Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.2 x 0.4 inches ; 1.2
pounds
Kindle dx review
ByAlexander Scherr
I have owned both Kindle 1 and Kindle 2, so I'm already committed to the
basic idea: e-ink reading in a slim form factor with excellent connectivity
to a large selection of books and subscriptions. I have come to rely on my
Kindle experience, and it has seriously enhanced my reading.
The DX was not an obvious upgrade for me, but two features put me over the edge:
the larger screen, and the native PDF reader. I now have the DX in my hands, and
can report PROS, CONS, and NEUTRALS:
-- the larger screen is a definite plus. I use the larger type size on my
Kindle 2 (older eyes), and at this type size I get far more text per page on the
DX. This makes the whole reading experience more book-like (and should be a boon
to people who buy large-print books.)
-- the screen is also sharper and crisper than my Kindle 2 in a side-by-side
comparison: the text is darker, and the contrast is much better, making for
better visibility overall.
-- on a side note, the larger screen also makes it possible to read poetry on
the kindle, even at large type sizes. On earlier Kindles, the smaller screen cut
off lines, so that you would lose the sense of when the poet ended the line. On
the DX, you can see the whole line exactly as the poet meant it, with the
cut-off in the right spot.
-- the PDF reader works as advertised, and is extremely convenient. PDF
documents appear on the DX exactly as they do on a computer screen. Moreover,
you can drag and drop your documents directly to the device using the USB cable
(or use the for-a-fee email if you absolutely must.) The only downside: at least
for the documents that I've used so far, I cannot adjust the type size as I can
with native Kindle documents.
-- screen rotation also works as advertised: it operates as a mild zoom on both
graphics and text and offsets slightly the downside of not being able to adjust
the typesize on PDF documents. One nice design touch: the four-way navigation
stick introduced on the Kindle 2 is rotation-sensitive, and will move as
expected relative to the screen rotation.
-- more of the device space is devoted to the screen, while the white plastic
border around the screen seems to have shrunk, both in general and compared to
the proportion of screen to plastic on the Kindle 2. I like this (but see below
about the keyboard).
-- storage: I like the increase in storage space, and don't mind the lack of an
external storage card. I can see some people having trouble with this, but only
those folks who either a) must regularly carry around PDF documents totalling
more than 3.5 GB of space or b) must have nearly 3500 books regularly at their
fingertips. I fall in neither category.
-- price: it's expensive, as you can tell pretty quickly. If you value the
larger size, and the native PDF reader, these features may justify the roughly
30% premium you pay for the DX over the Kindle 2. In truth, the DX SHOULD cost
more than the Kindle 2, and a 30% premium isn't unreasonable. But, for my money,
Amazon should drop the price on the Kindle 2 to $300 or so, and charge $400 or a
little less for the DX. Still, I bought it, and will keep it at this price.
-- one-sided navigation buttons: all of the buttons are now on the right side,
and none are on the left. I'm a righty, so I shouldn't complain, but I found
myself using both sides on the Kindle 2. Lefties have reason to complain, I
think.
-- One-handed handling: I often read while I walk, with my Kindle in one hand,
and something else in my other. Because of the button layout, this will be more
difficult on the DX.
-- metal backing: I miss the tacky rubberized backing on my Kindle 1. When I
placed my Kindle 1 on an inclined surface, it stayed in place. Not so my Kindle
2 and now my DX. This is not a complaint specific to the DX, but it's still
there.
-- weight: the DX is heavier, noticeably so. This is only an issue if, like
me, you regularly use the kindle with one hand . . . and even so, it's still
doable.
-- keyboard: the keyboard has 4 rows, and not 5: the top row of numbers from the
Kindle 1 and 2 has been merged into the top qwerty row, so that numbers are now
only accessible with an alt-key combination. The keys are vertically thinner
too, so that the whole keyboard is no more than 1" tall (compared to over
an 1.5" on the Kindle 2). At the same time, the keys themselves are a bit
easier to press, a bit more protruding than on the Kindle 2. For someone with
big fingers (like me), this will be a slightly harder keyboard to use, but only
slightly.
That's all I can see. Overall, the pluses outweigh the minuses for me, and I'm
satisfied with my purchase. I can now think of using my DX for work documents on
a regular basis, because of the PDF reader. The screen size and screen rotation
make the overall reading experience more immersive.
Overall, the DX feels more like text and less like device and comes closer to
the stated goal of the Kindle: for the device to disappear, leaving only the joy
of reading.
Click on the image to read more and buy the Kindle
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