K3 owners, when will you upgrade?

[Kumabjorn]

Hi, my name is Kumabjorn and I'm a tech addict.

Hence, I'm prone to buy new gadgets when they appear. I have supplemented my K3 with Sony devices because Swedish and Japanese e-books are published in epub format. I have had my K3 (with a K2 for a little less than a month before that) now for close to two years. I didn't upgrade with a KT when they appeared (to my own surprise). For some reason, either because the K3 simply works, or because the new features aren't evocative enough, I'm staying put.

So this makes me wonder what it will take to make me willing to buy a new generation Kindle. More memory or larger screen probably won't cut it. Some kind of lightning option might, perhaps the ability to connect an external keyboard for note taking. What would make you, K3 owner, willing to open your wallet and listen to the sirens from Amazon?

[Shack70]

I have a Kindle 3G that I got in November for 2010. I'll keep using it until it dies. In the mean time I want to get a Kindle Fire. If my Kindle 3G dies and I have the Fire I may just switch to it so I only have to carry around 1 device. Otherwise my 3G will be my "beater"

[Harry_Y]

I see no reason to "upgrade"

[Casey57]

We have a K3-3G (actually 2) purchased in October 2010 and a Kindle Fire, purchased as soon as they became available.

I dearly love the K3 and use it every day. I am rarely without it. But I did purchase a wifi Touch a few months back as a backup in case (heaven forbid) the K3 becomes inoperable. The Touch is fine and I mainly use it for night-time reading or when the K3 is being re-charged. The K3 goes with me to work every day and has been my workhorse from the beginning. I leave it in my work bag so I won’t forget it (which I did one day and I was lost). I don’t use the keyboard much on the K3 (just to search for more books to buy in the Kindle store; I never use the browser), so I don't miss it on the Touch. I am fine with touch technology, so the Touch was easy to master. It is a little smaller, so that is a plus for me in terms of holding it for reading in bed.

I don’t use the Fire for reading on a regular basis. For magazines sometimes, but that is about it. My eyes don’t seem to tolerate it well for reading for long periods of time.

[JDK1962]

No reason to upgrade hardware as far as I can see, since it's still perfectly serviceable, and I have no interest in a touchscreen. I'm a bit bummed that Amazon appears to have kicked the device to the curb (i.e., no more firmware updates), but like Shack70, I'll use it till it dies.

[Synamon]

Last month I picked up a second Kindle Keyboard (this one with 3G for under $100) as a backup for the one I bought a year ago because I don't like any of the newer models. I won't be upgrading for years.

[susan_cassidy]

I actually just bought a K3, in case they discontinue it and my K1 dies. I like the features of the K3 better than either the K4 (mini) or the Touch.

[ametzler]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

[...]So this makes me wonder what it will take to make me willing to buy a new generation Kindle. More memory or larger screen probably won't cut it. Some kind of lightning option might, perhaps the ability to connect an external keyboard for note taking. What would make you, K3 owner, willing to open your wallet and listen to the sirens from Amazon?

Lighting would be nice, yes.

These two would probably make me switch quickly:

• A significantly better screen (huge resolution improvement or more contrast)
• Suddenly being limited in which e-books I can read, e.g. if Amazon chose a new e-book format which could not be read older kindle.

I would also like a device that is less fragile. My screen broke once (Amazon replaced it for free.) although I did not drop or dunk it.

I am not interested in a bigger screen, I think the current size/weight is a good choice for a device I keep holding. Performance is not a issue for reading. I actually like the fact that the kindle is not a very good browser, not having the internet at my fingertips makes concentrating on reading easier.

cu andreas

[Barbara1955]

I have a K3 I soo Nothing to UpGrade To! The 2 cheeper ones has Less onboard storage & the Fire doesnt do 1/2 what the K3 does. As far as books are conserned. No collections!

[Dazrin]

Unless my K3 3G dies (and isn't replaced under warranty) it would take a very compelling reason for me to upgrade. The front-light feature that has been talked about + something else.

Maybe an updated Kindle Keyboard (I don't care for the K4 non-touch or touch versions) with the front lighting and a number row again, but I don't see that happening. And even if it does, the price would need to be pretty low - I have the lighted cover, so a built-in light isn't a necessary item, just a nice to have one.

[DiapDealer]

I'm a happy K2 owner that the K3 didn't impress enough to upgrade. The latest generation certainly doesn't motivate me at all in that regard either.

[DreamWriter]

I don't generally replace electronic devices because of technological advances; I'll use my K3 until it dies. While I do much prefer e-ink for reading, I'll probably use the Kindle app on my tablets after the K3 no longer works. Most likely, I'd buy another e-ink Kindle in the future, but I'd be in no hurry to do so.

[booklover6]

I have two K3's and still use them. My upgrade was to get a Sony T-1. If Amazon comes out with a Touch model with some of the Sony's capabilities, I'll buy it. With the Sony I can put 2000 books on it without slowing down/rebooting. I can organize the in mutliple file levels. And it has page turn and other buttons. If Amazon can't match those things, I won't be upgrading e-ink to an Amazon product, as much as I do like Amazon.

I also have a Fire and it ROCKS!!!

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by booklover6

My upgrade was to get a Sony T-1. If Amazon comes out with a Touch model with some of the Sony's capabilities, I'll buy it. With the Sony I can put 2000 books on it without slowing down/rebooting. I can organize the in mutliple file levels. And it has page turn and other buttons. If Amazon can't match those things, I won't be upgrading e-ink to an Amazon product, as much as I do like Amazon.

I've been tempted to switch to a T-1 myself (when my kindle dies), but I just don't like the location/positioning of the page turn buttons—and I need physical page turn buttons. I still haven't ruled it out though... I do like everything else about it.

[booklover6]

The T-1 is easy to hold with one hand and turn the page....left hand, use the buttons, right hand use the buttons or tap the screen. It works out well for me.