Am I the only one bothered by the KT bezel?

[gers1978]

I had a K3 then a K4NT. I loved both. My daughter decided she wanted a Kindle, so I gave her the K4NT and got myself a KT with 3G. I really liked the idea of a touch screen, since I'm forever looking up words in the dictionary whilst I'm reading, and 3G connectivity appealed since I'm very often switching between iPhone, iPad and Kindle and need to sync my last page a lot. Other little things like X-Ray, etc, also seemed nice. And I have to say, all of these things worked very well and I was very pleased with them, especially the touch screen.

The downside, of course, is the added weight and size, but I figured I'd soon get used to this.

The one downside I haven't got used to, and it's causing me to return the KT and swap it for another K4NT is the bezel - or more specifically, the fact that screen is "sunken" or "depressed" so far in. Call me weird, but I just can't get used to it, it actually annoys me and I think it looks awful, and every time I see my girlfriend or daughter with their K4NTs I look jealously at them! I also use the light on the lighted cover a lot, and the raised bezel is causing shadows.

I realise this issue is something many people/reviews have highlighted, but no-one except me seems to think it's such an issue that they're reverting back to a non-Touch Kindle.

Anyone else?

[MaPePeR]

I also dislike this bevel, but since i only have used this device so far i cant really tell the difference or miss something specific.

But you are right: its annoying.

[HarryT]

I can't say I've ever given it a second thought - it certainly doesn't bother me. The reason for the relatively deep recess of the screen is of course that that's where the emitters for the IR beams that form the touch-screen are located. I imagine that every other device with an IR touchscreen (which is most current readers) uses the same depth of bezel.

[mewmartigan]

I noticed it initially but now it doesn't bother me at all.

Give me a recessed bezel with touchscreen over non-touch any day!

I can't wait for the Kindle answer to Glowlight either...

[pidgeon92]

I have - and use regularly - a K2, K3, DX and Touch, and I can honestly say I don't notice the physical differences of any of the screens.

[BlueSky77]

I use my Kindle Touch for a few hours every day and I've never really noticed this. It doesn't bother me a bit.

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[Barty]

If it bothers you then it bothers you regardless of what others think.

I don't like it either, but It isn't why I don't use the touch.

[Fluribus]

Originally Posted by Barty

If it bothers you then it bothers you regardless of what others think.

I don't think so.

[haydnfan]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I imagine that every other device with an IR touchscreen (which is most current readers) uses the same depth of bezel.

Which is wrong, the Kobo and Nook have shallower bezels. The Kobo's bezel is just slightly deeper than the Kindle 4 (no touch) which proves that the IR does not need that much depth to work.

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by haydnfan

Which is wrong, the Kobo and Nook have shallower bezels. The Kobo's bezel is just slightly deeper than the Kindle 4 (no touch) which proves that the IR does not need that much depth to work.

How did you measure that? Carpenters feel with their fingertips to see if two surfaces are flush together, which is MUCH more accurate than using your eyes.

I placed a stack of two dimes ($0.10USD each coin) on my eink screens next to the bezels, and using my sense of touch, the Nook Simple Touch and the Kindle Touch both have exactly (within my sensory limits) the same bezel height as a stack of two dimes. It is not surprising that both the Nook and Kindle have the same bezel height, because they both use the same zforce touchscreen device.

If the Kobo uses the same IR touchscreen as the Nook and Kindle, it would need to have the same bezel height as the Nook and Kindle. But if it uses a capacitive touchscreen, it does not need any measurable extra height. I do not have access to a Kobo Touch to examine or measure so I will just compare the Nook and Kindle that you said are different.

I really am interested in what methods you used to determine your faulty concusion.

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by gers1978

Call me weird

Ok, you are weird.

[jondelfin]

i find the depth just perfect for me - i feel if it were any shallower i would forever be accidently flipping to the next page. i let my thumbs overhang the screen slightly then apply a bit of pressure and voila page advance - no moving of the hands. If it were flush, it would be horrible - at least for me.

[geoffwood]

As a point of reference, and using the "dime test" it appears the PRS-T1 has a shallower bezel. In my tests, my Kindle Touch bezel is indeed just about two dimes. The PRS-TI is slightly smaller, at about a dime and 3/4, but more importantly it tapers down to about a single dime where it meets the screen, so the perceived size is much smaller.

I wouldn't say the bezel on either is annoying, but I do prefer the almost flush screen of the non-touch kindle and that is my e-reader of choice

[MaPePeR]

Originally Posted by jondelfin

i let my thumbs overhang the screen slightly then apply a bit of pressure and voila page advance - no moving of the hands. If it were flush, it would be horrible - at least for me.

I'm used to do the same, but then the train makes a "hop" and bamm: there is the next page, or even worse: i have skipped more than one page.

Also the bevel is perfect hiding spot for hairs/dirt/pollen/dust, and that is what annoys me about the bezel.

[RolandD]

Originally Posted by MaPePeR

I'm used to do the same, but then the train makes a "hop" and bamm: there is the next page, or even worse: i have skipped more than one page.

Also the bevel is perfect hiding spot for hairs/dirt/pollen/dust, and that is what annoys me about the bezel.

I'm a smoker and occasionally an ash will drift onto the screen, while I'm reading outside, and turn the page. Sometimes when I blow it off, it jumps a chapter.