I bought a Kindle Keyboard and I had a realization. Am I crazy?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

IMO, average users here on MR are not representative of the many low tech users who buy Kindles. Folks here lean strongly to the type of user who loves to keep learning, and those who love to tinker with their techie toys.

I spent a lot of time on the now defunct Kindle forums, and believe me, the majority of those users were not high end techie users.

Your HO matches my HO. If I remember correctly, I think at least 90% of kindle owners use them straight out of the box. Yes, they might like different features but they just mention it in hopefully the Amazon forums if at all.

MR represents the minority of kindle owners. Now trying to convince them of that is sometimes another story.

[Tarana]

Woot sent me one without ads and with 3G, but I don't if that was luck of the draw or normal – I'm guessing Amazon no longer cares what which one they sell to you any more.

K3 doesn't come with ads as a rule. Never did (that was a later creation). I think you just lucked out getting the 3g as they had finished that sale just before the one where you bought your current unit. Someone probably didn't notice that they were not the same thing. FWIW, I've had both the K3 and K3 w/3G and the 3G doesn't suck up any extra power as it is only on when you download outside of a wifi reach. It is only slightly heavier (not even an ounce).

K4 is a nice compact ereader for taking around with you every day. I did that for several years as it was low cost NEW, I was less concerned about it dropping on concrete or somesuch.

[johnnyb]

I agree with the OP that the Kindle Keyboard was an amazing Kindle. It was the only device you needed with you while traveling, it had games (we played the hell out of Monopoly and Yahtzee on roadtrips), played MP3s through speakers (great for audiobooks, way before Audible only) and offered great readability, battery life and had an awesome lighted cover.
For me, the most magic Kindle of all!
(I also agree with others though that I wouldn't want to go back to unlighted screens. I wish, however, that Amazon starts being more inclusive again in terms of brought media)

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The TTS on the old Kindles is nowhere near as good as Ivona. I'm sure you can find some Youtube videos that will allow you to hear it, if you search.

True. But for a certain use case, i.e., putting down the reader to do some short household chore, like some meal-preparation chore, while continuing to "read" via TTS, the K3 is superior because the K3's speaker is appreciably louder than the Touch's, which I believe is the only e-Ink Kindle with Ivona and a speaker.

(Or maybe the above applies only to people like me with reduced hearing.)

[rcentros]

I've been using the Keyboard quite a bit. Being bigger seems to make it more comfortable for me to hold. I'm glad I picked up one of these (actually two, since I was able to fix one of the Shop Goodwill Kindle Keyboards I had already bought, but originally didn't work).

What's funny is the Goodwill K3 (imaginatively named "Keyboard2") says it is subscribed to ads (and that it will cost me $20 to turn them off) but actually it doesn't display ads. The Woot K3 ("Keyboard") came ad-free, but I've turned the ads on because I like them better than most of the K3 screens. But I don't see any way to turn ads on, on Keyboard2, which is kind of a weird "problem."

EDIT: And now the ads have started on Keyboard2 – so I guess it just took a few days for it to "catch up."

[graycyn]

All up to the individual, really!

I owned a Kindle K3 Keyboard for awhile and DETESTED it. Hated the buttons, which weren't handy at the bottom like on my Sony readers. Hated the size and bulk. Hated the interface as well. Only reader I ever had to read the manual for. Bought it to test ebooks on, but hated the device so badly I gave it away soonest opportunity. I had friends who liked it, but ugh, you couldn't pay me to read on one.

I do agree that I did like the less recessed screen on the K3, but not enough to give up infrared touch screens at the time. My current devices, Kindle Voyage and Kobo Aura ONE are BOTH flush screen. So you might indeed prefer a flush screen device!

To me the flush screen, aside from being easier to clean, just has more of a 'book' feel, rather than device feel.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by graycyn

All up to the individual, really!

I owned a Kindle K3 Keyboard for awhile and DETESTED it. Hated the buttons, which weren't handy at the bottom like on my Sony readers. Hated the size and bulk. Hated the interface as well. Only reader I ever had to read the manual for. Bought it to test ebooks on, but hated the device so badly I gave it away soonest opportunity. I had friends who liked it, but ugh, you couldn't pay me to read on one. ...

Never had that strong of a reaction to any eReader. Maybe I like the Keyboards because of the cases I use with them. Just feels like I'm holding a book. And, since I started with a Nook, I was used to Page Turn key placements already.

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Never had that strong of a reaction to any eReader. Maybe I like the Keyboards because of the cases I use with them. Just feels like I'm holding a book. And, since I started with a Nook, I was used to Page Turn key placements already.

That's why it's all an individual thing. People have different needs. I have a friend who still uses and loves the very first Kindle, which is even clunkier than the K3!

I started with a Nook Wifi, but never used the page turn buttons at all because of placement, just the touch screen only. Then I went to Sony, and those felt so natural to use either buttons (at the bottom) OR touchscreen. I always had held paperbacks from the bottom, those Sony readers felt 'right'. But still preferred touchscreen.

But the Kindle Keyboard was just a total fail. At least it was a really cheap refurb and it went to a niece who got use out of it. Other than the smaller recess for the screen, there was just nothing I liked about it. Yet many loved and still like the device. Just not me.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[rem736]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I wouldn't dream of buying a non-illuminated reader, though. It's an absolutely non-negotiable requirement.

i feel the same...except that when it comes to large screen devices (sony dpt-s1, sony dpt-rp1, onyx boox max, etc), there is no option for a built-in light. so i settled.

[montalex]

I have 5 or 6 Kindle Keyboards and I love them. I love that the 3G version still has an open browser, so I can check my email almost anywhere in the world. I love that I can read easily in transit by making the font a little larger, and that I can hold it in one hand and use the thumb of that hand for page turns. A little clip on light works brilliantly I like the physical keyboard for writing emails and notes. I have several because friends and students have given them to me with broken screens or motherboards, and those are very simple and cheap to replace. I really appreciate that Amazon has kept the 3G functional, so I can buy the NYTimes when I'm in the woods. I'd trade one for an Oasis, but only one!

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by graycyn

That's why it's all an individual thing. People have different needs. I have a friend who still uses and loves the very first Kindle, which is even clunkier than the K3!

I started with a Nook Wifi, but never used the page turn buttons at all because of placement, just the touch screen only.

Totally get that. My late sister wouldn't use my K3 after about 20 minutes. She wanted a touch screen. I gave her my Nook ST (and then bought a Glo). She was happy with that until she got her Fire and then never touched the Nook again. My Mom preferred a touch screen as well (Bought her a Paperwhite 1). My brother really liked his K3, but after his stroke, he just doesn't read any longer.

[Richwood]

To me the flush screen has both advantages and disadvantages. The inset screen with a raised bezel helps protect the screen when in a case as the case front cover is held away from the screen, reducing the chance of impact damage. The flush screen though is easier to clean. I still like the pre touch screen Kindles and have K2, K Keyboard, Kindle DX and K4/5 readers.

For touch screens I prefer the infrared technology as a capacitive screen can have difficulty with dry skin in low humidity areas. The combo of a touch screen that can be disabled and page turn buttons is close to ideal IMO for recreational reading.

[rcentros]

At this point I have five Kindle Keyboards (four functional, one needs a screen and a battery, if I decide to fix it) and two lighted cases – all but one have 3G. I'm not keeping them all (my eReader culling is about to begin again) but these have become my main eReaders. They were definitely well-built devices.

(I have to stay away from Shop Goodwill dot Com.)

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by rcentros

At this point I have five Kindle Keyboards (four functional, one needs a screen and a battery, if I decide to fix it) and two lighted cases – all but one have 3G. I'm not keeping them all (my eReader culling is about to begin again) but these have become my main eReaders. They were definitely well-built devices.

(I have to stay away from Shop Goodwill dot Com.)

Resistance is futile. Goodwill will always suck you back in. I'm surprised our local one hasn't filed a missing persons report on us.

[mobama]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

I’ve never met a chair side lamp that cast enough light for comfortable reading. The shadows they cause bother me, and being able to see the bulb, which happens when I would get the lamp close enough, bothered my eyes.

Full spectrum lights are better, but I’d need to carry one around with me.

There are (pocket and keyring) lights with adjustable level these days. I have found that 1 lm (lumen) is perfect for a white paper page. Positioning or placing the light conveniently could be an issue, but carrying them around, well, carrying books around is an issue.

Edit: For example I have this one http://flashlight.nitecore.com/ILLUMINATION/T/TUBE/ and I can warmly recommend it. It has an extremely wide light cone, completely dispersed, so no sharp shadows, perfect for reading.