Comments on: Kindle 3 as incremental update – Will Kindle 3 be like Kindle DX 2?

By: Suzie

Suzie — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 01:46:52 +0000

I just found out my library loans ebooks, but not for Kindle. I was all set to get a Kindle and now I’m waffling. I could borrow the books on the Nook, but I really like the Kindle better. Ugh!

By: switch11

switch11 — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 03:23:11 +0000

that’s a great catch.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 23:26:03 +0000

Look here: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/31/slim-kindle-shasta-to-be-first-with-wifi/

Scroll down to where it says “Showing wifi capability (hidden until Shasta launch) and modem type for Kindle devices”. My assumption is that this refers to the DX and that Shasta is the Kindle 3. Also assuming that it’s much simpler for Amazon to keep the DX and the Kindle as similar as possible.

By: switch11

switch11 — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 21:48:37 +0000

What makes you say that the new Kindle DX has WiFi built-in?

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:41:27 +0000

I think that the new DX has WiFi built-in, but the software does not yet use it. Kindle 3 will be just like the new DX, except for its size. There might be a WiFi only Kindle 3, but it’s unlikely.

By: switch11

switch11 — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:27:36 +0000

Hiroshi, no idea if/when Kindle 3 will get support for other languages.
You make a very good point – Amazon are missing out on a lot of sales by not supporting additional languages.

By: Hiroshi

Hiroshi — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 23:21:02 +0000

Question: Is the new DX really the DX 2? The Amazon page does not call it DX 2, and, as you said, the improvements are only incremental.

Here in Japan, there is much talk in the press about the eventual transition from physical books to eBooks. However, the Kindle is constantly overlooked because it does not support non-Latin scripts. In technical circles, there are a number of people developing hacks to get around this. There are various font substitution tricks, but they all break updates. Probably the most common approach seems to be embedding fonts in PDFs or turning them into images, but this is far from ideal.

But all of these techniques are too complicated for the average book reader. Having an international Kindle is ridiculous unless Amazon is prepared to let people read books in their own languages.

I read English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese books. It is always a challenge getting the Kindle to display these books at the same time.

I prefer the size on the DX, but if Amazon can resolve this issue, I will gladly purchase a Kindle 3. However, since there was no mention of this with the newly announced DX, I doubt that it would make it into the Kindle 3 either.

By: Ed

Ed — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 21:47:11 +0000

I’d like a software update that allows me to read the DRM-protected books being loaned out by our local library systems. Right now the Kindle is the only popular eReader that is not supported.

By: Coaxial Creature

Coaxial Creature — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 21:08:05 +0000

I’d want it just for the screen contrast, honestly. And I really like the color of the new Kindle; if I have a choice between black and white on an electronic device, I’ll choose black every time.