Kindle 2 is here!

TallMomof2 · 02-24-2009, 03:00 PM

I have it in my hot little hands.

Will update....

I also have to install a Japanese language program for my daughter so I'm going back and forth b/n PCs..

First impressions:

K2 is "top heavy" as compared to the K1. Holding it in your hands the top wants to drop. The page turn buttons are different. On the K1 you press the outer edge of the button. On the K2 you have to press the inner edge. The good news is that it will make unintentional page turns less likely.

The screen is faster, more responsive. The partial refreshes work very well when navigating via the joy stick.

You turn on/off the wireless via the menu... no switch.

There are guides for K1 owners to easily transfer subsriptions and "archived" Amazon content.

3G is faster, only a few seconds to bring up Kindle store.

You wake and put the K2 to sleep by quickly sliding the power button to the right. You probably would have to hold the button to the right to turn it off.

Boo, hiss! The USB cable is proprietary. The end that plugs into the K2 is slightly smaller than a small device USB. Another cable I have to carry.

Calibre doesn't automatically detect the K2.

Well, at least you can "eject" the K2 when it is connected to the PC and it will charge and you can use it.

K2 is slightly longer, the same width and significantly slimmer than the K1.

You can easily remove books from the home page. A left toggle on the underlined book brings up a dialogue to delete the item. A right toggle gives you options of:

Go to last page read
Go to Beginning
Go to Location....
Book Description

Search this Book
My Notes & Marks
Remove from Device

Content Manager is completely gone.

There is no discernible way to remove the back and I'm not going to fiddle with it right now.

I find the keyboard more difficult to use because the keys are barely raised from the case but I'll get used to it.

I can still use Calibre by using "Save to Disk".

Navigation is easier and harder. The joy stick makes it fairly easy to maneuver around the screen and the screen refresh keeps up unless you're trying to move fast. The joy stick is pretty sensitive and takes a fairly deft touch. Not good for us arthritis sufferers. The dictionary is already loaded so when you land on a word the definition appears at the bottom of the screen. If you land on a link a little hand with the index finger extended appears. Selection is by pushing the joy stick towards the case.

Page turns are faster, I'll have to learn not to hit the page turn button until I'm closer to the end of the page.
***********
The three pictures I've attached show:
1. Front views of both Kindles
2. End views of both Kindles, note that the USB port on K2 is much smaller.
3. Bad closeup of USB cables.

pshrynk · 02-24-2009, 03:02 PM

pictures!

pilotbob · 02-24-2009, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

Boo, hiss! The USB cable is proprietary. The end that plugs into the K2 is slightly smaller than a small device USB. Another cable I have to carry.

I'm pretty sure it is a standard microUSB connection.

BOb

pilotbob · 02-24-2009, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

3G is faster, only a few seconds to bring up Kindle store.

Faster than what? K1 and K2 use the same wireless network. Don't they?

BOb

Alisa · 02-24-2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Faster than what? K1 and K2 use the same wireless network. Don't they?

BOb

Yes. It's quite possible, though, that the implementation could be improved in the new version. Maybe the connection synchs up faster.

badgoodDeb · 02-24-2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I'm pretty sure it is a standard microUSB connection.

BOb

I was going to say that it's a new standard -- but not many things use it yet. We'll hope that more things start to use it!

And yes, the manual says you hold the on/off switch to actually power it off. (still waiting for mine!)

TallMomof2 · 02-24-2009, 04:23 PM

It may be standard but I don't have anything like it. Off to find the camera.....

TadW · 02-24-2009, 04:25 PM

Photos? Pleeeeease.

pilotbob · 02-24-2009, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

It may be standard but I don't have anything like it. Off to find the camera.....

Lots of cameras already use this. And the cell phone industry group just voted to standardize on it for charging and data... (of course, iPhone probably won't follow that) and many already do use it.

bOb

badgoodDeb · 02-24-2009, 04:33 PM

Soilwork made a thread about this (thanks! that's where I saw it) -- engadget has a ton of pictures here. Unboxing, and all sorts of Kindle shots.

engadget unboxing Kindle 2

Those photos went a long way to appeasing my curiosity!!

daffy4u · 02-24-2009, 04:40 PM

My Bluetooth headset uses MicroUSB, so I already have a Gomadic tip for it.

pshrynk · 02-24-2009, 04:44 PM

I tried looking at Engadget, but it takes 15 seconds to re-load each picture. Too frustrating!

badgoodDeb · 02-24-2009, 04:48 PM

Oh, sorry! I guess we have several T1's in parallel as our web connection here. It was instantaneous for me. They do have *great* pics there.

TallMomof2 · 02-24-2009, 04:48 PM

This is the first *micro* USB device I've owned, all the rest are mini USB. Both my cameras are mini USB, the few phones with a non-proprietary cable are mini USB. I'm sure Amazon went with micro versus mini because of the thinness of the case.

soilwork · 02-24-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshrynk

I tried looking at Engadget, but it takes 15 seconds to re-load each picture. Too frustrating!

Crunchgear has their set of photos in addition to video as well. You can try whether it works better than Engadget.
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/02/24...le-2-unboxing/

02-24-2009, 03:00 PM	#1
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	Kindle 2 is here! I have it in my hot little hands. Will update.... I also have to install a Japanese language program for my daughter so I'm going back and forth b/n PCs.. First impressions: K2 is "top heavy" as compared to the K1. Holding it in your hands the top wants to drop. The page turn buttons are different. On the K1 you press the outer edge of the button. On the K2 you have to press the inner edge. The good news is that it will make unintentional page turns less likely. The screen is faster, more responsive. The partial refreshes work very well when navigating via the joy stick. You turn on/off the wireless via the menu... no switch. There are guides for K1 owners to easily transfer subsriptions and "archived" Amazon content. 3G is faster, only a few seconds to bring up Kindle store. You wake and put the K2 to sleep by quickly sliding the power button to the right. You probably would have to hold the button to the right to turn it off. Boo, hiss! The USB cable is proprietary. The end that plugs into the K2 is slightly smaller than a small device USB. Another cable I have to carry. Calibre doesn't automatically detect the K2. Well, at least you can "eject" the K2 when it is connected to the PC and it will charge and you can use it. K2 is slightly longer, the same width and significantly slimmer than the K1. You can easily remove books from the home page. A left toggle on the underlined book brings up a dialogue to delete the item. A right toggle gives you options of: Go to last page read Go to Beginning Go to Location.... Book Description Search this Book My Notes & Marks Remove from Device Content Manager is completely gone. There is no discernible way to remove the back and I'm not going to fiddle with it right now. I find the keyboard more difficult to use because the keys are barely raised from the case but I'll get used to it. I can still use Calibre by using "Save to Disk". Navigation is easier and harder. The joy stick makes it fairly easy to maneuver around the screen and the screen refresh keeps up unless you're trying to move fast. The joy stick is pretty sensitive and takes a fairly deft touch. Not good for us arthritis sufferers. The dictionary is already loaded so when you land on a word the definition appears at the bottom of the screen. If you land on a link a little hand with the index finger extended appears. Selection is by pushing the joy stick towards the case. Page turns are faster, I'll have to learn not to hit the page turn button until I'm closer to the end of the page. *********** The three pictures I've attached show: 1. Front views of both Kindles 2. End views of both Kindles, note that the USB port on K2 is much smaller. 3. Bad closeup of USB cables. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by TallMomof2; 02-24-2009 at 06:07 PM.

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02-24-2009, 03:02 PM	#2
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	pictures!

02-24-2009, 04:23 PM	#7
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	It may be standard but I don't have anything like it. Off to find the camera.....

02-24-2009, 04:25 PM	#8
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	Photos? Pleeeeease.

02-24-2009, 04:33 PM	#10
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,574 Karma: 64462893 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	Soilwork made a thread about this (thanks! that's where I saw it) -- engadget has a ton of pictures here. Unboxing, and all sorts of Kindle shots. engadget unboxing Kindle 2 Those photos went a long way to appeasing my curiosity!!

02-24-2009, 04:40 PM	#11
daffy4u I'm Super Kindle-icious Posts: 6,734 Karma: 2434103 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis	My Bluetooth headset uses MicroUSB, so I already have a Gomadic tip for it.

02-24-2009, 04:44 PM	#12
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	I tried looking at Engadget, but it takes 15 seconds to re-load each picture. Too frustrating!

02-24-2009, 04:48 PM	#13
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,574 Karma: 64462893 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	Oh, sorry! I guess we have several T1's in parallel as our web connection here. It was instantaneous for me. They do have great pics there.