# The Color Kindle



## ulysses (Dec 20, 2009)

Has there been any news or rumors about if and when a color eink kindle will be coming out? Because I would love to condense my national geographic subscription digital.


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

if yes, when, no.
Jeff Bezos says it will be a couple of years or so before it is ready for prime time.


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## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

For me, it's like Apple dropping AT&T and moving to Verizon as the service provider for the iPhone.  Lots of rumors over the last few years that the change was imminent, but it hasn't happened yet.

So, I'll believe there's a color Kindle when I actually see it.


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## GMUHistorian (Jul 1, 2009)

I originally thought the color Nook would prod Amazon in to putting a Color Kindle on the market in 2011. But after reading about what a lot of people are doing with their new color Nook, in addition to the fact that Amazon has blown everybody away by selling more than eight million Kindles in 2010, now I don't think we'll see a color Kindle until it's definitely ready, and that's more likely 2012 than 2011 IMO.  

The color Nook is more like a cheaper iPad than it is a major threat to the Kindle. I've read all sorts of articles about the things people are doing with their color Nook, and they seem to be doing just about everything but simply reading books. Even when they're reading it appears some people aren't using the B&N store. Just today I read an article about people rooting their Nook in order to get the Kindle for Android app running on it. 

Additionally, Bezos and Amazon may be looking at the numbers and seeing there really isn't that much of a long term market for a color Kindle. One of the advantages of the iPad is being able to read magazines in full color but it appears fewer and fewer people are interested in doing that. Engadget had an article on this today. Wired magazine averaged 31,000 downloads from July through September but only had 22,000 and 23,000 in October and November. Vanity Fair had 8,700 downloads in November, down from their average of 10,000 from August through October. GQ sold only 11,000 downloads in November. 

The major reason for this is that magazines haven't figured out how to make money via advertising in their electronic editions so their subscription prices are insane, and their free web sites are cannibalizing sales too. Until magazines can make money via advertising and lower their subscription rates for e-reader editions I could see Bezos thinking that getting in to that market with a color Kindle is a long term losing proposition. As shown by the sales of the K3, most people don't really think color is a deal breaker because the books they want to read don't need it. 

Graphic novels are obviously one aspect of Amazon's business that would definitely benefit from a color Kindle. I just don't know how much of a percentage graphic novels are of Amazon's business and if that would drive their desire to sell a color Kindle.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I'm watching for the Android based tablets that are due this spring. . .I'd fully expect a Kindle App for them and that will more than satisfy me as far as a color Kindle. . . .and reports are that magazines etc. are quite nice on the nook color and things like iPad.


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## kindlegrl81 (Jan 19, 2010)

If Amazon does develop a color screen I hope they take their time and make sure they get it right.  The colored eink I have seen so far does not impress me (imagine a watercolor painting that has been left in the sun) and I would hate to see them put out a backlit LCD screen in an attempt to compete with B&N and Apple.


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## thorn (Mar 15, 2009)

I'd love a color Kindle for knitting/sewing and other 'how-to' books. But for that to really work, I'd need it to do something the beloved Kindle doesn't even do now. I'd need the ability to do full mark-up, annotation, highlighting etc. -- and the ability to save them, but _hide_ them and read the original book 'clean' the next time. Because if I'm re-making a pattern with different colors, or in a different size because it's for a different person, I need the ability to make a completely fresh set of notes. If I did have a color e-ink device, I'd subscribe to Science News on the device. But I wouldn't buy a whole device just to read Science News.

If not for my craft book-thing, I have to say I wouldn't probably care that much about color. But patterns really are a pain in the butt on paper. They blow around, slide to the floor, get wrinkled, spilled on, etc., and if I'm working straight out of a book -- forget it. I always make a photocopy that I can scrawl all over.

But even on the black & white model I'd like the ability to return with a completely fresh eye to a book I've annotated heavily, and re-annotate my new impressions. The Kindle's an electronic device! One should be able to do this!

None of it exists, so why not dream a little. I have zero interest in the iPad. I have all the backlighting I need on my iPod touch.


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## meeko350 (Aug 25, 2010)

I read a rumor that Amazon is developing their own app store for their tablet that they are developing.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

meeko350 said:


> I read a rumor that Amazon is developing their own app store for their tablet that they are developing.


The news stories about Amazon developing their own Android tablet with their own app store were pretty well-reported and quite possibly accurate. That might happen in 2011. Jeff Bezos was widely quoted as publicly saying that color eInk wasn't even close to ready for prime time, and was not coming for quite awhile, and there haven't been any reports of advances since he said that.

If color Android tablets become widely popular in 2011, and the iPad continues to be so outrageously popular, that may suck a lot of the oxygen from demand for the color eInk reader by the time the technology is actually ready. Conceivably it might never happen, or at least never happen from Amazon.

(all statements in this post are my wild speculation only)


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I'm watching for the Android based tablets that are due this spring. . .I'd fully expect a Kindle App for them and that will more than satisfy me as far as a color Kindle. . . .*and reports are that magazines etc. are quite nice on* the nook color and *things like iPad*.


Be aware that if you have a Kindle newspaper or magazine subscription, you can't get it sent to the Kindle app on the iPad so it maybe the same with the Android based tablets. If so, you'd have to get them from another source.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Amazon has no reason to rush out a color tablet with an LCD screen etc.  They make most of their money from books rather than Kindle hardware, and they can already sell Kindle books to tablet fans on the iPads and eventually on Android Tablets etc.

So they'll wait until color e-ink is ready for the big time as they want to put out a color e-reader, not a tablet device.


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

This is interesting.  I've asked myself if I would want to buy a color Kindle if there were one and the answer is no.  There are very few magazines that I enjoy reading now compared to in the past.  Like a poster above said, some things need to be in color such as patterns.  If I need those, I can get them on my laptop or netbook.  I do take Readers Digest for Kindle.  I like it that there are no ads, but I have to say it just doesn't seem the same experience as reading the dtb version.  Maybe I miss the color including the ads?  I would not upgrade simply to have color just as I didn't upgrade to a K3 just to have one.  There are many with the mindset that one device must fit all and do all.  The technology might be there for this someday, but it's not here yet.  I'm choosing e-ink over a backlit color device for now.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Yeah, I also have little interest in a color e-reader.  I like a small device for novels, so the K3 is perfect.

For magazines, comics, newspapers etc. I want a much bigger screen, so I'd prefer to just get a tablet that can also do video, internet etc. vs. a simple color e-reader.  I don't mind an LCD screen for those since I wouldn't be reading for hours on it like I do with novels on my Kindle.


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## Elk (Oct 4, 2010)

Shastastan said:


> I'm choosing e-ink over a backlit color device for now.


I think many of us have come to the same conclusion.

I will happily buy a high-resolution full color e-ink device once it is available however.


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## mcostas (Nov 22, 2010)

I don't understand the demand for color e-ink. Just get an ipad and kindle app. Why would amazon want to compete in the tablet market with all the droids out there?

People that want tablets should just get tablets. e-readers are made for people that read a lot of books, not for people that go to the web or play games a lot.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

mcostas said:


> I don't understand the demand for color e-ink. Just get an ipad and kindle app. Why would amazon want to compete in the tablet market with all the droids out there?
> 
> People that want tablets should just get tablets. e-readers are made for people that read a lot of books, not for people that go to the web or play games a lot.


Color e-ink appeals to those that want to read things like magazines and comics on a screen that doesn't tire the eyes like an LCD screen.

Personally, as I said, I'm with you and just want a tablet for reading those things and doing more once I find one that fits my needs. But I can see the appeal for those who just want a color screen reader device and don't care about any other non-reading features.

I'd think something like the Pixel QI screens or Mirasol screens are more likely to hit before any decent color e-ink though.


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## Kiki68 (Dec 30, 2010)

I work for a national book chain (as a book seller) that now has a "partnership" with B&N to sell the Nook and the Nook Color--we started selling them right before Christmas.  Personally, I think the Color Nook is a novelty and a cheaper iPad for many people.  They want to surf and play and look at magazines, I suppose.  However, the Nook is, imho, not nearly as good a product as Kindle.  It is clunky to use (I hate using the touch screen to navigate on the regular Nook, what a pain!), heavier, and overall, I was not impressed with it.  I got a Kindle for Christmas, which is exactly what I wanted: an easy to use and useful ereader with an easy to read screen. Not to mention, the back lit screen of the Color Nook is not good for your eyes for long reading periods.


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## nabrum (Jan 1, 2010)

I'm with you on the tablets coming out. If Amazon puts out a KindleKolor, I'll consider it, as I want a color ereader so I can retire my dedicated K netbook.

I'm not interested in rooting the NookColor, although it is easy, but a general Android tablet with WiFi only would suit me perfectly.



Ann in Arlington said:


> I'm watching for the Android based tablets that are due this spring. . .I'd fully expect a Kindle App for them and that will more than satisfy me as far as a color Kindle. . . .and reports are that magazines etc. are quite nice on the nook color and things like iPad.


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## nabrum (Jan 1, 2010)

I disagree. Amazon is first and foremost a BOOKSELLER that happens to make a device for reading eBooks called the Kindle. If people like myself want a color eReader and Amazon doesn't offer one, they'll go somewhere else. I know my patience has run out waiting. Now the fact that Amazon loses an eReader hardware sale is not a big deal. What is a big deal is if the buyer doesn't want to mess with (or can't have) a K app for their color device. Then that means loss of BOOK SALES. Enough times, and that will hurt.

I predict Amazon will come out with a KindleKolor Android device early in 2011. Otherwise they will lose all that business to the flood of other tablets that will hit the market. The NookColor is an Android device. (I don't think a lot of people will screw around with rooting the NC so they can use the K app - why bother?)

I remember last year when a lot of people howled that K WiFi was never to be and/or was worthless and why bother. The oversold K3-WiFi hopefully quieted those Luddites. There is room for options in eReaders. Those that want B&W can have the K3/DX. Those that want color can have the NookColor/Brand X Android/no Amazon choice. Hopefully there soon will be an Amazon choice.



mooshie78 said:


> Amazon has no reason to rush out a color tablet with an LCD screen etc. They make most of their money from books rather than Kindle hardware, and they can already sell Kindle books to tablet fans on the iPads and eventually on Android Tablets etc.
> 
> So they'll wait until color e-ink is ready for the big time as they want to put out a color e-reader, not a tablet device.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

nabrum said:


> I predict Amazon will come out with a KindleKolor Android device early in 2011. Otherwise they will lose all that business to the flood of other tablets that will hit the market.


I do think Amazon is working on a branded tablet device; I hope it's Android based. But, even if they are not. . .they won't necessarily lose out as long as they have a Kindle App that can be used on the device.

For example, there are a lot of folks who have iPads. . . if they have another Kindle device or app, they use the Kindle for iPad app rather than iBooks for book purchases. That way, they can also read their book on their Android device/PC/physical Kindle. So they purchase books from Amazon though they own an Apple product.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

nabrum said:


> I disagree. Amazon is first and foremost a BOOKSELLER that happens to make a device for reading eBooks called the Kindle. If people like myself want a color eReader and Amazon doesn't offer one, they'll go somewhere else. I know my patience has run out waiting. Now the fact that Amazon loses an eReader hardware sale is not a big deal. What is a big deal is if the buyer doesn't want to mess with (or can't have) a K app for their color device. Then that means loss of BOOK SALES. Enough times, and that will hurt.
> 
> I predict Amazon will come out with a KindleKolor Android device early in 2011. Otherwise they will lose all that business to the flood of other tablets that will hit the market. The NookColor is an Android device. (I don't think a lot of people will screw around with rooting the NC so they can use the K app - why bother?)
> 
> I remember last year when a lot of people howled that K WiFi was never to be and/or was worthless and why bother. The oversold K3-WiFi hopefully quieted those Luddites. There is room for options in eReaders. Those that want B&W can have the K3/DX. Those that want color can have the NookColor/Brand X Android/no Amazon choice. Hopefully there soon will be an Amazon choice.


They may make one, but it will probably suck compared to say the iPad or the rumored google Android tablet etc. when it comes to being a true tablet device. I can see them putting out a color e-reader, but not doing a full fledged tablet. They just don't have the hardware expertise. Look how crappy the ergonomics and design on the K1 was. And the K3, as much as I love it, is still less than perfect IMO with the tiny page turn buttons and lack of physical number keys.

All that aside, wasn't there some article recently showing that many more Kindle books had been bought on iPads than Apple's iBook store? Point being people don't have to get tired of waiting when they can get the Kindle app on other Tablets already. So I just don't see a lot of incentive for Amazon to come out with a tablet. A reader with a color e-ink screen? Sure. But a tablet that can do video etc? I just don't see the need as they can sell Kindle books to that market through their apps for other devices.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I'm watching for the Android based tablets that are due this spring. . .I'd fully expect a Kindle App for them and that will more than satisfy me as far as a color Kindle. . . .and reports are that magazines etc. are quite nice on the nook color and things like iPad.


That's kind of where I'm at re a color reading device. It's got to be fun for other things first, reading secondary unless of course they figure out how to give me 3-4 weeks battery life, then a color device becomes much more attractive as a stand alone reading gadget.


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## sherylb (Oct 27, 2008)

mooshie78 said:


> Look how crappy the ergonomics and design on the K1 was.


As one who still has a K1 in addition to my K3, I heartily disagree with your statement. I think the K1 was very carefully thought out and the ergonomics were almost perfect for an ereader. The way it fits in your hand is very comfortable, the keyboard buttons are slanted to allow easy pressing with the thumbs, and the page turn buttons are also great. I know some people had problems with the page turn buttons, but it's a matter of getting used to where they are and where to put your fingers while holding the K1.

I guess some people just have to trash Amazon and will find any excuse to do it.


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

sherylb said:


> As one who still has a K1 in addition to my K3, I heartily disagree with your statement. I think the K1 was very carefully thought out and the ergonomics were almost perfect for an ereader. The way it fits in your hand is very comfortable, the keyboard buttons are slanted to allow easy pressing with the thumbs, and the page turn buttons are also great. I know some people had problems with the page turn buttons, but it's a matter of getting used to where they are and where to put your fingers while holding the K1.
> 
> I guess some people just have to trash Amazon and will find any excuse to do it.


Agree with this. I still have my K1 and use it along with my K3. Different situations. different device. It's a good a reader as the K2 or K3.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

sherylb said:


> As one who still has a K1 in addition to my K3, I heartily disagree with your statement. I think the K1 was very carefully thought out and the ergonomics were almost perfect for an ereader. The way it fits in your hand is very comfortable, the keyboard buttons are slanted to allow easy pressing with the thumbs, and the page turn buttons are also great. I know some people had problems with the page turn buttons, but it's a matter of getting used to where they are and where to put your fingers while holding the K1.
> 
> I guess some people just have to trash Amazon and will find any excuse to do it.


Hey, I meant no offense. I love Amazon (buy a ton from them, have an Amazon rewards visa etc.) and love my K3 (and had a K1 and K2 before it).

I just hated the design of the K1 beyond the e-ink screen. Silly wedge shape. Felt cheap being plastic with a snap on rubber back cover. Silly keyboard keys. And I hated the page turn buttons as I always had to be conscious of how Iheld it and picked it up (i.e. to always put it to sleep before sitting it down) or I'd end up several pages away from where I was.

But fair enough if you liked the design. To each their own. The K2 was a nice improvement. K3 is a nice improvement in size and weight, but I hated losing the number keys and prefer the K2 page turn buttons.

That said, I just can't see them making a full on tablet that can surpass something like the iPad as they just don't have the hardware experience of Apple and other computer companies. So I'd be shocked if we got more than a color e-reader from Amazon. I just don't see them doing a full on tablet, or doing a good enough job to make me want won over an iPad or other tablet.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

ulysses said:


> Has there been any news or rumors about if and when a color eink kindle will be coming out? Because I would love to condense my national geographic subscription digital.


Yes, a Computerworld article cited Amazon sources re a coming Android tablet
(which wouldn't be a Kindle, probably, but a multimedia tablet w/LCD display).

That's at http://bit.ly/kwktab2

In the meantime, I did get a NookColor, which I've written about, but 
it's a secondary or supplemental reader for me, for short-form reading --
magazines, travel and photography focused books.

The National Geographic is just stunning on this, which I think
is an understatement. Furthermore, it's priced at $1.99/mo and is
the biggest reason I'd keep the NookColor.

My pros and cons about the NC (but mainly pros at this point) are 
at http://bit.ly/kwmync

While the NC has its quirks (galore), I do find myself using it
constantly. Really excellent web browser. I like the size of it,
as I was not drawn to the big, heavy iPad (though I love my DX,
go figure). But, no 3G, and that's another reason it's the Kindle3
that is always out with me.

The resolution is just gorgeous tho' and I think that it's a reason
that when using 'ivory' or 'butter' schemes or even 'gray'
and because I dim my background to about 5% it actually
does't tire my eyes the way that my excellent non-glare
10" netbook with a great screen does after 1/2 hr of 
reading of a book on Kindle for PC.

The anti-glare 'lamination' does cut down the glare relative to
the iPad. Less probs with reflections in bright daylight.

But the pics in BOOKS do not enlarge, and you can't read in 
Landscape when in books area. Pinch-zooming is great with
magazines but the substitution in web-browsing of the '+' sign
instead is awkward and cumbersome. Last-page- read is not
permanently saved in PDFs depending on how you access 
them.

However, as a result I do think Amazon has to get a good tablet 
out because I'm currently using the NC quite a bit! although the
Kindle's clarity of text and e-Ink impact is wonderful for books.

But, since you wanted to see the Nat'l Geo on an e-reader
I thought I'd chime in.

HAD wanted to wait for a full android because then I could
read ALL online bookstores' apps on it and be able to read on 
one device reading material from all stores if I wanted.

That's a main reason Amazon should do it ASAP.

I hope they make the pixel resolution as good 
(and addictive) as the NookColor's.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

I have an iPad, and a company called Zinio offers an app for viewing magazines, including National Geographic. I've looked at a sample of National Geographic on my iPad, and it is awesome! And subscription is cheaper, the Zinio subscription is $15.00 per year! They also have National Geographic Traveler, and Smithsonian Magazines (Smithsonian is $12/year). Here's a page with various subscriptions:

http://www.zinio.com/magazines/

I'm very impressed with viewing the sample on my iPad, you can view in portrait mode with one page per screen, or for two-page spreads, you can flip to landscape mode and view both pages at once. You can pinch-zoom in some without losing detail, though if you go too much, it fuzzes up. The ability to view details of the pictures is better than it is in a paper copy, IMO. They had the ability to click and read just the text of an article, and in a few places (such as King Tut's family tree in the sample) they had separate interactive things you could click on to view things like how various Queens and Pharaohs were related to Tut.

I tried this when I was tempted by the Nook Color a couple of weeks ago, and it caused me to back off of the Nook Color. Now that this has me thinking about it, I'm going to subscribe to National Geographic, and if that works out well, probably to some other magazines.

At least in theory, they could develop an Android app and it would be possible to read Zinio subscriptions on Android tablets, but I haven't even seen a suggestion that is happening beyond mention of "growing suite of applications" on their web page. At this time, they have apps for desktop computers (including Windows), iPad, and iPod/iPhone. https://www.zinio.com/account/download-reader-page.jsp


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

artsandhistoryfan said:


> The National Geographic is just stunning on this, which I think
> is an understatement. Furthermore, it's priced at $1.99/mo and is
> the biggest reason I'd keep the NookColor.


$1.99 looks cheap until you compare to Zinio, which is $1.25 per issue. Not only that but you can view your (Zinio) magazines on more than just one device. So, by switching over to Zinio I can read the magazines I buy on my MacBook Air, on an HDTV via an $8 Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter, on my hand me down Toshiba laptop, and on my Sony Vaio desktop rather than just on the nook color.

The upside to the magazines on the nook color is that they are billed monthly which means that they are incredibly easy to cancel, Zinio bills yearly and I have no idea if they can be cancelled.



artsandhistoryfan said:


> -zooming is great with
> magazines but the substitution in web-browsing of the '+' sign
> instead is awkward and cumbersome.


I don't use the + or - sign for zooming, I double tap the screen instead.

I also don't think that the zooming is all that great with the magazines as the pages will turn on you when you're trying to look at the edges of the page if you scroll too far, and the edges aren't always where they are supposed to be as there have been a number of times where I couldn't view the entire page while zoomed in, and had to zoom out and then back in to view that part.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

Selcien said:


> $1.99 looks cheap until you compare to Zinio, which is $1.25 per issue. Not only that but you can view your (Zinio) magazines on more than just one device. So, by switching over to Zinio I can read the magazines I buy on my MacBook Air, on an HDTV via an $8 Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter, on my hand me down Toshiba laptop, and on my Sony Vaio desktop rather than just on the nook color.


That's very good. I only need mine on the Nook and am extremely pleased with the functioning of it,
except that in Landscape mode which they prefer we use, they left off the Table of Contents icon that is under the thumbnails you can bring up. I don't see it (maybe there's a secret way to bring it up) unless I go into Portrait mode when I need it.

Am overbusy on the HDTVs and new blu-ray with WiFi and a 250G HD, spending too much time viewing it. Worse, I'm setting up Roku for Hulu Plus with the other HDTV as it's not carried by LG player's Netcast, yet. They do keep adding on these things though. It's very addicting because they stream so beautifully.

Back to the Nat'l Geo -- As with the Kindle I like the portability of reading a book or magazine that way.



> The upside to the magazines on the nook color is that they are billed monthly which means that they are incredibly easy to cancel, Zinio bills yearly and I have no idea if they can be cancelled.


 Yes, it's expressed in yearly terms rather than monthly, as B&N has it set up. They might be flexible enough to do a pro-rated refund though.

The 'cancel at any time' is a nice feature. I tried a couple of other magazines and can cancel
them though their processes for these things are very, very slow.



> I don't use the + or - sign for zooming, I double tap the screen instead.


 You get somewhat different levels. With the double-tap I get one that tends to be larger than I want or
off the center of where I was while the "+" (inconsistently though) goes first to a lower level
which I prefer and then lets you go larger and larger and can be used after the double-tap too.

What they need is the pinch-zoom there so we can get it to a point that's good for us. But we are very spoiled in the 'developed' countries.



> I also don't think that the zooming is all that great with the magazines as the pages will turn on you when you're trying to look at the edges of the page if you scroll too far, and the edges aren't always where they are supposed to be as there have been a number of times where I couldn't view the entire page while zoomed in, and had to zoom out and then back in to view that part.


 Yes, it's over-sensitive and is geared to switch at a certain point, but I got used to it and touch it lightly and then move it just so and have had better luck with it going to the edge and not switching while I view the full page. What I love is that while Article Mode is incredibly easy to read and gets us all the side articles that way as well, the regular mode is pinch-zoom and I can always get it to a very readable size while seeing the illustrations around it for context.

They have a lot of work to do with the Nook's touchscreen interface and some basic features, but I really love using it, except, as I said in my report, for the oversensitivity of the keyboard in general for writing.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

That gets at my main issue with tablets currently.

These 9.7" screens are just too dang small for most magazines, comics, PDFs of letter sized documents etc.  I hate all the zooming and panning etc.  So I keep holding out waiting for a tablet with something closer to an 8.5 x 11 screen since those things are my main interest in a tablet.


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

Thanks everyone for an interesting thread.  I have a dumb question.  I don't have a smart phone or ipod--just a regular cell phone and Sony Walkman.  If Amazon makes an Android type device, will it be similar to an ipod in size and function?  Will there be a monthly subscription fee?  I subscribe to Readers Digest on my K2 so I understand that magazines, etc., have subscription fees.  Thanks for any clarification for an old guy.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

Shastastan said:


> Thanks everyone for an interesting thread. I have a dumb question. I don't have a smart phone or ipod--just a regular cell phone and Sony Walkman. If Amazon makes an Android type device, will it be similar to an ipod in size and function? Will there be a monthly subscription fee? I subscribe to Readers Digest on my K2 so I understand that magazines, etc., have subscription fees. Thanks for any clarification for an old guy.


_It's important to note that everything in this post is just me speculating! Amazon has made no real announcement yet that I'm aware of._

Several companies have come out with, or hinted at Android tablets. So far they generally have screens that are from six inches to about ten inches diagonally (larger than the iPod). None of them that I'm aware of have subscription fees just for the tablet, but some have access to download stuff over cell phone networks, and you'd need a subscription plan of some sort with the cell phone provider for that. Some of these cell phone access plans can be turned on and off each month, and others require a lengthy commitment. Usually the ones that require a commitment give you a subsidized lower price on the tablet as an incentive. Many of these tablets only download things over wifi, and there's no subscription charge for that.

The "baseline" speculation about the tablet Bezos is talking about would be that Amazon would come out with something similar to this. It might have access to the Google Market for apps (apps are small programs you install on an Android device that do particular things like show ebooks or play a game or provide organized information on a topic). Or it might have access to a separate market Amazon would set up for apps. Presumably it would be set up to run Kindle ebooks very easily, and it might have access to Amazon's Video on Demand service. It would very likely be able to download stuff over a wifi connection (there'd be no download charge for this), and it might have an optional arrangement with a cell phone provider to download stuff over a cell phone network for a monthly charge.

If you want to speculate on something more than that, the sky is the limit. I could certainly imagine an option for a subscription plan to Amazon Video on Demand that would give a certain number of movie or tv episode rentals per month. Further afield might be a "book club" plan that would let you buy a certain number or dollar value of ebooks each month for a fixed charge (and probably a commitment of a year or something). A really wild speculation would be that Amazon might hook up with the Oprah Book Club or something similar. If Amazon chose to make their tablet a gaming machine, it might allow "by the month" temporary use of some or all gaming apps for a fixed charge per month.

Nobody really knows what Amazon will come up with, and it is quite possible Amazon hasn't settled on a single approach themselves yet. It's the wild speculation that makes it a fun topic to talk about! 

Hope this helps!


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## scottnicholson (Jan 31, 2010)

This may be a dumb question, but is the Kindle app in color when you use it on an iPad? We have a children's picture book we uploaded with is selling really well on Nook but I am not sure we've sold a single Kindle copy. Obviously the graphics are limited but I was wondering if it's the Nook color that makes it more palatable there. I am not much of a tech head so I have no idea how the different phones, etc. view things.

(Not trying to plug the book outside the proper thread, but if anyone wants a free mobi or epub file to tell me what it looks like on their device, please PM me). I see a lot of potential for growth here, especially as the tablets evolve.

Hooded Claw, that's a great analysis--I talked to an Amazon DTP tech a few weeks back and they are definitely aiming for more interactivity in the Kindle itself.

Scott


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

The Hooded Claw said:


> _It's important to note that everything in this post is just me speculating! Amazon has made no real announcement yet that I'm aware of._
> 
> ....snip.....Nobody really knows what Amazon will come up with, and it is quite possible Amazon hasn't settled on a single approach themselves yet. It's the wild speculation that makes it a fun topic to talk about!
> 
> Hope this helps!


Thanks a lot; That is a help. One thing that some of us would like is to have text to speech enabled on all the fiction books we buy. I would be willing to pay a little more for this feature and it would be a way for the publishers to make more money. I can already see that the sale of "Apps" is a real money maker. I didn't buy my K2 to play games, but I do play some on it. I was just playing Scrabble this morning while waiting for folks to get ready to go for a walk. For short waiting, games or magazines work for me because I get too involved in reading a book and don't want to put it down. Personally, I would like to have something to slip in my pocket which would mean that it would be even smaller than a K3. I wouldn't look at it as a replacement for my K2 for book reading though. As you so aptly point out, we are just wildly speculating at this point.


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

artsandhistoryfan said:


> That's very good. I only need mine on the Nook and am extremely pleased with the functioning of it,
> except that in Landscape mode which they prefer we use, they left off the Table of Contents icon that is under the thumbnails you can bring up. I don't see it (maybe there's a secret way to bring it up) unless I go into Portrait mode when I need it.
> 
> Back to the Nat'l Geo -- As with the Kindle I like the portability of reading a book or magazine that way.


I had no idea that you could access the Table of Contents from portrait mode just by bringing up the thumbnails (I was just checking that out and found that a + appears in the top right corner, which is how you bookmark a page, never knew how to do that before). The way I got to the Table of Contents was via the Article View as tapping the screen while in Article View brings up the Table of Contents icon, a Text icon, and a Brightness icon.

If not for the MacBook Air I would have kept my subscription for National Geographic on the nook color. Science Illustrated, on the other hand, I would have never subscribed to in the first place if I had realized that B&N is charging more for a subscription of it than they do for single issues (the information they have on it says it's delivered monthly, but it's not a monthly, it's a bi-monthly, so at $2.99 a month you are effectively paying $1 more than just buying the issues outright from them, which defeats the whole point of subscribing. And while I'm at it, the price discrepancy between B&N's magazines and Zinio is with subscriptions, the price for single issues is the same).



artsandhistoryfan said:


> You get somewhat different levels. With the double-tap I get one that tends to be larger than I want or
> off the center of where I was while the "+" (inconsistently though) goes first to a lower level
> which I prefer and then lets you go larger and larger and can be used after the double-tap too.
> 
> What they need is the pinch-zoom there so we can get it to a point that's good for us. But we are very spoiled in the 'developed' countries.


I'm not sure if you know this but just in case you don't... You can change the text size and default zoom from the settings menu (while viewing a webpage you touch the screen until an options menu pops up, and then use that settings menu.)

The only time I use zoom, with the web browser, is when I'm clicking on a link, otherwise I just use the default view as I have it set.



artsandhistoryfan said:


> Yes, it's over-sensitive and is geared to switch at a certain point, but I got used to it and touch it lightly and then move it just so and have had better luck with it going to the edge and not switching while I view the full page. What I love is that while Article Mode is incredibly easy to read and gets us all the side articles that way as well, the regular mode is pinch-zoom and I can always get it to a very readable size while seeing the illustrations around it for context.
> 
> They have a lot of work to do with the Nook's touchscreen interface and some basic features, but I really love using it, except, as I said in my report, for the oversensitivity of the keyboard in general for writing.


All I read outside of article view are the captions on photos and maps, and I do that after reading the article in article view.

I played around a bit more with one of the magazines I have on my nook color and I'm still having all kinds of trouble when zoomed in. In between the zoom wanting to lock out portions of a page, not wanting to move at all (there are times where I have to try five times or more before it finally realizes that I'm trying to move to a different section), and accidental page turns, I'm finding it to be far too delicate. I cannot at all pan around while zoomed in with any kind of comfort and what makes that really bad is if it worked the way it should it would be superior to the Zinio PC/Mac apps as those only allow you to scroll up and down when zoomed in, left to right has to be done with the arrow key, however there are no accidental page turns, the zoom doesn't get locked up, and it's a far more comfortable experience as of right now.



mooshie78 said:


> That gets at my main issue with tablets currently.
> 
> These 9.7" screens are just too dang small for most magazines, comics, PDFs of letter sized documents etc. I hate all the zooming and panning etc. So I keep holding out waiting for a tablet with something closer to an 8.5 x 11 screen since those things are my main interest in a tablet.


I may be stating the obvious here but size isn't the only important thing, you need a really good resolution.

On my Sony Vaio, which has a 20" screen, individual pages when set to full screen with the Zinio magazines are 8" x 10 3/4". The text is large enough to read but the resolution isn't as good as it needs to be, the same can be said when I hook up my MacBook Air to my 42" Panasonic Plasma, large enough but not clean enough.

So, whether I use the MacBook Air, the Sony, or my HDTV, the best way to read is zoomed in as the text is much cleaner. For looking at photos and maps and what not, zoomed out works just fine.

Also, even if you had a device that perfectly rendered a single page you'd still have to pan and zoom for the two page layouts. Not to mention that once you had one you'd realize that it's not paper, and that you might as well take advantage of the screen by using the pan and zoom.

I'd suggest taking a look at some of the free magazines on Zinio as well as looking at Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited (On a Monday as they offer five comics to read for free on Monday's) if you haven't already done so as it'll give you a much better idea of whether you need to be waiting for that perfect single page tablet or not.


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## nabrum (Jan 1, 2010)

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I meant the KindleKolor would be an Android based eReader, NOT a generalized tablet. I agree, Amazon putting out a generalized tablet would be stupid.



mooshie78 said:


> They may make one, but it will probably suck compared to say the iPad or the rumored google Android tablet etc. when it comes to being a true tablet device. I can see them putting out a color e-reader, but not doing a full fledged tablet. They just don't have the hardware expertise. Look how crappy the ergonomics and design on the K1 was. And the K3, as much as I love it, is still less than perfect IMO with the tiny page turn buttons and lack of physical number keys.
> 
> All that aside, wasn't there some article recently showing that many more Kindle books had been bought on iPads than Apple's iBook store? Point being people don't have to get tired of waiting when they can get the Kindle app on other Tablets already. So I just don't see a lot of incentive for Amazon to come out with a tablet. A reader with a color e-ink screen? Sure. But a tablet that can do video etc? I just don't see the need as they can sell Kindle books to that market through their apps for other devices.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Selcien said:


> I may be stating the obvious here but size isn't the only important thing, you need a really good resolution.
> 
> On my Sony Vaio, which has a 20" screen, individual pages when set to full screen with the Zinio magazines are 8" x 10 3/4". The text is large enough to read but the resolution isn't as good as it needs to be, the same can be said when I hook up my MacBook Air to my 42" Panasonic Plasma, large enough but not clean enough.
> 
> ...


All true. But my thing is that I'm a professor and read a TON of single page PDFs (scholarly articles) so my main (really only) interest in a tablet is having something that can display those full size and let me mark them up with a stylus etc. like I do print outs etc.

Internet, apps, videos, magazines, comics etc. are just the icing on the cake for me with a tablet device.

I've played around with the iPad a lot (my ex-girlfriend had one) but it just didn't quite fit my needs with the smaller screen and lack of built in stylus etc.


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

sherylb said:


> As one who still has a K1 in addition to my K3, I heartily disagree with your statement. I think the K1 was very carefully thought out and the ergonomics were almost perfect for an ereader. The way it fits in your hand is very comfortable, the keyboard buttons are slanted to allow easy pressing with the thumbs, and the page turn buttons are also great. I know some people had problems with the page turn buttons, but it's a matter of getting used to where they are and where to put your fingers while holding the K1.
> 
> I guess some people just have to trash Amazon and will find any excuse to do it.


This post was perfectly fine until you went and tacked on that last sentence.

Just because you like the ergonomics of the K1 doesn't mean that everybody else will, and disliking the K1 doesn't mean that a person dislikes Amazon.



mooshie78 said:


> All true. But my thing is that I'm a professor and read a TON of single page PDFs (scholarly articles) so my main (really only) interest in a tablet is having something that can display those full size and let me mark them up with a stylus etc. like I do print outs etc.
> 
> Internet, apps, videos, magazines, comics etc. are just the icing on the cake for me with a tablet device.
> 
> I've played around with the iPad a lot (my ex-girlfriend had one) but it just didn't quite fit my needs with the smaller screen and lack of built in stylus etc.


And I'd obviously use it for magazines and comics ...

I wish you the best of luck as it seems that nobody wants to make that kind of device, heck, I'd think you'd get lucky just finding a tablet large enough, having a good stylus interface on top of it like Wacom Penabled will likely require a miracle.


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

@Selcien

We are all trying to foretell the future here.  Put me in the group that says something will be coming but we don't know it is.  We know what we would like to have, personally, but we are mature enough to know that's a very questionable reality.  As was the case with Sony Beta and  VHS, the market will be created by the electronics industry rather than the consumers.  As they do with vehicles, the products will be put out there and we will be told to buy.  Witness the Ipad.  I like some things about it, but not enough to buy one.  As more similar products are introduced, some of us will be worn down and we will probably buy something that we only partially like.  Hype will be a helping culprit that will cause our buying decision.  Just my 4 cents (used to be 2 cents) worth.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

Selcien said:


> I had no idea that you could access the Table of Contents from portrait mode just by bringing up the thumbnails (I was just checking that out and found that a + appears in the top right corner, which is how you bookmark a page, never knew how to do that before).


Yes, it's nice.



> The way I got to the Table of Contents was via the Article View as tapping the screen while in Article View brings up the Table of Contents icon, a Text icon, and a Brightness icon.


 I didn't know that about the article mode and double tapping it. I love the Brightness at about 5% and that's one thing I have not had to change.

I do love being able to see the TOC icon though while viewing a regular page but, as mentioned, they somehow neglected to include it in their recommended Landscape mode.



> If not for the MacBook Air I would have kept my subscription for National Geographic on the nook color. Science Illustrated, on the other hand, I would have never subscribed to in the first place if I had realized that B&N is charging more for a subscription of it than they do for single issues (the information they have on it says it's delivered monthly, but it's not a monthly, it's a bi-monthly, so at $2.99 a month you are effectively paying $1 more than just buying the issues outright from them, which defeats the whole point of subscribing. And while I'm at it, the price discrepancy between B&N's magazines and Zinio is with subscriptions, the price for single issues is the same).


 That's for that info. I can't imagine a better visual experience for a magazine than the Nat'l Geo on NookColor due to its pixel resolution AND the fact that whoever prepares this magazine for the NC does such incredibly good color values as well, with details seen in dark areas and beautiful contrast ratio. It's a real disappointment now to see the print version (as I did tonight), as the text looks relatively washed out, and the photos are not as vibrant in print format.

Nat'l Geo Traveler (or whatever that magazine is) however, is done with hugely oversaturated colors and a more coarse rendition. I ended that subscription after one issue (during the trial period).



> I'm not sure if you know this but just in case you don't... You can change the text size and default zoom from the settings menu (while viewing a webpage you touch the screen until an options menu pops up, and then use that settings menu.)


 Yes, it was the first thing I looked for and I have always had it set to Large... I read the text for magazines at full size most of the time or just below. Re the oversensitivity of the touchscreen their next software update (they've already had one for WiFi and improved Web browser handling -- 1.01) they're working on that oversensitivity.

I do find that barely touching it at all makes the sudden shifts happen less than they did. But I'm looking forward (to understate it) to the software update.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Selcien said:


> I wish you the best of luck as it seems that nobody wants to make that kind of device, heck, I'd think you'd get lucky just finding a tablet large enough, having a good stylus interface on top of it like Wacom Penabled will likely require a miracle.


I know! And it baffles me as it seems like there would be a decent market for that kind of device. Would be great for business users, researchers--and biggest of all--college students! Something like that is really needed for textbooks since they tend to have large pages and students need to be able to highlight and jot notes easily.

Myself I could probably forgo the stylus as the annotating programs on the iPad are ok. The bigger screen is my main need. I don't care much about portability as I only read my work related stuff at home or in the office (usually the former). I care more about convenience in readability and keeping zooming and panning around at a minimum.


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## Xopher (May 14, 2009)

Personally, I would love to see a Pixel-Qi reader. Having the eInk display for reading books, with the ability to turn on the color backlit screen for magazines and other color documents would be an incredible advantage over the current offerings.

I think the Pixel-Qi technology is still too new and expensive right now to compete with ereaders. Qualcomm already announced they have a contact with a major company to produce the Mirasol color display, but haven't announced which company that is yet. 

CES is just a week away. It will be interesting to see what devices get shown off there.


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

Shastastan said:


> @Selcien
> 
> We are all trying to foretell the future here. Put me in the group that says something will be coming but we don't know it is. We know what we would like to have, personally, but we are mature enough to know that's a very questionable reality. As was the case with Sony Beta and VHS, the market will be created by the electronics industry rather than the consumers. As they do with vehicles, the products will be put out there and we will be told to buy. Witness the Ipad. I like some things about it, but not enough to buy one. As more similar products are introduced, some of us will be worn down and we will probably buy something that we only partially like. Hype will be a helping culprit that will cause our buying decision. Just my 4 cents (used to be 2 cents) worth.


I take it that this is in regards to what I said about what mooshie78 wants.

It's not a coincidence that I chose to respond to him as I used to think that I wanted a device just like that, and I had thought it was perfectly reasonable to expect a company to make it. As it turns out what I need for reading e-books is a smallish device and while stylus capabilities would have been nice, I didn't actually need it, I just needed to be able to highlight text. A large screen tablet for magazines and comics would be nice but not necessary for me, and I wouldn't need any markup abilities. I would need full Zinio support though (only two of my five subscriptions have icons signifying that they are available for the iPad app), which would mean needing something that could run the PC or Mac app, but I've already passed up on the Ciara Vibe ExoPC to buy a MacBook Air. So as nice as it would be to have this kind of tablet I have to think that it's nothing more than gadget lust (for me).

I posted what I did in the off chance that the device wasn't actually needed 'cause there's no point in someone wasting time looking for that perfect device if it isn't something they actually need, most people I've seen talking/posting about the large screen devices mention magazines and comics, not PDFs.



artsandhistoryfan said:


> That's for that info. I can't imagine a better visual experience for a magazine than the Nat'l Geo on NookColor due to its pixel resolution AND the fact that whoever prepares this magazine for the NC does such incredibly good color values as well, with details seen in dark areas and beautiful contrast ratio. It's a real disappointment now to see the print version (as I did tonight), as the text looks relatively washed out, and the photos are not as vibrant in print format.


I avoided getting the same issues in Zinio as I already had on my nook color so I can't do side by side comparisons. I'm uncomfortable saying that the magazine is as good on the MacBook Air as it on the nook color, but I think that it's pretty darn close.

The zoom feature is a bit quirky with the Zinio PC/Mac app though, in a different way. Sometimes you can zoom in just by clicking on a page, other times you have to use the toolbar to zoom, and it can get really weird. I was just looking at the January issue and I noticed that there was a page where I could use the click zoom on the left half but couldn't on the right half. 

I can't remember the last time I looked at the print version of National Geographic, it was a dentists office, I think. I only checked out the magazine because people talk about their great photos, it was a complete surprise to find that I actually found it interesting.



artsandhistoryfan said:


> Nat'l Geo Traveler (or whatever that magazine is) however, is done with hugely oversaturated colors and a more coarse rendition. I ended that subscription after one issue (during the trial period).


I was going to check that out but I never got around to it, and probably won't since I think that one National Geographic publication is enough.



mooshie78 said:


> Myself I could probably forgo the stylus as the annotating programs on the iPad are ok. The bigger screen is my main need. I don't care much about portability as I only read my work related stuff at home or in the office (usually the former). I care more about convenience in readability and keeping zooming and panning around at a minimum.


But if you did that (gave up the stylus *and* portability) then you might as well just get a monitor that's easy to read on.

Companies seem far more interested in finger friendly touch interfaces than writing interfaces, so that will likely have to be sacrificed, but they are coming close to getting the screen size. The Ciara Vibe ExoPC has an 11.6" screen (same size as my MacBook Air so will likely be around 5.5 x 10).


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Selcien said:


> But if you did that (gave up the stylus *and* portability) then you might as well just get a monitor that's easy to read on.
> 
> Companies seem far more interested in finger friendly touch interfaces than writing interfaces, so that will likely have to be sacrificed, but they are coming close to getting the screen size. The Ciara Vibe ExoPC has an 11.6" screen (same size as my MacBook Air so will likely be around 5.5 x 10).


Well I care about portability (and form factor) in the sense that I want something I can hold and read like I do a book or printout of a PDF now and not be tied to a desktop or laptop which just suck for reading as you just can't get the viewing distance just right etc.

I just meant it doesn't have to be small and light like a Kindle as I wouldn't be taking it around with me everywhere I go and mainly just reading in the office or on my couch at home.


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

mooshie78 said:


> Well I care about portability (and form factor) in the sense that I want something I can hold and read like I do a book or printout of a PDF now and not be tied to a desktop or laptop which just suck for reading as you just can't get the viewing distance just right etc.
> 
> I just meant it doesn't have to be small and light like a Kindle as I wouldn't be taking it around with me everywhere I go and mainly just reading in the office or on my couch at home.


I see, I just thought it was a given that a tablet with a screen size that you want would not be as portable as a Kindle, I mean, the DX and the iPad aren't, and what you want is even bigger. Your mentioning not needing portability made me think of convertible tablets.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Selcien said:


> I see, I just thought it was a given that a tablet with a screen size that you want would not be as portable as a Kindle, I mean, the DX and the iPad aren't, and what you want is even bigger. Your mentioning not needing portability made me think of convertible tablets.


It wouldn't necessarily have to be _that_ much bigger than the iPad. The iPad has a pretty big bezel around the screen. So someone could easily put out a tablet that's an inch or two bigger in screen, but a bit less than that in overall size by just having a smaller border around the screen.

Either way--as you note--even things like the iPad and DX are only portable in the sense that you can stick them in a backpack or brief case and they way much less than most laptops or convertible tablets. Adding an inch or two to the screen doesn't really hurt that portability other than adding some weight. And hopefully it would still have the iPad's benefits of longer battery life and little to no heat emission compared to laptops/convertible tablets.


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

mooshie78 said:


> It wouldn't necessarily have to be _that_ much bigger than the iPad. The iPad has a pretty big bezel around the screen. So someone could easily put out a tablet that's an inch or two bigger in screen, but a bit less than that in overall size by just having a smaller border around the screen.
> 
> Either way--as you note--even things like the iPad and DX are only portable in the sense that you can stick them in a backpack or brief case and they way much less than most laptops or convertible tablets. Adding an inch or two to the screen doesn't really hurt that portability other than adding some weight. And hopefully it would still have the iPad's benefits of longer battery life and little to no heat emission compared to laptops/convertible tablets.


Well, it's not like they're going to make a device with an 8.5 x 11 screen, unless it's built specifically for use with PDFs, at which point it would likely have full stylus support. So you're looking at a 12.6" screen to get the 11 inches, or very close to it, and a 15" screen to get the 8.5" width, or very close to it. So you could be looking at something upwards to 10 x 14. (measurements are based on laptop screens).

It's going to be big.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Selcien said:


> Well, it's not like they're going to make a device with an 8.5 x 11 screen, unless it's built specifically for use with PDFs, at which point it would likely have full stylus support. So you're looking at a 12.6" screen to get the 11 inches, or very close to it, and a 15" screen to get the 8.5" width, or very close to it. So you could be looking at something upwards to 10 x 14. (measurements are based on laptop screens).
> 
> It's going to be big.


Oh I realize I probably won't get something that can totally display 8.5x11 inch documents perfectly anytime soon. Though you'd think someone would make such a device with all the talk of offices going "paperless" since 8.5 x11 is the standard paper size in the US.

I'm just hoping for something with the iPad's screen ratio (and not 16x9 which is too narrow) but maybe an 11.6" screen instead of 9.6", while having similar battery life, thinness etc.

A lot of the scholarly journal articles I read are smaller than 8.5 x11 anyway, PDFs are just that size when downloaded electronically,. but cropping margins solves that issue. A few are bigger and have two or three columns of text, and those are had to get readable on the iPad's screen without a ton of zooming and panning around.


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## Amy Corwin (Jan 3, 2011)

I've been following this with interest as I'm a bird watcher and would love to have a color version of my Kindle and be able to get the Peterson Guides on it. Although I have the ibirds app on my Droid phone, it's a little awkward to use.  But even so, one of the things that would stand in the way of this being truly functional for me would be the lack of a way to goto a section or bird quickly via a table of contents or index.

I'm really not interested in it getting any larger, per se, which is why I'm not attracted to things like the iPad. The Kindle fits into my purse easily enough that I can carry it around. Once you get much larger than that, you're talking backpack and I might as well carry my laptop once you get to that point. LOL

Color would be nice, though, but not if the screen becomes shiny instead of the nice matt finish it has now, which is very easy on my eyes.


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

@Amy
A quick lookup feature sure would be nice.  We like to see the birds in our backyard and use the usual reference books which takes too much time and we usually don't get a 2nd look .  I think that we'll be seeing quick references in color some time in the future though.  Maybe you can develop something for us  

I have some guitar chords on my K2 and it takes time to get to them even from the  table of contents.


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## Amy Corwin (Jan 3, 2011)

LOL


Shastastan said:


> @Amy
> A quick lookup feature sure would be nice. We like to see the birds in our backyard and use the usual reference books which takes too much time and we usually don't get a 2nd look . I think that we'll be seeing quick references in color some time in the future though. Maybe you can develop something for us
> 
> I have some guitar chords on my K2 and it takes time to get to them even from the table of contents.


I'd love to be able to develop something! Although I'm not sure my skill set is up to it 
Once upon a time I did assembly language programming, but that was back in the day when we still had 8" floppy disks. har har. Bet most people have never heard of such a critter.

But it would sure be sweet to have better capabilities to go to specific places within a book. I know I'm not the only one who occassionally like to take a quick peek at the end of a book and then go back to where I was previously and continue reading. LOL
And I'd really love to be able to go to specific chapters. Chapters would actually help with field guides because you could at least go to the section (for example) for sparrows and from there, make you way to the relevant bird/critter.

I'm really looking forward to fuure developments--it'll be fun to see how this all progresses.


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## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

Why would Amazon want to go with a color Kindle now when their current version is bringing in a lot of moola for them.  Nobody would buy the non-color version any more -- they'll go with the latest and greatest Kindle.  There's a market for the current Kindle and Amazon will soak it up as much as they can until profitability starts to wain.  Then they'll bring on a new version whether it's color or another non-color Kindle.  It's all about making money and I'm sure Amazon is making plenty of it with what's out now.


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## Amy Corwin (Jan 3, 2011)

Zell said:


> Why would Amazon want to go with a color Kindle now when their current version is bringing in a lot of moola for them. Nobody would buy the non-color version any more -- they'll go with the latest and greatest Kindle.


LOL Yes. Exactly. That's exactly why they would come out with a color version. Because it will make everyone buy the newer Kindle.

They won't make as much money if everyone just sticks with the Kindle they now have.

That's what consumerism is all about--developing newer/bigger/badder versions that make people have to go out and buy them, whether their current hardware is working or not.

Did we really need Blue Ray? No--but it's bigger/badder/bolder than standard DVDs and folks are being squeezed to move away from standard to High Def and rebuy all of their electronics AND all the media. Unless, of course, you're like me and simply refuse until something actually breaks or she can no longer get something (we still have a 30 yr old TV with one of those free converter boxes to get broadcast TV. Did you know there's still such a thing as broadcast TV? And VHS tapes. Atlhough we had to break down and buy a DVD player. Eventually, we may have to bite the bullet and buy a new TV, but not until that one totally dies... But I also live in an ancient log cabin, so well, what do you expect?)

So...yeah. I can totally see Amazon coming out with a color Kindle and getting a massive influx of new purchases and replacement purchases.


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

@Amy

<<That's what consumerism is all about--developing newer/bigger/badder versions that make people have to go out and buy them, whether their current hardware is working or not.>>

Yup and we'll all be there to insure that consumerism will never die. 

As to the 8" floppies, I remember them and always wondered why they referred to the 3.5" disks as floppies since they didn't flop.


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## QuantumIguana (Dec 29, 2010)

Sooner or later there will be a color version of the Kindle because 1) people will buy it and 2) if the competitors have it, Amazon will need to have it too. For color, I'd only be interested in an e-ink version, I don't want an LCD screen. Amazon could sell both a color and a monochrome version, and have two price levels. Even if they did come out with a color e-ink version, I wouldn't get it until I needed a new reader.

What I would like to see down the road is a more rugged version. If paper books go by the wayside, kids are going to be using e-books, and you would want to have one that can handle the abuse that kids give things.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Even if Amazon doesn't have a tablet in development, they've announced there'll be a Kindle app for any others that come along:

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1512515&highlight=


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## nabrum (Jan 1, 2010)

Don't knock LCDs yet. The NC's screen isn't hard on the eyes. My netbook and laptop have dimmed screens and they aren't hard on my eyes, and when reading at night I don't need a special K lamp.

The color eInk screen from what Jeff mentioned is at least a year away. Replacements will fill the void, and if/when color eInk does become available, the war may have already been won by the replacements, a'la Beta vs VHS.

It will be interesting to see what shows up at CES this month. There will be many Android tablets (which I assume will run the K app), and so the train has left the station. Although it would be nice to have a KolorKindle as a dedicated eReader vs a "tablet" with the same price point as the NC.

PS: Amy. I also programmed in Assembler, and in Machine Language prior to that, which made Assembler a Higher Level Language. Guess I'm showing my age 



QuantumIguana said:


> Sooner or later there will be a color version of the Kindle because 1) people will buy it and 2) if the competitors have it, Amazon will need to have it too. For color, I'd only be interested in an e-ink version, I don't want an LCD screen. Amazon could sell both a color and a monochrome version, and have two price levels. Even if they did come out with a color e-ink version, I wouldn't get it until I needed a new reader.
> 
> What I would like to see down the road is a more rugged version. If paper books go by the wayside, kids are going to be using e-books, and you would want to have one that can handle the abuse that kids give things.


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

mooshie78 said:


> I'm just hoping for something with the iPad's screen ratio (and not 16x9 which is too narrow) but maybe an 11.6" screen instead of 9.6", while having similar battery life, thinness etc.


I never gave any thought about screen ratio but once you mentioned it it does make sense that 16:10 would be better for magazines and the like than 16:9.

You're likely already ahead of me but I was looking around and stumbled onto the Asus Eee Slate EP121. A bit pricey but it does look like something you'd be interested in (12" screen, 16:10 screen ratio, and includes a stylus).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0M5WC8IaTg

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/asus-eee-slate-ep121-wedges-core-i5-power-into-tablet-chassis/

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2375081,00.asp


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## mcostas (Nov 22, 2010)

Shastastan said:


> @Amy
> A quick lookup feature sure would be nice. We like to see the birds in our backyard and use the usual reference books which takes too much time and we usually don't get a 2nd look . I think that we'll be seeing quick references in color some time in the future though. Maybe you can develop something for us
> 
> I have some guitar chords on my K2 and it takes time to get to them even from the table of contents.


I don't see how an ereader is going to be quicker than a dtb in the example you stated. e-readers don't really replace all books, some types of material are more suited to a hard copy. World atlas's are another example of something that doesn't work well on an electronic format.

I think if amazon dropped the e-ink kindle for a color kindle they would lose customers. People don't want to invest in a lot of media only to have it become obsolete in a few years. People would just get a ipad or something and make every attempt to get free bootlegged material.

It sounds like for what you are doing using a laptop or netbook would make more sense since they are platforms for multimedia, not platforms for simply reading, which is what e-books are. Why would you put guitar chords on your ebook when it's easier to just use a guitar chord book? I play the guitar too, it seems like putting that stuff on my ereader would make it more cumberson instead of easier. If I have my guitar with me, I can have my netbook with me.

You say an ipad isn't something you want, yet every post you have posted in this thread concerns something your are trying to do on your kindle that an ipad would do better.

There's your color kindle, they make a kindle app for it.


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## Jesslyn (Oct 29, 2008)

My kindle kolor is my iPad.  Unfortunately, it's only used to read books that are in black and white.  On the other hand, I am able to ditch my book light.  

I saw a short tweet that was reporting a Nielsen poll saying that 40% of iPad users also had a Kindle. I don't know that 40% is a realistic number, but everyone that I know personally with an iPad got the Kindle first AND still uses it.


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## earthlydelites (Dec 12, 2009)

whilst the idea of a colour kindle is interesting, I don't think I would buy one personally. If I wanted a colour device, I'd get a tablet. I'm happy with my kindle as it is


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## nabrum (Jan 1, 2010)

It's NOT an either/or, ie, color or B&W. It can be BOTH. Those that want eInk can have the K3 and follow-ons. Those of us that want color, can have the KindleKolor.
As for losing customers, if B&N's NC is any indication, Amazon would GAIN customers.



mcostas said:


> I think if amazon dropped the e-ink kindle for a color kindle they would lose customers.


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

mcostas said:


> "I don't see how an ereader is going to be quicker than a dtb in the example you stated. e-readers don't really replace all books, some types of material are more suited to a hard copy. World atlas's are another example of something that doesn't work well on an electronic format. "
> 
> With regard to current technology, you are correct. I think the future will have those reference books in some type of electronic form though. Will I live to see it? That's an unknown
> 
> ...


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Shastastan said:


> @Amy
> A quick lookup feature sure would be nice. We like to see the birds in our backyard and use the usual reference books which takes too much time and we usually don't get a 2nd look . I think that we'll be seeing quick references in color some time in the future though. Maybe you can develop something for us
> 
> I have some guitar chords on my K2 and it takes time to get to them even from the table of contents.


Some things like that are just better suited for tablets. E-readers are basically just electronic books that are kind of limited to having to flip through to find stuff (though you can search). Vs. a tablet that can have apps designed for things like bird watching that are faster too look up things than a book (where as e-readers are probably slower as you just can't flip through them like you can a paper book).


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## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

earthlydelites said:


> whilst the idea of a colour kindle is interesting, I don't think I would buy one personally. If I wanted a colour device, I'd get a tablet. I'm happy with my kindle as it is


I would get a color Kindle in a heart-beat so long as it did not add a lot of weight to the unit and the size of the color Kindle would be roughly the same as a K3. I wouldn't get one right now if they came out with one because I just bought the K3, but if Amazon came out with one next year, I'd be selling my K3 to get the color version -- depending on the reviews of the product. I think a color version would be totally cool. I love my K3 but after spending time on a color desktop computer all day and enjoying the crisp display of my iPhone, it's hard to have a device that's just black e-ink on a somewhat faded background that I can't read in poor lighting environments. There's nothing like words on a crisp white background. The only thing is that Amazon would have to make a display for it that doesn't produce glare and wouldn't cause eye strain. Also the pricing would have to be just right. I wouldn't pay $500 for it because I might as well get an iPad instead -- which is also cool.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

Itnis now announced officially that an Amazon Android app market is coming.  MAYBE this is the first step to an Amazon Android tablet.  But if true I think it will be using LCD not eInk for the time being.


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## Amy Corwin (Jan 3, 2011)

That's interesting about the Android app market. I have a DROID and the Kindle app on that, although I really prefer reading from my Kindle. The tiny screen on the DROID just isn't as comfortable, although it's okay for short reading sessions.

I still prefer the eINK, though, over the long haul.
I'm interested to see if they do try to go into the tablet business.


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

There's a Nook Color thread in the non-kindle ereader section.  I checked out the NC at the B-N website.  It was impressive except that the battery life is only a day.  Also someone said that it's a lot heavier than the Kindle.  However, it does appear to meet a lot of feature wants that the posters on this thread want, including me.  I'm going to wait for awhile and let the kinks get squared away before I get one.  Amazon is smart to wait to enter the tablet market for the same reason among others.


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## mcostas (Nov 22, 2010)

I wouldn't mind a tablet, but it would have to be inexpensive for me to get something that I already can do with my small netbook. 


I think a lot of people get an ereader instead of a tablet because of cost. Then they are dissapointed it does not perform like a tablet. 

If amazon (or anybody else for that matter) makes a fancy schamcy ereader that is in color, and has several functions, it's going to cost a lot more than 140 bucks. 

Maybe someday there will be low cost tablets, that would be nice. Maybe I would get one, but if ereaders were even lower priced, I would stick with that. I really like eink. I am typing this on my little netbook and have reached the limits of comfort on it, which is about 2 or 3 hours at most. 

When I am reading that certain book I can keep myself up all night long reading my kindle.


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

@mcostas

I know what you mean about typing on the netbook keyboard since I also have one.  I'm not wild about typing on my laptop either so I got a Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse.


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