My perfect Kindle...

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by DSpider

KF8 is a different story. From what I read, KF8 is basically an ePub 3 in a wrapper. So then why don't they just simply support the "vanilla" ePub 3 then? Why convert it?

Because Amazon give you a Kindle at cost in the expectation that you'll buy content from their store. They don't want to give you a Kindle and have you buy books from Kobo, Sony, or B&N. That would be just plain dumb. Amazon want you to buy from them, and using a proprietary format achieves that.

But I wasn't talking about KF8. I was talking about Mobi. Mobi (the only available format for all Kindles released before the Paperwhite) is severely limited when compared to ePub 2.1.

All Kindles from the K3 onwards (ie the K3, original K4, current "Basic Kindle", Kindle Touch, Kindle PW) support KF8, as does the Kindle Fire, and all the Kindle Apps (PC, Mac, Android, iOS). Mobi is obsolete and irrelevant, unless you're one of the increasing small number of people who still have a K1 or K2.

[stutzj]

My ideal kindle would be an upgrade of the ppi in the current basic Kindle to 212 or better yet 260. Keep it NT and WITHOUT a light. Why? Keep's the form factor light and slim (a big reason why I like the Kindle basic over the PW). I also think that lighting in a e-ink device is overrated. Call me old fashion, but I'm happy using a lamp - makes it feel like a book and less like a device. Also the capacitive touch and lighting add extra layers which gives a sunken look to the text and keeps from popping off the screen. Maybe add all the fonts that are in the PW currently couldn't hurt either.

I'm hoping Amazon keeps the basic model and does all this. I would pay $99 but would hope they would keep the current price.

BTW: is there a general idea of when the next round of kindles be announced?

[DSpider]

Originally Posted by stutzj

BTW: is there a general idea of when the next round of kindles be announced?

Nobody knows. If Amazon keeps up with their current business model, they will announce a new Kindle in the Fall (September/October) and it will be released before the Holidays (November/December). I'm also waiting to see what happens, so that I don't flog myself after buying the current model and then hearing about what improvements they made.

What I wish for is better PDF support (no margins), which can be easily accomplished on their end.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by DSpider

What I wish for is better PDF support (no margins), which can be easily accomplished on their end.

Me too but they don't sell PDFs so have no reason to even allow the Kindles to read them in the first place, let alone improve support.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I must respectfully disagree.

You do know this expression means the exact opposite? It's like saying someone is an idiot, a la Sir Humphrey Appleby. Lol.

I think Amazon adopting epub would be courageous.

[JSWolf]

I think Amazon adding ePub would give them the edge over others since they then would be the ones to have a Reader that can handle the most (available for sale) formats.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

Me too but they don't sell PDFs so have no reason to even allow the Kindles to read them in the first place, let alone improve support.

They do sell pdfs. They call them Print Replica format. They are packaged up a little but they use the pdf renderer in the kindle app.

[shanghaichica]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I think Amazon adding ePub would give them the edge over others since they then would be the ones to have a Reader that can handle the most (available for sale) formats.

The only way this would benefit Amazon would be if they had a propriatary ePub format like B&N do. Why would they allow you to read books on there that can be bought from other stores? They sell their readers at cost price and expect to make profit sellings books. The only way an open ePub format could work would be if they increased the prices of their readers.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

The only way this would benefit Amazon would be if they had a propriatary ePub format like B&N do. Why would they allow you to read books on there that can be bought from other stores? They sell their readers at cost price and expect to make profit sellings books. The only way an open ePub format could work would be if they increased the prices of their readers.

Precisely the point that I made earlier in the thread, but you're wasting your breath trying to convince Jon of that.

[elemenoP]

Originally Posted by detayls

The perfect Kindle would be a Kindle non-touch that is still being sold WITH the Paperwhite back-light and restored touch system.

It would retain the physical Home button and the physical page left and right buttons. The touch screen would take care of all the other interactions.

I don't care if they put the Home button at the top or at the bottom.

Would you buy this hybrid for $99 with offers?

You have described a Paperwhite with buttons added. I agree this would be a nice idea and some people would choose it. But I'm not sure why it would cost less than a Paperwhite without buttons? Now Amazon has the hardware costs of buttons AND the touchscreen layer in the same device. It's inconsequential if the touchscreen only controls some interactions and not others. In fact, if they made such a device, it should have a setting for whether or not you could turn pages by touch.

I had a Sony 650 and it had both touchscreen page turns and page turn buttons. I did use one or the other depending on how I was holding the device, and other factors. I just got a Paperwhite and so far I don't miss the buttons, but we'll see!

eP

[silverraven]

OK, how about this. I would pay MORE if they gave the option of having the Paperwhite with side buttons for turning. Yeah, I know, it sounds stupid, but using my thumb to turn pages with a touch screen makes it hurt. Wish it didn't. But, the buttons don't, but only the side buttons the K4NT have, not like Sony buttons at the bottom. Weird, yeah, I know!
S