Portable eBook Readers

The latest generation Amazon Kindle DX now comes with global wireless coverage in more than 100 countries.

For international fans of the Amazon Kindle DX, 19th January 2010 marks the date that the 3G Wireless coverage went global. Over 100 countries are currently covered through GSM technology so that you can download books wirelessly in less than 6 seconds.

So is this large Kindle DX worth the almost double price of the Kindle 2? At $489 the Kindle DX global wireless reading device is expensive but you are getting a big 9.7 inch display which is almost as big as an average hardback novel. Let’s have a look at some of the pros and cons with the Kindle DX.

Kindle DX Pros

• For those that need to use the larger font for reading a 6 inch reader then you will appreciate the larger screen of the Kindle DX. You will get more text per page making your reading experience more natural.
• Compared to the Kindle 2’s display, the DX has an even better screen with darker text and a really crisp and sharp display with good contrast – pictures also look great.
• The Kindle Store presently has more than 400,000 books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs and they are adding more every day.
• With its reduced keyboard size, more of the Kindle DX is devoted to the screen area with less white plastic border.
• The increased storage size can now hold 3500 books or 3.5 GB of space.
• The four way navigation stick is rotation sensitive so that it works either in landscape or portrait mode.
• The PDF reader works well and the documents look just as they do on a computer screen. You can also drag and drop PDF’s into your DX through the USB. Technical books are also better displayed on the DX compared to the Kindle 2.

Kindle DX Cons

• It is very expensive compared to the Kindle 2 but I am sure that the price will drop soon.
• The navigation buttons are now all down the right hand side which I can imagine won’t suit lefties that much. Also if you like to switch hands because of the weight, you will find it hard to click the next page button if you are holding it in your left hand. You could turn the device upside down so that the buttons are on the left but the next page button will be at the top making it hard to reach.
• At 18.9 ounces, the DX is heavy and some people have found it tiring holding it in one hand for any length of time. It is also a bit awkward to hold it in one hand and type with the other. You can buy a cover that not only protects the DX, it also flips over and acts like a stand so that the Kindle can stand on its own. However, it is not heavier than a hardback novel so the weight issue will only be noticed by current ebook reader users.
• The keyboard has lost a row of keys compared to the Kindle 2. There are now only 4 rows of keys – no number keys. You have to press the Alt key in combination with the top row of letters which is a bit of a hindrance. The keys are also a bit small and hard to distinguish the letters on them.
• There are no folders for managing your documents, books, music, etc. This is now a bigger problem because of the large amount of diverse documents and books you can store.
• No EPUB format support so you can’t download free e-books from public libraries.
• Definitely not as portable as any 6 inch reader but for people that really want a larger display I don’t imagine that will bother them.

Technical Details for The Kindle DX

- Display: 9.7″ diagonal E Ink® electronic paper display, 1200 x 824 pixel resolution at 150 ppi, 16-level gray scale.

- Size: 10.4″ x 7.2″ x 0.38″.

- Weight: 18.9 ounces.

- Storage: 4GB internal (approximately 3.3GB available for user content).

- Battery Life: Read on a single charge for up to 1 week with wireless on. Turn wireless off and read for up to 2 weeks.

- Charge Time: Fully charges in approximately 4 hours. Also supports charging from your computer via the included USB 2.0 cable.

- Connectivity: Amazon Whispernet provides wireless coverage via AT&T’s 3G high-speed data network in the U.S. and partner networks outside of the U.S.

- USB Port: USB 2.0 (micro-USB connector) for connection to the Kindle DX power adapter or optionally to connect to a PC or Macintosh computer.

- Audio: 3.5mm stereo audio jack, built-in stereo speakers.

- Content Formats Supported: Kindle (AZW), PDF, TXT, Audible (formats 4, Audible Enhanced (AAX)), MP3, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion.

Summary

Although the first impression is that it is heavy it really is no heavier than a hardback novel. Some people have said that it is difficult to hold in one hand but I never hold a hardback novel in one hand anyway. I really appreciate the larger display as I can use a larger font and don’t need to use my reading glasses – the display is really crisp and it is easier to read than a book and less tiring on the eyes.

Although you are officially tied to Amazon’s Kindle Store for buying your books and for storing copies of the books you have bought, there are workarounds. Your books can be backed up using Calibre software and you can also convert free e-books to MOBI and upload them to your Kindle.

On the whole, this is a great ebook reader even if it is not as portable as the Kindle 2 – but you either buy an e-book reader for the portability or the readability. If you like the idea of a device that can hold a few thousand books that you can slip in your pocket, then buy a 5 or 6 inch reader. But, if you want a reader that you can read without glasses (for those of us that have tired eyes) and that can be used to easily read PDF and technical documents, then buy the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device.

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