My DX is going back

[drzeller]

I have a K2 and decided to add a DX and pass the K2 to my wife. I was looking forward to the larger screen, and the potential to read PDF ebooks, manuals, etc. I especially liked the idea of having manuals for gadgets with me where I need them (home theater stuff, photography, etc).

So, why am I returning it? Here are the main reasons:

1. I knew that the device would be larger (and heavier) - and that was one of the plusses. What I did not count on would be how awkward it would be to read with on the couch and in bed. What would have made it work better? If it had the lefthand set of buttons. I shift around a lot when reading, and being limited to positions that allow my right hand to access the buttons was not working for me. Flipping it around did not do it for me; the buttons were flipped, the keyboard was on the top, and the top (now bottom) of the screen sinks into the blanket/shirt/pants.
2. I didn't realize that the line spacing option was removed (shift-alt-#'s). I found it much easier to read on the K2 with the line spacing set the way I liked it.
3. I did not think I would care much, but found that the loss of the dictionary functionality in PDF's was pretty disappointing.
4. I don't take notes in books, so highlighting/notes is not a top priority for me -- until I had PDF reading functionality. Guess what? The one place I would note things was where I could not! I am referring specifically to manuals for my photography equipment and home stereo. I have settings and configuration information that I want/need to note in the relevant sections of the manuals. How students will leverage the DX for texts is questionable. On a related note, they really should support links in PDF's. It would make life much easier.
5. Having to hit Alt to get numbers was not the brightest change, either. Especially since you have to enter numbers to get to specific pages in the link-less PDF's!

Looking at the list, the theme seems to be things they removed in the DX that got to me (line spacing, buttons, notes/dictionary, number keys). Not in the list as a reason for return was wanting mroe than ever a way to organize books on the Kindles. I dislike paging through the list of my books, and don't want to search for them, either. Let me go into a group (folder/etc) of current books, reference books, manuals, etc, and go from there.

I had a bunch of other feedback regarding the DX that I listed in handy numbered format in this thread: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...8&postcount=15

Now that my wife has experienced the K2, she wants one, too. We'll be getting her one as I return my DX. So we'll be a 2K2 (or K2^2) family.

D.

[pilotbob]

Thanks for the info. So, will you be trying another device? Perhaps the iRex DX1000s?

BOb

[fugazied]

I think the PDF functionality might be improved with a firmware update in the future (hopefully), and I agree it was disappointing. The weight thing isn't an issue for me since I read in bed most of the time and I don't find it too awkward.

But all very valid reasons in your post, that's for certain. Anyone considering the DX should take note if lower weight and PDF suport is essential.

[Stingo]

Having had PDF usability on the PRS505 and now having it on the DX I can certainly appreciate the desire for improved functionality. That said, I don't understand the Kindle2 people who say they are sending back the DX because of poor PDF handling. The option is PDF handling or no PDF handling under such circumstances. The small additional weight is a fair offset for the fantastic screen realestate. Oh well. I guess we each make our design choices.

[Ervserver]

I can't argue with your reasons

[Strether]

I don't own a Kindle DX so can't confirm, but I read on another site that there is dictionary support within PDF documents, but you have to access it through the search function. Type the word, use the right click and the dictionary prompt comes up. Anyone tried this?

Jim

[Talldog]

Originally Posted by Strether

I don't own a Kindle DX so can't confirm, but I read on another site that there is dictionary support within PDF documents, but you have to access it through the search function. Type the word, use the right click and the dictionary prompt comes up. Anyone tried this?

Jim

Yes, and it works. You have to type the word and use several right clicks to get to the dictionary, but it really doesn't take much longer than if you have to move the cursor to the middle of the screen for a normal dictionary lookup.

[sirbruce]

But that's not really dictionary lookup. That's just a dictionary search; you can do that from anywhere. Part of the point of dictionary lookup is that you can look up the word without typing.

[Talldog]

Originally Posted by sirbruce

But that's not really dictionary lookup. That's just a dictionary search; you can do that from anywhere. Part of the point of dictionary lookup is that you can look up the word without typing.

Quite so, but it beats having to close the book and open up a dictionary to look up a word.

[drzeller]

Originally Posted by Stingo

Having had PDF usability on the PRS505 and now having it on the DX I can certainly appreciate the desire for improved functionality. That said, I don't understand the Kindle2 people who say they are sending back the DX because of poor PDF handling. The option is PDF handling or no PDF handling under such circumstances. The small additional weight is a fair offset for the fantastic screen realestate. Oh well. I guess we each make our design choices.

re: PDF or no PDF - I don't think it is that simple. I don't think it is unrealistic to anticipate that dictionary lookup or note taking are available in any of the formats that the device supports - not just AZW/Topaz. Especially for a device that is expected to be used for textbooks. No notes and cumbersome word lookup? Seems like odd features to lose for a textbook replacement.

re: weight, I did not actually comment on the weight. I indicated that the loss of the lefthand buttons made using the device less comfortable for me, since it limits the positions I can sit in when reading compared to the K2.

I think it will be interesting to see if some of the features I mentioned are added in a firmware release around the time the textbooks start hitting. Unfortunately, I don't want to take the "risk" and end up not happy with the device.

[drzeller]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Thanks for the info. So, will you be trying another device? Perhaps the iRex DX1000s?

BOb

We already got the second K2, which will hold us over until we can afford the K3, KColor, or whatever.

I still dream of the day I can read all my Zinio subscriptions on my Kindle.

D.

[drzeller]

Originally Posted by Strether

I don't own a Kindle DX so can't confirm, but I read on another site that there is dictionary support within PDF documents, but you have to access it through the search function. Type the word, use the right click and the dictionary prompt comes up. Anyone tried this?

Jim

This is a feasible workaround, though I still prefer the non-intrusive definition lookup available in AZW docs. No typing, searching, or going back to where you were reading.

D.

[elmoglick]

Originally Posted by drzeller

re: PDF or no PDF - I don't think it is that simple.
I think it will be interesting to see if some of the features I mentioned are added in a firmware release around the time the textbooks start hitting. Unfortunately, I don't want to take the "risk" and end up not happy with the device.

I don't understand why everyone seems to think that textbooks for the Kindle DX would be published in PDF format. Maybe I'm just being naiive, but I would hope that Amazon would be smart enough to employ their normal Kindle book format so that students could utilize all the inherent functional advantages of the device. Furthermore, Amazon doesn't currently publish anything in PDF format that I am aware of.

El

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by elmoglick

... but I would hope that Amazon would be smart enough to employ their normal Kindle book format so that students could utilize all the inherent functional advantages of the device. ....

Uhmm, perhaps because "Amazon's" format sucks for complex pages, such as texbooks, magazines, etc..

And because PDF is a well established, very robust format, which can do everything that .mobi can, and much much more. PDF has by far the best adoption rate, and, IMO, it is by far, the best format for e-publishing.

The problem is with Amazon, which decided not to implement (lock out?) those features, in its PDF implementation.

Frankly, if the Kindle DX does not handle PDF well by the time other ~10" devices come to market, I'll have one for sale (the only reason I am not dumping my K2 and getting another big-screen K DX, is because I am waiting to see what large screens Sony and the others brings in August or September.)

[drzeller]

Originally Posted by elmoglick

I don't understand why everyone seems to think that textbooks for the Kindle DX would be published in PDF format. Maybe I'm just being naiive, but I would hope that Amazon would be smart enough to employ their normal Kindle book format so that students could utilize all the inherent functional advantages of the device. Furthermore, Amazon doesn't currently publish anything in PDF format that I am aware of.

El

In addition to Sonist's reply, I suspect they will leverage PDF because the publishers are not likely to want to support multiple formats for their books, and PDF is commonly available on just about every platform out there.

On the other hand, Jeff Bezos recently commented that they will have teh AZW format available on non-Kindle devices in the future. Perhaps that will open the door for the format to be acceptable to the publishers. But I'd again refer to Sonist's post as to why that still might not work.

D.