What can I do with an HDX?

[polbit]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Is a device that works perfectly fine abandoned just because it doesn't get all the new bells and whistles which may or may not all run properly on it? They still offer support on the old devices so I don't think they can be called abandoned. I mean we'd all like the latest and greatest on all of our old tech, but is it realistic and for how long are they to be expected to spend development time on old devices that work fine as is?

While I normally defend Amazon, that is one major problem that they do have - as soon as new version of the device comes out, they stop providing meaningful updates for the older devices. I learned that the hard way with Kindle DX (even though I had the same hardware as the new, smaller Kindles), and now my wife learned it the hard way with her Kindle HD - no collections for her (most wanted feature for her and me btw), even though there is no technical reason not to offer it. I bought her HDX for Christmas, but it is very annoying.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I think two years is a good limit on support for a device updates. Now Amazon did update the Kindle Touch when the PW1 came out which was great. The K4 has been forgotten even though they still sell it.

They also updated the Kindle Keyboard well after two years after its initial ship date (to add KF8).

K4 is perfect of course, no need to update that.

But it is not so good with the Fire tablets. I think the HDX may have a better fate there but we'll see.

Mostly what they need to fix is their development process. It should be possible to avoid branching the code for every new device, thereby facilitating feature pushes to more than one generation. Some things do require more powerful CPU or RAM but then there is all the rest which they could be doing.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by tomsem

They also updated the Kindle Keyboard well after two years after its initial ship date (to add KF8).

K4 is perfect of course, no need to update that.

But it is not so good with the Fire tablets. I think the HDX may have a better fate there but we'll see.

Mostly what they need to fix is their development process. It should be possible to avoid branching the code for every new device, thereby facilitating feature pushes to more than one generation. Some things do require more powerful CPU or RAM but then there is all the rest which they could be doing.

Exactly!

I don't think the HDX will get better treatment next year a new tablet will be out and the old one will be forgotten.

I don't agree the K4 is perfect it needs Time Left to Read!

When a new Kindle Fire is released the old tablets are immediately removed from stock and then sold in places like QVC at ridiculous prices.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by polbit

While I normally defend Amazon, that is one major problem that they do have - as soon as new version of the device comes out, they stop providing meaningful updates for the older devices.

It's hit or miss. It's happened with some devices, but not with others.

I learned that the hard way with Kindle DX (even though I had the same hardware as the new, smaller Kindles),

You basically have a large screen Kindle 2, not sure what the DX didn't get that the K2 did. AFAIK they both got collections which was the big update back then.

and now my wife learned it the hard way with her Kindle HD - no collections for her (most wanted feature for her and me btw), even though there is no technical reason not to offer it.

I agree, that's annoying but I have no idea if there's a technical reason that the 2012 HD can't run Mojito or not (such as the size of the OS partition). Of course they could go back and add it to the old OS. AFAIK they haven't said they wouldn't yet so it could still come I suppose (but I wouldn't hold my breath).



With Amazon selling these units at cost it's always best to not expect any features but what the unit ships with (or maybe what's promised at release since they sometimes promise coming soon features then). Of course that's true with every type of gadget. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see them keep offering new features on old stuff and I'm generally happy when they do, but I don't expect it.

If my HDX gets zero updates from today on I think I'd be fine with it. It does everything I expect it too as is. Of course if next years devices get some cool new feature I may change my tune.

[polbit]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

You basically have a large screen Kindle 2, not sure what the DX didn't get that the K2 did. AFAIK they both got collections which was the big update back then.

Actually I'm talking about DXG - it was released about 8 weeks prior to Kindle 3. One of the features added to Kindle 3 was better PDF handling such as dictionary lookup, annotations, etc. DXG was never updated, even though it seemed logical that a large Kindle would be the first one to get better PDF support.