|
mwvickers
|
 |
« on: November 23, 2009, 08:12:16 AM » |
|
Okay, so I received a refurbished K2 the other day. I have been using the K1 since about this time last year, so I have a lot of experience with it already. That being said, I am not sure whether I think the K2 is a big improvement or not.
The K2 is about the same size as the K1, it's just a little longer. For some reason, however, it feels heavier. Perhaps it's the metal back on it. In my opinion, the K1 is easier to hold, though, as the wedge shape seems more fit for my hand if I'm holding it with my left hand (as I often do).
The 16 shades of gray in the K2 make pictures and diagrams a lot clearer, though I only have a few books that this applies to. Other than that, the text is, in my opinion, about the same for either the K1 or the K2. No real improvement on text.
The page turns are definitely faster in the K2. For the K1, I usually have to anticipate when I will need to turn the page to continue reading smoothly, but the K2 is almost instantaneous. This is a big improvement to me.
So far, the battery life doesn't seem to be much better on the K2. In fact, it almost seems like the battery on my K1 lasts longer before I even notice a depletion. Perhaps I've just been using the K2 more the last few days, but I'm not sure.
Yes, the K2 can hold more books in the device itself, but I've heard mixed reviews about what this does to the battery life on the K2, so I'm not sure I would ever really put more than the amount the K1 can hold internally anyway.
The biggest plus so far is that Whispernet does work at my house with the K2, while it does not with the K1. The downside, however, is that it drains the K2 battery a lot faster, so I don't know if I would use it all that much. I may very well end up just downloading with the USB as often (especially now that I can get samples that way, too). I don't take my Kindle with me very much, as I don't have anywhere to keep it when I'm out, so Whispernet doesn't matter that much in those cases (and it usually works with my K1 anyway).
I like the way the K2 underlines text for highlighting rather than putting a box around it. I think that is a definite improvement.
I read a few books with endnotes, and the K2 seems to be more of a hassle to read a footnote/endnote than the K1. With the K1, I just scroll up to the line and click the scrollwheel. Then I scroll down to the note number, and I'm at the note. This doesn't take as long as it sounds, and is actually quite smooth to accomplish. The K2, however, requires that I move the cursor word by word and line by line up to the note in order to go to it. So far, that seems to take much longer, and it interrupts my train of thought more than with the K1.
At the same time, the ability to look up a single word with the cursor in the K2 is better than having to wait for the K1 to look up an entire line of words.
I'm still concerned that the K2 does not have a user-replaceable battery (at least not one that I want to try to get to without damaging the Kindle).
All in all, I like both the K1 and the K2 for different reasons. They both have strengths and weaknesses. I'm not sure whether I consider the K2 a large improvement over the K1. I just got my Kindle on Friday, so I have time to decide whether I want to keep it. At this point, however, I may end up sticking with the K1.
I hope this review was somewhat helpful and not just confusing. LOL
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
ElaineOK
|
|
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2009, 08:34:37 AM » |
|
Thanks. Helpful review for anyone who either tried a K1 and didn't get hooked or who wants to upgrade.
Here is my $.02. I tried a friend's K1 and decided not to get it primarily because of the page turn speed. My k2 could be faster, but I can deal with it. I couldn't deal with the K1. I also find the K2 easier to hold, so that is clearly a factor of hand size, shape or something else. I used to be concerned about the non-user changeable battery, but watching release notes on vapor readers I am convinced that I will be upgrading before it becomes an issue.
Elaine
Norman, Oklahoma
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
mlewis78
|
|
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2009, 06:02:15 PM » |
|
There is an interesting Kindle Chronicles interview with James Fallows (podcast in Itune or go to Kindle Chronicles website), journalist with The Atlantic. Fallows is a long-time kindle user and bought a K2 with the idea of giving his K1 to his wife. He likes the contrast better on the K1 and the controls difference on it doesn't bother him (on K1), so he kept his K1 and gave the K2 to his wife.
I switched recently and gave my K1 to a friend, but I have a DX as well. I like them all. I resisted going over to K2 for a long time and can understand if someone doesn't make the switch. I liked the controls and font hack on my DX and the price reduction on the refurbished K2s brought me around to buy one. I have no regrets, and I'm very happy that my K1 is being used as a primary device.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
New York, NY Flutist, Legal Services Professional Readers: K4, K3, Kindle DX (US), Sony PRS-350, B&N Nook STR and Bookeen Cybook Opus |
|
|
|
cheerio
|
|
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2009, 02:47:57 PM » |
|
Thanks for the review, good points
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent." Eleanor Roosevelt
"A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her." David Brinkle
|
|
|
|
angelad
|
|
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2009, 01:09:45 PM » |
|
There is an interesting Kindle Chronicles interview with James Fallows (podcast in Itune or go to Kindle Chronicles website), journalist with The Atlantic. Fallows is a long-time kindle user and bought a K2 with the idea of giving his K1 to his wife. He likes the contrast better on the K1 and the controls difference on it doesn't bother him (on K1), so he kept his K1 and gave the K2 to his wife.
I switched recently and gave my K1 to a friend, but I have a DX as well. I like them all. I resisted going over to K2 for a long time and can understand if someone doesn't make the switch. I liked the controls and font hack on my DX and the price reduction on the refurbished K2s brought me around to buy one. I have no regrets, and I'm very happy that my K1 is being used as a primary device.
I would rank DX, then k1, then k2. I've had the pleasure to use all of them at some point. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
cheerio
|
|
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2009, 11:11:51 AM » |
|
I might be a little different with the DX, K2 then K1
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent." Eleanor Roosevelt
"A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her." David Brinkle
|
|
|
|
kevindorsey
|
|
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2009, 03:02:14 PM » |
|
They are all good for some things.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
PhillipA82
|
|
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2009, 01:41:05 PM » |
|
They are all good for some things.
Agree! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
angelad
|
|
« Reply #8 on: December 21, 2009, 03:48:24 PM » |
|
I had a few, and I loved them all in different ways.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
nathan19
Status: Dr. Seuss
 Offline
Posts: 32
|
|
« Reply #9 on: December 31, 2009, 11:52:29 AM » |
|
Thank you for the very helpful review!  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Closet Book Nerd  |
|
|
|
loca
|
|
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2010, 12:51:56 PM » |
|
Spot On review.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
cheerio
|
|
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2010, 03:26:27 PM » |
|
Okay, so I received a refurbished K2 the other day. I have been using the K1 since about this time last year, so I have a lot of experience with it already. That being said, I am not sure whether I think the K2 is a big improvement or not.
The K2 is about the same size as the K1, it's just a little longer. For some reason, however, it feels heavier. Perhaps it's the metal back on it. In my opinion, the K1 is easier to hold, though, as the wedge shape seems more fit for my hand if I'm holding it with my left hand (as I often do).
The 16 shades of gray in the K2 make pictures and diagrams a lot clearer, though I only have a few books that this applies to. Other than that, the text is, in my opinion, about the same for either the K1 or the K2. No real improvement on text.
The page turns are definitely faster in the K2. For the K1, I usually have to anticipate when I will need to turn the page to continue reading smoothly, but the K2 is almost instantaneous. This is a big improvement to me.
So far, the battery life doesn't seem to be much better on the K2. In fact, it almost seems like the battery on my K1 lasts longer before I even notice a depletion. Perhaps I've just been using the K2 more the last few days, but I'm not sure.
Yes, the K2 can hold more books in the device itself, but I've heard mixed reviews about what this does to the battery life on the K2, so I'm not sure I would ever really put more than the amount the K1 can hold internally anyway.
The biggest plus so far is that Whispernet does work at my house with the K2, while it does not with the K1. The downside, however, is that it drains the K2 battery a lot faster, so I don't know if I would use it all that much. I may very well end up just downloading with the USB as often (especially now that I can get samples that way, too). I don't take my Kindle with me very much, as I don't have anywhere to keep it when I'm out, so Whispernet doesn't matter that much in those cases (and it usually works with my K1 anyway).
I like the way the K2 underlines text for highlighting rather than putting a box around it. I think that is a definite improvement.
I read a few books with endnotes, and the K2 seems to be more of a hassle to read a footnote/endnote than the K1. With the K1, I just scroll up to the line and click the scrollwheel. Then I scroll down to the note number, and I'm at the note. This doesn't take as long as it sounds, and is actually quite smooth to accomplish. The K2, however, requires that I move the cursor word by word and line by line up to the note in order to go to it. So far, that seems to take much longer, and it interrupts my train of thought more than with the K1.
At the same time, the ability to look up a single word with the cursor in the K2 is better than having to wait for the K1 to look up an entire line of words.
I'm still concerned that the K2 does not have a user-replaceable battery (at least not one that I want to try to get to without damaging the Kindle).
All in all, I like both the K1 and the K2 for different reasons. They both have strengths and weaknesses. I'm not sure whether I consider the K2 a large improvement over the K1. I just got my Kindle on Friday, so I have time to decide whether I want to keep it. At this point, however, I may end up sticking with the K1.
I hope this review was somewhat helpful and not just confusing. LOL
Have you had any problems since it is refurbished? |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent." Eleanor Roosevelt
"A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her." David Brinkle
|
|
|
|
loca
|
|
« Reply #12 on: January 16, 2010, 03:58:47 PM » |
|
"Yes, the K2 can hold more books in the device itself, but I've heard mixed reviews about what this does to the battery life on the K2, so I'm not sure I would ever really put more than the amount the K1 can hold internally anyway. "
I never really understood why they went away from the sd cards with K2. Other than that, agree with most points.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
pidgeon92
|
|
« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2010, 05:59:30 PM » |
|
I never really understood why they went away from the sd cards with K2. Other than that, agree with most points.
I think the SD cards caused a lot of problems. We've had quite a few members who experienced constant crashes with their K1s which stopped after removing the SD cards. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
  my e-readers: Kindle 2 • Kindle 3 • nook • iPad • Sony-950 |
|
|
|
happyblob
|
|
« Reply #14 on: May 12, 2010, 01:37:08 PM » |
|
That's a well thought out comparison! Thanks for all your time and efforts put into this.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
cheerio
|
|
« Reply #15 on: June 22, 2010, 07:37:37 AM » |
|
I think the SD cards caused a lot of problems. We've had quite a few members who experienced constant crashes with their K1s which stopped after removing the SD cards.
They sounded like a great idea at the time |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent." Eleanor Roosevelt
"A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her." David Brinkle
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dilber MC Theme by HarzeM
