A few annoyances with the kindle

Zarich · 02-19-2011, 03:56 AM

I picked one up today to try since I am finding it a bit difficult to read on the nook color. Thought I might like the kindle better. It has a few things I really don't like about it though. I do find that it is a tad easier on the eyes in certain conditions, but here are my complaints.

First the page turn buttons are too small. The back is the worst, but the main one means I have to hold it a certain way. They also push a tad to hard. If I hold with one hand the whole unit tilts when I click the button. The click on the right is also really loud.

The second thing that annoys me is that the pages change. I turned the unit off and then came back to read and found the page slightly different. I back paged and found things on every page had shifted a bit. For example chapter one was now at the bottom of the page instead of the top. That really weirded me out.

The next thing is that this sucker is really dark. I usually read paper backs. This is darker due to it's greyish back ground. I can read okay next to the lamp in my living room, but not much else. The downside here is the lamp glares a bit off the screen. Which is annoying.

Finally, shopping at the store is painful. You really have to either know what you want or surf on a computer first. Navigation is a pain and you can't sort anything... so you just gotta page forever.

I can see why people love the kindle. It is simple, battery lasts forever etc. But not sure at this point I am sold.

Maybe I am just a book type person.

Ticallion · 02-19-2011, 06:37 AM

Page turn buttons are too small? Just how big do you expect them to be? If anything, the 'next page' button is slightly too large. I don't notice any loud clicking sounds either, especially nothing too audible. If they also made them more sensitive to press, people would be complaining left and right about accidental page turns.

I have never had my pages change or text shift, no idea what's going on there. Might be a problem with the book's formatting.

If you find the screen too dark, get a book cover with a light so you don't have to always find a lamp to read under.

abookreader · 02-19-2011, 07:02 AM

I have seen other people report noisy page click buttons but mine is pretty quiet.

As far as shifting text - the only way that could have happened that I can think of is if the font sizes were changed somehow. As for the darkness, it is just the nature of eInk. I read with the Kindle Lighted cover but perhaps you'd prefer an LCD backlit device? edit to add - oh I see you have a nook color. Yes, eInk is darker. Its supposed to be.

I do nearly all my book shopping via the computer and not through devices. I agree, shopping via the Kindle isn't as intuitive.

HarryT · 02-19-2011, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

As far as shifting text - the only way that could have happened that I can think of is if the font sizes were changed somehow.

No, it's the result of paging backwards through the book. Due to the nature of the Mobipocket file format, going back a page will often not exactly "reverse" a page forward, so you can end up with a line difference as to where the page begins. All Mobipocket devices do this.

DiapDealer · 02-19-2011, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Page turn buttons are too small? Just how big do you expect them to be? If anything, the 'next page' button is slightly too large.

As a Kindle 2 owner who has played with others K3's, I agree that they went waaaay overboard in in reducing the size of the page turn buttons (the width... the height is fine) - and a lot of other buttons. I'm a big guy with sausage fingers (yep, we read too) and it's definitely an issue. But it's not that big of a deal, I'm sure I'll have all kinds of choices when my K2 finally wears out (which is the only way it's ever going to be replaced).

TheKindleWorm · 02-19-2011, 09:22 AM

Welcome to mobileread

Well maybe you're a book person or maybe you just need a bit more time to settle in with an e-ink device.

When I first got into e-ink devices a couple of years ago, I did find the page turns really noisy and a bit off-putting. The latest gen Kindle has the quietest buttons I've used on an e-ink device but they aren't silent by any means. Once you get immersed into reading a great book, you tend not to notice these things any more.

I've just written a whole post with tips on improving the readability of your Kindle which you might find helpful in this situation:
http://www.kinworm.com/2011/02/q-13-...e-in-dark.html

Even if the Kindle doesn't meet your reading needs, I hope you find a device that does. I tend to think that there's a reading device to suit everyone - just a case of finding it first!

Zarich · 02-19-2011, 12:13 PM

I do backpage a bit which might be my issue. Sometimes when I read if I get distracted (got kids) I have to backpage to remember what just happened. But the whole text changing is really bizarre. I also find myself hitting the forward button on the otherside when I want to go back.
It may just take time to get use to. Books are hard for me to give up because I love the look and smell of a paperback.

I am the guy at the book store who would paw through the books to make sure I got the one that had never been opened and the cover was in perfect condition.

Thanks for listening. Another huge plus to this is weight. I like how light it is, but I would need a cover to make it a bit more holdy friendly. That may solve most of my issues with turning. However the buttons are still loud. Again I have a NC which has no page turn noise so that may be part of it.

Kenneth_irl · 02-19-2011, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarich

Books are hard for me to give up because I love the look and smell of a paperback.

The first thing I would do when I got my new Pcplayer magazine, when I was younger, was to open it up, flipping to the middle, sticking my nose up close and take a deep, long sniff; savoring the smell. Then I would be like: "Ahhhh".

It probably wasn't a very healthy thing to do, but definitely worth it.

Scents and smells are often associated with fond old memories filled with lively emotions, so it's very understandable that many people might miss that part of physical books, magazines, etc.

It's things like this that might sometimes get lost in the transistion to a tech based model of a more 'natual' model of doing it.

I guess one cannot have everything, at least not in one package.

Edit: This doesn't have to hold true of your wife, girlfriend, etc, of course. But that's how love works.

Andrew H. · 02-19-2011, 05:32 PM

To me, the Kindle screen is just slightly darker than paper; I found that going from a 75 watt bulb to a 100 watt bulb in my reading lights got rid of the problem.

pidgeon92 · 02-19-2011, 08:48 PM

Like anything new, it just takes getting used to.

As for the Kindle store on the Kindle, I never use it. I always buy through the website.

jocampo · 02-19-2011, 09:39 PM

Difficult to say if buttons are too small or too big, all hands are different and button's feeling is kind of a personal thing. But I find the buttons perfect for me and easy to operate.

Internet is too basic but hey! Is an eink ereader not an iPad. I'm ok with the interface but I usually buy or download from my PC. maybe if you do the same would be easier for you, after all you should spend more time reading with your Kindle instead of browsing Internet, right?

Give it some time, you will love it.

JeremyR · 02-19-2011, 09:43 PM

I pretty much agree with your complaints. I wish the page turn buttons were wider, and you definitely need more light to read than a book. And I tried the store on the Kindle once, it's just so much easier to use a computer.

But at the same time, the thing that the Kindle gives you (or any e-reader) is a vast library of things to read.

I was pretty much at the point where I was out of stuff to read. I don't like most modern fiction, and the library that I belonged to (I don't have a free one) didn't have any books more than a few years old. (Their idea of classic SF was William Shatner's Tekwar).

But with the Kindle, I have way more than I can read, for free or a fairly low cost (as long as you avoid new stuff). It's a great feeling.

jocampo · 02-19-2011, 09:51 PM

I concur with Jeremy.

Amazon bookstore is huge! I can only find my computer books there and in O'Reilly, not even in B&N. Having a nice ereader is important but being supported by a solid online library is even more important, in my opinion.

Also, keep in mind that eink reads better with proper light. Low light or dark places are not suitable for using a Kindle.

Zarich · 02-19-2011, 11:32 PM

I have tried a few programming books, but IMO e-readers are no place for them. There is too much color missing and the formatting doesn't work well. coding examples are not so hot.

jocampo · 02-20-2011, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarich

I have tried a few programming books, but IMO e-readers are no place for them. There is too much color missing and the formatting doesn't work well. coding examples are not so hot.

Kindle 3 is not so good for programming books because the tables, graphics and wider lines for coding. Kindle DXG or even iPad with Kindle for iOs are much better. Landscape mode helps a bit though but a bigger screen is better, in my opinion. But yeah, formatting does not work very well on some of them.

On my case, color is not a must; SQL code reads the same. In some performance tuning books I can't see color on some graphics, like for execution plans, but still is readable.

My 1st Kindle was a Kindle DXG and bought it in order to read database and computer books.

02-19-2011, 03:56 AM	#1
Zarich Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1202 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	A few annoyances with the kindle I picked one up today to try since I am finding it a bit difficult to read on the nook color. Thought I might like the kindle better. It has a few things I really don't like about it though. I do find that it is a tad easier on the eyes in certain conditions, but here are my complaints. First the page turn buttons are too small. The back is the worst, but the main one means I have to hold it a certain way. They also push a tad to hard. If I hold with one hand the whole unit tilts when I click the button. The click on the right is also really loud. The second thing that annoys me is that the pages change. I turned the unit off and then came back to read and found the page slightly different. I back paged and found things on every page had shifted a bit. For example chapter one was now at the bottom of the page instead of the top. That really weirded me out. The next thing is that this sucker is really dark. I usually read paper backs. This is darker due to it's greyish back ground. I can read okay next to the lamp in my living room, but not much else. The downside here is the lamp glares a bit off the screen. Which is annoying. Finally, shopping at the store is painful. You really have to either know what you want or surf on a computer first. Navigation is a pain and you can't sort anything... so you just gotta page forever. I can see why people love the kindle. It is simple, battery lasts forever etc. But not sure at this point I am sold. Maybe I am just a book type person.

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02-19-2011, 06:37 AM	#2
Ticallion Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Kindle PW	Page turn buttons are too small? Just how big do you expect them to be? If anything, the 'next page' button is slightly too large. I don't notice any loud clicking sounds either, especially nothing too audible. If they also made them more sensitive to press, people would be complaining left and right about accidental page turns. I have never had my pages change or text shift, no idea what's going on there. Might be a problem with the book's formatting. If you find the screen too dark, get a book cover with a light so you don't have to always find a lamp to read under.

02-19-2011, 07:02 AM	#3
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	I have seen other people report noisy page click buttons but mine is pretty quiet. As far as shifting text - the only way that could have happened that I can think of is if the font sizes were changed somehow. As for the darkness, it is just the nature of eInk. I read with the Kindle Lighted cover but perhaps you'd prefer an LCD backlit device? edit to add - oh I see you have a nook color. Yes, eInk is darker. Its supposed to be. I do nearly all my book shopping via the computer and not through devices. I agree, shopping via the Kindle isn't as intuitive.

02-19-2011, 09:22 AM	#6
TheKindleWorm Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 177868 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: East Anglia UK Device: Kindle 3G, iPhone 3G, iPod 4G, PB 360, Sony 600 sold, Kindle 2i sold	Welcome to mobileread Well maybe you're a book person or maybe you just need a bit more time to settle in with an e-ink device. When I first got into e-ink devices a couple of years ago, I did find the page turns really noisy and a bit off-putting. The latest gen Kindle has the quietest buttons I've used on an e-ink device but they aren't silent by any means. Once you get immersed into reading a great book, you tend not to notice these things any more. I've just written a whole post with tips on improving the readability of your Kindle which you might find helpful in this situation: http://www.kinworm.com/2011/02/q-13-...e-in-dark.html Even if the Kindle doesn't meet your reading needs, I hope you find a device that does. I tend to think that there's a reading device to suit everyone - just a case of finding it first!

02-19-2011, 12:13 PM	#7
Zarich Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1202 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	I do backpage a bit which might be my issue. Sometimes when I read if I get distracted (got kids) I have to backpage to remember what just happened. But the whole text changing is really bizarre. I also find myself hitting the forward button on the otherside when I want to go back. It may just take time to get use to. Books are hard for me to give up because I love the look and smell of a paperback. I am the guy at the book store who would paw through the books to make sure I got the one that had never been opened and the cover was in perfect condition. Thanks for listening. Another huge plus to this is weight. I like how light it is, but I would need a cover to make it a bit more holdy friendly. That may solve most of my issues with turning. However the buttons are still loud. Again I have a NC which has no page turn noise so that may be part of it.

02-19-2011, 05:32 PM	#9
Andrew H. Grand Master of Flowers Posts: 2,201 Karma: 8389072 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Naptown Device: Kindle PW, Kindle 3 (aka Keyboard), iPhone, iPad 3 (not for reading)	To me, the Kindle screen is just slightly darker than paper; I found that going from a 75 watt bulb to a 100 watt bulb in my reading lights got rid of the problem.

02-19-2011, 08:48 PM	#10
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	Like anything new, it just takes getting used to. As for the Kindle store on the Kindle, I never use it. I always buy through the website.

02-19-2011, 09:39 PM	#11
jocampo Layback feline Posts: 3,034 Karma: 6980745 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"	Difficult to say if buttons are too small or too big, all hands are different and button's feeling is kind of a personal thing. But I find the buttons perfect for me and easy to operate. Internet is too basic but hey! Is an eink ereader not an iPad. I'm ok with the interface but I usually buy or download from my PC. maybe if you do the same would be easier for you, after all you should spend more time reading with your Kindle instead of browsing Internet, right? Give it some time, you will love it.

02-19-2011, 09:43 PM	#12
JeremyR Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 2458402 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Louis Device: Kindle Keyboard, Nook HD+	I pretty much agree with your complaints. I wish the page turn buttons were wider, and you definitely need more light to read than a book. And I tried the store on the Kindle once, it's just so much easier to use a computer. But at the same time, the thing that the Kindle gives you (or any e-reader) is a vast library of things to read. I was pretty much at the point where I was out of stuff to read. I don't like most modern fiction, and the library that I belonged to (I don't have a free one) didn't have any books more than a few years old. (Their idea of classic SF was William Shatner's Tekwar). But with the Kindle, I have way more than I can read, for free or a fairly low cost (as long as you avoid new stuff). It's a great feeling.

02-19-2011, 09:51 PM	#13
jocampo Layback feline Posts: 3,034 Karma: 6980745 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"	I concur with Jeremy. Amazon bookstore is huge! I can only find my computer books there and in O'Reilly, not even in B&N. Having a nice ereader is important but being supported by a solid online library is even more important, in my opinion. Also, keep in mind that eink reads better with proper light. Low light or dark places are not suitable for using a Kindle.

02-19-2011, 11:32 PM	#14
Zarich Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1202 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	I have tried a few programming books, but IMO e-readers are no place for them. There is too much color missing and the formatting doesn't work well. coding examples are not so hot.

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