Kindle 4 screen is THE SAME as K3.

[Clawdia]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Well maybe I reconsider but getting hubby to fork out that much for a lamp might take some fancy footwork.

We got ours at a local Lowes store on a sale table - I think depending on where you live they aren't a really big seller and so end up getting discounted.

[shinew]

Originally Posted by Clawdia

I've been reading with an Ottlite for years - my husband bought me one for Christmas a few years ago and the bulb has never even been changed (factor that into the cost . . .). I think I'm going to put another one on my wish list for this Christmas. The one I have is a table lamp in my bedroom - it makes everything easier to read. Seriously, though - five years on the same tube shaped bulb . . . I'd have spent $30-$40 on enough light bulbs to have a regular lamp burn that long.

agreed with the durability, I've had mine for 5 years since I was back in school, and haven't changed the 13Watt bulb yet. The light is even good & neutral enough to serve as a cheap photo viewing booth, excellent for reading and easy on the eyes.

[ThomasC]

Speaking of reading lights, I just tried a simple experiment with my current (soon to be replaced) K4nt under normal indoor lighting.

I used my Amazon K3 with it's lighted cover, turned it on, and placed my K4 over my K3 screen. Wow, what a difference! This really lightened up the K4 background and improved the contrast quite a bit. Still not quite as good as my K3 or DXG but pretty darn close.

So, now I'm thinking that a new Amazon K4nt lighted cover might be the solution for low-mid level indoor lighting reading. Hopefully Amazon have used the same bright/white-blue led lights as are on the K3 lighted covers. I was going to buy a cover anyway btw.

I know these Amazon lighted covers are not cheap but at least you don't have to have a special reading lamp in every room in the house, lol! Also, the Amazon K3 lighted cover is very good quality imho.

Cheers,
Tom

[vapouk2]

Just to complete my story. I've compared my K4 with another one bought a month ago today and the screens look exactly the same, so I really think, they just do it differently these days than they did a year ago. I also agree that the proper lighting makes quite a difference. Anyway I cooled a bit since yesterday so I think I'll keep them.

[sieg66]

Hi,

I just bought a kindle 4 after having owned a k3. I am pretty sure that the k3 had more contrast, especially had deeper black and was more readable in low light conditons. If you look at this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umyo3..._order&list=UL

at 1:00 and after you'll see what i mean. I'm not sure that someone can notice this kind of contrast and visibility on k4. I don't find it with mine in any case.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by sieg66

Hi,

I just bought a kindle 4 after having owned a k3. I am pretty sure that the k3 had more contrast, especially had deeper black and was more readable in low light conditons. If you look at this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umyo3..._order&list=UL

at 1:00 and after you'll see what i mean. I'm not sure that someone can notice this kind of contrast and visibility on k4. I don't find it with mine in any case.

Totally agree with but I guess we are tint sensitive. In bright lights my K4 looks even worse then it does in low light. *sigh*
but for the price it's a great little reader. It just irks me when people say has the same screen as the K3. I guess it does but it's not exactly the same when it comes to tint and contrast which help in low light settings.

[BeccaPrice]

I just compared my K4 to my K3 - the screens look the same to me.

[Yomat]

After reading so much about the screens, my conclussion is the same that some of you have said. In some moment the method of manufacturing the screens have changed in some way. It can be a small detail but it makes a big (or at least a noticeable) difference.
So there is 2 types of screens out there now, and the old method of manufacture seems to gave a better screen than the newer one that gives a poor quality.

The problem is that it seems there are K3 that have one or other screen depending on when the people have bought it. If your K3 is a little old maybe it has the older and good screen, and if your K3 is relatively new it probably has the newer and worse screen.
And accordingly to that, it seems that almost all of K4 (as being a new product) have the newer and worse screen. What happens is that not everybody have an old K3 with the good screen to compare. That's why there's people that comparing their K4 with their K3 (a recent one) say that is the same screen, and people that comparing their K4 with their K3 (an older one) say that is different screen.

So in short, there are 2 types of screens (older and newer), and the newer seems to be worse. I think Amazon should investigate what have changed with the process of manufacturing the screens that makes all of this happens and solve it as fast as they can.

[Barty]

I took a glance at the KT reviews on amazon. Just from the first two pages, I saw 3, 4 reviews complaining about the screen being grayer / having less Contrast than the k3. Even one from a person who gave it five stars.

So i think something is different with the screen, but perception varies.

When I first got my iPad 2, I noticed right away the white was yellow, and the brightness was uneven, the center was brighter than the edges. I think this is called hotspotting. My ipad 1 has more neutral white, with no hotspotting. Yet when I showed it to other people they said it looked alright. When I pointed out the difference they reluctantly admitted yeah that's a little more yellow but it looks okay. I took it to the apple store and the csr said well it looks ok to me, maybe a little different, but if it bothers you, we'll exchange it for you. I was like are you people all blind, or trying to gaslight me? The difference just jumped out at me. I looked at the other iPad 2s at the store and yes the white was a little warmer compared to the iPad 1, but not excessively yellow like mine. So I exchanged it.

The irony is my vision going by the eye chart is way worse than everybody else who looked at my iPad. My brother said for someone blind as a bat you sure are picky.

Point is, different people are sensitive to different things. I'm staying away from the k4 b/c I just know I will notice any tint or grayer screen like a fighting bull seeing a waved cape.

[Clawdia]

Poster on Amazon reviewed the $79 K4 - she was unhappy with the contrast. Many replies to the thread (she gave it 3 stars), and she's been trying to figure out why screen isn't as good while waiting for a KTouch to be delivered, which has been delayed. She posted this yesterday, about different suppliers, that she was told by Amazon - thought it might apply to the $79 version as well . . .

"I received an email which stated the following:

"Kindle Touch 3G, Free 3G + Wi-Fi, 6" E Ink Display - includes Special Offers & Sponsored Screensavers " is in short supply. We ordered this item from another supplier, and hope to deliver it by Nov 22, 2011 - Nov 23, 2011 .

Then, I had an "aha" moment.... I couldn't figure out why there seem to be such discrepancies in reviews on this product. After speaking to the manager, and reading the above, it hit me: who knows if these divergent suppliers aren't using different parts, or parts which are sourced from different vendors? If that's the case, then the reviews make sense. There may be real differences in what people are seeing....."

I'm seeing where a lot of people are seemingly even more unhappy with the screen on the Touch than the little Kindle - I bought my husband a refurbed K3 yesterday before they all disappear. The K3s that my daughter and I have (which by the way were purchased in August and last month) both have nice light screens and dark print - hoping his does, too.

I really hate they have discontinued the K3s, since from everything I've heard and read they are still the best Kindles that have been made so far.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Barty

I took a glance at the KT reviews on amazon. Just from the first two pages, I saw 3, 4 reviews complaining about the screen being grayer / having less Contrast than the k3. Even one from a person who gave it five stars.

So i think something is different with the screen, but perception varies.

When I first got my iPad 2, I noticed right away the white was yellow, and the brightness was uneven, the center was brighter than the edges. I think this is called hotspotting. My ipad 1 has more neutral white, with no hotspotting. Yet when I showed it to other people they said it looked alright. When I pointed out the difference they reluctantly admitted yeah that's a little more yellow but it looks okay. I took it to the apple store and the csr said well it looks ok to me, maybe a little different, but if it bothers you, we'll exchange it for you. I was like are you people all blind, or trying to gaslight me? The difference just jumped out at me. I looked at the other iPad 2s at the store and yes the white was a little warmer compared to the iPad 1, but not excessively yellow like mine. So I exchanged it.

The irony is my vision going by the eye chart is way worse than everybody else who looked at my iPad. My brother said for someone blind as a bat you sure are picky.

Point is, different people are sensitive to different things. I'm staying away from the k4 b/c I just know I will notice any tint or grayer screen like a fighting bull seeing a waved cape.

I am near sighted with a left astigmatism. I am very sensitive to bright lights and sun lights and have alot of floaters in both eyes. So I guess I am more sensitive to things.

I can tell you after using the Fire all day then trying to go back the K4 was really tough to do. At first I couldn't read it at all. The screen look brown like it was tarnished and the text muddle in with it. It was very ugly. I had to ask my hubby if he saw gray because I had to know is it just me or is something wrong with it. He said yes it looks gray. *phew* I took my book light on it and it looked okay again still the text looks worse in bright light but I was amazed at the change in my perception since using the Fire.

[ThomasC]

Originally Posted by Yomat

After reading so much about the screens, my conclussion is the same that some of you have said. In some moment the method of manufacturing the screens have changed in some way. It can be a small detail but it makes a big (or at least a noticeable) difference.
So there is 2 types of screens out there now, and the old method of manufacture seems to gave a better screen than the newer one that gives a poor quality.

The problem is that it seems there are K3 that have one or other screen depending on when the people have bought it. If your K3 is a little old maybe it has the older and good screen, and if your K3 is relatively new it probably has the newer and worse screen.
And accordingly to that, it seems that almost all of K4 (as being a new product) have the newer and worse screen. What happens is that not everybody have an old K3 with the good screen to compare. That's why there's people that comparing their K4 with their K3 (a recent one) say that is the same screen, and people that comparing their K4 with their K3 (an older one) say that is different screen.

So in short, there are 2 types of screens (older and newer), and the newer seems to be worse. I think Amazon should investigate what have changed with the process of manufacturing the screens that makes all of this happens and solve it as fast as they can.

I agree with all you've said mate. Thanks.

Cheers,
Tom

[ThomasC]

Originally Posted by ThomasC

I just got a shipping notice for my 2nd replacement K4nt. At least the first 4 serial numbers are different (1444 xxxx, versus 1425 xxxx for both my original and 1st replacements) so hopefully this is from a newer/better batch. Guess I'll find out later next week.

Cheers,
Tom

Update;

I got my 3rd replacement K4nt today (very fast shipping to Oz btw). The screen's background is a marginally lighter grey, but it is still very grey compared to my +14 month old K3 and DXG units. I doubt that exchanging it for a 4th time would do much good so I'll just try to live with it. This is not going to be my primary reader anyway (that's mainly my DXG's job, and it does so very well). Going to be my bathroom (good place for a crappy screen eh!) and poolside reader.

Cannot say I'm 100% happy with all this.

Cheers,
Tom

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by ThomasC

Update;

I got my 3rd replacement K4nt today (very fast shipping to Oz btw). The screen's background is a marginally lighter grey, but it is still very grey compared to my +14 month old K3 and DXG units. I doubt that exchanging it for a 4th time would do much good so I'll just try to live with it. This is not going to be my primary reader anyway (that's mainly my DXG's job, and it does so very well). Going to be my bathroom (good place for a shitty screen eh!) and poolside reader.

Cannot say I'm 100% happy with all this.

Cheers,
Tom

A brighter white light may help. My K4 is feeling neglected since I got my Kindle Fire.

[Barty]

Originally Posted by Blossom

A brighter white light may help. My K4 is feeling neglected since I got my Kindle Fire.

Fickle is the heart of a woman!