New basic Kindle - Page 10

DuckieTigger · 10-03-2014, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

This isn't a font issue. The PW has a higher resolution than the KT so that's why it looks like that.

The higher resolution would not stretch the fonts horizontally, though.

HarryT · 10-03-2014, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Is that the exact same as in the old KT?

The KT uses an infra-red touchscreen.

DuckieTigger · 10-03-2014, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The KT uses an infra-red touchscreen.

Yes, I am aware. That is why I ask if the new Kindle Touch uses the exact same model of IR touch screen as the old one, or if this zforce is completely new IR technology.

From http://www.neonode.com/zforce/ :

Quote:

zForce technology consists of a set of infrared emitters and detectors, an optical light guide, control electronics and control software. The emitters pulse infrared light just above the touch surface.

Blossom · 10-03-2014, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

The higher resolution would not stretch the fonts horizontally, though.

I have both fonts from the K4 and PW and the PW seemed not as heavy. Still on both Kindles there is only a 2% size difference. The fonts do not look stretch out at all horizontal. The only difference is the resolution. I was able to modify the fonts to get them identical by scaling the K4s 2%

rcentros · 10-03-2014, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Neonode said that the new basic Kindle is using their touchscreen tech:
http://www.neonode.com/neonodes-glar...ndle-6-ereader

Okay, so that settles that. Basically the New Kindle is an updated version of the old Kindle Touch without audio features. It's almost exactly the same weight and size even.

rcentros · 10-03-2014, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Thank you for this opinion.

I'll sit on it for a little while and read more reviews. Unfortunately no local store offers the new Basic yet, so I cannot go and look at it myself.

I can say that the "whiteness" of the New Kindle screen matched the "whiteness" of my K4. This is not the case with my Kindle Touch, which has a grayer screen. So, if you don't need audio features, I think the New Kindle's screen is a step up from the Touch -- not to mention it has more and more modern features and is faster. The whiter screen is probably why the contrast seems better on the New Kindle than on my Kindle Touch, since I think they render fonts in the same way (in other words, both lighter, with less contrast, than the K4). But, in my opinion, the K4 has sharper fonts than any reader that I've seen, so not meeting that standard doesn't mean the New Kindle is bad. It's just that I was hoping it would have both the features of the Touch (Paperwhite and Voyage) and the font of the K4.

Sirtel · 10-03-2014, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcentros

It's just that I was hoping it would have both the features of the Touch (Paperwhite and Voyage) and the font of the K4.

Yes, I was hoping so too, and probably many others. That would have been the perfect reader.

Oh well. You can never have everything you want.
From what I've seen on various photos, the new Basic does not seem bad to me either, even if its text is a bit lighter. Of course some of them probably have worse screens than others.

texasnightowl · 10-03-2014, 09:18 PM

So I went by Staples today and they did not have the new Kindle Basic Touch model out...but they did have the K4BNT (sometimes called K5?) and the PW2 side by side.

I have to admit...the PW2 for $99 was tempting. I've spent more time with an iPad lately so I'm getting used to not using buttons. And the screen with the light on higher was very nice indeed.

However...to my eyes, the K4BNT was better in terms of contrast, be it font sizes or screen layers or whatever when the front light was turned down. And honestly I haven't been in situations where I haven't had sufficient light very often at all.

And then they agreed to price match Fry's, so I got the K4BNT for $59.99.

Guess I'm going to stay well behind the Jones' when it comes to new kindles.

rcentros · 10-04-2014, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texasnightowl

However...to my eyes, the K4BNT was better in terms of contrast, be it font sizes or screen layers or whatever when the front light was turned down. And honestly I haven't been in situations where I haven't had sufficient light very often at all.

And then they agreed to price match Fry's, so I got the K4BNT for $59.99.

Guess I'm going to stay well behind the Jones' when it comes to new kindles.

Congratulations. Sounds like you found a good deal. I would have never thought of price-matching with Fry's. But I'm even cheaper, I think I'll find a good used one at a pawn shop for my backup.

Nate the great · 10-04-2014, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Yes, I am aware. That is why I ask if the new Kindle Touch uses the exact same model of IR touch screen as the old one, or if this zforce is completely new IR technology.

From http://www.neonode.com/zforce/ :

zForce is the brand name, yes.

haydnfan · 10-04-2014, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

Maybe I have a trained eye but I can tell in this picture to what you are saying. I notice it more in the pics posted from Best Buy the murky background on the new Kindle.

Yes it is pretty meh. My kindle 4 silver had a bad screen like that.

Also the font rendering is inferior on this one compared to the Kindle 4 black. It looks like they used the same rendering engine as the Paperwhite has, but without the supporting resolution. The fonts end up looking pixelated even at medium font sizes.

Sirtel · 10-05-2014, 04:54 AM

Some reviewers praise the screen. For example, I found such a review today:

https://ilmk.wordpress.com/2014/10/0...new-79-kindle/

The screen on the picture looks pretty good. It seems the quality of individual screens varies quite a bit...

haydnfan · 10-05-2014, 09:45 AM

Remember what I said-- don't trust a picture! It took me half a dozen pictures to find one that remotely told the truth. It is very easy to make the screen pop with the right exposure setting which most cameras will automatically do if you don't manually set it. And that doesn't match what the human eye sees. Also I can't trust a blog called "I love my kindle" for fair and balanced reporting.

I am going to try again, I contacted amazon for a replacement. The person I talked to is not the sharpest tool in the shed. She thought I was expressing dissatisfaction with the Kindle Basic and not the specific device in my possession. After a couple of minutes she finally understood and then put me on hold for several minutes. But I will receive the replacement on Wednesday.

If I can't find one with a good screen by the 3rd one, I'm giving up. Fingers crossed that I was just simply unlucky in the screen lottery and Amazon didn't just put inferior screens in all of their basics to save money. I'm hoping that Harry is right, and it might just be variance between different units like before.

Rizla · 10-05-2014, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

There is only one slight problem with comparing fonts from one device to the next. And that is the assumption that both devices use the same version Helvetica, and if they do that both devices render the same font the same.

Without the ability to install custom fonts, the difference is moot and may as well be a hardware issue if the base fonts cannot be improved on by customization.

HarryT · 10-05-2014, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rizla

Without the ability to install custom fonts, the difference is moot and may as well be a hardware issue if the base fonts cannot be improved on by customization.

What's to prevent you from using a book with an embedded font? That way you know you're comparing like with like.

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10-03-2014, 09:18 PM	#143
texasnightowl Guru Posts: 797 Karma: 2873645 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Texas Device: PW5, Oasis 3, K4B(NT), K3/KK	So I went by Staples today and they did not have the new Kindle Basic Touch model out...but they did have the K4BNT (sometimes called K5?) and the PW2 side by side. I have to admit...the PW2 for $99 was tempting. I've spent more time with an iPad lately so I'm getting used to not using buttons. And the screen with the light on higher was very nice indeed. However...to my eyes, the K4BNT was better in terms of contrast, be it font sizes or screen layers or whatever when the front light was turned down. And honestly I haven't been in situations where I haven't had sufficient light very often at all. And then they agreed to price match Fry's, so I got the K4BNT for $59.99. Guess I'm going to stay well behind the Jones' when it comes to new kindles.

10-05-2014, 04:54 AM	#147
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,526 Karma: 240526511 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	Some reviewers praise the screen. For example, I found such a review today: https://ilmk.wordpress.com/2014/10/0...new-79-kindle/ The screen on the picture looks pretty good. It seems the quality of individual screens varies quite a bit...

10-05-2014, 09:45 AM	#148
haydnfan Guru Posts: 650 Karma: 5632364 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Kindle PW 4, Oasis 2	Remember what I said-- don't trust a picture! It took me half a dozen pictures to find one that remotely told the truth. It is very easy to make the screen pop with the right exposure setting which most cameras will automatically do if you don't manually set it. And that doesn't match what the human eye sees. Also I can't trust a blog called "I love my kindle" for fair and balanced reporting. I am going to try again, I contacted amazon for a replacement. The person I talked to is not the sharpest tool in the shed. She thought I was expressing dissatisfaction with the Kindle Basic and not the specific device in my possession. After a couple of minutes she finally understood and then put me on hold for several minutes. But I will receive the replacement on Wednesday. If I can't find one with a good screen by the 3rd one, I'm giving up. Fingers crossed that I was just simply unlucky in the screen lottery and Amazon didn't just put inferior screens in all of their basics to save money. I'm hoping that Harry is right, and it might just be variance between different units like before.

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