Saw a K1 today, in person, and it does have better contrast.

[MineKinder]

Today, in the market I ran into a lady holding her K1, she had a group around her!
Everyone was interested, anyways I saw the text on her K1, and it does seem better than on my K2. The contrast between the background and text, is much more.
Disappointing, to say the least...

[Kind]

Really? Bummer!

[kari]

I do wish the background on the K2 was a bit lighter.  It's much darker than any book I have and seems harder on the eyes to me.  It may be that I just need to get used to it.  I don't have a K1 to compare to though.

[MineKinder]

I just wrote to Amazon letting them know, what I now saw, with my own eyes.
The K1, does have a lighter background. Therefore more contrast..

[gwen10]

I just spoke with Amazon about the K2 contrast issue.  My K2 has a very dark grey screen.  I never had the K1, so I can't compare the models.  I watched the videos on the Amazon website again and when I compare my K2 screen to the screen in the video, mine is much darker.  The Amazon CS rep is sending me out a replacement K2 so I can compare the two.  Hope the new K2 has a lighter grey screen and improved contrast.  I will let you know how this turns out.

[VictoriaP]

I just spoke with Amazon about the K2 contrast issue.  My K2 has a very dark grey screen.  I never had the K1, so I can't compare the models.  I watched the videos on the Amazon website again and when I compare my K2 screen to the screen in the video, mine is much darker.  The Amazon CS rep is sending me out a replacement K2 so I can compare the two.  Hope the new K2 has a lighter grey screen and improved contrast.  I will let you know how this turns out.

I definitely think this will end up being one of those issues that shows on some K2s & not on others.  Several people have reported similarly that CS has sent them a replacement for comparison, and that the second K2 they receive looks different than the first.

As such, I'd highly recommend that if you find the screen too dark, you contact CS immediately.  Mine is not only plenty light, but side by side with random paperbacks, it's the same shade or lighter.  The e-ink is not as black as true print, but it's plenty dark enough to read comfortably.  This tends to make me think there's a fair amount of variation in the screens, and that you've probably got a bad one.

Good luck to those of you wrestling with this issue!

[gwen10]

As such, I'd highly recommend that if you find the screen too dark, you contact CS immediately.  Mine is not only plenty light, but side by side with random paperbacks, it's the same shade or lighter.  The e-ink is not as black as true print, but it's plenty dark enough to read comfortably.  This tends to make me think there's a fair amount of variation in the screens, and that you've probably got a bad one.

Wow, really?  My screen is sooo much darker than any paper book I have in the house.  I am looking forward to getting the replacement and really hope that the screen is lighter.

[lkids3]

I would be interested in knowing the outcome as well.  I actually sent back my K2 today because my K1 was so much easier for me to read.  I'll miss some of the other features but the contrast was really important to me.

[VictoriaP]

Wow, really?  My screen is sooo much darker than any paper book I have in the house.  I am looking forward to getting the replacement and really hope that the screen is lighter.

Yes, it is.

Of course, when you stick a stack of paperbacks together & look at their ends, you'll see a fair amount of variation in those too.  I can see a stack from here; one stands out as incredibly white, a few shade towards yellow or beige, a few in grey tones.  But my Kindle background (greyish) is as light as most, if not all of them, and the contrast on mine is very very readable.

That's why I tend to think we're looking at manufacturing variations; seems like if it was a software fix, they would have opted to send a patch our way rather than exchange K2s (which has got to be more costly).

Hopefully your new one will be better--if not, definitely see if you can compare with someone else in your town before throwing in the towel altogether.  

[KindleMom]

We have a K1 and a K2 at this house and the K2 does have less contrast but to me not enough to make a difference.  There is less ghosty leavings on the K2 though and that's something that really bugs me about my K1.

I guess nothing is perfect.

[gwen10]

Hopefully your new one will be better--if not, definitely see if you can compare with someone else in your town before throwing in the towel altogether.  

Thanks, good advice!  I love my K2 so much (even with the dark screen) that I doubt I will end up Kindle-less, even if there isn't much difference between the two.
I will let everybody know the outcome on Monday.

[gwen10]

I forgot to mention that the CS rep offered to send me a replacement K2 (with one day shipping) at no charge.  I was actually asking her if I could order another one and return the one with the darkest screen.  That is when she offered the replacement. This very generous offer makes me believe they indeed are having screen color/contrast issues with the K2.

[PJ]

A friend of mine has a K1 and we laid my K2 on the table side by side with her K1.  The backgrounds of the screens were the same color.  The difference was the font that was used.  The font on the K1 was either a Sans serif font or the serif was not very pronounced it also seemed to have more spacing between lines.  The font on the K2 has a very pronounced serif and narrows considerably an the center of the letters which in my opinion makes it less clear for reading.  BTW - these differences seemed to diminish as the font size was increased.  As for comaring you unit to the pictures on the web it really depends on the light shining on the device and the angle you are looking at it with.  The light the pictures were taken with were photographic lights which are usually a somewhat warm light source but very strong. The unit in most of pictures is shown at an upright or somewhat upright angle.  If I put my K2 under a strong light and hold it almost upright it looks very much like the pictures.  If I hold it flat it looks much darker.

[auntmarge]

I've uploaded side-by-side photos of my K1 and K2 here: 
 
http://auntiem6.ranchoweb.com/K1andK2screencomp2.jpg   (K1 set at font #2; K2 set at font #2)
http://auntiem6.ranchoweb.com/K1andK2screencomp1.jpg   (K1 set at font #2; K2 set at font #3) 
Fonts on the two units don't match exactly, which is why there are two photos. 

It's pretty clear that the screen on my K2 is darker than on the K1.  I called Amazon today.  The CS fellow said he's heard from a couple of people about this but seemed reluctant to say or do more, except to send my feedback to the development team, so I asked him to send me a second unit to compare.   I don't really have much hope the second one will be any better, but I could be wrong.  I just think they may have made a calculation that the new contrast would be preferred, but, as I pointed out to him, if a publisher put out a book printed on medium gray with dark gray ink, no one would buy it.  I had assumed the K2 would fix the contrast problem on the K1, but they went the other way.

I'm really torn.  I'd prefer to keep the K2 (techie and all), but I feel like I'm peering through dirty glass trying to make out the print.  If the second unit is no better, I will probably return both K2s and keep going on the K1.  Fingers crossed.....

[traceyreads]

I thought the screen on my K2 compared to my K1 was significantly darker and harder to read, but decided to live with it, since the page buttons on K1 were difficult for me. But then my K2 to decided to constantly restart and freeze. CS sent me a new one, and now i can see the issue, the new K2 has the same darker background, but the text is much bolder.  Side by side, the original k2 seemed almost fuzzy.  I compared the exact same page of a book, and had my impartial judge (husband) tell me which one seemed clearer, and he picked my new one out immediately. It was really evident on text that was in bold (like on the home screen) the text just seemed to be lighter.

Now i am one happy reader. And I told CS that my old one is evidence of this contrast issue.

[auntmarge]

Good news!  I hope my second one is better too.  It's coming Monday.

[stevene9]

This has really made up my mind (as a K1 owner) to get a spare K1 as prices come down. The contrast is important to me, and if it continues in the K3 onward, I may always just stick with a K1.

[idolguy]

I've uploaded side-by-side photos of my K1 and K2 here: 
 
http://auntiem6.ranchoweb.com/K1andK2screencomp2.jpg   (K1 set at font #2; K2 set at font #2)
http://auntiem6.ranchoweb.com/K1andK2screencomp1.jpg   (K1 set at font #2; K2 set at font #3) 
Fonts on the two units don't match exactly, which is why there are two photos....
/quote]

[skanter]

Yes, it is.

Of course, when you stick a stack of paperbacks together & look at their ends, you'll see a fair amount of variation in those too.  I can see a stack from here; one stands out as incredibly white, a few shade towards yellow or beige, a few in grey tones.  But my Kindle background (greyish) is as light as most, if not all of them, and the contrast on mine is very very readable.

Huh? Paper in paperbacks are white, not grey. I don't understand how you can say that the backround of any Kindle is as light as a paperback. Not that Kindles aren't very readable with good contrast, but their backgrounds are grey while paper is some variation of white.

[MineKinder]

Update-
I just bought my adult son a Kindle 2, and his has the same screen contrast as mine. We looked, side by side.
Oh well....we still love our Kindles!
By the way, he loves the plain black Amazon cover with hinges.

[auntmarge]

I love my plain cover, one of the reasons I'd hate to give up the K2.  It almost disappears behind the K while reading, and it gives the K the look of a small, elegant book when it's closed.

[gwen10]

I received my replacement K2 today.  My observations:  the screen is the exact same grey on both devices.  My replacement, however, does have a slightly (and I do mean slightly) darker font, so I am keeping the replacement and sending the original back.  One thing I noticed is that even after syncing my replacement, it still has the 2.0 software.  I called CS and was told that only a *small batch* of K2s needed/received the 2.0.1 update.  My replacement K2 apparently doesn't need it.  I don't know if this is relevant, but my original K2 shipped from KY, my replacement from IN.