Kindle DX - your mini-reviews!

[Rasputina]

MUCH

Screen Contrast Improvement - The first think I can tell everyone is that it looks like Amazon addressed some contrast issues.  Side-by-side, the text on the DX is noticably darker.  I could tell as soon as I hit the Menu key, but got out my Kindle 2 just to verify.
Navigation - Its nice to have the Previous page button on the right, but I would have appreciated the full set of nav buttons on both sides.  I'm a lefty, but like many old-school lefties, use my right hand for a lot of things (since they where still trying to turn lefties into righties in the 60's).  Not too happy about having to turn it upside down to read with the left hand.  That is going to be fine for reading, but any annotations or web browsing is gonna be pretty painful.
Screen Refresh - This seems to be slower in a side-by-side test, maybe because the DX has more to refresh? I uploaded an image heavy 86MB PDF and page refresh was slow.  It was quicker, but still a little off on a smaller PDF.  The text doubled weirdly before settling into the next page's text.
Kindle Store - I finally can see the book cover images under the recommendations section; a nice change, but a dropped ball just went bouncing by.  I couldn't get landscape mode for the Kindle Store.
Final Dilemma - PDFs
Do I want to lose full text search in PDF documents just so I can navigate by page numbers?  Just verified no search and no highlighting.
Last quick note.  I didn't think that I would like the size, but its looking like I'm going to have to find a bigger purse.

I wasn't happy to see the lack of navigation button on the left also, for the same reasons you stated. Question about the pdf. There is no search you posted, I'm wondering documents with the clickable links in the TOC if that still works?

[Leslie]

Hm, I can search in a PDF document. Just start typing the word and the search box opens up or choose "search this document" off the menu. Interestingly, I can't search in any books right now. I get a message that the item hasn't been indexed, please try again later. Does anyone know...do you have to have Whispernet on for the Kindle to index?

L

[Jesslyn]

Hm, I can search in a PDF document. Just start typing the word and the search box opens up or choose "search this document" off the menu. Interestingly, I can't search in any books right now. I get a message that the item hasn't been indexed, please try again later. Does anyone know...do you have to have Whispernet on for the Kindle to index?

L

There are so many posts about the DX today, that I lost track of where I put it, but only PDFs that have renderable text allow searches, but you can't search them outside of the actual PDF, only within the content.

[Ann in Arlington]

Hm, I can search in a PDF document. Just start typing the word and the search box opens up or choose "search this document" off the menu. Interestingly, I can't search in any books right now. I get a message that the item hasn't been indexed, please try again later. Does anyone know...do you have to have Whispernet on for the Kindle to index?

L

Here's a theory.  With the sort of enhanced PDF files, you can search them even on a computer.  Maybe the DX uses a similar approach.  I'm guessing you can't search your regular K books yet just because they're not indexed.  You shouldn't need WN on, but it can take I while, of course.  And it's going to use memory so maybe it is set to wait until you're not using it for a while. . . sleeping, say. . . to perform the indexing so as to not slow things down for regular reading.

[Jesslyn]

Re PDF searching.  Mine do not come up in a new page.  The search goes to the 1st page with an instance of that word and highlights the word.  The nav at the bottom of the page lets you go to the next and previous instances of the search term.

[BBMountain]

I'll be curious to hear from people that have both (or all 3) Kindles after the dust of the DX has had a chance to settle.  (Once the newness of the DX wears off, which Kindle will those people prefer?).  I love my Kindle 2...but the weight of it with the Amazon cover at times seems a bit much.  The weight of the DX is supposed to be significantly more...will people find it tiresome during long periods of reading?  Hearing answers to this will probably be the deal maker or breaker for me as far as purchasing a DX goes...after all, it's a reading device...if the weight is fine, then cool.  But if it becomes a problem during long usage then it won't be for me :-)

[Sugar]

You have all 3 Kindles? 

It would be nice to see pictures of all three kindles next to each other 

I have a K1, and a K2 and my KDX should be here tomorrow.
So if no one posts pics before I get to it,I will post some of them along side each other.

[Jesslyn]

Hmmm.... You have to hold down the ALT plus the number key to go to specific location
Sounds like a great opportunity for a software update.  When going to a location only the numbers matter, correct?  The DX should realize that and not require the ALT key press

[LauraB]

 I had a k1, and gave it to a friend when I got k2. She gave it back because she bought dx, so I sold k2.  But she let me play with her DX today and I will say that several of the books I had format issues with on both k1 and k2 read perfectly on DX.  The plays and poetry line breaks are all respected on the dx, whereas there were not on k1 and k2. I looked at about 12 that I remembered had issues and all of them read perfect on dx screen!  So I have some reviews I need to update! I am waiting to order a dx until they decide on the Nytimes deal, but I have to say, I am really impressed holding hers, and well, it is registered to my account, and...oh I guess I'll give it back...but I'm tempted  .  I like the size, it seemed a little big at first, but it is well balanced. I'm one of those right hand people who always turned the page with the left buttons, but I think I could get used to it. I didn't really notice a difference between the screens on my k1 and k2 text. But the DX looks good.

[Scheherazade]

I want a DX for the .pdfs but I'm really concerned about the lack of highlighting and searching.  Is this the case for even text-based .pdfs or only those that are photo copies of manuscripts?  Also, has anyone been brave enough to try Mangle?  I'd love some screenshots of how much manga is improved by the larger screen.

[auntmarge]

I see a couple of people have addressed the contrast issue. I'd also be interested in hearing how the background shades compare.

[kindle zen]

is it possible to lock the screen orientation to either vertical or horizontal so it doesn't switch back and forth on it's own?

considering the size/weight of the DX it's probably more likey to be an 'indoor" device but i was wondering if the DX will have any sun fading issues.  hopefully amazon corrected this problem on the DX.

[Leslie]

is it possible to lock the screen orientation to either vertical or horizontal so it doesn't switch back and forth on it's own?

Yes, it is a choice on the font menu. You can lock it on any of the four orientations and once it is locked, it is locked for everything: home page, all documents. But it is very easy to unlock it, too. Just open the font menu and choose auto.

L

[capnfrank]

Also, has anyone been brave enough to try Mangle?  I'd love some screenshots of how much manga is improved by the larger screen.

In anticipation of my DX arriving next week I already have a whole folder of pdfs of mangas, comic books and role-playing games to try, along with the paper originals of each for comparison. I'll be posting pictures and review then!

Cap'n Frank

[Ruby296]

Great reviews everyone!  I haven't seen this mentioned yet.........can anyone address how comfortable it is to hold?  Can you hold it one-handed or is too heavy?  I'm torn....I don't need the PDF feature at all, but I do like the idea of the larger screen for reading newspapers especially.

[Jesslyn]

I see a couple of people have addressed the contrast issue. I'd also be interested in hearing how the background shades compare.

I tried, but my K2 is skinned and its throwing me off, but I think the DX has a slightly darker background.  But the text is crisp!

[Patrizia]

I put mine next to each other and I agree with Jess, it seems slightly darker but the text is MUCH sharper

[nyct]

Great reviews everyone!  I haven't seen this mentioned yet.........can anyone address how comfortable it is to hold?  Can you hold it one-handed or is too heavy?  I'm torn....I don't need the PDF feature at all, but I do like the idea of the larger screen for reading newspapers especially.

You can hold it with one hand pretty easily, but it gets a bit heavy after a while. I definitely wouldn't get the DX for reading novels after feeling how heavy it is. Lucky for me, I want it more for journal articles/magazines/blogs.

[Leslie]

Great reviews everyone!  I haven't seen this mentioned yet.........can anyone address how comfortable it is to hold?  Can you hold it one-handed or is too heavy?  I'm torn....I don't need the PDF feature at all, but I do like the idea of the larger screen for reading newspapers especially.

I said in another post, it does seem heavy, even though it is 2 oz. lighter than my K2 in it's Oberon cover. The admin in my office said it has to do with the center of gravity -- I sort of know what she means. If you hold it down low (like I do with my K2) it feels like there is overweight at the top. If I hold it in the middle, it feels better. Still, I think having something to prop it up on, like the Peermaid pillow, would be better for long-term reading. This was the short term solution I discovered on my desk:



L

[lynninva]

I really appreciate all the comments on the DX.  I plan to buy a Kindle as a Father's Day gift for my husband.  He would mainly be reading at home, so the portability of the K2 is not as critical.

Leslie, I had been wondering if an old 'easel' we have for holding documents would work to support the DX.  The one we have is a little different from yours, but your pictures convinced me that it would work.  I also would be interested to know if the Peeramid pillow is tall enough to support it adequately.  (My husband will be having rotator cuff surgery soon, so extra support will be helpful.)

My plan is to read all the comments this weekend & then purchase either the K2 or DX on Sunday. (Through the affiliate link here, of course!)

[Leslie]

Leslie, I had been wondering if an old 'easel' we have for holding documents would work to support the DX.  The one we have is a little different from yours, but your pictures convinced me that it would work.  I also would be interested to know if the Peeramid pillow is tall enough to support it adequately.  (My husband will be having rotator cuff surgery soon, so extra support will be helpful.)

Ask and you shall receive...



The Peeramid works great. In fact, I didn't use it much with my K2 because I didn't like the fit with my Oberon and I didn't like taking my K2 out of its cover. But the DX is absolutely perfect.

Oh, PS, I think this is a new screensaver in the picture is a new screensaver for the DX. The words are the same but the image is different. On the K2, it had the dropping letters.

L

[Ruby296]

You can hold it with one hand pretty easily, but it gets a bit heavy after a while. I definitely wouldn't get the DX for reading novels after feeling how heavy it is. Lucky for me, I want it more for journal articles/magazines/blogs.

Thanks so much for sharing that advice.  I do read mostly books, w/the NYT thrown in several times a week, including Sundays. 

I said in another post, it does seem heavy, even though it is 2 oz. lighter than my K2 in it's Oberon cover. The admin in my office said it has to do with the center of gravity -- I sort of know what she means. If you hold it down low (like I do with my K2) it feels like there is overweight at the top. If I hold it in the middle, it feels better. Still, I think having something to prop it up on, like the Peermaid pillow, would be better for long-term reading. This was the short term solution I discovered on my desk:



L

Thanks, Leslie.  The gravity issue makes sense to me. Seems like the ratio of screen to keyboard on the K2 is more balanced than on the DX.  I like that "tree" screensaver too!

[lynninva]

Ask and you shall receive...



The Peeramid works great. In fact, I didn't use it much with my K2 because I didn't like the fit with my Oberon and I didn't like taking my K2 out of its cover. But the DX is absolutely perfect.

Oh, PS, I think this is a new screensaver in the picture is a new screensaver for the DX. The words are the same but the image is different. On the K2, it had the dropping letters.

L

Thank you, thank you! 

So the enabling begins... If I buy the DX (which apparently is not in stock now), then I also need to buy the Peeramid pillow.  And I was eyeing the neoprene case.  Maybe I should do a Coinstar run first.   

[Scheherazade]

In anticipation of my DX arriving next week I already have a whole folder of pdfs of mangas, comic books and role-playing games to try, along with the paper originals of each for comparison. I'll be posting pictures and review then!

Cap'n Frank

Woot!  I look forward to it!  The .pdf support is nice for school but sounds like it might have a handful of issues (highlighting/searching) but good manga support might sell me... as soon as I get my grant and can afford one!

[Ruby296]

If I buy the DX (which apparently is not in stock now)

I just looked at Amazon and it says it'll be back in stock on June 17th.