The Kindle DX - A Review a Few Days In

[bretbw]

I haven't been able to get a Kindle DX yet, and a lot of the PDFs I receive that I would like to use with the device come to me password-protected. Has anyone tried opening a password-protected PDF on the Kindle DX yet?

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by bretbw

I haven't been able to get a Kindle DX yet, and a lot of the PDFs I receive that I would like to use with the device come to me password-protected. Has anyone tried opening a password-protected PDF on the Kindle DX yet?

Good question. I know it doesn't do DRM PDFs, but I don't know about password protected.

[soilwork]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

I'm not arguing with that point, I'm only questioning whether it's necessary for normal usage.

I agree that it may not be necessary for normal usage. But extra durability is certainly good to have since it can be critical under certain special cases. Just in case it is dropped or I may be bumped into another person while holding one in the airport. With similar logic, safety belt is not necessary for normal usage but it will make a cricital difference when a drunken driver rear-ends your car.

I think you assume that we have to pay premium for durability of plastic screen. It may be true at first, but when production gets efficient, the price can be as similar as or lower than that of glass product. In that case, I would expect anybody would prefer durable ones to less durable ones. For example, if irex starts making 1000DS with plastic screen and sells them at the same price as the glass screen one, I certainly will prefer plastic one to glass one.

[wgrimm]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Screen breakage seems to have a lot more to do with chassis design than it does with screen size.

And alot to do with the glass used. The glass in my windows, for example, is bulletproof. Depending on how the glass is made, it can be very tough....I did manage to break the screen of a REB 1150 several years ago, by dropping it on concrete stairs.

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by soilwork

BTW, I am sorry if I sound too aggressive. I tend not to include humor in discussion (or cannot since English is not my mother tougue). I know some people in this forum can present the idea without sounding aggressive or dry (for example, RickyMaveety) but I am afraid that it will not come to me anytime soon, if ever.

HA!!! OK, I'm framing that!! Nate the Great thinks I am the world's most aggressive "bully" around (or maybe the second most -- maybe third after Hitler and Attila the Hun).

[soilwork]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

HA!!! OK, I'm framing that!! Nate the Great thinks I am the world's most aggressive "bully" around (or maybe the second most -- maybe third after Hitler and Attila the Hun).

Really? I have not noticed it so far. If it is true, I may have to choose another role model in the forum.

[Abelturd]

Tread carefully Ricky. You see that there are people out there who look up to you. That's one huge pile of responsibility, if you ask me.

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by soilwork

Really? I have not noticed it so far. If it is true, I may have to choose another role model in the forum.

I'm not exactly role model material. But it's nice that you saw me that way.

Originally Posted by Abelturd

Tread carefully Ricky. You see that there are people out there who look up to you. That's one huge pile of responsibility, if you ask me.

Well, it's a huge pile of something anyway!!

[sirbruce]

Originally Posted by bretbw

I haven't been able to get a Kindle DX yet, and a lot of the PDFs I receive that I would like to use with the device come to me password-protected. Has anyone tried opening a password-protected PDF on the Kindle DX yet?

I'm told it does but I have no password-protected PDFs to test.

[bretbw]

Originally Posted by sirbruce

I'm told it does but I have no password-protected PDFs to test.

Here is a sample password protected PDF. If anyone can try opening it on the Kindle DX and report back on the forum, I will put up the spinning blue "Thank You" dude, or maybe even the "I Heart U" dude!

The file's password is "password" and it is online at http://www.planetpdf.com/planetpdf/d...015158.opn.pdf

Thanks!

[sirbruce]

"This PDF cannot be opened due to embedded features not yet supported by Kindle."

Are you sure it's only password protected and nothing else?

Anyway I could be wrong about the password support; again I only know what I read from others.

Edit: I tried another password protected PDF and it didn't work either. Guess I heard wrong, sorry.

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by Modern Bear

I wonder what was Amazon's rush to get it out in June anyway? Why not August or September and get it right?

Let me venture a theory. Jeff B is not really interested in selling Kindles. What he is interested in is selling ebooks - including textbooks. So the Kindles are simply devices intended to get the eStuff selling business to critical mass. They are not a profit center, and therefore, do not have to actually get things more than approximately right.

http://gizmodo.com/5292525/jeff-bezo...on-more-device

In other words, Amazon is not interested in "getting it right" for the Kindle. They are, however, interested in being the biggest eContent seller in the universe, and the Kindles are just stepping stones to that result.

[HansTWN]

wish you were right. But wouldn't he be selling epub versions, too? Seems like he wants to use the Apple iphone/ipod touch/iTunes business model. Sell devices and try to force customers to buy everything related from you. He apparently thinks DX users are early adopters who don't mind some growing pains.

[bretbw]

Originally Posted by sirbruce

"This PDF cannot be opened due to embedded features not yet supported by Kindle."

Are you sure it's only password protected and nothing else?

Anyway I could be wrong about the password support; again I only know what I read from others.

Edit: I tried another password protected PDF and it didn't work either. Guess I heard wrong, sorry.

Sir Bruce, I thank you! Bummer of a result, but you have earned your spinning Thank You!

Oh, what the heck...

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

wish you were right. But wouldn't he be selling epub versions, too? Seems like he wants to use the Apple iphone/ipod touch/iTunes business model. Sell devices and try to force customers to buy everything related from you. He apparently thinks DX users are early adopters who don't mind some growing pains.

I think that the barrier for epub & other formats is that he couldn't expect to be able to DRM them and have Sony accept that on its devices. But he might be able to license the Kindle format to the other ereaders, and not have to bother with epub. It could be that the Stanza & other acquisitions have something to do with this.