It's here! (and charging)

[Harmon]

Mine (3G) arrived today. On a segment of the screen, the text is faded. Called Amazon & they say I'll have a new one tomorrow.

Impressions:

1. Less solid than my Sonys. Feels like a toy.

2. Screen still too dark IMHO. I wonder if this would seem better or worse had I ordered the white.

3. Font is is darker so contrast with screen is better. Wish there was a decent choice of fonts, though.

4. Toggle pad seems marginally better than K2.

5. Fits snuggly into the zippered Book Armor case I have for my 505. So maybe no need to buy a cover or slipcase.

6. Keep accidentally hitting the page turn buttons when I pick it up.

7. Light as the feather.

[Mrgauth]

Originally Posted by chainring

How about converting one, or a few, of your DRM'd ePub's to mobi, read them on the K3, then do the same with more? How many do you need loaded up at one time?

Converting them is no problem. Got Calibre and figured that out pretty easy. For the one's NOT DRM protected that is. Those with DRM are a no go because Calibre does not remove that, unfortunately, and it just so happens that most of the one I have not read yet are the DRM ones. Unless it does and I just don't know how. If so, someone plz speak up. There is no way I am buying them again. And I have been looking around and can't seem to find a product to un-drm it. Can convert them to a pdf, but man are they ugly.

Keep in mind I know nothing about DRM til I just tried to convert one of these. Don't know the legalities, but honestly, don't care. I bought it and as far as I am concerned it is mine to do with as I plz. Enough of that; I refuse to get embroiled in some debate on that subject.

As for the not-supporting epub comment earlier. Yes, I was fully aware they did not support epub but so many made fun of me when I expressed my disappoint saying I was basically lazy for not just converting them with Calibre. So, I get Calibre, buy the Sony, and now I am thinking I am good to go. Nope.

Just wish the K2 had not had the lack of contrast then I would have kept it and all my books would be good to go. But I have alot of money in my unread books on my Sony and have no wish to tote two readers around for now.

I think this new Kindle is pretty nice and will get one some day after I have finished up all my books on my Sony. So, maybe next year some time.

Unless I can figure this DRM problem out in the next week or so. I do have the 30 days thingie to mess around.

[Kumabjorn]

Oh baby!

It just arrived, I have registered it, it is charging and downloading my archive.
And the UPS man is still alive, but hanging on a thread.

[thinkpad]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Oh baby!
It just arrived, I have registered it, it is charging and downloading my archive

I'm thinking of upgrading from my K2i but I need the bigger screen for technical books so I'll probably wait for the DX Graphite to get back in stock.

[Kumabjorn]

It is amazingly light. And the screen is very sharp, I even went down one size in font, because it is so easy to read.

However, I have found one gripe. I wish the left > button was one inch lower. Why, I hear you asking in a unison choir.
Because, I say, when the Kindle is in the Amazon cover, you hold it just like a light weight paperback, with the left thumb in the middle crease, and if that €@$¤ >button had been a tad lower, it would be extremely easy to switch pages with your left thumb. Meaning the right hand can completely concentrate on the cognac snifter.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Mrgauth

Converting them is no problem. Got Calibre and figured that out pretty easy. For the one's NOT DRM protected that is. Those with DRM are a no go because Calibre does not remove that, unfortunately, and it just so happens that most of the one I have not read yet are the DRM ones. Unless it does and I just don't know how. If so, someone plz speak up. There is no way I am buying them again. And I have been looking around and can't seem to find a product to un-drm it. Can convert them to a pdf, but man are they ugly.

Keep in mind I know nothing about DRM til I just tried to convert one of these. Don't know the legalities, but honestly, don't care. I bought it and as far as I am concerned it is mine to do with as I plz. Enough of that; I refuse to get embroiled in some debate on that subject.

As for the not-supporting epub comment earlier. Yes, I was fully aware they did not support epub but so many made fun of me when I expressed my disappoint saying I was basically lazy for not just converting them with Calibre. So, I get Calibre, buy the Sony, and now I am thinking I am good to go. Nope.

Just wish the K2 had not had the lack of contrast then I would have kept it and all my books would be good to go. But I have alot of money in my unread books on my Sony and have no wish to tote two readers around for now.

I think this new Kindle is pretty nice and will get one some day after I have finished up all my books on my Sony. So, maybe next year some time.

Unless I can figure this DRM problem out in the next week or so. I do have the 30 days thingie to mess around.

If they're encrypted to be compatible Adobe Digital Editions, then Google "inept decrypter". We're not allowed to give you explicit instructions on this forum.

As for my comment, I don't think you're lazy and I was not at all making fun of you. I was just wondering why you bought it. I was also somewhat concerned you might be a troll. We get some folks in here that just love to hate the Kindle and they come in here just to trash it when they actually don't even own one. The lack of ePub support is their mantra. Since it seemed unusual to buy one to with the express goal of reading ePub books, it struck me as possible that you were just here to, pardon my French, thread crap like so many of them do.

[Gwen Morse]

Mine is actually done charging, I'm uploading part of my .mobi format library from Calibre as I type.

It's showing it'll take about an hour with 450 books.

I have a K2 US (the 1st Gen K2 on Sprint, not the AT&T K2), and now a K3 Wifi. The K2 US will be gifted to family.

My biggest impression??? It's SOOOOOO light (re: weight). When I hold it in one hand, it feels "too" light. Then when I hold my K2, it's "too heavy". I think I just need to get used to the newer, slimmer model.

The screen in visibly "whiter" (or at least lighter grey) and the black eInk is "blacker". The stock message you get when looking at it plugged into the USB connection on the PC is so dark and crisp-edged, it "looks like" it was actually printed onto the glass screen. It makes the old K2 font look blurry and the newer K3 font look *too sharp* and oddly fake.

I think it's kind of like the difference in weight. I just need to get used to the new device but once I do I'll be glad not to look back. In the meantime, my K2 can be loved by someone else who will find it nice and light and crisp and easy to use.

The page turn buttons are great! No worries using them. The home button has moved, as has the menu button. Both will take retraining. The d-pad instead of the joystick is odd -- if you have "fat fingers" you might have trouble hitting in the inside of the center button, but at least you're not always pushing "down" instead of "center" (like with the joystick).

It definitely feels like an "upgrade", which is all for the good .

[MsAstoria]

First impression right out of the box: I'm am comparing it to the K2 which I had for over a year so here goes: First of all the horrible plastic smell when I first opened the box, Phew! Yes it is incredible light and small but feels, as one poster already said, very cheap plastic feeling. I think the K2 felt much more substantial but maybe that's just because this is smaller. Packaging was adequate, but when I got my K2 it was in a cool black box with gold lettering and had that "Wow" factor. Again, the packaging leads one back to the "cheap plastic" impression. Course that has nothing to do with the actual product, just first impression.
On a positive note, Calibre downloaded my epub to mobi books perfectly! Nice, and no problems with WiFi downloads from Amazon either. I do like the dark graphite body and it does help with reading the actual screen which looks good btw. Of course we are having a rainy day so can't take it out in direct sunlight to see if the lettering fades. Had that happen with my first K2 and it was promptly replaced by Amazon. 2nd one was fine in sunlight.
I hate the five way button and think my hubby who has bigger fingers will not like that feature at all. And I am sure he will mostly ignore the tiny letter buttons as well. He mostly will use it as intended, reading only.
It may be faster and the screen contrast appears a little better, but it just seems cheaper made and therefore worthy of the lower price.
Sorry for the "sour grapes" but that's how I see it. He may not like it at all, and if so, we'll return for refund. Time will tell.
------------------
update: the next day--- the smell I mentioned above appears not to be the unit but was the packaging. No comments from hubby on the five way, so since this is his first Kindle, he's seems OK with it. Using the keyboard has caused two freezes. Will have to see if that continues and opt for replacement if needed. So far, he seems to like it

[MsAstoria]

Originally Posted by Erinath

Plus it looks seriously cute!

This must be the European plug? as mine is the standard rectangular plug.

[Mrgauth]

I will make another comment regarding mine. I did a search for wifi networks and mine found Zero even though I am typing this note on a laptop from our home wifi. Really thought it would do a better job out of the box finding my network.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Mrgauth

I will make another comment regarding mine. I did a search for wifi networks and mine found Zero even though I am typing this note on a laptop from our home wifi. Really thought it would do a better job out of the box finding my network.

Are you sure your access point is set to broadcast your SSID?

[MsAstoria]

Originally Posted by Mrgauth

I will make another comment regarding mine. I did a search for wifi networks and mine found Zero even though I am typing this note on a laptop from our home wifi. Really thought it would do a better job out of the box finding my network.

Mine found ours right away, but then it's open and not secured as we live on a large lot and the signal does not go much outside the house so even our nearest neighbor couldn't use it and we are quite a distance from the nearest road.
I would suggest you turn it all the way off and try it again. Who knows, maybe just a momentary glitch. I notice that the time isn't sync correctly and from what I can gather, that is a whispernet thing, so perhaps it will correct itself with a few on and offs.

[Viseguy]

Originally Posted by MsAstoria

First impression right out of the box: I'm am comparing it to the K2 which I had for over a year so here goes: First of all the horrible plastic smell when I first opened the box, Phew! Yes it is incredible light and small but feels, as one poster already said, very cheap plastic feeling. ...

The K3 is my first e-reader so I have nothing to compare it to, but it doesn't feel cheap to me. I find it rather sleek-looking, actually. And the chocolate-brown leather cover adds gravitas, literally and figuratively.

[Tiersten]

Originally Posted by MsAstoria

This must be the European plug? as mine is the standard rectangular plug.

Yeah. It is the UK adapter. UK mains plugs are massive in comparison to US ones.

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by MsAstoria

I hate the five way button and think my hubby who has bigger fingers will not like that feature at all.

I've found that using my fingernail on the border of the button works.