Kindle Voyage - First Impressions

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by BrentB

Nope, they all do not. At least one I know of. Mine. No issues. Love it.

That's great! Hope you enjoy it.

Lots of screen issues popping up on Amazon...

[Drew0020]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

That's great! Hope you enjoy it.

Lots of screen issues popping up on Amazon...

I wish I could get one without problems. I've seen 4 plus the Best Buy floor model. All have the same hue problem with different degrees but all bad.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by Drew0020

I wish I could get one without problems. I've seen 4 plus the Best Buy floor model. All have the same hue problem with different degrees but all bad.

As soon as mine is ready and charged, I'll report back. Won't help you, but it might give you hope.

The reviews on Amazon are all over the board, evenly spread, much more so than usual it seems. A lot of lovers, a lot of haters (screen issues, etc.) or those that don't like the price difference, and those in between that like it overall, but think it could be better, price, missing options, etc. It is early and a first gen. Always dicey there.

Originally Posted by pghaworth

As soon as mine is ready and charged, I'll report back. Won't help you, but it might give you hope.

The reviews on Amazon are all over the board, evenly spread, much more so than usual it seems. A lot of lovers, a lot of haters (screen issues, etc.) or those that don't like the price difference, and those in between that like it overall, but think it could be better, price, missing options, etc. It is early and a first gen. Always dicey there.

I'm keeping mine, but I gave it a low rating on Amazon due to the tinting on the screen, poorly designed PT buttons, and price. I'm convinced that the bad reviews and loud complaints on many forums forced Amazon to address the poorly designed PW1 screen/light layer issues while designing the PW2. I seriously doubt Amazon will make any changes to the Voyage 1, but perhaps they will listen to us before designing the Voyage 2.

I should add that my review while being low did praise the greatly improved text. Although to be fair, that is probably more related to the Carta screen than anything Amazon did.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I'm keeping mine, but I gave it a low rating on Amazon due to the tinting on the screen, poorly designed PT buttons, and price. I'm convinced that the bad reviews and loud complaints on many forums forced Amazon to address the poorly designed PW1 screen/light layer issues while designing the PW2. I seriously doubt Amazon will make any changes to the Voyage 1, but perhaps they will listen to us before designing the Voyage 2.

As much as I want the Voyage, after getting 3 K3s, 2 with issues and 1 that I bought in a color I didn't want just in hopes that the white wouldn't have the same issues, and my screen/bezel issues with the PW1 (3 ordered, 2 returned, but it should have been 3), I'm not feeling as generous with my money where Kindles are concerned.

I have 30 days. I'm going to give it a chance, but not the one with the screen and the Back button lag. That one is going back definitely. I want a good, well-functioning Voyage, with no screen, auto brightness (my 1st one has this too), or button issues. On these I will not compromise. If I can figure out a way to read with it in the bedroom and adapt to the buttons, then I will keep it. I've given away enough of my money.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by judith009

Could it be that maybe it's not a problem with the lighting, but rather in the way the plastic is diffusing light? I think I noticed that if I hold the device flat under the same conditions, it looks more evenly yellowish.

Originally Posted by pghaworth

I posted the same either here or on another forum. Later, after going back and looking again, I could see the difference even with it flat or when changing the orientation while still on a horizontal, even plane. The color graduation exists even then.

That is interesting and makes sense. Viewing angle dependent light diffusion? One way to test that could be by using a different perspective and taking a picture of the exact same Voyage and then compare them. If nothing is viewing angle dependent, then a picture from close up (with a wide angle lens) should look exactly the same as one from far away with a tele lens. Should be easy enough to do if someone got a Voyage and a digital camera with at least a 10x optical zoom. I have a camera, but no Voyage.

Did test real quick with my Paperwhite and the difference is huge. Granted, not on the screen itself - on the PW all lighting problems appear to come from the leds / light guide and not from external light hitting the screen. The bezel on the other hand is very much angle dependent - up close from a few inches away the reflection of the light is in one corner, but completely disappears when stepping back and shooting from a few feet away.

On some pictures earlier in this thread those reflections can be seen on the bezel of the Voyage. If it is on the bezel, then thanks to the nice and flush micro etched (feels like paper, yay) glass, it will be likely on the screen itself. Design over function, while we are at it slap a premium price on it. When did Amazon turn into Apple?

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Design over function, while we are at it slap a premium price on it. When did Amazon turn into Apple?

With the Nooks and Sony Readers effectively gone from the USA market, and Kobo not in position to be any threat, Amazon totally owns the market. Therefore with no real competition they can charge what they want to now. No more subsidizing the price of the top end model.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

That is interesting and makes sense. Viewing angle dependent light diffusion?

Let me try another way, because I'm not sure if you're not understanding what I'm saying or I'm not understanding what you're saying. At any rate, at first there was no cast and then it showed up the next time I looked - barely minutes later - and remained in the same location despite angle change in relation to the lighting and me. So here goes -

The Voyage is on flat surface, me looking down, overhead lighting north of the top of the KV, usb is pointing towards me and the yellow cast is at the top, blue towards the bottom as those who have the issue have noticed. Rotate the Voyage 180 degrees, me same position, overhead lighting unchanged, including direction, now north of bottom of KV, usb is now pointing away from me, blue cast is still near the usb and the yellow cast is now near me.

I just did an FR on the original KV and put a tiny sticker on the back to identify it for testing purposes. It is ready for setup and waiting for the new one to finish charging. I am not touching anything in terms of setup except for wifi on either so that I can get in on both and identically test various things after giving them time to do their thing. I want to make sure it is not a setting somewhere that is creating the issue.

If the issue is consistent on both devices they will both likely go back. If the new one doesn't present the same symptom under identical conditions of setup and everything else is fine then I will keep it. I just want a good device.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

That is interesting and makes sense.

I think I get what you're saying now. Sorry for the confusion. I have been emotionally drained since late yesterday into today, and got little sleep last night, due to personal issues.

I might test that in the light of day after a full night's sleep. I think my camera can handle that and I have the Voyage. I couldn't do it now if my life depended on it.

I have noticed that shadows cast on the Voyage while reading tend to cause pink and blue tints. I never read on any device in a totally dark room. That never works with my eyes. What I do is keep a lamp on and use the light built into the Voyage. When I move around and my clothing or person casts a shadow from the lamp light onto the Voyage, the shadow is usually some shade of pink or blue, and more often than not it is pink. I use fluorescent bulbs in my lamps, so that might explain the pink--not sure though. No big deal as I can be careful and not cast shadows, but it is interesting.

I found another FW bug that should have been fixed long ago. When you select a word that has a em or en dash to the right of it, the dictionary selects the word + the dash + the following word, and that results in no definition because the dictionary is confused about what you are asking it to look up.

[slantybard]

A comparison video review of the KV vs Aura H2O is now up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jdXo0z6Vyg

[SCION]

deleted

[pghaworth]

Color me disgusted. NPI

The replacement is worse than the original before I even get to setup. I'm not bothering to do anything with it other than send it back. The screen lighting is uneven, blotchy this time, and the yellow cast extends further downward. It is more diagonal this time, as well, whereas the first one is somewhat uniform horizontally.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by jswinden

With the Nooks and Sony Readers effectively gone from the USA market, and Kobo not in position to be any threat, Amazon totally owns the market. Therefore with no real competition they can charge what they want to now. No more subsidizing the price of the top end model.

Kobo sells better then you think.

[John C]

After returning the Voyage because of uneven screen lighting, I ordered the Kobo H20. Looking forward to the larger screen as well as no special offers. I think the H20 will be more like a book to me. Didn't need the waterproof but I also live close to the beach so maybe will start taking it there.