Am fascinated by the effect announcing the Kindle DX will have (is already having?) on Kindle 2 sales, and how this multiple-product Kindle family model will work for Amazon.
Is the market really big enough to support Kindle and Kindle DX?
This post is an initial stab – Will update this as more information trickles in.
Areas Kindle DX improves on the Kindle 2
- Larger Screen – twice the surface area.
- Auto-Rotate the screen.
- In Built PDF support.
- 1.9 GB more available space for storage.
- Ability to change the number of words per line. Kindle 2 has something similar (Shift + Alt + number Key) to change space between lines. The latter may or may not be present on KDX.
- Perhaps a smoother 5-way controller – a few reviewers (at the Kindle DX news conference) have mentioned this.
- Keyboard takes less space on the front of the Kindle.
Areas Kindle 2 is better than the Kindle DX
- Cheaper by $130.
- Smaller size makes it more portable.
- Higher DPI which might mean better readability (Jakob Nielsen says so).
- Keyboard has row for number keys.
- In the DX you can’t use whispersync in PDF files and there is no table of contents. Also, you cannot add notes or highlights. I think this is to ensure that students don’t use illegal PDF scans of textbooks.
Additional Differences
- Speakers on the DX are at the bottom of the Kindle. On the K2 they are on the back of the K2.
- Advanced Mode in the Browser is called ‘Desktop Mode’ in the DX.
Closing Thoughts
The jump from Kindle 2 to Kindle DX is pretty remarkable given that the Kindle 2 released just 3 months ago. If every 3 months saw the addition of -
- Significant hardware improvements, like double screen size for a 36% price increase and auto-rotate; and
- Cool software improvements, like PDF support.
the adoption of Kindles would accelerate greatly.
Filed under: kindle dx, reviews Tagged: | kindle dx vs kindle 2
I am actually rather annoyed that DX came out so soon after 2 for the simple reason that I would have waited and gotten the DX rather than the 2 if I had known
understandable. a 6 month or so delay between product releases makes more sense.
it seems the rumors that kindle 2 was delayed in october 2008 might be true.
that would also mean kindle 3 is scheduled for pre-Christmas this year.
AMAZON, GIVE US A BACK LIT KINDLE…PLEASE
— I have been trying to find out if the Kindle is back lit so that one can read it at dusk or when the lights or down or out. Thus far it appears both models do not have any back lighting and thats too bad. Had they back lighting I would have purchased one.
— Perhaps the makers will read this and consider back lighting the Kindle 3, whenever that comes out. Honestly, I can’t understand why they didn’t put back lighting on them in the first place. The whole idea is to be able to take them and read on the run or away from the normal places one is usually restricted to when reading.
JR, you can get a clip-on light for $3 or a better one for $20.
A back-light doesn’t go well with eInk – it would make reading tougher. Perhaps Amazon should include a $5-$10 reading light in the pack.
5 way toggle needs improvement. It is much to easy to press to the side when down movement is desired.
Doncha hate when 1 person presupposes what is best for another dude may not want clip on light like i dont want clip on ties and you might not want a backlight hence the backlight cand be turned on when needed and if u still want to be a clip on dude then go ahead and dont turn on YOUR backlight!!!