Amazon Kindle E-Book Reader gets official

[Eos]

Originally posted by: Savarak
if they allowed text-centric google(or even just atot) browsing for free, i'd consider it...

Browsing is free.

 

[idiotekniQues]

Originally posted by: peritusONE
Well, I gave in earlier this week and ordered a Kindle 2, and received it in the mail today. My initial impressions are these:

- After reading reviews and what-not, I was expecting it to be pretty tiny, but it's actually a perfect size. It's easy to hold in one hand.
- The screen is amazing. It really does look like ink on a page, and you can view it at the widest angle and still see everything clearly. It's very surreal.
- Screen refreshes are taking some getting used to, especially when moving your selector throughout the page. Sometimes it takes a second to move from option to option.
- Entire page refreshes are quick enough for me. I understand the technology, so I'm fine with the second or so it takes to refresh.
- I really, really like the progress bar at the bottom while reading an e-book. I really like knowing how far I am into a book, percentage-wise, and I like the tick marks indicating chapters and such. I'm kind of confused with the "Locations" thing, though. I understand it's supposed to be a substitute for page numbers, but I don't get how they calculate the location numbers. Seems like it'd be easier to calculate actual total page/screen numbers based on text size, and just use that. If you change the text size, then recalculate how many pages/screens there are.
- The online store works awesomely, and is laid out great. Buying it is simple, downloading a sample is simple, reading the book description or user reviews is simple.
- I'm already loving the built-in dictionary. That is almost worth the price of admission for me, because I love expanding my vocabulary.
- I like how you can start downloading something, then continue on looking through the store, and when that book is finished downloading, the header on the page will light up with "items downloaded" or something like that so you'll know it's done.
- I was really impressed with the resolution on the screen. It's actually very, very sharp, and pictures look fantastic...much better than I thought they would. Text is sharp and easily readible.

It's hard holding this thing in my hand and realizing how much I paid for it, because it seems so small to be so expensive, but as an all-inclusive package, it really seems worth it. As long as I read a lot, anyway. I'm loving this new gadget so far. It's actually something my wife is impressed with also, and she'll get use out of it, too.

i just got this as a gift this week and i have to agree with your impressions.

i'll know in a few weeks after a few trips how much i really like this thing. but so far so good.

 

[blurredvision]

Since this thread was bumped up, I figured I'd note that they've changed their $0.10 flat fee for document conversion and wireless delivery. Instead of $0.10 per file, they now charge $0.15 per MB. The option to have the file emailed back to you for free and uploaded via USB is still there as well.

I guess I'll also say that when I purchased the Kindle 2, I said it was because I wanted to start reading again. In the ~2 months that I've had it, my wife and I have read 9 books between the two of us. In 2 months, we've quadrupled the total number of books that we had read in the past 8 years.

 

[Viper GTS]

So who else has a DX on the way? Mine is out for delivery, I've been refreshing the tracking page all day so I can run home and get it.

Viper GTS

 

[Gothgar]

Originally posted by: eos

Originally posted by: Savarak
if they allowed text-centric google(or even just atot) browsing for free, i'd consider it...

Browsing is free.

wow, bad ass

 

[Kadarin]

Amazon's site is now stating that the DX is available now. Hmmm.

Edit: And another part of their site says it'll be in stock on the 17th.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: Kadarin
Amazon's site is now stating that the DX is available now. Hmmm.

Edit: And another part of their site says it'll be in stock on the 17th.

I have mine, so it's definitely available (unless they sold out since I ordered yesterday).

Viper GTS

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: Kadarin
Amazon's site is now stating that the DX is available now. Hmmm.

Edit: And another part of their site says it'll be in stock on the 17th.

I have mine, so it's definitely available (unless they sold out since I ordered yesterday).

Viper GTS

So in general, how do you like it?

 

[RadioHead84]

500 dollars for a book reader? That's a lot of money for something that only reads books/magazines. I could buy two netbooks for that price.

They need to stop upgrading and just get down to business of getting the production cheaper...I know they want to keep their massive profits but come on.

I guess maybe the technology that they use could be really expensive..but I have hard time believing they can make a netbook for 300 dollars and this thing has to cost 500. I know I know..LCDs and cpus have been made forever....but still.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: Kadarin

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: Kadarin
Amazon's site is now stating that the DX is available now. Hmmm.

Edit: And another part of their site says it'll be in stock on the 17th.

I have mine, so it's definitely available (unless they sold out since I ordered yesterday).

Viper GTS

So in general, how do you like it?

So far I love it, & it's getting all kinds of attention around the office. The screen refresh is faster than I was expecting, it's pleasantly unobtrusive. PDF viewing seems to work great, the browser does much better than I had hoped (albeit slowly), and of course the screen is absolutely beautiful.

My only real gripe with it thus far is an ergonomics issue, it's too tall and heavy to comfortably hold in one hand. The surface is slick enough that it feels like it will rotate out of a one hand grip. Also it is essentially impossible to pick up off of a flat surface with one hand (like a table). I have relatively large hands but I cannot palm it safely, so picking it up is a two-handed affair.

Viper GTS

 

[Kaido]

Reading reviews, my biggest gripe so far is that you can't zoom PDF files. At all.

http://gizmodo.com/5286789/kindle-dx-review