MAJOR FLAW in the Amazon Kindle

[sirmaru]

There is one Major Flaw in the Amazon Kindle. It EXCLUDES PC book readers.

I have been reading books for the last 10 years using PC Readers primarily Microsoft Reader and occasionally Adobe Acrobat. I much prefer my 24" Wide Screen PC Monitor with its own great lighting to any paper books or mobile readers.

Why would I want to drop from my great 24" wide screen Monitor which does not need any external lighting back to a 6" screen which requires good external lighting? I would only use the Amazon Kindle if Amazon also supplied a good PC Reader to go with it. Then I could still continue most of my book reading on my PC and SUPPLEMENT it with the Kindle.

For example, I'd prefer to read my Bible each day on my PC and then use the Kindle to bring that Bible to Church for Bible studies. Then the Kindle would be great. Now the Kindle is simply NOT A KEEPER.

I believe Amazon has made a very big mistake by not supplying a PC Reader. Almost all of Amazon customers ARE PC USERS. They have excluded most of their own customer base by denying the use of PC Readers.

Thus, I will wait for Microsoft to supplement their GREAT PC READER with a Mobile Device at some future time. Almost all books available can be read with MS Reader. One can buy them from a variety of sources other than Microsoft. The Kindle book files can ONLY be purchased from Amazon.

[dugbug]

are you familiar with eink displays and their advantages? Have you actually USED an eink reader? The sony is usually on display at borders.

They look/read like paper. No backlit (huge plus), read in direct sunlight, very low power.

Also, why would you curl up on your sofa and hold a 24" wide screen monitor?

-d

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

I believe Amazon has made a very big mistake by not supplying a PC Reader. Almost all of Amazon customers ARE PC USERS. They have excluded most of their own customer base by denying the use of PC Readers.

Do you think that many people read on their PC? I can't stand doing so myself - that's why, despite having a PC, I've been reading eBooks on a variety of portable devices for the last 20 or so years.

Sounds as though the Kindle isn't right for you, but I'm not sure that one can generalise and say that Amazon made a big mistake by not supporting reading on the PC. I get the impression from this forum that not very many people read on their PCs.

I'll put up a poll so we can get an idea of how many people prefer reading on their PC compared to hand-held devices - I'd be interested to see the results.

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by dugbug

are you familiar with eink displays and their advantages? Have you actually USED an eink reader? The sony is usually on display at borders.

They look/read like paper. No backlit (huge plus), read in direct sunlight, very low power.

Also, why would you curl up on your sofa and hold a 24" wide screen monitor?

-d

I am on my PC 12 hours of every 24 hour day. I read all my books, magazines, and EVERYTHING else on my 24" wide screen monitor. When I leave it, I watch TV on my 32" HD TV's (3). I have not read anything curled up in a bed because I only go to SLEEP there.

Most Amazon customers are computer ADDICTS as am I. I have not been to a brick and mortar book store in 10 years.

The exclusive kindle book reading is good for NON-computer users ONLY. For me PC use is my ONLY means of reading. The kindle would only be a supplementary book reader at its BEST in my humble opinion.

[dugbug]

I would presume that most amazon customers buy actual books

-d

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Most Amazon customers are computer ADDICTS as am I.

Virtually everyone I work with buys books from Amazon. I wouldn't describe any of them as a "computer addict". They just use a computer as a part of their work and find it convenient to shop on-line.

The exclusive kindle book reading is good for NON-computer users ONLY.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. As I said in my earlier post, personally I've been reading on hand-held devices since, if I recall recorrectly, 1985, when I bought my first "personal organiser" (a Psion II).

[tompe]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Most Amazon customers are computer ADDICTS as am I. I have not been to a brick and mortar book store in 10 years.

I do not believe that is true.

Personally I cannot read on a PC since I cannot find a comfortable reading position for reading many hours in a row. Reading forums is totally different because there you can take pauses and do other things.

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Virtually everyone I work with buys books from Amazon. I wouldn't describe any of them as a "computer addict". They just use a computer as a part of their work and find it convenient to shop on-line.

Amazon could easily correct this MAJOR FLAW by simply supplying a PC Reader for their book files. If they did this, I would buy the Kindle to be able to continue reading when away from my PC.

Otherwise, my 24" Wide Screen Monitor with much bigger fonts and better clarity than Kindle can ever dream of will be my method of choice for reading EVERYTHING.

[resistor]

For what it's worth, I'm a professional programmer, so I sit in front of a screen all day, and I spent a lot of my non-work time in front of one as well.

That said, I find intensive textual reading on an LCD or CRT to be extremely taxing. When I'm working, I have to take breaks every hour or two to allow my eyes to recover. E-ink doesn't have that problem.

From talking to other people, I don't think I'm in the minority in finding that extended on-screen reading causes serious eyestrain.

[CommanderROR]

@sirmaru

Do you realized what kind of strain you are putting on your eyes by reading lots of text on a backlit LCD screen? Reading a forum or some reviews is OK, but the huge, bright white background of my 22" LCD and 42" TV screens (and I don't use maximum brightness, my PC monitor is on something like 20% backlicght brightness actually) would be enough to bring tears to my eyes after anything more than a brief reading session...

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by resistor

That said, I find intensive textual reading on an LCD or CRT to be extremely taxing. When I'm working, I have to take breaks every hour or two to allow my eyes to recover. E-ink doesn't have that problem.

I am 72 years old and have PERFECT 20/20 vision. I am the only patient at my eye doctor at my age with this kind of vision. I never take breaks from my PC. I used it all day when I worked and use it even more now since retirement. It causes NO eye strain for me.

For all my working years and now in retirement I have spent almost my entire waking life looking at my PC Monitor.

I have a hunch there are quite a few folks around in this COMPUTER AGE who are exactly like me.

[FixB]

I have no difficulty to read on lcds or CTRs. And I do all day long.
Still, I wouldn't read a book on my pc and I really really prefer a pda or, more recently, a dedicated device (sony reader).
I don't think this will penalize greatly amazon... it's more - imho - a slight inconvenience for some users than a major flaw.

[resistor]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

I am 72 years old and have PERFECT 20/20 vision. I am the only patient at my eye doctor at my age with this kind of vision. I never take breaks from my PC. I used it all day when I worked and use it even more now since retirement. It causes NO eye strain for me.

As you yourself pointed out, you're in the great minority. I'm in my 20s, also have perfect 20/20 vision, and do experience eye strain from extensive on-screen reading.

I understand that it's not what you want, but that doesn't mean that it's a terrible thing for most people.

[HarryT]

I've put up a poll here so we can get some (extremely unscientific) idea of the numbers of people who feel each way about it. Please cast your vote!

[tompe]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Otherwise, my 24" Wide Screen Monitor with much bigger fonts and better clarity than Kindle can ever dream of will be my method of choice for reading EVERYTHING.

I do not believe this. You realize that a line should maximum be around 70 characters for optimal reading. So the size of the monitor does not matter. The perceived size depend on reading distance so how can you claim that the fonts are bigger on a monitor?