Once I saw the Kindle DX featured on the Amazon homepage, I became hooked! Given all the books I've been wearing out lately, along with the books that have been taking up tons of space in my apartment, I couldn't wait to give the DX a try! I also have a TON of eBooks in PDF format, and once I found out that the newer generation Kindles supported this format I was SOLD.. but like most people with eBooks, you want to be able to capitalise on all the screen-based real estate possible, hence my decision to go with the DX over the smaller Kindle 2. I wasn't fortunate enough however to find any friends who already had the item, and Amazon (at the time) didn't have the Kindle displayed in stores like they do now (at Target stores), so I went ahead and pulled the trigger on both the unit and the leather case/cover (Amazon Kindle DX Leather Cover (Fits 9.7" Display, Latest Generation Kindle DX)).
The packaging was very well done on both the unit itself as well as the leather case (which I HIGHLY recommend by the way, fantastically solid construction and the Kindle just clips right in! altho future versions of the case could benefit from a kickstand of sorts).
The Kindle right out of the box displays instructions on how to get started. This concerned me initially because I thought the display may have drained the battery, but I learned later that the display on the screen doesn't use up any power, only operating functions such as turning the page and browsing the Kindle Store do so.. which means the battery life is fantastic unless you leave the device constantly connected to the wireless network.
The device was definitely a little heavier than I was expecting. Nevertheless, the text on the screen is crisp! I love the screensaver feature on the device when you put it to sleep, it displays classic photos of famous writers, etc. The most important aspect with reading from this device is that I forget that I'm using such a device to read at all! I can simply lose myself in whichever body of text I choose to read. Connecting to the network is a jif, and browsing the Kindle Store to download books or publications is extremely simple! Books download very fast, I was very pleased at how painless Amazon made the entire process.
Whenever I finish reading or have to run, I simply put the device to sleep, close the cover, and it slips seamlessly into my satchel. The leather cover is plenty durable so could withstand a reasonable amount of punishment if need be.
Overall, I was VERY happy about the device, but the size and weight were concerns.
MY ONLY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE DEVICE:
- I live in NYC, and I use the train to head to work everyday. Most times its hard to find a seat, which means I'll be standing and will require one hand to secure a pole and therefore will use my 'free' hand to read my book. I tried this using the DX on the train but it proved to be a bit too clumsy. I'm a big guy and have large hands, but it was still a bit awkward to read because of the weight of the device. I was concered about dropping the device a few times.. this took away from the reading experience a bit. There were also times I had to switch 'hand roles', meaning I'd use my right hand to secure a pole and the left hand to use to read the device (I'm a righty).. but then I realized the DX doesn't have a button for NEXT PAGE on the left side like the smaller Kindle 2.. I don't know why they didn't implement this! I have only ever felt comfortable reading from the DX when I'm sitting down and holding it with both hands which sucks!
- The keyboard is a bit awkward to use, even with big hands. You need both hands not only to type, but to secure the device in the event that you're on-the-go or standing up. Also, the DX lacks the dedicated number keys that the smaller Kindle 2 has, which means you'll need to press ALT and whichever key corresponds to whichever number you need every time you need to type a number. Not a terribly big deal, but still a little annoying.
- The price was a little steep at $459, and on top of that I paid $49 for the leather cover and an additional $100 for extended protection because there are times the device seems so fragile!
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All in all, I give this item a 4 out of 5 stars. The ONLY reason I'm doing so is because the weight and design of the buttons/keyboard could use some reconsideration, not to mention the price! I mean goodness, for $50 more I could purchase an iPad!
Its for this reason that I decided to return the DX and purchase the smaller, LIGHTER, cheaper and thus more capable Kindle 2 instead (Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation)), which as of yesterday (6/21) has gone down in price from $259 to $189! What a steal! Plus, the smaller unit feels like nothing at all and feels great in my hands. I was initially concerned about the screen size (as I was taking a serious step down from the 9" DX to 6" K2), but my books as well as my PDFs look just fine on this unit.. also, they offer the same type of leather cover!
Overall, the Kindle is a fantastic purchase for anybody looking to get into the 'e-reading' world, and the Amazon System as well as Staff are more than helpful with getting you what you need. With a selection of over 600k books and growing, its hard not to find what you need.. and besides, there are plenty of selections that are completely free from the store.
Now that the Kindle is available at Target stores, I HIGHLY recommend you visit and take a hard look in person at the differences between the two devices so that you can better assess which version is best for you! Needless to say, ordering online from Amazon then returning the items then purchasing new ones was a pain in the butt!Get more detail about Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device, Free 3G, 9.7" Display, Graphite, 3G Works Globally – Latest Generation.
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