is white or grey, is a second generation Kindle which runs the 2.x firmware series, just like K2. Its hardware cannot run the 3.x firmware. there is no way around this (well, except relabeling a 2.x firmware as "3.x for Kindle 2", which would be cheating and doesn't solve anything).

Some of the features from 3.1 may well be backported to 2.x and thus the K2, DX, DXG series, but efforts put into obsolete and niche product software are always going to be smaller than the investments into the flagship, which is the Kindle 3G + WiFi, the K3. Also the hardware capabilities of the second generation platform are simply lower, as others gave mentioned.

Don't get me wrong, I think it'd be great if Amazon would wave it's magic wand and make these problems go away... But that's not going to happen.

I would expect that in six months or so we'll see the fourth generation of the Kindle platform and both 6 and 10 inch versions based on it, and it will be really interesting to see whether they attach an eInk Pearl to it, or if they have found something new, and what. *That* DX will be bang up to date.. But it still won't be the flagship product.

it has half the RAM correct but the DXG was given the same upgraded CPU the K3 has in addition to the pearl screen.

the features the DX community are requesting are minor, it simply isn't credible that less RAM would stop the implementation of darkened PDF text, opening password protected PDF, PDF indexing and book page numbers. the updated web browser would probably be more difficult but nobody is really requesting that.

Duokan can do these things and much more on all Kindle models, irrespective of RAM or processor speed, so why can't Amazon?

It is shoddy support and customer service plain and simple, and utterly indefensible.

[GoversAU]

Originally Posted by max99

...It is shoddy support and customer service plain and simple, and utterly indefensible.

[Wolf3]

Originally Posted by max99

it has half the RAM correct but the DXG was given the same upgraded CPU the K3 has in addition to the pearl screen.

The Kindle 2, 3, and DX 1, 2 (and probably Kindle 1, but I didn't check) all use 532MHz ARM 11s.

Duokan can do these things and much more on all Kindle models, irrespective of RAM or processor speed, so why can't Amazon?

Uuuuummmmmm...hmm.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by Wolf3

The Kindle 2, 3, and DX 1, 2 (and probably Kindle 1, but I didn't check) all use 532MHz ARM 11s.

No, the K3 & DXG have 532 Mhz Freescale i.MX31L's, the older ones (1, 2 & white DX) have 400 Mhz XScale PXA250's.

The DX Graphite is an odd mix between K2 & K3 architecture; it has the 128M RAM of the K2 and original DX, but the 532 MHz CPU of the K3.

[warlock07]

After the 1 star review, they tried to contact me on phone. I couldn't receive the call, but later they sent me a mail asking me to call back. Does this usually happen?

[MichelRenaud]

Originally Posted by warlock07

After the 1 star review, they tried to contact me on phone. I couldn't receive the call, but later they sent me a mail asking me to call back. Does this usually happen?

I've seen people mentioning they had been contacted when I was reading some negative reviews before I bought my DXG. Oftentimes it had to do with a defective device. Amazon wanted to contact them to offer a replacement, stuff like that.

I haven't seen your review, but I hope your 1-star review isn't solely based on the firmware issue. It's not like the device doesn't do what it's supposed to do.

[DiapDealer]

I haven't seen your review, but I hope your 1-star review isn't solely based on the firmware issue. It's not like the device doesn't do what it's supposed to do.

I agree, but unfortunately, the review system on Amazon seems to have been completely subverted by the "One Star Militia" who only want to complain about ebook prices, shipping practices or other misleading and non-review-relevant topics. It's a damn shame really.

[hal2814]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I agree, but unfortunately, the review system on Amazon seems to have been completely subverted by the "One Star Militia" who only want to complain about ebook prices, shipping practices or other misleading and non-review-relevant topics. It's a damn shame really.

When I'm looking for a device, I want to see how the device works and what kind of support it has. Updates are part of support. If I see that a device is still being sold but is taking a back seat to a similar item when it comes to updates, that does ding my impression of the item in question. I see it as a device with one foot in the grave. That doesn't make or break a decision alone, but it's certainly part of the evaluation process. IMHO, 1-star is a bit excessive for that single gripe, but to put it on par with process-related gripes like shipping or price is just silly. That the product is not receiving updates concurrent with the K3 is very much a review-relevant topic.