Kindle Fire 2...

[Phynaz]

Cause it actually looks like a book page, rather than yet another LCD screen that for many people, like me spending all day staring at one for work, would rather not look at.

They're also generally lighter and thinner than many thin and light tablets.

This, plus a month of battery life.

 

[cl-scott]

How does it look like a book more than any other screen? The pixel density is the same for the B&W Kindle and the Kindle Fire. The color screen also has adjustable colors, contrast and brightness which can be customized to look like a "book" and without all the limitations of a B&W Kindle. I get the impression all the people ranting against a color screen never took the time to actually adjust the screen for a comfortable reading level. Either that or they use a crappy screen that's too big for its resolution (aka ipad and ipad2).

When exactly did it become a bad thing to focus on one or two things and doing them as well as you are able? The e-ink Kindles are intended to be for reading, and that's pretty much it. It keeps things simple and focused.

There are a couple of other little benefits like the e-ink kindles being lighter, battery life is measured in weeks not hours, and you could get 2 of the low end e-ink Kindle's for the price of a Fire, so if someone steps on the screen, you drop it, or any other possible scenario comes to pass... You can replace the e-ink Kindle at least 2X over for one Fire.

If none of those things happen to appeal to you then don't get one. There's no need to try and brow beat other people to make them believe as you do. It reminds me of the Shakespeare line: Methinks he doth protest too much. Or it's more modern equivalent: Who are you trying to convince, me or you?

 

[TheAdvocate]

I own a $79 kindle ereader and a kindle fire that I am posting on now. I read a lot of books (nothing highbrow though) . I would never read books on my fire. Hate the backlight and the screen glare is awful. The regular kindle is amazing for reading anywhere. I take mine to the pool, the beach, etc. You can have my kindle when you pry it from my cold lifeless hands. I love it. My only gripe is that the reading light requires you to purchase an expensive case, though i lucked up and got a restock one for $13 from amazon.

In fact, i have spent very little on my kindles. $79 +$13 case for the reader and i think $139 plus $15 hard case for the fire. And for that i get dedicated devices and insane battery life on the reader. They arent kidding when they say you charge it once every 3 weeks. I charge mine once/month unless i am using it more heavily than an hour or two per day. Its fantastic.

 

[Munky]

Because it's not a backlight streaming through an LCD like most screens. It works by electrically moving little bits of actual pigment to the surface of the display. There is no backlight. The ambient light in the room (or, say, the reading light on an airplane) reflects off the pigments, just as it would on a real book. Take an LCD and an e-ink display outside on a sunny day, and the difference will be very apparent:

This article explains how e-ink works.

Trust me, try one for a few minutes and you'll see what I mean. I had no idea what I was missing until I got one as a gift. Now I wish I had done it years ago. Another bonus is that it only uses electricity to change the page, not to display content. Where an iPad will last 10 hours on a good day, my Kindle will last for weeks of regular usage on a single charge.

It's not that this is a better or worse screen than an LCD. It's a different technology, better suited for a specific purpose (reading text). Just as a color LCD is better for watching videos.

I know how e-ink works, my GF has a Kindle, and I'm not a huge fan of it. Try reading a book indoors with less than ideal lighting and you'll know real fast what eye strain is. With an LCD, I don't have that problem - it can be adjusted for indoors or outdoors brightness. That photo you posted is really trying hard to make the LCD look bad.

 

[CA19100]

I know how e-ink works...

Well, you asked, "How does it look like a book more than any other screen?" -- I was answering your question. Reflecting light vs. transmitting it is a pretty fundamental difference in screen tech.

 

[Munky]

Well, you asked, "How does it look like a book more than any other screen?" -- I was answering your question. Reflecting light vs. transmitting it is a pretty fundamental difference in screen tech.

It's a difference in screen tech, but does it make a difference to your eyes? With one the light is reflected, and with the other the light is transmitted. If you adjust one to mimic the brightness of the other, then the difference becomes more or less academic. I realize that many LCD's have a glossy coating which can cause glare, but that's a "feature" the manufacturer chose to implement, not all LCD's have that problem.

 

[gorcorps]

I know how e-ink works, my GF has a Kindle, and I'm not a huge fan of it. Try reading a book indoors with less than ideal lighting and you'll know real fast what eye strain is. With an LCD, I don't have that problem - it can be adjusted for indoors or outdoors brightness. That photo you posted is really trying hard to make the LCD look bad.

That's why you get an eink reader with built in back light. I had the same problem as you and Barnes and Noble finally solved it.

 

[cl-scott]

That's why you get an eink reader with built in back light. I had the same problem as you and Barnes and Noble finally solved it.

Just a minor point, but B&N's glowlight is actually FRONT lighting. It's not too dissimilar in concept and execution from Amazon's case for the kindle with the retractable light on the corner.

 

[Eug]

That photo you posted is really trying hard to make the LCD look bad.

Well, that's exactly the problem I get with my glossy laptops and tablets, and my plasma screen too. You don't have to try hard to see that type of glare.

Plus the LCD backlight is hard on the eyes in a darker room IMO.

 

[IronWing]

How well does the web browser work on the Kindle Keyboard? Are there download limits for surfing non-Amazon sites, either in G3 mode or wifi? I'm thinking about getting an e-reader but I'd like be able to send email (via webmail), surf a bit, and post at this fine establshment. Also, how obnoxious are the ads on the sponsored versions of the Kindle? Kindle Fire looks interesting but I just can't see myself forfeiting the keyboard.

 

[CA19100]

The ads are truly a non issue. They only show as a short banner on the bottom of the index screen, and full screen (static image) when it's off. That's it. No ads at all when you're reading. Totally worth the $30 savings in my opinion.

And if you decide you don't like them, you can pay Amazon the $30 and get rid of the ads. So there's no risk starting with the sponsored one.

 

[cl-scott]

How well does the web browser work on the Kindle Keyboard? Are there download limits for surfing non-Amazon sites, either in G3 mode or wifi? I'm thinking about getting an e-reader but I'd like be able to send email (via webmail), surf a bit, and post at this fine establshment. Also, how obnoxious are the ads on the sponsored versions of the Kindle? Kindle Fire looks interesting but I just can't see myself forfeiting the keyboard.

One of the little details Amazon seems to go to great lengths to try and obscure, is that you can't do anything other than download books via the 3G connection. Presumably you can also browse the Amazon bookstore, but I've never tested it. To do anything else, you need a wifi connection.

This is, in large part, because Amazon pushes the cellular data connection costs back on the publishers. You buy an eBook from say Random House, and Random House ends up eating the cost of the bandwidth for you to download the book.

Never used the browser on the Kindle Keyboard myself. From what I hear from people who have, is that it's okay for simple things, but you'd probably have a better experience with a cell phone. And once you actually try typing anything more than a few characters long on the Kindle Keyboard, you'll never even dream of trying to use it to post here, even if the browser were capable (and I don't think it is).

 

[EagleKeeper]

Ok folks - time to give up the goods.

Daughter would like a Kindle fire (not just an eBook) for 30th bDay also (End of month)
However, the Fire is officially no longer manufactured - available via eBay, etc though under $200

What is this new Fire 2 supposed to deliver.

Will it drive down the price of Fire I

 

[Eug]

Ok folks - time to give up the goods.

Daughter would like a Kindle fire (not just an eBook) for 30th bDay also (End of month)
However, the Fire is officially no longer manufactured - available via eBay, etc though under $200

What is this new Fire 2 supposed to deliver.

There might be more than one model, but the announcement is supposed to be tomorrow.

Will it drive down the price of Fire I

Probably.

What about a Nexus 7 (or even the rumoured iPad mini) with the Kindle app?

 

[zerocool84]

There might be more than one model, but the announcement is supposed to be tomorrow.


Probably.

What about a Nexus 7 (or even the rumoured iPad mini) with the Kindle app?

Well the native Kindle app on the Fire is infinitely better than the standalone Kindle app on any other platform. That's the only thing I miss when I installed a ROM on my Fire.

 

[kevinsbane]

One of the little details Amazon seems to go to great lengths to try and obscure, is that you can't do anything other than download books via the 3G connection. Presumably you can also browse the Amazon bookstore, but I've never tested it. To do anything else, you need a wifi connection.

This is, in large part, because Amazon pushes the cellular data connection costs back on the publishers. You buy an eBook from say Random House, and Random House ends up eating the cost of the bandwidth for you to download the book.

Never used the browser on the Kindle Keyboard myself. From what I hear from people who have, is that it's okay for simple things, but you'd probably have a better experience with a cell phone. And once you actually try typing anything more than a few characters long on the Kindle Keyboard, you'll never even dream of trying to use it to post here, even if the browser were capable (and I don't think it is).

The 3G connection works for Email. I know, because I actually use it for email occasionally. Sadly, you will not enjoy the experience. I would not wish it for anyone who has any other option. That being said, it's on the go email. Barely. Again, the 3G works with the experimental browser included with the Kindle Keyboard. (in Canada at least)

Surfing? Forget it. It sucks. Trust me. Don't try. You'll probably break your Kindle (by throwing it across the room in frustration).

 

[Eug]

Well the native Kindle app on the Fire is infinitely better than the standalone Kindle app on any other platform.

That I kind of figured.

That's the only thing I miss when I installed a ROM on my Fire.

However, not enough for you to go back to the Kindle stock.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Couple things to add to your thinking:

Hopefully they will be updating the e-ink Kindles with built in lighting (ala Nook with GlowLight). If the Kindle Touch gets that kind of update and stays around $99 I'm getting one.

You can use the Kindle app on other devices, but you only get the free Lending Library books on Kindles (I think you need to be a Prime member for those). Same applies to the free Prime video streaming (I saw they released an app for iOS, but it sounds like the selection isn't all there?).

Good luck.

You're correct -- the Kindle Lending Library only works for Prime subscribers and only works on actual Kindle devices, not devices running the Kindle App.

The free Prime video streaming, on the other hand, used to work on just about every device but the DRM was changed a few months ago and it broke it on several devices such as the Touchpad. I don't believe it ever worked on the iPad because IIRC, it uses Flash for video.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Cause it actually looks like a book page, rather than yet another LCD screen that for many people, like me spending all day staring at one for work, would rather not look at.

They're also generally lighter and thinner than many thin and light tablets.

The bolded is the big difference for me. I was reading eBooks with the Kindle App on my HP Touchpad and to be honest, I didn't seem to have any headaches or vision problems as a result. I bought the standard Kindle a few weeks ago because Amazon was obviously clearing stock and had a 40% off sale for holders of the Amazon VISA card and it is simply easier to hold and much lighter.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I know how e-ink works, my GF has a Kindle, and I'm not a huge fan of it. Try reading a book indoors with less than ideal lighting and you'll know real fast what eye strain is. With an LCD, I don't have that problem - it can be adjusted for indoors or outdoors brightness. That photo you posted is really trying hard to make the LCD look bad.

Would you try to read a real book in a room with less than ideal lighting? Probably not, and the same applies to the Kindle. They make leather cases with pop-out lights which illuminate the screen fine and rumor is that Amazon will release a new ereader tomorrow with built-in lighting like B&N currently has.

I'll be honest, I never had eye strain issues when I read books on my Touchpad, but my Kindle is so much lighter and easier to hold that it is my preferred ereading device now.