Kindle reaching end of life

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Elpie

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#115982 14-Apr-2013 10:52

My Kindle keyboard arrived in the first week of October 2010. Total cost of the Kindle + lighted cover was NZD$390.55 landed. It's always been well-protected and looked after but in the past few months the following things started happening:
- needing battery recharge more frequently
- letters blurring and becoming less distinct
- screen freezing
- random reboots
- the screen looks like it has lifted along one side.
The lighted cover has lasted well but is getting a bit temperamental now. The light itself is a bit wobbly.

So, I did some sums to work out if I had got value for money from my Kindle.

I've had it for 927 days (2 years, 6 months, 14 days) and have used it every day for an average of 3 hours a day. That's a guesstimate of use as on many days it's been used for 5+ hours. I've read just under 700 books on it.

Working out the cost per hour using the average 3 hours it comes to <=$0.14c per hour of reading time.

Amazon claim an average life expectancy of 3 years with 500 battery charges, based on 30 minutes of reading a day.
I think I got my money's worth.

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Smpl Mnmlst
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#799095 14-Apr-2013 11:00

You now have every reason to replace it with a Paperwhite - truly excellent machine.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

vexxxboy

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#799105 14-Apr-2013 11:13

i have had one for 6 months and it is the most used item i own and would never give it up but i have just been informed theres a major update coming in a couple of weeks and the only thing im worried about is that they are changing how the books are indexed and look and they say 30 books should only take a hour to change , which is fine but i have over 200 on my kindle so it could take a while.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

freitasm

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#799257 14-Apr-2013 18:44

I got a PaperWhite last month after my Kindle Keyboard suffered a fatal fall. The PaperWhite is a lot easier to read, but... I dislike the touchscreen. I like the buttons on both sides of the screen like before - hard to flip pages while holding it (for my experience, YMMV).

Having said that. I left my PaperWhite on top of the car while loading Bella (the girl) and Rosie (the dog) and drove away.

Got home, realised what happened and immediately disconnected it from my account and ordered a new one, the same model (ordered on Monday, arrived here on Thursday)...

An hour after ordering it got a phone call from someone in Tawa who found my Kindle and was smart enough to turn it on, go to Settings and look for the name it was registered under. I collected the Kindle the next day.

No loss, as I was going to order a Kindle for my wife's birthday this month anyway, so it's done...

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Elpie

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#799689 15-Apr-2013 15:51

freitasm: I got a PaperWhite last month after my Kindle Keyboard suffered a fatal fall. The PaperWhite is a lot easier to read, but... I dislike the touchscreen. I like the buttons on both sides of the screen like before - hard to flip pages while holding it (for my experience, YMMV).

That's what puts me off the paperwhite. Nic's Kindle keyboard suffered a sudden death after being accidentally stood on & while we knew the paperwhite would be released to this market awhile later, the Touch was the only reasonable choice for replacement. I hate it. I'm so used to the now-unconscious thumb press for turning pages I just can't use the Touch.

The other downside of a touchscreen is that its impossible to use inside the waterproof case we have for reading in the bath.

I had a play with Kobo's latest and greatest when I was in Canada. The paperwhite looks to be better BUT after more than ten years of using buttons when reading (I read using Microsoft Reader on PDA's way back when) I'm not so sure I could adapt to touchscreens so easily. Unfortunately, the Kindle keyboard is still a premium price.

mattwnz

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#799703 15-Apr-2013 16:05

Elpie: is that its impossible to use inside the waterproof case we have for reading in the bath.

I had a play with Kobo's latest and greatest when I was in Canada. The paperwhite looks to be better BUT after more than ten years of using buttons when reading (I read using Microsoft Reader on PDA's way back when) I'm not so sure I could adapt to touchscreens so easily. Unfortunately, the Kindle keyboard is still a premium price.

I don't have a problem with the touchscreen, although I haven't known it without one. You can also swipe like you can on the ipad. My only issue with the paperwhite, is the backlight is always on, even when you turn it down to teh lowest level. And to turn it off, you have to press a tiny button on the side. The solution for is is to get a magnetic cover which switches it off.

I would think they could make a waterproof case for it, it would however need a recess in the screen area, so the screen touches the case, allowing it to be capacitive still.

gehenna

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#799719 15-Apr-2013 16:26

I don't have a problem with the touch screen either, in fact I find it easier to navigate using that than the buttons. And certainly less annoying for my fiance when I'm reading in bed at night so she doesn't have to hear the "click, click, click" with every page change while she's half asleep

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networkn

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#799766 15-Apr-2013 17:46

I love my Paperwhite, but I honestly think the lack of physical next and previous page buttons is a stupid flaw that must be addressed in the next version. Even the first touch version had buttons.

I LOVED my Keyboard Kindle in fact I had two of them one in the car.

mattwnz

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#799771 15-Apr-2013 18:10

networkn: I love my Paperwhite, but I honestly think the lack of physical next and previous page buttons is a stupid flaw that must be addressed in the next version. Even the first touch version had buttons.

I LOVED my Keyboard Kindle in fact I had two of them one in the car.

Can't see then doing that, and people will get used to it. The ipad doesn't have any buttons. It would be better if it didn't have any buttons at all and was a totally sealed waterproof device

Elpie

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#799777 15-Apr-2013 18:18

mattwnz:
networkn: I love my Paperwhite, but I honestly think the lack of physical next and previous page buttons is a stupid flaw that must be addressed in the next version. Even the first touch version had buttons.

I LOVED my Keyboard Kindle in fact I had two of them one in the car.

Can't see then doing that, and people will get used to it. The ipad doesn't have any buttons. It would be better if it didn't have any buttons at all and was a totally sealed waterproof device

I'm not so sure that "people will get used to it". I've had an iPad for a few years now and can't use it for reading books. It's great for reading magazines but swiping to turn a page is plain annoying. OTOH, I'm probably a bit unusual in that I've been reading e-books on devices for 12 years. My thumbs just automatically want to click to turn pages.

networkn

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#799784 15-Apr-2013 18:28

mattwnz:
networkn: I love my Paperwhite, but I honestly think the lack of physical next and previous page buttons is a stupid flaw that must be addressed in the next version. Even the first touch version had buttons.

I LOVED my Keyboard Kindle in fact I had two of them one in the car.

Can't see then doing that, and people will get used to it. The ipad doesn't have any buttons. It would be better if it didn't have any buttons at all and was a totally sealed waterproof device

I don't know a single person who prefers an iPad to a E-Reader for reading.

There is a lot of "they will get used to it" running around right now. I am a little over it frankly, I'd like for my opinion as a consumer to be pretty important to the manufacturers that produce the items I purchase. :)

freitasm

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#799787 15-Apr-2013 18:29

Having said that, when I fist bought my Paperwhite I decided to get WiFi only. I really enjoyed the 3G on Kindle keyboard but really only used it when away overseas. So I decided that almost US$70 difference for the 3G wouldn't make a big deal...

So far, so good.

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mattwnz

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#799788 15-Apr-2013 18:30

Elpie: . My thumbs just automatically want to click to turn pages.

I think it is largely about keeping costs down, as buttons would add to the cost. I really miss audio playback on my kindle paperwhite, but realise that that is one of the sacrifices for a cheaper device. It's only about $180 now from amazon which is so much cheaper than the first ones. But perhaps there is a market for a more premium kindle

freitasm

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#799789 15-Apr-2013 18:30

networkn: There is a lot of "they will get used to it" running around right now. I am a little over it frankly, I'd like for my opinion as a consumer to be pretty important to the manufacturers that produce the items I purchase. :)

You mean something like "Windows 8 UI is crappy on a laptop!" and the response from some is "People will get used to it"?

I am sure it is... I feel the same.

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networkn

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#799794 15-Apr-2013 18:50

freitasm:
networkn: There is a lot of "they will get used to it" running around right now. I am a little over it frankly, I'd like for my opinion as a consumer to be pretty important to the manufacturers that produce the items I purchase. :)

You mean something like "Windows 8 UI is crappy on a laptop!" and the response from some is "People will get used to it"?

I am sure it is... I feel the same.

Exactly. People seem to have a fairly apathetic and accepting response to the status quo, I couldn't imagine living my life that way. If something isn't the way I want it to be, I make sure that I try and voice a reasoned thought out request for change (respectfully in almost every case) to the people who make the decisions. Mostly I get good feedback around such an attitude.

jonherries

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#799799 15-Apr-2013 19:01

networkn:
mattwnz:
networkn: I love my Paperwhite, but I honestly think the lack of physical next and previous page buttons is a stupid flaw that must be addressed in the next version. Even the first touch version had buttons.

I LOVED my Keyboard Kindle in fact I had two of them one in the car.

Can't see then doing that, and people will get used to it. The ipad doesn't have any buttons. It would be better if it didn't have any buttons at all and was a totally sealed waterproof device

I don't know a single person who prefers an iPad to a E-Reader for reading.

There is a lot of "they will get used to it" running around right now. I am a little over it frankly, I'd like for my opinion as a consumer to be pretty important to the manufacturers that produce the items I purchase. :)

I prefer an ipad for reading...

I don't swipe to change page, just tap either side of the screen in ibooks.
I read mostly at night and like having a backlit display.
I am short-sighted and read quickly so like having lots of very small words on the page.

HTH,

Jon

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