On K4 Pins & Needles!!

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

...touch screen navigation has just never come naturally or easily for me, so I prefer my devices to NOT have it...

i agree and adding my 2 cents:

I HATE TOUCHING MY SCREEN(s) with anything other than a lint-free cloth!!! (and i'll break your fingers if you do [touch MY screen])

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Gee Jon... same questions to you...

Have you tried a Kindle with a keypad?
Have you tried a Kindle without ePub?
If you have what did you dislike?

Seriously, everyone has different likes and dislikes. What is important to one is not to the other. What bothers one person doesn't bother someone else. Even if your questions are answered you will discard them because they do not fit into your views of how things should work.

BOb

I have plenty of experience with Mobipocket. I also have plenty of experience converting from Mobipocket and sometimes it's quite easy and other times it's a nightmare.

I find that I can type quite well with an on-screen keyboard. I have access to three of them. 650, iPhone 3G, & iPad. Sometimes, with the smallish keys, it's actually easier to make typos.

Now what I think would be quite interesting is to have IR Touch with the on-screen keyboard and the ability to use an external keyboard plugged into the USB port. That would be different.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by lunixer

Finally, it's a gimmick, and likely one that will increase the cost of the device.

I do think touch is here to stay. So like it or not, we will have to deal. I feel the K4 will be going touch and the physical keyboard isn't long for this world.

[JSWolf]

Now I am getting a good feel for why Touch is not liked. The biggest reason is fingerprints.

I think to satisfy everyone enough, it will add cost. We would need to have a controller/enter like Sony had on the 505 and page turn buttons. But for using the keyboard, that would have to be touch only.

[DiapDealer]

Now I am getting a good feel for why Touch is not liked. The biggest reason is fingerprints.

Seriously?!? That's all you got from this exercise?
Go back and read again.

[BeccaPrice]

I have a Kindle and a Sony 350 - and I find I use my Kindle and the Sony not at all. I like much about the Sony better than the Kindle, but I find I resent taking my hands off the bezel to swipe to turn the page - it's much easier just to twitch my thumb. Yeah, the Sony has buttons for page turns, but they're awkwardly placed.

on the other hand, I resented when my word processor switched to primarily mouse use rather than keyboard commands (although I still use key commands for things like cut and paste), for exactly the same reason: I resent taking my hands off the keyboard, it seems slower and more awkward. So maybe I'm just a luddite at heart.

[Harmon]

I find that if I use my left hand for the fries and my right hand for the swiping, I don't get fingerprints on my Sony 350/650. Oddly, if I do it the other way around, I get ketchup on the screen. This is particularly strange, because I eat my fries with mayonnaise, since they are French. ("Mayonnaise" is French for mayonnaise.)

[Harmon]

Having disposed of the fingerprint issue, I turned my attention to the question of what it would take for me to give my K3 to some deserving person and buy a K4.

I can only think of two things that might cause me to upgrade: better resolution (fonts & screen whiteness) and a smaller form factor with no loss of screen territory. If I got them both, I'd probably buy.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Harmon

I find that if I use my left hand for the fries and my right hand for the swiping, I don't get fingerprints on my Sony 350/650. Oddly, if I do it the other way around, I get ketchup on the screen. This is particularly strange, because I eat my fries with mayonnaise, since they are French. ("Mayonnaise" is French for mayonnaise.)

Your skin does naturally have oils that get deposited on stuff you touch. It it didn't your skin wouldn't be very pliable.

BOb

[blue_skies]

I would like:

- a higher screen resolution

- a more powerful processor

- more features for the mp3 player - being able to access specific tracks etc.

- longer battery life (although it's already pretty great)

- improved PDF reading


I doubt they would do this, as most people would probably want a touch screen Kindle to be smaller... but I would love if it were the same total size, but with a screen that is even wider landscape view than it is currently. That would make my PDFs so much more readable.

When I first got the K3, I really hated the page turn buttons because I was constantly turning the page unintentionally. I still do, but since I read on my side in bed, I use landscape mode and the buttons are on the top and bottom, which works much better for me. I don't accidentally turn the page as often as I used to and it's easier to hold.

I also really hope they continue to offer free 3G service. I don't use it much, but love having the option available when I need it.

Does anyone know when Amazon is likely to announce the next Kindle? I remember reading some mention about stockholder meetings or something. Is there something like that coming up this month?

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by blue_skies

Does anyone know when Amazon is likely to announce the next Kindle? I remember reading some mention about stockholder meetings or something. Is there something like that coming up this month?

Well, there has been much speculation that they are coming out with an LCD based tablet like device. I'm not sure if they will brand it Kindle or not. However, I have heard very little about a new model eInk Kindle at all. So... that makes me think the Kindle Color or LCD or Kindle Tablet will be the thing we see in time for this Christmas season... they missed the back to school season.

BOb

[eSheri]

With the K2 & K3 looking so similar, does anyone feel there will be a substantial body change??

[nesler]

Originally Posted by eSheri

With the K2 & K3 looking so similar, does anyone feel there will be a substantial body change??

Huh? Frankly, I think they look quite a bit different. There's less of a difference than there was between the Kindle 1 and Kindle 2, but the differences are still substantial.

If the rumors that suggest that there's going to be a touchscreen and non-touchscreen version of the Kindle 4 hold up, I think the K4 will look pretty similar to the K3, moreso than the K2 and K3 look like one another. It can't get much smaller and still have a keyboard. However, the touchscreen K4 will be positively tiny, with the loss of the keyboard.

[Barty]

I never type anything on the k3 except for search. I don't take notes on it for the same reason I don't poke myself with sharp things -- it's not very productive. My wish is to get rid of keyboard, keep the page buttons, keep the dpad, enter, home, and back buttons. This way, I can do those things that are easier / quicker with touch by touching, and those things that are easier / quicker with the keys by keying. I'm interested in practicality, not design purity or religious wars. Without the keyboard, you can increase to 7" screen, keep same weight and overall size. This is what I want to see in the "higher" model. I'll be willing to pay more (but not Sony more). Keep 6" keyboard version for kbd fans. Everyone will be happy. Okay, _I_ will be happy.

I think increasing contrast with a lighter background will make a much bigger difference than increasing resolution, unless you can do a huge jump in res to get 300dpi+. But it looks like neither is going to happen this year.

[DiapDealer]

Without the keyboard, you can increase to 7" screen, keep same weight and overall size. This is what I want to see in the "higher" model. I'll be willing to pay more (but not Sony more). Keep 6" keyboard version for kbd fans. Everyone will be happy. Okay, _I_ will be happy.

I'd have no issue with that scenario at all, but what's the likelihood of them giving you another inch of screen real estate in lieu of a keyboard? That's the problem I have with giving up the keyboard and giving me "nothing I value" in return. But as long as the non-touch scooter-model rumour is true, they can "touch up" the cadillac-model all they want.

I'm not interested in design purity or religious wars either. I "do what I do" on my kindle... and I don't want them to make it difficult for me to "do what I did" if I should have to upgrade for whatever reason. Simple as that.