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Old 07-30-2010, 01:03 AM   #1
brecklundin
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After K3 Design are you underwhelmed with the KDGX Design & Features?

While I applaud Amazon for the move away from the white only case, I added a black silicon/rubber skin to my K2i to improve outdoor readability via reduced reflected light because where I live the sun gets very bright and high overhead so the less white the better for my old eyeballs. But at the same time I wonder why in the world they did not make some small changes to the GDX.

First the lack of buttons on both sides. Look at the slim buttons used on the K3, why not on the GDX? New keyboard design, why not on the GDX? The joystick thing stinks on the K2i, how is it on the larger device? It sure does not look any better than on the K2i. And of course why not add Wifi? Wifi hardware costs them under $2 these days and the firmware is already done for the K3 soooo, no reason to not port over the needed OS software to support the wifi as well as there is certainly room inside the case for a teeny wifi card.

Right now, I am very happy I did not jump in and buy a GDX as my first large format reader because, well, the ergonomics are so poor especially when compared to what look to by significantly improved handling of the K3.

So anyone else sort of looking at the physical design of the GDX compared to the K3 and wondering what the heck Amazon was thinking? I don't even need wifi but for the price it might as well be there and I am sure for many business users wifi might even encourage more corporate adoption, especially if the web kit browser is improved enough to handle a web based email interface for OTG email monitoring during the day.

Now when compared to the K3 I just think the GDX disappoints even more now than my original "...eh but maybe..." thoughts on it's initial release and its only been a handful of weeks since the GDX was released....
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Old 07-30-2010, 05:19 AM   #2
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In a word, yes. But I think it may be understandable from Amazon's point of view. All supposition without sales figures of course, but it may be that DX sales relative to K2 didn't warrant more than a spit and polish upgrade when it came to the DXG.
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Old 07-30-2010, 06:01 AM   #3
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Heck no! Happy as a clam with my'XG. Two most important things to me are the improved contrast and the size. I have zero buyer's regret.
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Old 07-30-2010, 08:17 AM   #4
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I agree 100% with Samurai. No matter how good the new Kindle is, it is limited by the size of the display. For many of us, that is a deal breaker.
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Old 07-30-2010, 08:29 AM   #5
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I am very happy with my DXG. I think that Amazon will end up pushing out the new software features to the DXG when the K3 is shipped.

I prefer the larger screen and am fine with the keyboard the way it is.
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Old 07-30-2010, 08:40 AM   #6
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I also think that the new software enhancements will be pushed to the DX as well.
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Old 07-30-2010, 09:31 AM   #7
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I think that the design of the GKDX was that way because of the size.

Think about it, it is heavier than the k3. And if you're typing notes or making highlights, you are holding the bottom/sides of the dx and using the joystick- and while the GKDX isn't top heavy, the fact that it is long and has some weight to it means that it is probably better that you're holding it on the side.

As to the left hand side buttons, I always thought that was because you need someplace to hold the thing, but...

I'm not underwhelmed with it at all; and I'm sure all of the software improvements that the K3 received are going to come to the GKDX.
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Old 07-30-2010, 10:50 AM   #8
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DXG Wi Fi?

Since where I live their is no wireless reception I would like to see Amazon come out with a DXG WiFi. I emailed them about the prospects and got a non commital reply. I asume there would be a small price drop of $50 like the K3 if they follow suit. I hope so it might be the final push for me to upgrade to the larger size.
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Old 07-30-2010, 11:15 AM   #9
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For me personally there are only two things that would make DXG better - left buttons for page fliping, and lower price in light of K3 pricing. But just because K3 is being released doesn't make my DXG any less valuable for me - the screen size is spot-on, and I don't care about WiFi or the new 5-way controller. I also like the look of the DXG keyboard better than the round buttons on the K3, and I like having numbers written on the top row for Alt-<number> usage...

Now I'm just looking forward to a firmware update to enable all the new PDF goodies.
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Old 07-30-2010, 11:24 AM   #10
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Heck no! Happy as a clam with my'XG. Two most important things to me are the improved contrast and the size. I have zero buyer's regret.
DITTO!

Although left handed, the buttons being only on the right side doesn't bother me. I don't have to page as often with a larger screen. Besides, the KDXG has an accelerometer (sp?) to allow the orientation to automatically change as you rotate the device. If I want the buttons on the left I can simply rotate the KDXG upside down. Kluge for sure, but it is a solution. I've also ordered the new Kindle WiFi for the bulk of my reading. I bought the KDXG as a special purpose reader--reading large technical/scientific documents. As such it typically gets used by sitting on my desk slightly angled toward me, so button configuration is less important to me than to others.

Last edited by jswinden; 07-30-2010 at 11:27 AM.
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Old 07-30-2010, 02:04 PM   #11
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neat POV's offered, thanks.

I agree the increased contrast has to be just wonderful, maybe even more so on a large format panel since the "white space" is more obvious even with the fonts and such scaled up I bet the "white" space areas just affect the over all look of a page. So that is nice, and it was one of the things I saw as nice about the DXG. And the black (I know it's more pencil lead grey than black but it's better than white for some of us) color was also a welcome change for me personally.

But my primary issue with the KDX was the buttons. I am have personal reasons why I have to have buttons on both sides so for me w/o them the device will never be one I buy because I want a large format device...and as I have mentioned elsewhere, maybe here or just thought I did...hehehe....but the whole accelerometer put the keyboard on top just never has worked for me...I dunno why I can't learn to be OK with the keyboard above the panel but on the 6" Kindles I have owned it just is something distracting plus the balance feels wrong, even if it's not I dunno but it feels top heavy to me...add to that the buttons are reversed it makes habits learned from using the K1/K2/K2i sort of out the window....lost operational consistency. Again probably not huge for a lot of folks but for me it is and this is not new with the DXG.

As for the key layout and navigation button/pad/joystick....time will tell once people begin using the K3. I have a question and that is, on the KDX/DXG is the joystick larger than on the K2/K2i? That's my issue with it because it is simply waaaay to small for my fingers to use easily, I have to take my focus off my work/reading in order to operate the joystick or lawd knows where I will end up in the book...hehehehe...but I still wonder why the new design was not ported to the DXG, it looks like it has to be easier to use. In fact it's not unlike the d-pad on the Pocketbook 360 which people really like it as a nav tool. I LIKE having a keyboard but would have liked to see a 2nd shift key because I could almost touch type even on the K2/K2i keyboard were there a 2nd shift key.

I would hope any software changes would trickle down, or up(?), to the DXG family since, well, it's just firmware BUT, Bezos references some sort of improvement in rendering on the K3 to improve fonts and other screen content. Not sure if that is linked to the driver card, the firmware alone or ??? I would sense the GDX is different hardware wise due to the pixel density alone, so this could be a case where they wanted to get the K3 done and right before shifting attention to the DX family. In fact I wonder of now Amazon is at a point where the development of the devices has branched into two product teams. Historically this does not seem to work as well as one might hope and usually due to teams making decisions which further remove the two products that should be the same for the most part but in reality they diverge. Of course in this case, maybe that makes sense since the target base for the DX family is likely not the same as the K3...but in my case I am in the one-device group and want that to be a large format device.

Still, nice to read there are rational reasons people are happy or not as happy with their new DXG as it's still a wonderful device, but like I mentioned it's release was a bit disappointing to me anyway as the layout had not improved from my POV...most important is the inability to use either hand to turn pages which is an ability I will have to insist on before I buy into the DX system...and no, disrupting my reading by turning the thing upside down just is not what I would expect for $400 nor does it work for me...OK soooo I am just being really stubborn on that teeny portion of it all...hehehehe

We'll see, maybe they are waiting on any major changes until the plastic substrate panels are out (why reinvent the wheel twice in a year, right?), hopefully, early next year and it will be at that time Amazon might release a refined large format device...not in a hurry personally and who knows one might not be around to need one next year so it won't matter...problem solved...
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Old 07-30-2010, 02:09 PM   #12
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Heck no! Happy as a clam with my'XG. Two most important things to me are the improved contrast and the size. I have zero buyer's regret.
Amen! I feel exactly the same way. I love my DXG. I've seen a few folks over at Amazon say they are returning theirs in favor of a new smaller Kindle, but I'm so happy with mine that I wouldn't think of doing such a thing. The large, clear screen is simply wonderful as far as I'm concerned, and I hope my DXG lasts for years! To trade it in for a smaller Kindle would seem like a huge step backwards, and one I certainly wouldn't want to take.
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Old 07-30-2010, 02:15 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by polbit View Post
For me personally there are only two things that would make DXG better - left buttons for page fliping, and lower price in light of K3 pricing. But just because K3 is being released doesn't make my DXG any less valuable for me - the screen size is spot-on, and I don't care about WiFi or the new 5-way controller. I also like the look of the DXG keyboard better than the round buttons on the K3, and I like having numbers written on the top row for Alt-<number> usage...

Now I'm just looking forward to a firmware update to enable all the new PDF goodies.
WOW....I completly missed the fact Amazon removed the number keys from the K3 keyboard...I mean what the heck is that? Well, honestly that might stop me from even considering a K3 over my k2i anytime. I use them a lot for notes when doing research.

I also din't notice they are an ALT-KEYCOMBO deal on the Dx family, still that has to be workable enough to live with, especially compared to no numbers on the K3...hehehehe...I just had to do a fast double check before pressing the "post" button here...wow, I did not know they could make the keyboard harder and slower to use. I'll have to d/l the manual and read how to access numbers...using a pick-list is NOT a viable option at all...so thanks a bunch for mentioning what I took for granted, numbers...I mean how to you even type in page numbers for "go to page" navigation? Sigh.... hehehehe....
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Old 07-30-2010, 02:24 PM   #14
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Amen! I feel exactly the same way. I love my DXG. I've seen a few folks over at Amazon say they are returning theirs in favor of a new smaller Kindle, but I'm so happy with mine that I wouldn't think of doing such a thing. The large, clear screen is simply wonderful as far as I'm concerned, and I hope my DXG lasts for years! To trade it in for a smaller Kindle would seem like a huge step backwards, and one I certainly wouldn't want to take.
I agree competely and don't see how someone would return a large format reader to get a smaller reader unless they really had no idea what they were buying to begin with and were likely only using their DX for recreational reading anyway...in that case, maybe, but if I had bought a DXG I sure would not be returning it for a K3 as the whole point is the larger panel, for me at least...
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Old 07-30-2010, 02:47 PM   #15
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Well there's always the monetary gain. I have a replacement white DX that I can return as soon as it gets here (which I will) and I'm thinking between Kindle 3 or the Graphite DX.

At the moment I'm leaning towards the DX since the large screen is just such a huge plus, but really that's all that is going for it. The Kindle 3 has a huge price slash which is important for me as I'm still a student, not to mention portability is a good counter argument to screen size, not that I think the DX is all that big...
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