Internet Buzzing about K2's LIGHTER TEXT

[DD]

When I'm feeling depressed, when my spirits are low, and I'm at my wit's end, I always find comfort in the immortal words of Jeff Bezos:

"I'm a Mother Bear when it comes to guarding our customer experience...The fastest way to upset me and to make me into NOT a nice boss is to NOT have enough care and concern about some aspect of our customer experience." - 3/10/2009, ABC Nightline

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=7041777&page=1

Ha ha ha ha!

[pawlaw aka MXCIX]

If someone has already suggested this, then please disregard, but I was reading in accessories about a case that covers the front of the kindle 2 almost entirely (except for the keys) and would provide the black/gray contrast to trick your eye and possibly make the text easier to read...

here is the thread that starts with a picture of the item...

http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,6849.0.html

just thinking...

[intinst]

I saw that as well and wondered, also one of the neoprene sleeves might do the same.

[pawlaw aka MXCIX]

I saw that as well and wondered, also one of the neoprene sleeves might do the same.

that's a good idea...I didn't know that you could read the kindle while these sleeves were on...i thought they were just protective...hmmm...you know, something like both of these could prevent folks from having to change out their skins...i would like the contrast but I like my skin too...oh wait, is this an accessories discussion?  sorry to digress...

[PJ]

If someone has already suggested this, then please disregard, but I was reading in accessories about a case that covers the front of the kindle 2 almost entirely (except for the keys) and would provide the black/gray contrast to trick your eye and possibly make the text easier to read...

here is the thread that starts with a picture of the item...

http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,6849.0.html

just thinking...

You could get the same effect with a dark colored skin (and prettier too  )

[K.L. Christy]

When I'm feeling depressed, when my spirits are low, and I'm at my wit's end, I always find comfort in the immortal words of Jeff Bezos:

"I'm a Mother Bear when it comes to guarding our customer experience...The fastest way to upset me and to make me into NOT a nice boss is to NOT have enough care and concern about some aspect of our customer experience." - 3/10/2009, ABC Nightline

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=7041777&page=1

LOVE IT!

Seriously though, Amazon is acting like my husband when he refuses to ask for directions: stubborn, obstinate, w/ a sprinkling of false pride.

Actually, no need to ask for directions with the GPS. And the same goes for Amazon. Guys, the technology is out there. And from what I understand FONTS aren't the next frontier in computer programming. So why the river in Egypt? Why the stonewalling?

Turn on the news, Amazon, it's about YOU.

[FlannelE]

LOVE IT!

Seriously though, Amazon is acting like my husband when he refuses to ask for directions: stubborn, obstinate, w/ a sprinkling of false pride.

Actually, no need to ask for directions with the GPS. And the same goes for Amazon. Guys, the technology is out there. And from what I understand FONTS aren't the next frontier in computer programming. So why the river in Egypt? Why the stonewalling?

Turn on the news, Amazon, it's about YOU.

I think the recent Unicode Hack has demonstrated that even amateur Kindlists can find better solutions to the light text/poor contrast than what Amazon has offered.

[Law. Sorreneson]

ABC News has syndicated the PC World article about users' complaints about K2's readability:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/PCWorld/story?id=7333841

[Anthony34]

ABC News has syndicated the PC World article about users' complaints about K2's readability:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/PCWorld/story?id=7333841

Well, at least ABC is balanced.  Last month they lauded Jeff Bezos as the Nightline reporter went ga-ga over Amazon's committment toward customer service (i.e., "Mama Bear protecting the customers' reading experience..."). This week, some aspect of the reading experience has been compromised, and ABC called Amazon out for not responding.  Kudos, to fair and balanced (to borrow from Fox News) journalism!

[FlannelE]

Perhaps font selection, bolding options, and formatting create so much added value to the K2 that Amazon doesn't want to provide it for FREE (i.e., via firmware update). My feeling is, since there are so many people DEMANDING better font options, they'll incorporate that as a SELLING POINT for the K3.

That'll get K2 users to upgrade and buy!

[DD]

Perhaps font selection, bolding options, and formatting create so much added value to the K2 that Amazon doesn't want to provide it for FREE (i.e., via firmware update). My feeling is, since there are so many people DEMANDING better font options, they'll incorporate that as a SELLING POINT for the K3.

That'll get K2 users to upgrade and buy!

I think that would be a very bad business policy for Amazon to adopt toward their loyal K1 and K2 owners.  What they would be saying, essentially, is, "Yes, we know we put out an e-reader that is hard to read but, look, now we have one that you can read more easily, but you have to pay for it."  Readability should be assumed in an e-reader.

I'm glad to see the word is getting out about the light text problems.  Maybe Amazon will start paying attention at some point!

[ladynightshade]

Now, see I own a K1 and K2 and I notice no difference. My mothers K1 next to my K2 on the same page of the same book renders no noticeable difference...

[Anthony34]

Now, see I own a K1 and K2 and I notice no difference. My mothers K1 next to my K2 on the same page of the same book renders no noticeable difference...

For most users, the difference becomes noticeable on the size 1, 2, 3 fonts.  I had a total of 6 Kindle 2's (5 replacements) and compared 3 more out "in the wild."  Without question, the 9 K2s' text was lighter on the smaller fonts (say, 15-20%).  I'm pretty sure the issue has been documented:

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2009/04/kindle-2-displa.html
https://sites.google.com/a/etccreations.com/kdesignworks/

[ladynightshade]

For most users, the difference becomes noticeable on the size 1, 2, 3 fonts.  I had a total of 6 Kindle 2's (5 replacements) and compared 3 more out "in the wild."  Without question, the 9 K2s' text was lighter on the smaller fonts (say, 15-20%).  I'm pretty sure the issue has been documented:

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2009/04/kindle-2-displa.html
https://sites.google.com/a/etccreations.com/kdesignworks/

See that's what I'm saying, it may be an issue, but its not for me as i looked on size one two and three, and Eros delivers. He keeps pace with my mothers.

[K.L. Christy]

I have to admit, as a K1 owner I was in a bit of denial over the early buzz that the K2's text was actually lighter. The notion seemed absurd. Or maybe since I plopped down $360 for a next-gen Kindle, I didn't want to admit that the CENTRAL FEATURE of the e-reader device - its readability - was actually inferior to its predecessor. I guess I was too invested; maybe I was too attached (I call mine "Franklin"). But one night, after reading for 2-3 hours, I began to experience eye strain, so I took another side-by-side look, and was nearly dumbstruck: the K1's text just seemed to "jumped off" the screen, it was that good.

It took a LONG time to admit it, but yes, there's no doubt in my mind that the Kindle 2 text is a tad less readable than the K1.  Does that mean I don't still love my K2?  No, I love my K2, that's why I want to make it better.  People REALLY need to check out some of these articles in the link below.  Some very Loyal Amazon customers and Kindle Lovers are experiencing either eye strain, mild headaches, fatigue, or plain annoyance with the light, wispy K2 text (on the smaller font sizes):

https://sites.google.com/a/etccreations.com/kdesignworks/Home/articles

[ladynightshade]

okay, my question to the K world is this. I read on Eros (K2) for five hours, no eyes strain, on font 2. Then I noticed this thread, and yes i have read the articles. I tried again, reading for five more hours on text 2 then grabbed up Mothers K1 and read for an hour. There was no difference.

[FlannelE]

okay, my question to the K world is this. I read on Eros (K2) for five hours, no eyes strain, on font 2. Then I noticed this thread, and yes i have read the articles. I tried again, reading for five more hours on text 2 then grabbed up Mothers K1 and read for an hour. There was no difference.

Give it a week.

[DD]

Now, see I own a K1 and K2 and I notice no difference. My mothers K1 next to my K2 on the same page of the same book renders no noticeable difference...

Ladynightshade, I'm happy for you that you are happy with your K2 and its readability, truly, I am.  That has not been my experience or the experience of many of the people who own K2's.  None of the articles I read about this issue say it affects ALL owners of K2.  Most articles say 'some' or 'many', but not all.  However, it has been shown that the font smoothing does produce a lighter appearance to the text.

I, myself, have had 3 K2's (replacements) and there was quite a bit of variation in screen darkness and font intensity among them.  I now have one I can live with.  I guess you got a good one on your first try.  Others have not been so lucky.  One cannot judge if there is a general problem by only seeing one K2 which does not exhibit the problem.

[ladynightshade]

Give it a week.

-_- I have some pretty not nice terms coming to mind. But I have done a very, very good deal of reading on both. I owned my K! for over a year, and the K2 is holding his own. And I am a VERY picky woman. Have some optimism.

And thank you DD, I am pleased as well. I'll be watching it, but so far after more than 15 hours of reading its doing fine.   it does look like its a variable thing some are luck some are not.

[Law. Sorreneson]

-_- I have some pretty not nice terms coming to mind. But I have done a very, very good deal of reading on both. I owned my K! for over a year, and the K2 is holding his own. And I am a VERY picky woman. Have some optimism.

And thank you DD, I am pleased as well. I'll be watching it, but so far after more than 15 hours of reading its doing fine.   it does look like its a variable thing some are luck some are not.

I believe we can all heed the optimism and luck bestowed upon the good ladynightshade. Perhaps the moniker, "ladyluck," would be more appropriate in this instance. I am jealous of your Eros, for many reasons .  Most of all, I wish my Kindles (only 4 replacements) had performed nearly as well as your plucky Greek God of...

Kindlers of the World, Unite!

[FlannelE]

-_- I have some pretty not nice terms coming to mind. But I have done a very, very good deal of reading on both. I owned my K! for over a year, and the K2 is holding his own. And I am a VERY picky woman. Have some optimism.

And thank you DD, I am pleased as well. I'll be watching it, but so far after more than 15 hours of reading its doing fine.   it does look like its a variable thing some are luck some are not.

Sorry...Give it 2 weeks?  "Brevity is the soul of wit," an Englishman once wrote, and I was merely suggesting that the reality for many K2 owners doesn't sink in until a few weeks...excitement, awe, and wonder soon devolve into a morbid cycle of eye strain, customer service calls, replacements, more eye strain, excitement, disappointment, more eye strain, optimism about rumors of a firmware update, false hope, more disappointment, more eye strain, vodka.

That English fellow above continued:

"And thus the native hue of RESOLUTION
Is sicklied o'er with the PALE cast of thought..."

[PJ]

Most of the articles I read made note that the readability issue was also affected by the vision of the reader.  I think ladynightshade is younger than many of us and thus may not see the same affects as some of us more mature readers with less than perfect vision.  I am 46 but still have relatively good near vision and I did not see the type of difference that would bother me when I compared my K2 to a friend's K1. Although, I do think setting the line distance to 5 which is similar to that of the K1 makes a difference.

[ladynightshade]

Most of the articles I read made note that the readability issue was also affected by the vision of the reader.  I think ladynightshade is younger than many of us and thus may not see the same affects as some of us more mature readers with less than perfect vision.  I am 46 but still have relatively good near vision and I did not see the type of difference that would bother me when I compared my K2 to a friend's K1. Although, I do think setting the line distance to 5 which is similar to that of the K1 makes a difference.

Merci.

I am 21, and a picky, picky woman. If one darned thing was wrong with my baby i would jump down the throats of the nearest CS, manager, and tech agent that have. I read the articles, the comments and concerns WAY before purchasing my baby which is now two days old. Age, dear ones, does not beget wisdom. Wisdom comes with experience an dI have more than enough for my liking and would trade it any day of the week to be a happy go lucky 21 year old instead of that crap I get.  I have put my baby through the gauntlet,there is no fading, no eye strain, no migraines, no nothing. I will GLADLY take pictures of his screen and my mothers screen. It is possible that it is a kindle to kindle issue. I know DD has had some BAD stories, but has hit a happy point. How much of this crap is nit picking and how much of it is legit? If it is such a HUGE issue then why not return the K2 and use the surplus money to get a K1, be happy, and deck it out in the space 150$ you have left over? They know its an issue, it's being address, and if I have any severe regrets in 30 days I'll eat my hat and mail it back. but as a 21 year old technophile I know my tips, tricks, hacks I worked technical support for the iPhone 3 G when it came out. All I can say is whining and moaning over things that can be done is not going to do anything but irk more people more.

As my mother and countless mommas have said before her "If you cannot say anything nice say nothing at all" They know, its being address, its done.

[ladynightshade]

I believe we can all heed the optimism and luck bestowed upon the good ladynightshade. Perhaps the moniker, "ladyluck," would be more appropriate in this instance. I am jealous of your Eros, for many reasons .  Most of all, I wish my Kindles (only 4 replacements) had performed nearly as well as your plucky Greek God of...

Kindlers of the World, Unite!

Simply sated. I love you. Eros was named before he came, perhaps God looks fondly on me. As this is the -only- thing aside form my engagement going well.

[DD]

Merci.

I am 21, and a picky, picky woman. If one darned thing was wrong with my baby i would jump down the throats of the nearest CS, manager, and tech agent that have. I read the articles, the comments and concerns WAY before purchasing my baby which is now two days old. Age, dear ones, does not beget wisdom. Wisdom comes with experience an dI have more than enough for my liking and would trade it any day of the week to be a happy go lucky 21 year old instead of that crap I get.  I have put my baby through the gauntlet,there is no fading, no eye strain, no migraines, no nothing. I will GLADLY take pictures of his screen and my mothers screen. It is possible that it is a kindle to kindle issue. I know DD has had some BAD stories, but has hit a happy point. How much of this crap is nit picking and how much of it is legit? If it is such a HUGE issue then why not return the K2 and use the surplus money to get a K1, be happy, and deck it out in the space 150$ you have left over? They know its an issue, it's being address, and if I have any severe regrets in 30 days I'll eat my hat and mail it back. but as a 21 year old technophile I know my tips, tricks, hacks I worked technical support for the iPhone 3 G when it came out. All I can say is whining and moaning over things that can be done is not going to do anything but irk more people more.

As my mother and countless mommas have said before her "If you cannot say anything nice say nothing at all" They know, its being address, its done.

Believe me, If I didn't get a good one this time around, I was going to insist on a refund from Amazon.  I wanted to give it every chance to work because I loved everything else about the K2 and I had already purchased two covers and two skins that I would have lost money on.

However, the first two K2's that had problems had real problems.  It was definitely not my imagination.  To charactarize those people who have had bad Kindles as 'whining and complaining', I think, is not fair.  These are real issues, even though they may not exist on every Kindle sent out (your first one and my third one).  Don't forget, these are Kindle lovers pointing out these issues, not some 'trolls' who have never held a Kindle in their hands, as was the case with many of the complainers about Kindle 1.  Much like myself, these people probably really want to keep their Kindles.  They just want them to work properly.  To be nice and "...say nothing at all" about a faulty $359.00 device just can't be an option.

Please, ladynightshade, with all due respect I urge you to temper your opinion with the knowledge that others have not had the same good experience as you.  Don't assume that their problem doesn't exist.