An answer to why I sold my Kindle 2

I recently purchased and received a Sony PRS-600. I already owned a Sony PRS-505, Amazon Kindle 2, and iPod touch (generation 1). After I got my Sony PRS-600 and used it for a few days, I listed my Kindle 2 and Sony PRS-505 for sale in the MobileRead Fleamarket forum. Another MobileRead member who is also selling a Kindle 2 sent me a message asking why I decided to sell mine and explaining that s/he was selling theirs and having a tough time with the decision to sell. Here is my basic response:

What I really liked about the Kindle 2:

• Amazon’s vast catalog of books which is much larger than the Sony catalog
• Ability to highlight text. The Sony PRS-505 only allowed you to bookmark a page, which wasn’t very helpful.
• Ability to annotate text.
• The built-in dictionary with automatic word look up.

What I didn’t like about the Kindle 2:

• No touch screen so highlighting and word look ups were sluggish with the navigation button.
• Slow processor. Bother the Sony PRS-505 and Kindle 2 are very slow.
• Battery drained a lot faster than the Sony PRS-505 battery, even with Whispernet turned off.
• Lackluster Whispernet, but that was a Sprint issue and not a problem with the Kindle 2.
• Lack of folder system for categorizing books.
• Lack of PDF support.
• Large case with terrible keyboard.

After receiving my Sony PRS-600 I was happy that it provided most of the things I liked about the Kindle 2, except of course access to the Amazon catalog. It also solved most of the things I didn’t like about the Kindle 2, as follows:

• A touch screen with the quality and clarity almost as good as the Sony PRS-505 and Kindle 2 screens.
• A fast processor. Typical page turns on the Sony PRS-505 with a large PDF file took appx. 7 seconds. On the Sony PRS-600 they take less than a second. It is truly a speed demon.
• Good battery life.
• Still no folder system, but Sony readers allow you to create categories for books.
• Improved PDF support over the Sony PRS-505.
• Excellent highlighting, annotation, note taking, and navigation ability via touch screen.
• Software/virtual keyboard that is much better than the clunky keyboard on the Kindle 2.

The one thing that bothered me most about selling the Kindle 2 was access to Amazon’s eBook catalog, which is currently second to none. But then I remembered that I own an iPod touch and can purchase and view Amazon eBooks on it. The Amazon software for the iPod touch currently doesn’t allow highlighting are annotating, but hopefully those features will get added some day. With the iPod touch I retain access to all the Kindle 2 eBooks I purchased, plus I can buy new ones. After realizing that, I placed my Kindle 2 for sale.

[Bluesman7]

...All valid reasons, Jack...you only left out that you wanted my wife to be able to enjoy her own Kindle 2 at a very reasonable price.

[Kostas]

Originally Posted by jswinden

The one thing that bothered me most about selling the Kindle 2 was access to Amazon’s eBook catalog, which is currently second to none. But then I remembered that I own an iPod touch and can purchase and view Amazon eBooks on it. The Amazon software for the iPod touch currently doesn’t allow highlighting are annotating, but hopefully those features will get added some day. With the iPod touch I retain access to all the Kindle 2 eBooks I purchased, plus I can buy new ones. After realizing that, I placed my Kindle 2 for sale.

There is also the tempation to buy books from Amazon with your iPod touch and find the way to read them on your PRS 600...

[doreenjoy]

I can't find anything to disagree with in your post. I returned my K1 within 30 days for much the same reasons -- the form factor (IOW the size of the K1 compared to the screen) was a huge issue. I hardly ever used the keyboard, yet it was constantly there...I prefer the virtual keyboard of the 600.

Glad you found a happy buyer for your K2.

[fugazied]

Fair enough imo. It's funny how archaic these devices are in some ways, folders etc. They should all have advanced tagging systems, folders and other intuitive ways to categorize and drag/drop media.

I;m stick with my Kindle until the Apple tablet is released. If it's never released I'll upgrade form Kindle in 2-3 years when they have advanced a bit more!

Originally Posted by fugazied

Fair enough imo. It's funny how archaic these devices are in some ways, folders etc. They should all have advanced tagging systems, folders and other intuitive ways to categorize and drag/drop media.

I;m stick with my Kindle until the Apple tablet is released. If it's never released I'll upgrade form Kindle in 2-3 years when they have advanced a bit more!

Since they run on Linux instead of a scaled down PDA OS you would indeed expect them to have more features.

I too hope the presumed Apple tablet will have a large enough screen to make a good eBook reader. Two things bother me though, considering Apple's history:

1. Price. Apple seems to think their merchandise is worth 2 or 3 times what it should actually cost.
2. Jobs is such a control freak that he will probably interfere with what software is allowed on his tablet.

Jobs needs to learn the "American way" of consumer electronics: Apple can build and sell it, but we the owners will decide what we put on it and when. Micosoft was NEVER that controlling or arrogant.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Kostas

There is also the tempation to buy books from Amazon with your iPod touch and find the way to read them on your PRS 600...

Can you purchase books from Amazon, only by registering your iPhone/iPod touch WITHOUT actually registering a Kindle?
I use the Kindle app, but in parallel I have registered my Kindles.

[Kostas]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Can you purchase books from Amazon, only by registering your iPhone/iPod touch WITHOUT actually registering a Kindle?
I use the Kindle app, but in parallel I have registered my Kindles.

Last time that I read the instructions on amazon's site, the answer was a clear YES.
But if you don't register a kindle too, you won't be able to download ebooks you buy on your computer, only via kindle app on your iPhone/iPod touch.
IIRC, some members here have managed to extract ebooks to their computer out of their apple device.

[TMark]

Sounds like you have some valid points and I would agree with everything you said if I weren't so damned biased in my own irrational way.