Paperwhite Second Gen: First Impressions

[Shifty4Ever]

I hope Amazon corrects everyone's issues. My PW2 arrived yesterday and the screen is perfect. After my ongoing ordeal with Kobo, I am relieved. My new Aura had approximately 6 pinpricks in different locations. Getting an RMA has been an adventure.

I have been able to compare the two devices. The Aura is substantially lighter in hand than the Kindle and feels fragile. For a plastic cased device it seems well built. I'm coming from Sony readers.

IMO, there is no comparison in the screens. The Aura always looks blurry. No matter what I did on the font, I could never get crisp text. The PW2 does not have this problem. The PW2 has the more even lighting also. Top to bottom, the Aura is very uneven by comparison.

Overall, I was never a fan of the Kindle, due to more personal prejudices than anything. After using it for one day, I can see why Amazon has taken over the US market.

[simplyparticular]

Originally Posted by booklover6

I took some pictures, but can't really tell anything from them. I can say the text on the PW2 is darker, the screen is lighter, and the USE_ALT_FONTS trick does NOT WORK!!!

This is a disappointment. I have never loved the Kindle UI, and my interest for the PW2 was partly due to all the people adding alternate fonts. I'm hoping I really love Palatino in order to enjoy the light

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Maybe he is.

Bwahahahah!!!! LMAOROTF!!! Good one!

[anywho]

Originally Posted by simplyparticular

This is a disappointment. I have never loved the Kindle UI, and my interest for the PW2 was partly due to all the people adding alternate fonts. I'm hoping I really love Palatino in order to enjoy the light

Palatino isn't a bad font. But font's are very individual. I've suggested that everyone who wants to be able to to choose a custom font actually email kindle-feedback@amazon.com and ask for it. That's the most likely way we're going to see something happening.

"Please allow for the free distribution and sale of fonts in a similar manner you provide both books and games for the kindle. This not only would allow you to sell more things, but cater to those of us who have specific demands when it comes to fonts. It's a win-win"

[volwrath]

I am hoping my PW2 will be ok. A friend just received his, and after he activated he was like oh no, I have a bad pixel... I told him to send it back and go to bestbuy and get one.

Hoping he is in the minority, because I am looking for the PW2 to fix my nearsightedness!

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

You can return them quite easily at Best Buy. I asked and they give you two weeks for a complete refund. Not as good as Amazon, but enough time to check over the screen. I'm also sure Amazon would still stand behind it after the 2 weeks too.

I agree though, it's really a shame their quality control hasn't been better with the PW's. And while only a handful of people are reporting specks and pinholes on the boards, I'm betting more people have them and just don't notice it.

It is more the process of returning to BB that I don't like. I have to go stand in line at the Return desk, which is usually staffed by people of little knowledge. It takes forever, and isn't a good experience. With Amazon you just print a label and mail it back to them. As of now, though, I seriously doubt I will buy a PW2 before they correct the problem with pin holes. I really don't want to go through the process of returning multiple PWs like I did last year. So I'm in wait and see mode now.

Originally Posted by anywho

Palatino isn't a bad font. But font's are very individual. I've suggested that everyone who wants to be able to to choose a custom font actually email kindle-feedback@amazon.com and ask for it. That's the most likely way we're going to see something happening.

"Please allow for the free distribution and sale of fonts in a similar manner you provide both books and games for the kindle. This not only would allow you to sell more things, but cater to those of us who have specific demands when it comes to fonts. It's a win-win"

Good luck with that! How many years now have we been asking for minor things like more control of Margins, Fonts, and Collections, just to be totally ignored? I think the Amazon complaint box is directly attached to a shredder.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Good luck with that! How many years now have we been asking for minor things like more control of Margins, Fonts, and Collections, just to be totally ignored? I think the Amazon complaint box is directly attached to a shredder.

I think a lot of people mention their wants on forums like this one and KBoards, but wonder how many of them actually send them to Amazon in the form of feedback. Not saying you're wrong about the shredder, but I do sometimes wonder.

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I think a lot of people mention their wants on forums like this one and KBoards, but wonder how many of them actually send them to Amazon in the form of feedback. Not saying you're wrong about the shredder, but I do sometimes wonder.

Read the Amazon Kindle official forums. A lot folks have posted these same complaints over and over to no avail.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by elemenoP

I thought you were being sarcastic and then when I read on, I realized you were serious! Now I can see why people who saw color blobs felt so beat up last year.

eP

Optical illusion. Take Bright flashlight to it you can see it's a hole. I have two on my PW1

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by allowingtoo

I finally figured out last night what is bugging me so much about the Yellow screen on my new Paperwhite. My font is gray. Or is it grey? And it's causing eyestrain.

After all, if you go to the Amazon page for the Paperwhite, they call it Paperwhite for a reason and rave about the crisp font. I don't have that. Hopefully I will with the new one.

I noticed on several pics the text on the PW2 looks lighter. My PW1 text is black but as you up the light it gets lighter. I had to modified some fonts adding weight to be able to read comfortably on it.

Until someone can figure out custom fonts on a PW2 I am holding off.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Read the Amazon Kindle official forums. A lot folks have posted these same complaints over and over to no avail.

Yes, but I don't think Amazon really reads any/most of those posts and if they do it's a support person. It's provided for their customers to discuss things.

[allowingtoo]

I never modified my fonts or jailbroke my PW1, but then I waited and I think I had the last version they produced. All the pink and green screens scared me off from ordering in the first few versions. I jumped on this version because I figured they probably had it figured out by now.

Well, I do modify my font a little. I run it through Calibre and increase my font to 26. That way I don't have the big jump at the biggest size. There's the large and then there's LARGE. This gives me an in between size that's more comfortable.

[Ocicat]

The mailman has my Pw and he is 2 hours late! Worse than on mondays, is today the big PW delivery day?

[xendula]

Originally Posted by Outrager

Well this REALLY sucks.
I was trying to put a picture onto the PW2 via USB but it wouldn't go into USB Drive Mode.
So I thought maybe it needs a restart.
I restart the device and now it has the "Repair Needed" screen on it.
I tried restarting, but no dice. Just keeps coming back to this screen.
Sigh....
Talking with someone on live Chat now.

Oh no!