Next Generation of eInk Kindle to get front lit screens?

[apastuszak]

Interesting article:

http://techcrunch.com/2012/04/06/nex...nt-lit-screen/

Here is a demo of the technology:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2RXe0loICw

[markdek]

Just heard about this.....perfect upgrade from the K-keyboard....will be good timing.

[sirmaru]

Kindle Fire already has backlit screens. It can easily be read in pitch dark conditions using white on black and lighting reduced to 50%.

For bright sunlight I use my Kindle Keyboard. In all other conditions I use my Kindle Fire.

[geoffwood]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Kindle Fire already has backlit screens. It can easily be read in pitch dark conditions using white on black and lighting reduced to 50%.

For bright sunlight I use my Kindle Keyboard. In all other conditions I use my Kindle Fire.

Not exactly the same thing though, the Fire is not an e-Ink screen, it weighs a lot more than an e-Ink Kindle and there is no comparison in terms of battery life. For me an e-Ink device with the option for built in lighting would be ideal.

[Croptop]

Agreed. I've actually stopped reading on my various LCD equipped tablets and now read almost exclusively on e-ink devices. A unit with a front lit screen would be most welcome to me.

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by geoffwood

Not exactly the same thing though, the Fire is not an e-Ink screen, it weighs a lot more than an e-Ink Kindle and there is no comparison in terms of battery life. For me an e-Ink device with the option for built in lighting would be ideal.

If it has its own lighting, battery life will plummet. In addition, the Fire has the ability to use other android apps which are not supported on the eInk devices so far.

Ideally, would be an eInk Kindle Fire - the best of both worlds.

[Croptop]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

If it has its own lighting, battery life will plummet.

That's not necessarily true. Presumably the front lighting would only be on when the user turns it on rather than all of the time like an LCD's backlight. Yes, battery life old be negatively affected by using the front light but I think "plummeting" is an exaggeration.

[geoffwood]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

If it has its own lighting, battery life will plummet. In addition, the Fire has the ability to use other android apps which are not supported on the eInk devices so far.

I don't here any complaints from owners of Kindle Lighted Covers about "plummeting" battery life and I would expect the new lighting to be at least as efficient, if not more so.

As to running Android Apps, without turning this into a debate about the Fire, I just don't see the point. I've got an iPad that runs all the Apps I need and does so with far more on board storage. Storage is important if you travel outside the US as the entire Amazon streaming model collapses and 8GB just doesn't hold much. For some it may be the perfect compromise, but it's not for me. I bought one last week when they were blowing out refurbs for $139 and it's now sitting upstairs packed in the box with a return label stuck on it. After a week I just don't see the point in the thing. It's flawed as an eReader and flawed as a tablet.

[howyoudoin]

Originally Posted by geoffwood

I don't here any complaints from owners of Kindle Lighted Covers about "plummeting" battery life and I would expect the new lighting to be at least as efficient, if not more so.

As to running Android Apps, without turning this into a debate about the Fire, I just don't see the point. I've got an iPad that runs all the Apps I need and does so with far more on board storage. Storage is important if you travel outside the US as the entire Amazon streaming model collapses and 8GB just doesn't hold much. For some it may be the perfect compromise, but it's not for me. I bought one last week when they were blowing out refurbs for $139 and it's now sitting upstairs packed in the box with a return label stuck on it. After a week I just don't see the point in the thing. It's flawed as an eReader and flawed as a tablet.

These are all facts that could have been realised without a needless purchase and return.

[geoffwood]

Originally Posted by howyoudoin

These are all facts that could have been realised without a needless purchase and return.

I wanted to like it, I wanted to see if I could live with the compromise between e-reader and tablet and ditch my iPad and Kindle Touch. Reading a spec sheet or playing with a device in a big box store is no substitute for living with it for a week and seeing it's strengths and weaknesses.

If you're concerned that I'm abusing Amazon's return policy then that's really between me and Amazon, but I doubt my first return after over 10 years of my business is going to dent their bottom line significantly, or drive them to change their return policy.

[howyoudoin]

There are plenty of reasons to make one decide to return a device. It seemed odd that you mentioned the reasons that did not require a purchase to realise.

[geoffwood]

Originally Posted by howyoudoin

There are plenty of reasons to make one decide to return a device. It seemed odd that you mentioned the reasons that did not require a purchase to realise.

I could have made the list longer, but didn't want to appear to just bash the device. As I say, I appreciate that for many it is an ideal device.

Sorry for the thread-jacking. Now what were we talking about

[stickybuns]

Neat!

On a whim, I took my K3 out of its lighted cover to see how it felt to read without all that extra weight. I love having a light with me all the time, but I've come to realize that the cover really is just heavy enough to bother my wrists after I've been reading for a while.

I can't really tell from the video, but if the light is somehow coming from above the screen (rather than back-lighting the screen), it would make for a really eyeball friendly reader that I would seriously consider upgrading to.

[ApK]

Looks interesting to me. The Fire is great little tablet but I can't stand reading on it or any back-lit LCD. I'm still happy with my K3(KK) in it's lighted cover, but it's always nice to have future options.

[silasgreenback]

I bought a KT with special offers which is en route and decided I would give it a couple weeks before opting to pay to have the offers removed. No need for that now, as I'll be saving up for this (in the hope that this is indeed what's coming out this year) and believe it will be a good idea to have one device that shows offers to take advantage of.

Also, the ability to read in the dark with evenly distributed light was the only feature that really made the Fire attractive; super glad I didn't go with that now.