Why no SD cards?

[ApK]

Originally Posted by kaufman

Are you really arguing that Amazon should switch to a new OS for their ereader so that they can support bluetooth?

I think he means that all Amazon's devices are based on Linux and/or Android, which already has a Bluetooth stack.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by kaufman

Are you really arguing that Amazon should switch to a new OS for their ereader so that they can support bluetooth?

The OS Amazon uses had a Bluetooth stack that they decided to do away with. Amazon didn't have to reinvent such. They just had to use what can with the OS.

Also, why do you feel that there should not be any improvements to the Kindle? If Amazon read this thread and actually implemented some of the more easy things to implement, I think the Kindle would be much better then it is now.

[kaufman]

Originally Posted by Rizla

So you think we should stop speculating and discussing features we want / don't want because you think Amazon will read them, decide we're all marginal fringe folk, and therefore ignore all future opinions expressed herein. Right then. Let's all stop.

No, I think we should all discuss whatever we want to discuss. I think that a possible consequence of those discussions could be what I said, but I enjoy the discussions more than any feature I might want, so I vote for the discussions.

Originally Posted by Rizla

And Amazon, if you're listening, please dump the USB port and introduce wireless charging. You know it makes sense, and it really does.

Never going to happen. They don't even supply the plug for the wall now. Do you really think they are gong to make a change that requires them to supply wireless bases?

And even if they did, they would probably leave in the USB port anyhow.

[kaufman]

Originally Posted by ApK

I think he means that all Amazon's devices are based on Linux and/or Android, which already has a Bluetooth stack.

Got it. Thanks.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by kaufman

Its an ereader. Its not a notebook. The vast majority of people don't use the built in keyboard at all, and of those that do, the vast majority don't type enough to need anything more than the built in keyboard.

Note that I don't really know that that those statements are true, I just made them up. I believe them to be true, and there is some evidence that a keyboard isn't important because Amazon took out the keyboard.

Actually, you need the keyboard to search for a book in the Kindle Store.
Oh noes, that is a horrible user experience (built-in keyboards suck) Amazon has a moral obligation to allow us to use bluetooth keyboards for browsing the Kindle Store!!! (!!!!!)

[kaufman]

Originally Posted by kaufman

...the vast majority don't type enough to need anything more than the built in keyboard.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Actually, you need the keyboard to search for a book in the Kindle Store.

I didn't say they don't need it at all, just that the built in keyboard was good enough for almost everyone.

I know you were agreeing with me, but I make this point for those that follow you.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by kaufman

I didn't say they don't need it at all, just that the built in keyboard was good enough for almost everyone.

I know you were agreeing with me, but I make this point for those that follow you.

I was just nitpicking about your statement:

The vast majority of people don't use the built in keyboard at all [...]

I know the builtin keyboard is perfectly good for pretty much all use. (I type a lot, including when browsing MR and even when using a Kindle for something it was manifestly not designed for, my complaint is still about the screen size and not specifically the keyboard.)

But I daresay the majority of Kindle owners do use the keyboard (and are happy with it) maybe not for annotations and searching and the experimental/hacked browsers, but certainly for the Kindle Store -- unless they do all their ebook buying from the computer?

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by kaufman

I didn't say they don't need it at all, just that the built in keyboard was good enough for almost everyone.

I don't use the built-in keyboard on my K4S. I use my desktop to send the books I want to read. It's much quicker and easier.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by kaufman

No, I think we should all discuss whatever we want to discuss. I think that a possible consequence of those discussions could be what I said, but I enjoy the discussions more than any feature I might want, so I vote for the discussions.

Okay, cos previously you said we shouldn't discuss, in case Amazon were listening and auto-discounted our wishes as the wild thoughts of fringlings. I did think your previous suggestion was one of the silliest comments I've heard on MB recently, and I've heard quite a few. Glad we got that straight

[Rizla]

Re: dumping the USB port.

Originally Posted by kaufman

Never going to happen. They don't even supply the plug for the wall now. Do you really think they are gong to make a change that requires them to supply wireless bases?

And even if they did, they would probably leave in the USB port anyhow.

Yes, the need for a charger is the only reason I can see for them keeping it. I imagine a USB port is a pretty cheap component, but as I said, I've read that it is the component that fails the most, so it's more expensive in real-terms.

Balance with that the ability of Amazon to further wall-in their customer base, How many users actually organize books from the computer?

And what about wireless charging? That might shift Amazon towards it.

And even if they did, they would probably leave in the USB port anyhow.

I can't think why. If the USB port no longer has a function, why not strip it out. Other than for charging, most users don't use it, like the SD-card.

Amazon, get rid!

[silverraven]

Except to type in my ridiculously long and very complicated home wi-fi password I don't know that I have ever used the keyboard on my K4NTb. But, I mainly read novels, so no real need to take notes either. And with those I use my laptop to send to my reader using calibre.
Now, if they came out with a much larger reader that could easily handle, say, scientific papers I could see the need to take notes. Then a Bluetooth keyboard would come in very handy indeed.
But let's face it, Amazon is making their reader for casual readers. Someone that reads a novel a week, if that, and are not very techie. You know the people I'm talking about, the ones that still have a hard time doing anything more than email on a computer. I personally know someone that found reading this forum to find the free books too hard. Would it be nice if Amazon marketed a reader for the more techie population that likes to play around with all the settings and truly customize their reading experience? Sure would! Do I see it happening any time soon? Nope. Not enough payback for their effort. Especially in this economy.
Have we ever had a poll here for what type of books we read on our eink reader? Not tablets, not laptops, not phones, but strictly on our eink devices? It would be kind of interesting to see what type book the average reader here, which I think is far from average, reads on them.
S
p.s. As far as customizable fonts and margins, that I don't get. That would be nice to have available. Font size tweeking is what I would like. My eyes are bad, so I need a pretty big font. But sometimes the only choices I have are too small or too large. I really really need to take the time to learn how to fix font size in calibre.......

[kaufman]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Okay, cos previously you said we shouldn't discuss, in case Amazon were listening and auto-discounted our wishes as the wild thoughts of fringlings. I did think your previous suggestion was one of the silliest comments I've heard on MB recently, and I've heard quite a few. Glad we got that straight

If I said that, I was probably in the middle of a thought and exaggerating for effect.

[kaufman]

Originally Posted by Rizla

I can't think why. If the USB port no longer has a function, why not strip it out. Other than for charging, most users don't use it, like the SD-card.

Until wireless charging becomes ubiquitous, they would leave it in because people would complain about having to buy multiple chargers for mutliple locations. A usb cord is tiny and most people have a bunch of them. Wireless plates are not and people would need one for home one for the office, etc.


I don't think that Amazon would be able to count on the battery lasting long enough that you wouldn't need more than one.

[TuxGirl]

Based on my experience on the kindle forums, there is actually a significant number of customers who do not have WiFi at home, and handle the transfer of their books via USB.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by kaufman

Its an ereader. Its not a notebook. The vast majority of people don't use the built in keyboard at all, and of those that do, the vast majority don't type enough to need anything more than the built in keyboard.

You asked what possible use and a keyboard connection is most certainly a possible use. PDAs are, of course, PDAs and not notebooks. Yet they had docking keyboards and BT keyboards around 10 years ago.

I bet the vast majority (including me) do not use annotation, which I am confident required more software development resources to implement than failing to disable BT would.

I do remember a prominent member on this site stating he would keep his K2 until it croaked because it has a keyboard.

I did not buy a K3 because the keyboard made it too big, but I sure would have liked the possibility of using an external keyboard when I entered my wifi password on my K4NT.

Originally Posted by kaufman

Note that I don't really know that that those statements are true, I just made them up. I believe them to be true, and there is some evidence that a keyboard isn't important because Amazon took out the keyboard.

I never wrote nor even implied that a keyboard is important for an e-reader, just that it is a possible use.