International Kindle - it shipped!

[Rotalumis]

I got mine yesterday (Italy, Rome) ordered just the friday before... with the weekend in between, scarcely three days. It has the AC adaptor (US plugs) and no problems at all, either in charging (with an adaptor) or in functionality. It connected right away to a 3G service and downloaded all books I acquired in the weekend... newspaper trial subscriptions works too.

I've been envy of US customers for years for their Kindle... now we can start using it too! Very clever move this idea of Amazon to make it internationally available, there are MANY of us who acqure english reading books and I'm actually "surprised" they were able to overcame the *many* difficulties of wireless services worldwide.

Sadly only wikipedia works on the web side
I wonder if there is any way to make it work here: I'm sure a hack will come to find a way to do it, or else, Amazon (or local phone companies) will realize that it could be an additional income. I would be willing to pay a small fee to be able to surf the web from the kindle... it's the bit of "portable information" that is still missing for us!

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by Rotalumis

Sadly only wikipedia works on the web side
I wonder if there is any way to make it work here: I'm sure a hack will come to find a way to do it, or else, Amazon (or local phone companies) will realize that it could be an additional income. I would be willing to pay a small fee to be able to surf the web from the kindle... it's the bit of "portable information" that is still missing for us!

just so you know, the surfing the web bit even here in the States is a bit underwhelming. you really are not missing much!

[AndreiC]

Hi,

I have a question about your Kindle 2s:

How good is the screen contrast? (i.e. how dim is the screen)

Can you read it indoors (during the day) without a source of light? (Like a normal book)

At night, can you read it using the ambient light (the light from the light bulbs you normally use to illuminate your room)? Or do you need a lamp pointed directly at the device?

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by AndreiC

Hi,

I have a question about your Kindle 2s:

How good is the screen contrast? (i.e. how dim is the screen)

Can you read it indoors (during the day) without a source of light? (Like a normal book)

At night, can you read it using the ambient light (the light from the light bulbs you normally use to illuminate your room)? Or do you need a lamp pointed directly at the device?

the contrast is VERY good. and now that I can compare the 1 and 2, the 2 is definetly sharper and I never had any issues with number 1! it can also be read outdoors in any but the most harsh direct light, unlike most other devices.

it is also very readable with only soft table lamps at night.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by AndreiC

Hi,

I have a question about your Kindle 2s:

How good is the screen contrast? (i.e. how dim is the screen)

Can you read it indoors (during the day) without a source of light? (Like a normal book)

At night, can you read it using the ambient light (the light from the light bulbs you normally use to illuminate your room)? Or do you need a lamp pointed directly at the device?

It's good. The more light the better for mine, but I've got old eyes. The contrast is probably not quite as distinct as a printed book, but not that far off (depending on the book). I can't read a pbook in dim light either though. I use a chairside or bedside lamp -- good enough. No particular special lighting.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by AndreiC

Hi,

I have a question about your Kindle 2s:

How good is the screen contrast? (i.e. how dim is the screen)

Can you read it indoors (during the day) without a source of light? (Like a normal book)

At night, can you read it using the ambient light (the light from the light bulbs you normally use to illuminate your room)? Or do you need a lamp pointed directly at the device?

The background is light grey, and a little darker than a hardback or trade paperback, but not darker than a paperback. The 'print' is sharp like a hardback print and better than most paperbacks.

I would say you could read it like a normal book - but it really depends on what a normal book is for you There's quite a difference between a hardpack or trade paperback with good quality paper and larger print, and then a pulp paperback with tiny print on bad paper.

I prefer to use a lamp, but my 'reading chair' is in a dark corner of the room - and lately, because of the weather and the season, I've had to have light on all day indoors anyway.

[AndreiC]

Ok, thanks.

The fact is that I wanted to also get a Kindle 2, but then I saw this review:

http://www.amazon.com/review/RV0R3AO...wasThisHelpful

Only 13. is important for me - hence my previous question - but I guess it's not that much of an issue even for that person (this is one of the last items on his list).

[AndreiC]

Another common complaint I see in the 1 star reviews is about the screen fading in direct sunlight.

Someone then says: "After two replacements, I finally got a K2 that does reasonably well in terms of the darkness of the text and one on which the text does not fade in the sun. I say "reasonably well" because the text is still noticeably lighter than the text on my K1."

- which makes one wonder. Do they ship defective Kindles?

Maybe I should wait some more until they iron out some production issues?

I find this rather strange anyway - my PRS-600 works best (readability) when under a direct spot of light either artificial or natural.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by AndreiC

Another common complaint I see in the 1 star reviews is about the screen fading in direct sunlight.

Someone then says: "After two replacements, I finally got a K2 that does reasonably well in terms of the darkness of the text and one on which the text does not fade in the sun. I say "reasonably well" because the text is still noticeably lighter than the text on my K1."

- which makes one wonder. Do they ship defective Kindles?

Maybe I should wait some more until they iron out some production issues?

I find this rather strange anyway - my PRS-600 works best (readability) when under a direct spot of light either artificial or natural.

From what I read, each E-Ink screen has to be individually compensated for the white level and this could lead to differences between them -- but the same should hold for any of the other 6" E-Ink screens. I've not seen the fading or sunlight effects on any of my Kindle2, 2-Sony505s or my 5" Astak

[Ea]

Originally Posted by AndreiC

Ok, thanks.

The fact is that I wanted to also get a Kindle 2, but then I saw this review:

http://www.amazon.com/review/RV0R3AO...wasThisHelpful

Only 13. is important for me - hence my previous question - but I guess it's not that much of an issue even for that person (this is one of the last items on his list).

Since the screen refresh fully on each page turn, it's odd that the reviewer felt it was needed every other page. The screen isn't as white as paper can be, but it's clear and sharp.

E-ink screens can, supposedly, fade in direct, strong sunlight (it disappear with refresh, it's not permanant). I haven't noticed that myself, but then I wouldn't like to sit out in direct sunlight to read.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Rotalumis

Sadly only wikipedia works on the web side
I wonder if there is any way to make it work here: I'm sure a hack will come to find a way to do it, or else, Amazon (or local phone companies) will realize that it could be an additional income. I would be willing to pay a small fee to be able to surf the web from the kindle... it's the bit of "portable information" that is still missing for us!

Don't even THINK about "hacking it", please. Remember that 3G data traffic costs somebody "real money". If a "hack" becomes available, the inevitable result will be Amazon turning off all ability to browse Wikipedia (it is "experimental", after all).

[Adamastorx]

My Kindle just arrived. UPS was the carrier, no extra fees.
I'll post later how the Kindle works here in Spain.

[Rotalumis]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Don't even THINK about "hacking it", please. Remember that 3G data traffic costs somebody "real money". If a "hack" becomes available, the inevitable result will be Amazon turning off all ability to browse Wikipedia (it is "experimental", after all).

Frankly, I believe it's only a matter of time to have such devices a bit more *connected* than they are now. The point might not be economical, rather "political", with boundaries between telephones, netbooks and e-reader converging into one another... and companies not sure (no one can) of what is the course things will take... and how to take aconomical advantage of it. I think the "experimental" tag deals rather with this, rather than with connecting costs. If a hack will come (but it's not my cup of tea!) it's surely because the kindle is taking more and more momentum, with people willing to do more and more with it... as has always been with real "hacks" in IT history. Economy is always willing to take advantage of people requests rather the shutting them down.

My two cents.

[Your Grace]

fugazied, I would love to know what your friend in Australia thinks of his Kindle 1, as I am thinking of buying one. Could they please put a word on here for us other Aussies

[Pushka]

Hey your Grace, nice rainy cool weather today hey?