Kindle 4: Less prone to fiddling and futzing? :)

[malligator]

I'm pretty much sold on the $99 Kindle Touch, but I was wondering if anyone with the non-Touch version found themselves fiddling and futzing with their Kindle less becuase of its reduced capabilities and d-pad keyboard? I play around with my K3/KK all the time. Of course, a majority of my time is spent reading on it, but I do browse the Kindle Store, play around with the settings, play with the browser, etc, because of how easy it is to control and type on it. Did anyone else have this "problem" and did the more basic K4 reduce it?

[KimberlyinMN]

I just read on my K4 now.   Well, I do have a word search game on it.  No fiddling or futzing for me.  Although I didn't do much of that with the K2 or K3. I could see how on a Touch, it would be easier to navigate on websites. That's what drove me buggy with the others, having to use the directional arrows to move the mouse around. I mean, it worked in a pinch... but I can't imagine using this as the ONLY source for web browsing.

[Linjeakel]

I can't imagine the K4 would make much difference to me in that respect, since all I do on my K3 is read anyway. I never use the browser, the settings are already just the way I like them and I almost always shop for the books on my PC. So, no fiddling and futzing! 

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

I can't imagine the K4 would make much difference to me in that respect, since all I do on my K3 is read anyway. I never use the browser, the settings are already just the way I like them and I almost always shop for the books on my PC. So, no fiddling and futzing! 

  

What Linda said...and I have a Touch now and still don't do anything but read on it...
 

[Ann in Arlington]

What Linda and Betsy said.

I have multiple options for web browsing that are all superior to my K3.  I think I've used the browser once -- just to see if it worked.  No. . . .wait. . .that was on my K1 shortly after I got it over 3 years ago.  I've never used the browser on the K3.

BUT. . . .if you're the sort that's prone to 'fiddling and futzing'. . . .there are certainly fewer opportunities on the K4.  And the Fire is right out!

[pitbullandfire]

LOL...I'm one prone to 'fiddling and futzing' (sounds bad, but funny :-) and I love my Baby Kindle because it's a pure reader and all I do is use page turn buttons. I guess I've been liberated... :-)


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[patrickt]

I've never done anything with my Kindle but read and I don't understand those who do. I sometimes wonder if those playing games just want people to think they read. If I want to buy books I used my desktop computer. It's so much better for browsing. If I want to do email it's either my desktop or laptop.

One reason I bought the Kindle Basic is it just has buttons. I don't want to get caught up in tapping, swiping, double tapping, pinching, swooping, fondling, and so forth. I don't want to have to consider which part of the screen I am fondling. Pushing a button works for me and requires no thought. It doesn't pull me away from reading.

[Annie]

I've never done anything with my Kindle but read and I don't understand those who do. I sometimes wonder if those playing games just want people to think they read. If I want to buy books I used my desktop computer. It's so much better for browsing. If I want to do email it's either my desktop or laptop.

One reason I bought the Kindle Basic is it just has buttons. I don't want to get caught up in tapping, swiping, double tapping, pinching, swooping, fondling, and so forth. I don't want to have to consider which part of the screen I am fondling. Pushing a button works for me and requires no thought. It doesn't pull me away from reading.

I have to agree with you. I have not bought any books directly from the Kindle, except for when I first bought my KDX. I don't understand the draw to games because they seem so simplistic for the e-ink Kindles. I don't use the browsing because it's all text-based. I just like to read on it.

[Meemo]

I've never done anything with my Kindle but read and I don't understand those who do. I sometimes wonder if those playing games just want people to think they read. If I want to buy books I used my desktop computer. It's so much better for browsing. If I want to do email it's either my desktop or laptop.

One reason I bought the Kindle Basic is it just has buttons. I don't want to get caught up in tapping, swiping, double tapping, pinching, swooping, fondling, and so forth. I don't want to have to consider which part of the screen I am fondling. Pushing a button works for me and requires no thought. It doesn't pull me away from reading.

I agree that book shopping is MUCH better on the computer than on the Kindle.  And I don't want games on my Kindle either - but I have a smart phone for that.  I think it's more likely that people who play games on their Kindles don't have smart phones or tablets for games, so that ability is more of a novelty for them, rather than "wanting people to think they read".  In fact I wonder how many people know before they buy their Kindles that there are games available for it. 

I picked up a K4 this week (DH got it for me as an early Christmas present), and really like it - love the size and weight of it.  Thought it would be mostly for my purse and traveling, but even here at home I'm reading on it more than my K3 - whether it's the novelty of it or a permanent change remains to be seen.  But it won't be going anywhere in my purse until I get a cover for it!   

[mooshie78]

I never really fiddle around with my K3 either.  I have a couple word games on there, but haven't played them in months.  And I do all my book shopping on a PC as the Kindle store is slow and clunky on the device.

I have my iPad and iPhone for when I want to play games and goof around--which is often!  I read and write a ton for work, so I really only do leisure reading before sleeping to unwind, or when stuck on a plane etc.

[leigh7911]

I agree that book shopping is MUCH better on the computer than on the Kindle.  And I don't want games on my Kindle either - but I have a smart phone for that.  I think it's more likely that people who play games on their Kindles don't have smart phones or tablets for games, so that ability is more of a novelty for them, rather than "wanting people to think they read".  In fact I wonder how many people know before they buy their Kindles that there are games available for it. 

This. I thought it quite an upgrade when I got a phone with a QWERTY keyboard so I could text easier!    I don't mess around with browser settings and all that on my Kindle(3), but I do play games. Typically at night when I'm not tired enough to fall asleep, but too tired to actually comprehend anything I read.

I did play around with the baby Kindle I got my sister for Christmas (I know, I know, bad sister!), and yeah, I think I'd mess around with it even less.

Side note: "Futzing" - a word I quite rather like - is really hard for a 3 year old to say properly.

[gdae23]

I'm an avid lifelong reader, and also an avid lifelong game player. Since childhood, I've really enjoyed doing crosswords, cryptograms, logic puzzles, playing Scrabble, doing jigsaw puzzles, etc. Some of them can be quite challenging. I've enjoyed doing the games on the K3 and hope they'll all be upgraded for my new KTouch. For now, most aren't, so I'll be keeping the K3 active as well. I also have an iPad and iPhone, and play games on those as well. I also tend to read much of the time, and get in the mood to do a game or two to unwind at the end of the evening. I don't feel the games seriously interfere with my reading time. They may, however, seriously interfere with my chore time!

I am definitely a fiddler (the gadget kind and the musical kind too!) and futzer, and I understand the time sapping dangers in that. But I wouldn't switch Kindles myself just for that reason. (Just talking about myself here, not giving you advice!)