Kindle 1 vs. Kindle 3

[aprilquilts]

I have a Kindle 1 with an oberon cover.  I did not upgrade to the Kindle 2, but I'm tempted by Kindle 3.  I was wondering if anyone has photos of the Kindle 3 next to the Kindle 1.  Also, I adore my Oberon cover.  Any chance the Kindle 3 will fit?  I know the Kindle 2 cover is too big, but what about Kindle 1? 

[crebel]

Welcome April.  Check the DC Kindlers Meet to Review thread a little further down.  There is a picture of the K3 on a K1 cover - looks like it will work!

[aprilquilts]

Wow!  Thanks so much.  That is exactly what I wanted to see. 

[Mom of 4]

This is the thread I've been waiting for!  IF you made the jump from K1 to K3 tell us about it!  I am on the edge and just need that little push!

[CoolMom1960]

I made the jump from K1 to K3.  Wow! it is so much smaller and lighter than my K1.  The photos shown in the DC thread show how much better the contrast is on the K3.  So far everything that I have done has worked perfectly.  But then again I'm not much of a hacker etc.  I am very very happy with mine.  MY husband is even amazed at how much smaller the K3 is.  Can't wait to get a new medge jacket for it.

[zdkm]

Having skipped the K2 and DX, I must say that I am blown away by my new K3! The screen of the K1 looks muddier than ever in comparison to the new screen. Navigation i now a task that I no longer actively avoid, thanks to the 5-way pad, the much quicker refresh time, and WebKit (for web browsing and Wikipedia lookups). I'm also surprised at how listenable the text-to-speech reader is.

I'm not sure about the benefit of upgrading to K3 from K2, but the difference I've seen between the K1 and K3 in my first couple hours with it is like night and day! Or should I say wet newsprint and the Pearl display?


The old Kindle is currently getting some pretty respectable bids on eBay too.

[ellenoc]

My K3 and the lighted cover came today. The K3 is great. However, I don't think there will be any problem for me with still reading the K1. The contrast is much better, but it doesn't show that much for just text; it's images where you see the tremendous difference. Everything is much faster on the K3 and of course it does more things. It's going to take me a while to figure out how to do them. I couldn't figure out how to delete a Sample until I read how in the manual that comes on it.

You may be able to use an Oberon K1 cover on it, but it will stick out a bit. The K3 is about 1/4" smaller in both height and width. I got the lighted cover with mine and don't like it - the light isn't bright enough and my new smaller, lighter K3 weighs as much in that cover as my K1 in its Amazon cover. So My K3 is going to be in a spare K1 cover until I can decide what to do. I figure one Velcro spot on the back will hold it in safely, and when I get a proper cover, a little Goo Be Gone with take care of that. The unlighted Amazon cover is lighter, but not by that much. However, I do love the way the hinges attach the K3 to the cover. So I'm going to see what the 3d party vendors come out with in the next few weeks and then decide.

[stevene9]

I went from k1 to k3. Love everything with one big exception:

I hate the next and prev buttons. As opposed to most people I loved the huge next page button with the very light touch. I could hold it with one hand resting on a pillow and flip the page with any spare finger. Now I have to actually grasp the unit with both hands in order to generate enough pressure to turn the page. Love the screen but hate the page buttons.

[Sandpiper]

I'm getting more and more and more excited.  I went from K1 to K3.  Just checked UPS tracking.  I thought it could get here either Monday or Tuesday.  It's gonna be . . . MONDAY!!!

I am so excited.

[intinst]

Got my K3


It's so tiny compared to my Klassic!
And it will looK GOOD in my red Oberon Sky Dragon cover!

[Mom of 4]

I went from k1 to k3. Love everything with one big exception:

I hate the next and prev buttons. As opposed to most people I loved the huge next page button with the very light touch. I could hold it with one hand resting on a pillow and flip the page with any spare finger. Now I have to actually grasp the unit with both hands in order to generate enough pressure to turn the page. Love the screen but hate the page buttons.

This is EXACTLY why I haven't made the switch.  I LOVE the big buttons on my K1 and how easy it is to turn the page.  Great for reading on my side in bed, or when I get my nails done, I can even use a light press with my elbow.

[Ann in Arlington]

I haven't had my nails painted since HS, but I would venture to say that with the small size of the buttons on the K3, you wouldn't need to resort to your elbow to avoid smudging.

And it presses very easily for me. . . . . I like 'em better than the K1 button. . .the right side button was rather too big and if you didn't hit it directly in the middle it didn't always work.  Unless, of course, you didn't mean to hit it.

Definitely an improvement in my book. . . .

[Mom of 4]

HaHa!  I use my elbow because my hands are usually being worked on, drilled, or filed (acrylics) and I can't get them free!

[gardenclc]

Thank you for the Updates...i too will be going from a K1 to a K3 ..mine should be here on Monday ...and i am not Happy about the Delivery Date ..i ordered Day 2..so i expected to have it in my hot little handes on Friday ...

i also have an oberon cover for my K1 ..but will buy a new one for my K3...i am really Hoping for a red one this time ..but Dont really LOVE.LOVE..LOVE the K2 red options...

i will be keeping my K1 ...i may try and lend it to my Mom to see if i can get her to Fall in love with it ..then i can Buy her a kindle of her own..

ZDKM--- can u send the link to your EBAY..i would love to see what Happens with your K1

[jkent]

As opposed to most people I loved the huge next page button with the very light touch. I could hold it with one hand resting on a pillow and flip the page with any spare finger. Now I have to actually grasp the unit with both hands in order to generate enough pressure to turn the page. Love the screen but hate the page buttons.

I'm with you.  When I saw the size of the buttons on the new kindle, I had some second thoughts about ordering.  I too like the big, easy to push buttons.  Just reach up with whatever finger is handy and push.  I won't get my new one 'til Monday then we will see.

[Betsy the Quilter]

.the right side button was rather too big and if you didn't hit it directly in the middle it didn't always work.  Unless, of course, you didn't mean to hit it.

Really?  I haven't had that problem, though I agree the right side was too big; I would have preferred prev & next buttons on both sides on the K1.  We should have done a comparison between the buttons on your K1 and my K1 before you gave it to your son.

I tried Ann's, and for me, and for the way I hold it, I find the buttons a bit small, I'd like them to be about halfway between the size they are on the K3 and the K1 size, but I'm sure I would get used to it.  Still, I'm very satisfied with my K1.  I can read very well on it.    K3 or K4 someday, I'm sure.

Betsy

[Linjeakel]

I have no problem with the size of the new page buttons, just the fact that they've gone back to K1 design by making them outward press rather than inward like on the K2 and given it a hair trigger. I've had the K3 less than a day and I'm already tearing my hair out over the number of times I've accidentally turned the page just by picking up the device. They'd solved this annoying problem on the K2 and now they've gone back to the old way that everyone complained about. What idiot thought that would be a good idea?

[mooshie78]

Haven't used a K3, but the page button change on the K2 is the feature I've liked the most since upgrading from my K1 a couple months ago!

I hated the buttons on the K1 as they were just too easy to bump accidentally--especially the right one.  Just a pain to use a device where you always have to be careful about how you hold it, how you pick it up if you sat it down to answer the phone so you don't jump forward accidentally etc.

[Betsy the Quilter]

I haven't accidentally changed the page on my K1 in, well, almost two years now?  I pick it up by the keybaord area.  Anywhere in the keyboard area.  I don't even think about it now....

Betsy

[mooshie78]

I never did get quite used to it.  And it's a sign of a poor design choice when you have to be careful to pick it up a certain way to avoid accidental button presses IMO.

It's a fine device.  I used mine for over a year and a half.  But I definitely like my K2 a lot more, largely for the new buttons that I've not once bumped accidentally since they push in toward the screen rather than the outside.  The faster page turns, dictionary look ups etc. are nice as well.  Makes me wish I'd just spend the extra money back in early 2009 rather than buying the used K1.

[Atunah]

Funny how different we all are. The only times I accidentally hit the page buttons on my K1 is when I fall asleep on the couch and it slides off to my side  .
I love the buttons on my K1 and one of the reasons I never got a K2 was the inward buttons. I have carpel tunnel and stiff hands that can get painful. The inward motion with the thumb is not natural and it would hurt my hands after a while I think.

I just always lay my hand on the side of the K1 and then all I have to do is use the side of my thumb to change pages.

I hope I like the smaller buttons on the K3 though, seems like there is a lot less area to press.

On some days anything that requires detail with my hands and fingers doesn't work well. I don't think I would do well with smartphones and touch screen keyboards either. Then I only have a prepaid cheapo phone anyway 

[mooshie78]

Yep.  Everyone is different and has their own needs and preferences for sure!

[Robin]

Wow - interesting compare w/all 3 side-by-side. I have a k1 and a k3 on order. I've heard discussion about size between k2 and k3 but didn't realize that the k2 is bigger than k1.

[mooshie78]

Yep, was suprised by that when I got my K2 (my girlfriend has the K1 now).  But it is thinner and sleeker, just a bit bigger surface area wise.

[cybergeezer]

I went from K1 to K3. Skipped the K2 because I liked having a memory card but after 2 3/4 years I only used about 1.25gb and never deleted anything. Since the K3 has 3 gb of useable storage (out of 4 gb) that shouldn't be an issue. I also liked the idea of the user replaceable battery on the K1 but the K3 promises such a longer time between charges that it may also have a longer life span--time will tell.

Anyway, I was willing to give on the battery issue in exchange for the better e-ink display, WiFi, better web browser, smaller weight and form factor, faster page turns and some of the perks that the K1 never got,  e.g. collections and TTS. The new 5 way controller is definitely more efficient than the roll and press on the K1 (but I might miss seeing that silver column creep up the right side on a restart--expect I'll get over it.)

I like that the K3 lets me use the 5 way to go from article to article and shows the heading of the next article on web content downloaded with Instapaper and Calibre. I like the clarity of reading web content with article mode.

I think the page next/previous is an improvement as I sometimes inadvertently paged forward on that long button on the right side of the K1.

I miss the number row and the @ key but have quickly adjusted to either using alt/top row for numbers or SYM for numbers or @ or other symbols--a slight deficit but not a deal killer.

I'm waiting for the Amazon cover with the built-in light and hope its obviating the need for a battery operated light source is also accompanied by a good weight, feel and easy use of the keyboard. I am a bit disappointed that it has no pockets as my M-Edge K1 leather cover became my man purse and I carried around an amazing amount of junk in it and the pen holder on the spine was a great idea. I also hope that it or the Cole-Haan cover (which only has one tiny pocket but is very handsome) will make it a bit easier to do two thumbed typing because typing on a nekkid K3 is a bit more difficult than typing on a nekkid K1.

I also like the combo power cord/USB. One less thing to keep track of versus the K1.

After 4 days of use I'm pretty happy with the K3 and have no regrets.
 

[Emmalita]

I went from a k1 to a k3 too!  I love the k3 and am very glad I made the switch. The change in contrast is simply amazing.  I haven't had any problem with the page turn buttons at all.  In my opinion, they are much better because it's harder to accidentally turn the page.  I think the whole thing is a vast improvement.  I also got the amazon lighted cover and as much as I would love to have some other design on the front of it, the light is so perfect that I don't think I would get another kind of cover.