Kindle Voyage - First Impressions

Originally Posted by SCION

Because of this post and others similar, I called Amazon this morning. Informed them I found it disconcerting that people who posted critical reviews on their site were contacted directly and offered early replacements (although the item is out of stock), yet I was not when I spoke with someone. The person claimed ignorance and escalated the call. The second person boldly stated no such thing could occur; Amazon doesn't directly reach out to people who write reviews. Told her I wasn't buying that, more than a handful of folks have claimed the same thing, surely they aren't making this up. She then escalated the call and lo and behold the next person said, stock has become available sooner than expected. And to expect shipment (of the replacement) the first week of November.

Here's the follow-up email I received after the call:
"Hello ...,

I've set a reminder to e-mail you back regarding our conversation today about the replacement Kindle's shipping details.

I appreciate your patience while I continue to work on this matter.

We look forward to seeing you again soon.

Best regards,
..."

Every time I buy a new car, not very often BTW, I feel like I cannot get home quickly enough nor take enough showers to wash away the icky sales pitch. It is like you have to stand neck deep in poop to buy a car. Dealing with any CS, even Amazon Kindle CS, is not so much different. They are given a script to read and that script was written by some of the best BSers in the business. Since the CS contact is mostly ignorant of the actual situation, and certainly far removed from it, they can pull off the BS in the script and sound totally truthful.

[soondai]

Please somebody drop theirs. One of the reviews claimed to have drop tested it multiple times without cracking the screen. I want to know if they were BSing

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by Psykhe

Not exactly. Some people complain that they cannot turn off the light.

I.e. I've seen someone write that he wants to turn off the light during daytime because it annoys his eyes. Considering the light of the PW2 is at lowest setting so dim that it is basically not usable for reading in a completely dark room I find that a bit "make-believe". A white paper reflects during daytime more light than a PW2 emits at lowest brightness.

Whenever we try to compare our various preferred light settings, we need to keep in mind that requirements/tolerance for light depends on age.

“Research shows that a 60-year-old needs twice as much light as a 30-year-old."

[negris123]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

I was called by an Amazon rep (as was another user on here) in my dealings with the PW1. I can't even remember how many he sent me, 6 or 7, I'd say. After trying maybe 3 or 4 he told me they were talking to their techs and working with the lab and they had resolved it and that I would be happy with the next one they sent. I give them credit for trying, but it never happened and I never received a good one. Every one suffered the same issues. I'm not trying to be a downer, I'm just saying if anyone else receives this type of call don't get your hopes up.

I do really hope this time is different and people taking up their offer for replacements get good ones.

I didn't accept the offer. I hope they can get good ones for the people that accept a replacement. I am just not hopeful enough to go through with that. And i did get upset about the fact they told me November at first and when i got a refund they suddenly had a way to get me one sooner.

[jocampo]

To those who are having issues with their Voyages... here are my 2 cents: buy it from Best Buy.

Honestly? I did that with my Touch, PW1, PW2 and now Voyage. Had issues with the PW2, no issues with PW1 and my Voyage screen looks fine.

I understand some pre-ordered but unless Apple, there is no easy way to return a device. Moreover, buying via Best Buy allows you to go home, open, check, drive back, exchange, if applies.

This may not help those who closest BB is 50+ away, but I certainly stop buying Kindles via Amazon long time ago. Chances that it will be defective or with some screen problem is like 50:50.

Last but not least ... no product line is perfect. I learned that when I was working for HP :-) We had a margin of error or crappy inkjet cartridges that were produced. It is virtually impossible to get a 100% perfect lot of any product, that includes iPads, Kindles, PS4s. I actually remember when initial PS4 orders and reviews were from people with bad units. After a month, it was clear that those bad units were only a very small percent of initial production. In other words, some will always "win the lottery" and get some bad units, that's unavoidable.

Personally, I consider a product a crappy one when, even after months, you continue seeing quality issues and majority of people complain about it. Then you can certainly say that it is a design issue, not manufacturing problem. The 1st is not fixable (same year I mean) The second one may or may not be fixable, depending of the problem.

Originally Posted by jj2me

Whenever we try to compare our various preferred light settings, we need to keep in mind that requirements/tolerance for light depends on age.

Well I'm 56 but judging from a lot of the posts here I think I use less light than most or at least than many. I keep my Voyager set low between 10 and 12. The brighter light just causes glare and makes the text show less contrast, to my eyes that is. The tradeoff is that the screen is darker with lower light levels. So when I get the light as bright as I can without causing too much glare, in other words where it is a comfortable reading level, the screen is a bit too dark and the blue tint is very obvious.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by SCION

Because of this post and others similar, I called Amazon this morning. Informed them I found it disconcerting that people who posted critical reviews on their site were contacted directly and offered early replacements (although the item is out of stock), yet I was not when I spoke with someone. The person claimed ignorance and escalated the call. The second person boldly stated no such thing could occur; Amazon doesn't directly reach out to people who write reviews. Told her I wasn't buying that, more than a handful of folks have claimed the same thing, surely they aren't making this up. She then escalated the call and lo and behold the next person said, stock has become available sooner than expected. And to expect shipment (of the replacement) the first week of November.

Here's the follow-up email I received after the call:
"Hello ...,

I've set a reminder to e-mail you back regarding our conversation today about the replacement Kindle's shipping details.

I appreciate your patience while I continue to work on this matter.

We look forward to seeing you again soon.

Best regards,
..."

Hmmm... worth a shot, I'd say. If I could have a good screen and find a silicone case without texture then I'd be fine. How soon is yours coming?

ETA - did you call regular CS or Kindle CS?

[SCION]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

...

ETA - did you call regular CS or Kindle CS?

I initiated contact online (chose the option to have them call me immediately). The first person I spoke to said she would transfer me to Kindle CS.

[RDaneel54]

Originally Posted by jj2me

Whenever we try to compare our various preferred light settings, we need to keep in mind that requirements/tolerance for light depends on age.

I think it also depends on individual variations. I'm 60 and have excellent night vision. Even low settings are bright for me.

I'm trying to get used to my Voyage, but quite frankly I can read much longer indoors, and with less eyestrain, on my Nexus 7 or iPad mini Retina using the Kindle apps than I can on the Voyage. My Voyage seems to have a very pronounced blue tint that I can see even outdoors when not in direct sunlight.

Outdoors during the daytime, the Voyage is pretty good, but it still tends to show a blue tinted screen. The Nexus 7 and iPad mini Retina cannot be used in this situation, so there is no contest here. The clear winner for outdoor, daytime reading is the Voyage.

In my study that is well lit, the Voyage is okay but it gets bested by the Nexus 7 and iPad mini Retina. The Nexus 7 and iPad mini Retina win this race by more than a nose because they display a whiter screen and darker text.

In my living room easy chair with dim lighting, the Voyage loses its appeal as the blue tint gets worse and the text has less contrast. The Nexus 7 and iPad mini Retina win this race by quite a few lengths because they display a whiter screen and darker text and with much less glare and eyestrain.

The vast majority of my reading is done in my study, the next highest amount is done while chilling out in my recliner, and perhaps 5% or less is done outdoors.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by WilliamG

For those wondering the differences between the 3 Kindle Voyage units I have opened (I refuse to open the 4th one...). The one on the right is indeed the coolest color temperature of the three, but all three suffer the same issue in the same places.

Brightness set to 13.

I can certainly understand your frustration. The gradient of multi-hues would drive me nuts. (The PW1 did). This is really unacceptable, particularly with a "high-end" ereader with a starting price of $200.

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by aceflor

Jon, you never owned a kindle. You have been complaining for years that you hate them because they won't handle epubs. This was obviously not going to happen with the Voyage.

Why are you in this thread at all?

To be fair, he may be in the thread to enjoy people's disappointments, but he's not wrong about the range of light settings.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by SCION

I initiated contact online (chose the option to have them call me immediately). The first person I spoke to said she would transfer me to Kindle CS.

Thanks!

[slantybard]

The e-book Reader Blog has a Voyage review out that discussed their findings about the frontlight shading problem.

http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/201...ssions-review/

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I'm trying to get used to my Voyage, but quite frankly I can read much longer indoors, and with less eyestrain, on my Nexus 7 or iPad mini Retina using the Kindle apps than I can on the Voyage. My Voyage seems to have a very pronounced blue tint that I can see even outdoors when not in direct sunlight.

Outdoors during the daytime, the Voyage is pretty good, but it still tends to show a blue tinted screen. The Nexus 7 and iPad mini Retina cannot be used in this situation, so there is no contest here. The clear winner for outdoor, daytime reading is the Voyage.

In my study that is well lit, the Voyage is okay but it gets bested by the Nexus 7 and iPad mini Retina. The Nexus 7 and iPad mini Retina win this race by more than a nose because they display a whiter screen and darker text.

In my living room easy chair with dim lighting, the Voyage loses its appeal as the blue tint gets worse and the text has less contrast. The Nexus 7 and iPad mini Retina win this race by quite a few lengths because they display a whiter screen and darker text and with much less glare and eyestrain.

The vast majority of my reading is done in my study, the next highest amount is done while chilling out in my recliner, and perhaps 5% or less is done outdoors.

I know what you mean. It is due the extra distraction of that "discolored" eink screen. Very "anal" people (I am one of those) can notice it more. If I hand it to my wife or a coworker, probably will ignore, some case don't even notice if I don't point it out.

I do also have an iPad mini and I know is Apple vs Oranges (eink vs LCD) but indoors, the iPad's white are truly white and blacks, really black. However, and after reading a while especially in bed, I do notice some eyestrain.

Only time I use my Kindle (eink device) outdoor, is on summer vacations or when I am visiting my mom in Colombia. Bringing a PW or Voyage there minimizes the "rob me, rob me" issue I may generate if I bring a 500 bucks iPad to the beach, lol ...