Los Angeles Times: Amazon's $290 e-reader misfire - Page 3

shalym · 06-04-2016, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerem0ny

Then of course, there are people in denial who refuse to accept there are any faulty devices at all! Maybe you're one of the 'lucky ones'. Ignorance is bliss.

The problem is is that reading is such an intimate activity, you're enjoying words for the sake of them, and as such they really should be displayed properly in all of their literary glory . The intimacy of being absorbed in a good book is cheapened for people who've spent 500 bucks on a device promising to be the pinnacle of e-reading only to have the colour of the background change to its primary opposite with every word. And having weird splotches on the side of every book you read, forever. If I was watching Keeping up with the Kardashians or stalking my exes on Facebook it probably wouldn't matter to me as much, if at all. Problem is is that I'm very easily distracted when I'm reading a book, I need the experience to be seamless otherwise it lessens my enjoyment. Same with watching a movie, listening to music, anything that requires me to be engaged properly. It's a psychological concept called 'flow', where all the elements of an activity come together in a way that inspires you.

It's like enjoying your favourite bass riff on a pair of tinny computer speakers - it just leaves you disappointed and angry more than anything. You'd be better off just not listening to the song at all. Or enjoying the best steak in the world with a cheap, sour wine. Take another swig when someone rolls their eyes at you for being too fussy

. Stay positive peeps!

I guess I'm just ignorant then. I don't see any sort of color gradient (and according to the color test, I have almost perfect color vision). I do see a difference in the lighting from right to left, and I saw it with my Voyage, PW and AuraHD from bottom to top as well. I see the "shadow cones" or "scallops", but only if I turn the light way up on the device. Again, I see those on every lighted e-ink device I have ever looked at.

I'm sorry that you have such a hard time focusing that your experience has to be "seamless" in order to enjoy an activity, and I wish you well in your pursuit of that. I'm fortunate in that I can find "flow" and inspiration in all kinds of things, whether they are perfectly seamless or not, and I truly feel sorry for those who have such a hard time doing so.

Shari

kobayashi · 06-04-2016, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerem0ny

Then of course, there are people in denial who refuse to accept there are any faulty devices at all! Maybe you're one of the 'lucky ones'. Ignorance is bliss.

+1 Lots of those around here.

cerem0ny · 06-04-2016, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kobayashi

+1 Lots of those around here.

Lol! I'm just surprised people seem to be taking these criticisms so personally! You'd think I was bad-mouthing their daughter or something.

Shinytop · 06-04-2016, 06:13 PM

61%, at last look, of the reviews on Amazon are rating the Oasis a 5. This is in spite of many who rate it a 1 who have never seen one, rating it mostly on the price. There are many printed reviews who like it a lot and recommend its purchase if one can afford the best. Calling attention to only bad review(s) is disingenuous.

NullNix · 06-04-2016, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerem0ny

Lol! I'm just surprised people seem to be taking these criticisms so personally! You'd think I was bad-mouthing their daughter or something.

The Oasis cost a lot, so you sort of are

cerem0ny · 06-04-2016, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NullNix

The Oasis cost a lot, so you sort of are

Fair enough. Just upset I got a dud is all. Will probably end up buying one again once all the hype dies down. Happy reading

webjunk · 06-05-2016, 06:23 PM

When you read a book with white pages, are the pages white when you read under fluorescent light and white when you read under incandescent light?

Josieb1 · 06-05-2016, 06:59 PM

I bought a new Voyage today, I wanted the 3G version and hubbys had my Wifi. The screen is perfect, no shadows at the bottom, only a slight yellowing at the top (very slight). It's sad that they mucked up so much with the Oasis.

SCION · 06-05-2016, 09:05 PM

What's sad is a 1.5 years later and Voyages still have the yellow top. Folks are holding off on the Oasis in anticipation of improvements. There won't be any. Find the unit that works for you. They all have imperfections that we ultimately settle for.

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

cerem0ny · 06-06-2016, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I bought a new Voyage today, I wanted the 3G version and hubbys had my Wifi. The screen is perfect, no shadows at the bottom, only a slight yellowing at the top (very slight). It's sad that they mucked up so much with the Oasis.

That sucks. I remember a while back Amazon releasing some statement about how they fixed the Voyages on the production line in this regard, figured it was too good to be true.

binaryhermit · 06-06-2016, 12:24 AM

I imagine this fiasco will bankrupt Amazon.

EDIT: On a less flippant note, if I paid $290 for an ereader these days, I'd expect perfection. And Amazon doesn't seem to be doing a good job providing that with the Oasis, or for that matter, the Voyage.

EDIT#2: I just noticed the article says the Kindle Paperwhite hasn't been updated since 2013. Isn't the date of the last update 2015 if you mean a hardware refresh or earlier this year if you mean a firmware update?

cerem0ny · 06-06-2016, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by binaryhermit

I imagine this fiasco will bankrupt Amazon.

EDIT: On a less flippant note, if I paid $290 for an ereader these days, I'd expect perfection. And Amazon doesn't seem to be doing a good job providing that with the Oasis, or for that matter, the Voyage.

Yep, and with people so eager to dismiss or sweep under the rug any complaints or otherwise about the hardware aint doing any favours for quality control. Maybe I should learn to love print books again? I don't have a night light near my bed so I havnt read one in about a decade

... So shameful!

Josieb1 · 06-06-2016, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerem0ny

That sucks. I remember a while back Amazon releasing some statement about how they fixed the Voyages on the production line in this regard, figured it was too good to be true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerem0ny

That sucks. I remember a while back Amazon releasing some statement about how they fixed the Voyages on the production line in this regard, figured it was too good to be true.

It's miniscule, as in only visible at light 24 in a dark room. That's why I said the screen was perfect. It's certainly better than my WiFi Voyage and I considered that screen a good one. I'm very happy and I'm a person who sees all colour shifts.

Edited to say I also bought the new one from John Lewis not Amazon, the firmware was two older than 5.7.4 so I've no idea how long they had had it.

Dr. Drib · 06-06-2016, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCION

What's sad is a 1.5 years later and Voyages still have the yellow top. Folks are holding off on the Oasis in anticipation of improvements. There won't be any. Find the unit that works for you. They all have imperfections that we ultimately settle for.

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

Mine doesn't have a yellow top.

Mine looks great.

Josieb1 · 06-06-2016, 12:19 PM

I went to put my new Voyage into its case today and the casing is cracked at the back, top left, it's coming away from the front

I can’t work out how I missed it yesterday.

My gorgeous new device is toast. I can get it replaced but now I'm back to will I get a good screen nerves

06-06-2016, 12:24 AM	#41
binaryhermit Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,732 Karma: 20469902 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Lockport, IL Device: Kindle PW4, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition	I imagine this fiasco will bankrupt Amazon. EDIT: On a less flippant note, if I paid $290 for an ereader these days, I'd expect perfection. And Amazon doesn't seem to be doing a good job providing that with the Oasis, or for that matter, the Voyage. EDIT#2: I just noticed the article says the Kindle Paperwhite hasn't been updated since 2013. Isn't the date of the last update 2015 if you mean a hardware refresh or earlier this year if you mean a firmware update? Last edited by binaryhermit; 06-06-2016 at 09:51 AM.

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06-04-2016, 06:13 PM	#34
Shinytop Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 59012 Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Pensacola Device: Kindle Oasis	61%, at last look, of the reviews on Amazon are rating the Oasis a 5. This is in spite of many who rate it a 1 who have never seen one, rating it mostly on the price. There are many printed reviews who like it a lot and recommend its purchase if one can afford the best. Calling attention to only bad review(s) is disingenuous.

06-05-2016, 06:23 PM	#37
webjunk Enthusiast Posts: 33 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2016 Device: None	When you read a book with white pages, are the pages white when you read under fluorescent light and white when you read under incandescent light?

06-05-2016, 06:59 PM	#38
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,100 Karma: 18051062 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kindle Scribe, Coloursoft, PW SE, Kindle 6, Kobo Libra 2, Clara BW	I bought a new Voyage today, I wanted the 3G version and hubbys had my Wifi. The screen is perfect, no shadows at the bottom, only a slight yellowing at the top (very slight). It's sad that they mucked up so much with the Oasis.

06-05-2016, 09:05 PM	#39
SCION Séduisant Posts: 4,706 Karma: 2107018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas, USA Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6	What's sad is a 1.5 years later and Voyages still have the yellow top. Folks are holding off on the Oasis in anticipation of improvements. There won't be any. Find the unit that works for you. They all have imperfections that we ultimately settle for. Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

06-06-2016, 12:19 PM	#45
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,100 Karma: 18051062 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kindle Scribe, Coloursoft, PW SE, Kindle 6, Kobo Libra 2, Clara BW	I went to put my new Voyage into its case today and the casing is cracked at the back, top left, it's coming away from the front I can’t work out how I missed it yesterday. My gorgeous new device is toast. I can get it replaced but now I'm back to will I get a good screen nerves