Kindle OWNERS wish list

[KlondikeGeoff]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

I've just started using the Kindle while I'm on the elliptical machine. I wish I didn't have to keep reaching over to change the page. I would love to have some kind of remote that I could wear on my index finger with just a "next" or "prev" page button that I could activate with my thumb. It could be some kind of bluetooth thing.

Yeah, this would be handy for a lot of activities, but would, I think, entail a big hardware change for a built-in receiver. Who knows, maybe the next version. Send a suggestion to Amazon.

Meanwhile, maybe you could do something like holding a drumstick in your mouth and tapping the button with that.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by KlondikeGeoff

Meanwhile, maybe you could do something like holding a drumstick in your mouth and tapping the button with that.

Ouch. I think I would need a EMT on site if I went with the drumstick option (I like my teeth and larynx). I think I'd rather reach over and push the buttons but thanks for the suggestion... really.

[honeybunny]

LOL about the drumstick.

I had a different problem on the treadmill / elliptical. The elliptical at my gym has no tray at all, and the tray on the treadmill is really high. I end up holding the Kindle (by the case edges) and reading, and I live in mortal fear that I will drop it.

I also need a solution for reading in the bath! Who is going to make a waterproof case for the Kindle? I would buy it even if it was $100, I'm at a loss for bath-time reading!

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by honeybunny

I also need a solution for reading in the bath! Who is going to make a waterproof case for the Kindle? I would buy it even if it was $100, I'm at a loss for bath-time reading!

Here is a thread on the amazon boards about waterproof bags that will work with a Kindle, though not specifically made for one.

[honeybunny]

Thanks daffy! I think I am going to order the Dry Pak one! The ALokSak one just seems too big (12x12 vs 9x12). I can't believe you would need a 9x12 to fit the Kindle but everyone in that thread said you would.

[brecklundin]

Well, as the Kindle is at the top of my might buy-one-eventually list here are the changes that would make me seriously consider buying one:

• improved contrast ratio (deal breaker for my eyes),
• ability to read in low light (second deal breaker for a $400 single function device),
• larger display,
• some form of touch screen,
• ability to do crossword puzzles,
• hand written notes,
• lose the keyboard!! Maybe in favor of a pop-up onscreen keyboard or make the stoopid thing slide out of the way,
• built-in stand for hands free use,
• lanyard post which can double as a security lock attachment,
• lose the white bezel. I find white very distracting,
• library management with reading list management,
• adjustable auto page turning/scrolling
• MAKE CONNECTIVITY MODULAR -- if I want HSDPA then let me buy and pay for the connectivity. If I want Wifi instead let me buy and plug in a wifi module. The only reason I can see why Amazon insists on a single MBB option is they plan on PUSHING ad content to the device. Since the connectivity is free you will either put up or not use it
• More storage space. Support up to the current max. 32gb SDHC cards.
• Minimum of a 5-year support agreement. Not unreasonable considering the "company store" nature of the Kindle.

For $400 the thing should have many of these and other suggested items already. Especially since the ONLY DRM content it reads can be purchased from Amazon.

Without supporting more formats (DRM or otherwise) buying this device is like being forced to shop at "the company store". If Amazon cannot handle competition...screw 'em, the Kindle will not be even close to the best reader device option by the this fall.

So Amazon is going to have to do a lot to convince me to buy what amounts to a DVD player that only plays Amazon DVDs.

[honeybunny]

Does any eInk device do auto-scrolling? I would think there would be a lot of flashing.

Also, brecklundin, have you actually used a Kindle? The contrast is superb. Any more contrast and it would glare. Most paper books aren't stark white anymore, but dove grey or very pale yellow. The black-on-white and glare is a major complaint of LCD screens actually. As is backlighting, hence the choice to avoid backlighting.

[nheimberg]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

[*]ability to do crossword puzzles,
[

I would love this capability. I would subscribe to a newspaper if I got this function.

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by honeybunny

Does any eInk device do auto-scrolling? I would think there would be a lot of flashing.

You could technically suppress the flash, as it's only there to minimize ghosting. The drain on the battery would be considerable though, and there would be no smoothness to it.

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by honeybunny

Does any eInk device do auto-scrolling? I would think there would be a lot of flashing.

Actually I also wrote page turning/scrolling. I added scrolling for clarification not as a want. I doubt any eink device would be able to scroll in their current state...but to be able to have auto-page turns might help some folks who cannot have any hands free while reading...as in at the gym, eating...whatever.

Also, brecklundin, have you actually used a Kindle? The contrast is superb. Any more contrast and it would glare. Most paper books aren't stark white anymore, but dove grey or very pale yellow. The black-on-white and glare is a major complaint of LCD screens actually. As is backlighting, hence the choice to avoid backlighting.

I have seen and used the Sony 505...same display...same marginal contrast ratio in lower light conditions. While I understand that for YOU the contrast is fine I wrote about what I need personally. The contrast ratio's of all eink display's I have physically seen or used, which includes Vizplex display's, is far from breathtaking. Except in direct sunlight...they RULE outside... If all I needed was to read outside I'd slap a Boxweave anti-reflective screen protector on one, and they would be awesome.

Trust me the paper used today in PB's is far whiter then anything one would have bought in the past. To my eyes the contrast on eink displays is not close to even those OLD paperbacks under most lighting conditions. In the 40+ years I have been buying paperbacks never were the pages white. Always an tan-ish/yellow-ish white?? Really not sure what color I would call it but white it never was for certain. Perhaps you are thinking of glossy pages in more text book like editions? Those glossy pages will drive a person NUTS in a well lit room or under a reading lamp. In fact for reference texts I buy I won't buy any with that high gloss paper.

BTW, I am not sure if, by definition, it's actually glare one sees, but rather reflections. I really dunno as both words get used to describe the issue. Or maybe either word is correct??? As far as I know glare is a bright shining light emitted from a thing...the light from the pages is reflected ambient/background light. The same holds true for the new trendy high gloss LCD displays...they reflect too much background light back at the user and are horrible to work. But because they look so pretty in the store people buy them and then wonder why they have such a difficult time using the thing for any length of time...and in a well lit office they can be almost impossible to use. I have recommended to all my clients for years to avoid those higher gloss displays. Even to the point of adding anti-reflective screen protectors to any existing displays.

Anyway, I was not intending to move this discussion in a direction away from the topic as there are numerous threads about contrast of these displays but just wanted to answer why I want/need a better contrast display.

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by nheimberg

I would love this capability. I would subscribe to a newspaper if I got this function.

It would seem to make sense to have puzzle software on a device that enables newspaper subs...right?

[kevinpars]

I agree that the ability to do crosswords would be a cool feature.

[catsittingstill]

A) Software changes
1) User configurable folders, or something that acts like folders, in the Home Screen view
2) Amazon Kindle books without DRM, or with only Social DRM, from those publishers who agree, and clear marking of such DRM-free or Socially DRMed books
3) A way for even non-Kindle owners to give Kindle books as gifts, and a way for Kindle owners and would-be-owners to add Kindle books to their wishlists
4) A way to loan Kindle books (presumably by using the Whispernet to delete or disable a book on the owner's Kindle, and download it to a specified Kindle for a period of time set by the original owner, then remove it. A nominal fee for this service seems reasonable, since it would use Whispernet.)
5) Kindle books that will display on devices other than Kindles. Amazon will sell more Kindle books this way—and I would like to be able to recommend some of my favorites to other people.
6) For the Kindle to handle more formats (e-pub pops to mind) and even other (sigh) DRM formats. Amazon will sell more Kindles if it doesn't mean that people already into e-books have to throw out their e-book collections. And I would like to have a shot at some e-books that aren't available from Amazon yet.
7) More reliable PDF conversion. I know you're working on it, and I think that's a good thing; keep it up.
8) Amazon's Kindle store should not recommend books I already own in paper to me on the Kindle. I love my Kindle, but I'm not going to buy those books all over again, and they're crowding out recommendations of things I might actually buy.
9) A more stable web browser would be nice.
10) I would like to see scientific journal articles available for the Kindle for a moderate price. Maybe some sort of 1$ a month subscription to a database, and then a moderate per page or per article charge?
11) More college textbooks available for Kindle.
12) Native support for .rtf files on the Kindle, or automatic mail-in conversion of .rtf files.

B) Hardware changes
1) a touchscreen, with handwriting recognition (making the keyboard and the page turning buttons unnecessary).
2) a larger screen, perhaps even big enough to display 8 1/2 by 11 pdfs at or near full size. Combined with the ability to display pdfs natively, this could be a big boon to a scholar (imagine searchable, annotateable, pdfs of articles in your field (swoon)). And combined with 1, you might not even have to increase the size of the device all that much, since you could reclaim the keyboard real estate.

C) corporate negotiations (and hardware changes)
1) I would like the Kindle to work worldwide (or at least in Europe). I have friends and family in Europe that I would like to introduce to the Kindle.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by kevinpars

I agree that the ability to do crosswords would be a cool feature.

The NYT Crosswords game for the DS is "da bomb". You can do a crossword with other DS users in Co-op mode or battle mode. We usually work on a puzzle while waiting for dinner when going out. NYT puzzles are HARD!

BOb

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

The NYT Crosswords game for the DS is "da bomb". You can do a crossword with other DS users in Co-op mode or battle mode. We usually work on a puzzle while waiting for dinner when going out. NYT puzzles are HARD!

BOb

Will Shortz is an evil sadist!! period...hehehehe...we live for the daily NYT puzzles plus I have a library of the last 10-years worth of puzzles (I d/l'd the entire library for giggles.) I do mine either on the nx73v using BeCrossword or on the Nokia N800 using a Maemo port of Xword which is still being improved as we 'speak'.

Ever watch the movie/documentary called Word Play? If ya like xword puzzles wether you are good at them or not, the movie is a lot of fun...I was surprised how fun the movie is and what an engauging character Will Shortz is...

But, really I would figure with all the open source apps if the device makers could either encourage developers to port over OR just buy one of them and put it on the device...I figure most people who love reading also enjoy xword puzzles. And if you have a subscription to any newspaper that usually includes access to the daily puzzles.

I was disappointed something like this was not part of the Kindle considering the subscriptions. Heck they could even sell monthly subs to the puzzles only just as the NYT and other papers already do.