No Laptop Required

The Kindle is basically a library in your pocket… if you have really long pockets. The Kindle DX is Amazon.com’s latest “Wireless Reading Device”. About the size of a magazine (10.4″ x 7.2″ x 0.38″), the Kindle DX includes many of the features it’s little brother was missing out on. Although it’s pretty pricey at $489 (amazon.com), many people say it’s a significant step up from the Kindle 2 ($359).

The Pros

The Kindle DX has a bunch of features that Kindle 2 owners miss out on. Although many of the techinical specs stay the same, the Kindle DX boasts a better overall viewing experience. Along with a rotating screen, there are some very nice advantages to the Kindle. Below are some of the finer points of why to buy it.

• Capacity: The Kindle DX can hold over 2,000 more books that the Kindle 2.
• Look of Pages: The DX had a paper-like screen, and digitally produces the ink particles to make reading it feel more like reading a book and less like reading from a screen. Additionally, the sharp screen and lack of backlight prevents glare.
• Battery Life: The Kindle DX can last up to 4 days with the wireless on and about 2 weeks without it on.
• PDF format: DX handles PDFs allowing you to upload your documents to it without converting them like you had to for the Kindle 2.

The Cons

With the good, comes the bad. Many people complain of the weight of it… it’s almost twice as heavy as the Kindle 2. This seems kind of silly considering it’s meant for reading. Below are some of the other disadvantages of the DX.

• Price: Come on, $489? I could buy and inexpensive laptop for that amount and have more features. The target audience, college students who have to carry around heavy textbooks, aren’t likely to have almost $500 just sitting around to drop on a piece of technology.
• Black and white: Despite the fact that amazon boasts 16 shades of gray, the DX is still missing out on a key part of many books: the color. Although it doesn’t subtract much from textbooks, it can make color-coded charts and maps very difficult to read.
• Non-lefty friendly: All of the buttons are aligned on the right side making it awkward for lefties, like myself, to read with one hand. Additionally, it throws off the balance, with so many buttons on the right. The Kindle 2 was much more balanced with buttons on both sides.
• Competition: Lets face it, most college students would rather have an iPhone/iPod touch or a laptop instead of a Kindle. Despite the fact is had come a long way from the Kindle 2, it still doesn’t have the flashiness or the versatility of a computer or iPod.

The Verdict

It’s got a rotating screen, 16 shades of gray, and a wireless 3G bookstore with more than 260,000 titles for under $1, but the general feeling of this author is that that is not enough. In this hi-tech world, you have to outshine not only your competitors, but also other gadgets even remotely similar. Amazon boasts that there are no fees to use it’s 3G, but why should you pay to buy books anyway? If they did charge, it would be an even bigger flop. Although I enjoy reading, I would recommend that you take your money somewhere else and buy something that has a little more versatility.

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