Kindle 2 Announcement on Amazon Front Page

[Elsi]

Originally Posted by SpiderMatt

On the new Kindle page at Amazon it says, "Included Accessories: Power adapter, USB 2.0 cable, rechargeable battery." Since they listed them separately, I took this to mean a power adapter other than the USB cable, ie a wall adapter. Did Amazon specifically say it would only be rechargeable via computer? That would seem odd. Amazon seemed very intent on making the original Kindle completely usable without computer access.

This is the power adapter: and the text description says, "The power adapter's detachable USB cable can be used to connect your Kindle 2 to a computer or USB hub for either powering your Kindle through the computer or for transferring MP3 or Audible files onto your Kindle."

So, the one USB cable plugs into the USB slot on the Kindle and the other end plugs either into your computer or into the power plug.

My question still stands -- does the Kindle go into the "you can't read now" mode when you plug it into the power plug?

[MsAstoria]

Yep! Too bad. Lots of Kindle folks on Amazon's reader board are pretty unhappy. I read through the owner's manual and not swayed to purchase one yet. I don't care for how the speakers are in the back of the unit instead of the front. Minor point I am sure. The lack of SD slot is really hacking off a lot of folks and having to buy the protective cover separately is adding $30 to the cost! Think I will stick with what I have.

[BenG]

Besides obvious marketing reasons, Amazon may have wanted to keep the price the same so that people who had the K1 backordered wouldn't have to pay extra to upgrade to the new model. They would lose sales or have to keep the K1 in production longer to fill the backorders.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Elsi

My question still stands -- does the Kindle go into the "you can't read now" mode when you plug it into the power plug?

The K2 Quick Start Guide says:

The charge indicator light will turn yellow indicating the battery is charging; you can continue to use your Kindle while it charges. A green light indicated that the battery is fully charged.

[StanDaMan]

So who got their order in on time for the launch?

[NavyDad6]

I think I did. It seems that the first Kindle 2's will ship on Feb 24th. When it is delivered is a matter of what type of shipping you opted for.

I originally had free ground shipping.... my delivery date was March 2nd. I changed it to 2 day shipping and my delivery date changed to 26 Feb.

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by mrkai

The idea is to get the thing to be *less and less 'gadgety'*...

Gee, I would have thought the idea would be to make the thing more and more functional and indispensable.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Why is it that a new iPod can come out every year... have more features, bigger hard drives (storage) more batter life and be the same price or cheaper.

The Kindle 1 was released 2 years ago. The Kindle 2 is the same device in a different case. I can't imagine which it should be more with an SD card slot. Assuming the eInk screen price hasn't changed, I can't imaging that CDMA chips, switches and SD card slots have gotten more expense. Heck, I have seen $99 phones with microSD slots in them.

BOb

In addition to the good points raised by mrkai, the iPod uses many parts that are manufactured by multiple companies and they do such a volume business that these parts manufacturers are vying for their business. Kindle has two rather inflexible parts that we know of and they're likely the most expensive parts.

I do agree that the microSD slot would have been a very small cost addition. Likely only a few dollars. I wonder if part of the reason they eliminated it was possible customer issues. There have been complaints about battery drain and sluggishness while indexing when people moved a lot of stuff around. Plus the small internal memory can fill up fast since everything gets delivered there. If you don't have free space, your deliveries bounce. This probably led to customer complaints when they didn't get their stuff and couldn't figure out why. Moving stuff through the Content Manager is a bit of a pain and you know how some people are about moving files with the computer. Maybe they decided having larger internal memory and nothing else was more of a savings in the customer service department and that fewer people would be annoyed by that than are annoyed with having to spend time managing their device.

Of course 2GB internal memory and a microSD would be lovely but that would be even more expensive and possibly encourage people to keep more stuff on there than they could look through without frustration at the lack of content organization.

[bwaldron]

Originally Posted by Alisa

I wonder if part of the reason they eliminated it was possible customer issues. There have been complaints about battery drain and sluggishness while indexing when people moved a lot of stuff around.

I'm also thinking that is the most likely reason; it's not cost, and it's not because an SD reader wouldn't fit in the new thinner design.

I've occasionally experienced indexing issues on the SD card, where the Kindle will re-index the same books over and over, draining the battery. And then it will magically fix itself and settle down after a week or so of this.

[radleyp]

Those of you who want an idea of how a computerized voice sounds have only to go to the Gutenberg Project site and listen. That kind of voice (male or female) is all right in small doses (as on a GPS) but for a whole book, I found it simply horrible - I tried to listen to "Bleak House" and gave up after a few minutes. I do think it is a strange addition and I say this as someone who listens to audiobooks, but on my iphone (and previously on other phones).

I need a file manager, but do not need additional battery power (I get 3 days with whispernet on) or a memory card (text, after all, takes very little room). I am waiting for a color screen.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I'll say it again, Jon. The point here is that before, I had a choice. I could load smaller SD cards by genre and use that as my folders. The cards would fit nicely in the little pockets of my m-edge case.

Also, If I chose to, I could load 4,000 books on one SD card, or 1000 books on 4 smaller SD cards, if too many books slowed the Kindle down too much.

Why? Because I CHOSE to. I love having all those books there, just like on my wall.

Now, some tech somewhere decided I didn't need that choice.

They also took away my choice of replacing the battery. While its still replaceable, I have to send it in to Amazon, or risk voiding the warranty by doing it myself.

These are two huge steps backwards.

I do see your point in wanting to have an SD slot and totally support your choice to want such. If Amazon upgraded the software at some point to add in true folder support, would the lack of an SD slot on the K2 matter any longer or be as important?

If the battery needs replacing while the K2 is under warranty, then Amazon will do it for you for free.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Elsi

Neutral:
* 16 shades of grey will result in better-looking book covers and illustrations. I don't care to carry digital pictures on my Kindle, so again, it's not a significant improvement.

What (it seems to me) is that most people don't understand that the 16-shades is a by product of the new screen controller used in the K2. Besides the 16 shades, you get faster screen draws. So the 16 shades should (IMHO) go in the positive side of things.

[RickyMaveety]

I've never had problems with indexing, or anything else for that matter, with my SD card. I carry around thousands of volumes of state and federal codes and case law on my SD card (that is dedicated to that, and that alone).

Not having an SD card means that I would no longer recommend getting a Kindle for doing quick out of the office research. It used to be that would work, and really well (just pop in the legal research materials SD card and off I would go).

As for making the product less "gadgety" as someone posted .... why not make it really super less gadgety?? I mean, they could print the books on paper and bind them up in a "book" and sell them one at a time!! Way less gadgety.

From my perspective, the product should be as gadgety-or non-gadgety as a person wants to make it. SD confuses you?? Then don't bother with the SD slot ... it won't change the operation of the device one bit. Folders confuse you?? Then, don't use them ... again, it won't stop you from using the product .... but why not have it there for the people who actually want to use it?? For example, with folders, the display could be more easily configured to allow the user to just display the author's last name ... click on that to open the "folder" and see the books for just that author. No more paging through a bunch of names or typing in the author's name to search for it. Again ... have it be an "option" for those who want to use it.

I still say that the goal of technology should be to make products that are easy to use for the technophobe, but that can be configured by the power user to do amazing things. Not to make them "less gadgety." If technology goes that route, we'll be back using 16th century technology before we know it. (Oh, nooooooo .... not a REMOTE control ... that's too gadgety!! NOT one of those automobile thingies ... too gadgety .... get me a horse!)

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

As for making the product less "gadgety" as someone posted .... why not make it really super less gadgety?? I mean, they could print the books on paper and bind them up in a "book" and sell them one at a time!! Way less gadgety.

That's a GREAT! idea..... er wait, you're being punny aren't you?

BOb

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What (it seems to me) is that most people don't understand that the 16-shades is a by product of the new screen controller used in the K2. Besides the 16 shades, you get faster screen draws. So the 16 shades should (IMHO) go in the positive side of things.

Yep. 16 shades are nice but the only thing I find slightly tempting is the faster screen draws. Now if it was a faster controller AND a better screen (better contrast, maybe flexible), I think I probably would've caved.