Kindle is Ugly

halljames · 11-22-2007, 03:42 AM

Is it just me, or does anyone think the kindle is really ugly. It looks like a 5 year old product. Just a thought.

HarryT · 11-22-2007, 03:49 AM

You obviously haven't looked at this forum previously

All anyone had to say about the Kindle until a couple of weeks ago was how amazingly ugly it was, and that they would never in a million years buy anything so horrible-looking. Now it's been released it is, seemingly, suddenly the best thing since the proverbial sliced bread.

Public opinion is a fickle thing indeed...

TadW · 11-22-2007, 04:09 AM

While the Kindle is not a head turner like the iPhone, it seems to do a good job for what it was made for. As people are starting to realize this, they care less about its bad looks

FixB · 11-22-2007, 05:41 AM

It's not the bad look that would make me run away, but the ratio of the screen size vs the global size is ridiculous for a dedicated reader.
I never needed a big keyboard to read.....

tsgreer · 11-22-2007, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

You obviously haven't looked at this forum previously

All anyone had to say about the Kindle until a couple of weeks ago was how amazingly ugly it was, and that they would never in a million years buy anything so horrible-looking. Now it's been released it is, seemingly, suddenly the best thing since the proverbial sliced bread.

Public opinion is a fickle thing indeed...

Well I don't know if it's just about being fickle. I think the old pre-release FCC photo was a very bad shot of it. Now people have seen different views via the advertising and videos and maybe realize it doesn't look as bad as they thought.

And I have showed several people around the office and no one has mentioned that it's ugly or looked strange. Most people want to hold it and think it's cool. Granted, they aren't techie people at all, they know how to check email on their computers and that's about it...

CCDMan · 11-22-2007, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Well I don't know if it's just about being fickle. I think the old pre-release FCC photo was a very bad shot of it.

Yes, that was indeed a huge part of it. I almost wonder if Amazon made that photo bad on purpose to keep the competition from worrying too much. <g>

I also wonder why folks really should care about the looks of a practical product intended for reading. Who are we trying to impress? I just want if to be usable, practical, and comfortable and could care less what people think it looks like.

Nate the great · 11-22-2007, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCDMan

Yes, that was indeed a huge part of it. I almost wonder if Amazon made that photo bad on purpose to keep the competition from worrying too much. <g>

I also wonder why folks really should care about the looks of a practical product intended for reading. Who are we trying to impress? I just want if to be usable, practical, and comfortable and could care less what people think it looks like.

I don't think Amazon took those pictures. I think they were taken by the FCC for their records.

delphidb96 · 11-22-2007, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

You obviously haven't looked at this forum previously

All anyone had to say about the Kindle until a couple of weeks ago was how amazingly ugly it was, and that they would never in a million years buy anything so horrible-looking. Now it's been released it is, seemingly, suddenly the best thing since the proverbial sliced bread.

Public opinion is a fickle thing indeed...

That's because they couldn't *HOLD* one! Of course, not having a Kindle to caress, fondle, make sweet love to, I'm *STILL* of the opinion it is B*TT-UGLY!!!

(Given I'm really, Really, REALLY low on income right now, I'm waiting for a Knight/Knightess in Shining Armor to buy one for me so I can 'suddenly and irrationally' change my opinion! Any Good Samaritans?

)

Derek

tsgreer · 11-22-2007, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delphidb96

That's because they couldn't *HOLD* one! Of course, not having a Kindle to caress, fondle, make sweet love to, I'm *STILL* of the opinion it is B*TT-UGLY!!!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I suppose. I mean, I have an ipod and many people talk about how elegant it is. Um, I like it being simple, but to me it's just a rectangle with rounded edges. I don't think it looks ugly, but I like how it functions. Same with the Kindle. I don't find it ugly at all and the only thing I didn't like in the FCC photo was the tan color.

To me it's a rectangle with a keyboard under it. The sony looks like a rectangle without a keyboard under it.

I was under the impression that you hated the Kindle so much because you are the NAEB guy

Alisa · 11-22-2007, 12:16 PM

I think it looks better than the FCC photos but I still wouldn't call it attractive. I disagree with the materials choice and I'd probably alter the layout a bit, but while I appreciate elegant form, function will always be higher on the list for me and this device comes closest to having all the features that I want at a price I can justify.

montsnmags · 11-22-2007, 07:20 PM

I don't find the Kindle ugly at all.

See, I've seen folks, including book store CEOs (eg. Dymocks) talk about people liking that "feel" of a dead-tree book, flicking through and caressing the pages. Now, the gods know I've done my fair share of caressing in my time

but I think when they refer to us book-buyers in that way, they surely can't be referring to the manufactured-down-to-a-cost plain old paperback. Sure, a new paperback is nice, but, at least for me, mostly in anticipation of it being...opened (mmm, the pleasure!). Its "build quality" and appearance, except for the occasionally impressive cover art, aren't its main feature. It's the content. Old and well-made new hardbacks are a different thing, of course. However, as any perusal of a brick-and-mortar store will show, the big money's in your low-rent pot-boiler paperbacks, pages soon to be creased as bookmarks, and spines broken. Their yellowing low-ish quality is both the pleasure and the downfall.

So, I don't see the Kindle as ugly, and here's why - to me, they've constructed something that has that potboiler, airport paperback, feel about it - yes, dated, and yes, plain, and just a tad clunky...sort of like a heavily-used paperback. Perhaps, in their eyes, and certainly to my aesthetic faculties, its design is aimed towards that, as "Keep buying more (new release) paperbacks" is what they have in mind for it. They're selling mostly to the eternal bookreader, or, rather, bookbuyer and just want to give you that comforting, traditional, slightly clunky, plain white appearance to ease the bookreaders into the idea, rather than hype the tech design folk who might just complain that it doesn't have any PDA software, that its MP3 player is rubbish, and that no video playback is just stupid. They don't want to go down the "compared to the iPod" route.

So, I don't think it's ugly...or, perhaps, I do, but "ugly" in that "ugly, used paperback" kind of way that makes me feel all warm and comfortable.

This is, of course, just my very, very humble opinion. As tsgreer reminds me, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I might just be talking through my USB port though.

Cheers,
Marc

tsgreer · 11-22-2007, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by montsnmags

So, I don't see the Kindle as ugly, and here's why - to me, they've constructed something that has that potboiler, airport paperback, feel about it - yes, dated, and yes, plain, and just a tad clunky...sort of like a heavily-used paperback. Perhaps, in their eyes, and certainly to my aesthetic faculties, its design is aimed towards that, as "Keep buying more (new release) paperbacks"

Very good analogy! It's a nice pulpy ebook reader. I've always been a paperback sorta guy...

delphidb96 · 11-22-2007, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsgreer

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I suppose. I mean, I have an ipod and many people talk about how elegant it is. Um, I like it being simple, but to me it's just a rectangle with rounded edges. I don't think it looks ugly, but I like how it functions. Same with the Kindle. I don't find it ugly at all and the only thing I didn't like in the FCC photo was the tan color.

To me it's a rectangle with a keyboard under it. The sony looks like a rectangle without a keyboard under it.

I was under the impression that you hated the Kindle so much because you are the NAEB guy

Nope. Being the NAEB guy doesn't have anything to do with it. (Okay, being the NAEB guy has a *bit* to do with it.

) I'm just jealous (I don't have my own Kindle and have no spare cash for several (about six or seven) months to buy one out of my own pocket *AND* I'm extraordinarily *PISSED* that Amazon went with it's own AZW format!

I figure Amazon deciding to bribe me with a free Kindle will go a *LONG* way towards curing both symptoms.

Derek

drgnbear · 11-22-2007, 10:46 PM

It's not just you, but I don't think it's ugly. Granted there's something Star Trek: The Motion Picture about it. But you may change your opinion once you hold it in your hand. It's a very tactile design. Not without flaws though. Others have noted how easy it is to change the page accidentally, but beyond that I don't find many flaws.

DaleDe · 11-23-2007, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drgnbear

It's not just you, but I don't think it's ugly. Granted there's something Star Trek: The Motion Picture about it. But you may change your opinion once you hold it in your hand. It's a very tactile design. Not without flaws though. Others have noted how easy it is to change the page accidentally, but beyond that I don't find many flaws.

Perhaps it is like the story about a Camel. It has been said that a Camel looks like it was designed by a committee.

Dale

11-22-2007, 03:42 AM	#1
halljames Zealot Posts: 116 Karma: 463 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Newcastle, UK Device: Apple iPad	Kindle is Ugly Is it just me, or does anyone think the kindle is really ugly. It looks like a 5 year old product. Just a thought.

11-22-2007, 07:20 PM	#11
montsnmags Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,155 Karma: 4632658 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: none	I don't find the Kindle ugly at all. See, I've seen folks, including book store CEOs (eg. Dymocks) talk about people liking that "feel" of a dead-tree book, flicking through and caressing the pages. Now, the gods know I've done my fair share of caressing in my time but I think when they refer to us book-buyers in that way, they surely can't be referring to the manufactured-down-to-a-cost plain old paperback. Sure, a new paperback is nice, but, at least for me, mostly in anticipation of it being...opened (mmm, the pleasure!). Its "build quality" and appearance, except for the occasionally impressive cover art, aren't its main feature. It's the content. Old and well-made new hardbacks are a different thing, of course. However, as any perusal of a brick-and-mortar store will show, the big money's in your low-rent pot-boiler paperbacks, pages soon to be creased as bookmarks, and spines broken. Their yellowing low-ish quality is both the pleasure and the downfall. So, I don't see the Kindle as ugly, and here's why - to me, they've constructed something that has that potboiler, airport paperback, feel about it - yes, dated, and yes, plain, and just a tad clunky...sort of like a heavily-used paperback. Perhaps, in their eyes, and certainly to my aesthetic faculties, its design is aimed towards that, as "Keep buying more (new release) paperbacks" is what they have in mind for it. They're selling mostly to the eternal bookreader, or, rather, bookbuyer and just want to give you that comforting, traditional, slightly clunky, plain white appearance to ease the bookreaders into the idea, rather than hype the tech design folk who might just complain that it doesn't have any PDA software, that its MP3 player is rubbish, and that no video playback is just stupid. They don't want to go down the "compared to the iPod" route. So, I don't think it's ugly...or, perhaps, I do, but "ugly" in that "ugly, used paperback" kind of way that makes me feel all warm and comfortable. This is, of course, just my very, very humble opinion. As tsgreer reminds me, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I might just be talking through my USB port though. Cheers, Marc Last edited by montsnmags; 11-22-2007 at 11:43 PM.

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11-22-2007, 03:49 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	You obviously haven't looked at this forum previously All anyone had to say about the Kindle until a couple of weeks ago was how amazingly ugly it was, and that they would never in a million years buy anything so horrible-looking. Now it's been released it is, seemingly, suddenly the best thing since the proverbial sliced bread. Public opinion is a fickle thing indeed...

11-22-2007, 04:09 AM	#3
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	While the Kindle is not a head turner like the iPhone, it seems to do a good job for what it was made for. As people are starting to realize this, they care less about its bad looks

11-22-2007, 05:41 AM	#4
FixB Groupie Posts: 186 Karma: 499 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: France, Toulouse Device: Sony PRS500	It's not the bad look that would make me run away, but the ratio of the screen size vs the global size is ridiculous for a dedicated reader. I never needed a big keyboard to read.....

11-22-2007, 12:16 PM	#10
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	I think it looks better than the FCC photos but I still wouldn't call it attractive. I disagree with the materials choice and I'd probably alter the layout a bit, but while I appreciate elegant form, function will always be higher on the list for me and this device comes closest to having all the features that I want at a price I can justify.

11-22-2007, 10:46 PM	#14
drgnbear Evil alien overlord. Posts: 57 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2007 Device: Kindle	It's not just you, but I don't think it's ugly. Granted there's something Star Trek: The Motion Picture about it. But you may change your opinion once you hold it in your hand. It's a very tactile design. Not without flaws though. Others have noted how easy it is to change the page accidentally, but beyond that I don't find many flaws.

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