# Addicted to the booklight



## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

It's been 2 days since I got it and I don't know how I lived without it for over a year. It makes a huge difference on the background color of my kindle.



On the down side it's made me really unhappy that my kindle doesn't have better contrast out of the box, and I'm annoyed that I'm very close to not wanting to read on kindle without the light now. Heck I had it on sitting in the living room in the middle of the day with my normal lighting on. And it made it so much easier to read with. I admit my eyes aren't the best and I wear glasses but I really wish the background of my K was not so dark. If they come out with a kindle with a much improved contrast so I won't want the book light except at night I will buy one. This has become annoying.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

While I have to say I'm also addicted to my Mighty Bright, what it's pointed out to me is deficiencies in my lighting, rather than in my Kindle. Yes, the Kindle looks best in the bright white light the MB produces, but it looks equally good in light shade or even broad sunlight. Or under the 150 watt bulb by my bed. Interestingly enough, that's also where my books look best--it's just that I never thought about it as much before! Our house lighting, plain and simple, tends to be for comfortable ambiance, not for comfortable reading. After all, how many of us have 60 - 100 watt bulbs on hand for most lights. It's pretty rare to have a whole house stocked with 150's.

This isn't to say your Kindle is perfect, because perhaps it does have a contrast issue, and only you can decide that. But certainly I've found that the lighting I once considered adequate for reading really isn't, and I've begun making sure that my favorite reading spots are better lit than before, which makes reading on anything, even my PC, more comfortable.


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## reemixx (May 12, 2009)

Agree with VictoriaP. It's more the lighting in the environment than the Kindle, at least for me. But then, it's the same with DTB's for me, since the paper in them isn't usually stark white anyway. I prefer direct light, or daylight when reading, and I guess this has just become more apparent since reading on the Kindle. I think it's a good thing, as it's much better on your eyes to have good lighting.

I've used my Mighty Bright a heck of a lot since getting it, too. Even when it's not really dark. But I'll also use it for DTB's... Or just go somewhere with better lighting.

The ceiling lights in my house really suck for reading!


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

See I have no problems in this light with my DTBs at all. When I got my K a year ago it was significantly darker than my DTBs are ( I actually did a side by side because I thought it was weird how dark it was when I got it). I had to set up a really bright lamp next to me to read it. I just adjusted it to because I really wanted it to work. Bottom line is I'd like to be able to read it as easily as I can my DTBs. I've already raised the font. 

This must be why I've been loving reading on my iphone since the app came out, I don't have to worry about lighting. I really want to enjoy reading on my K as much. There are a lot of benefits, it's a lot lighter than my DTBs for example. But I've invested a decent amount into my K and I feel like I should want to read it more than my other options as a result.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

Rasputina said:


> See I have no problems in this light with my DTBs at all. When I got my K a year ago it was significantly darker than my DTBs are ( I actually did a side by side because I thought it was weird how dark it was when I got it).


I did a side by side as well, both when mine first came in February, and again the other day. Bottom line here is that the background of my Kindle is within the same brightness range as a paperback book (as a side note, I never realized how many different shades of "white" there are in book paper!). If yours is darker than that, then I'd have to wonder if it really does have an issue.

I know you like your Oberon, but you might be better off using an M-Edge/E-Luminator combo whenever they finally get around to releasing it. The Mighty Bright is wonderful, but it's not the best for portability. If they get the E-Luminator right, it's going to be a better solution for those who want a full time light to read by.


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## reemixx (May 12, 2009)

My Kindle's screen is significantly darker than a DTB, this is true. It's a definite grey rather than the off-white or yellow-white of the pages of a DTB. Such is the nature of the e-ink display. But this doesn't inhibit me from reading on my Kindle in any way, even in areas with less-than-optimal lighting. Perhaps your Kindle has lower contrast than most? Have you tried comparing it with another Kindle? Or maybe your eyes just don't like it. That can happen. Everyone has different levels of toleration.

No doubt e-ink technology will improve. It's still relatively new, at least when it comes to mass production for consumer electronic devices. In the mean time, you do have the book light and the iPhone app, and from what I've read in your posts, you do enjoy reading with both. On top of that, DTB's aren't going anywhere. There's still plenty of options for now.


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

My K is in the same range as cheap paperbacks with that greyish paper. I rarely read those though. Almost all my books are hardbacks with nearly white paper. I think that is part of my adjustment problem. I think I've just gotten used to being able to read without having to consider lighting and now it's annoying me to have to deal with it LOL


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## lynninva (Feb 7, 2009)

I was surprised the first time I read my Kindle in the cafeteria at work under the very bright fluorescent lights.  The background really looked white, not gray.  It made me realize how the lighting affects the appearance of the screen.  And why some of the pictures on the Amazon website may have appeared to show a white background.


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

reemixx said:


> My Kindle's screen is significantly darker than a DTB, this is true. It's a definite grey rather than the off-white or yellow-white of the pages of a DTB. Such is the nature of the e-ink display. But this doesn't inhibit me from reading on my Kindle in any way, even in areas with less-than-optimal lighting. Perhaps your Kindle has lower contrast than most? Have you tried comparing it with another Kindle? Or maybe your eyes just don't like it. That can happen. Everyone has different levels of toleration.
> 
> No doubt e-ink technology will improve. It's still relatively new, at least when it comes to mass production for consumer electronic devices. In the mean time, you do have the book light and the iPhone app, and from what I've read in your posts, you do enjoy reading with both. On top of that, DTB's aren't going anywhere. There's still plenty of options for now.


I don't know anyone else IRL with a kindle and it's so hard to tell from photos. I know I was really jealous of the DX screen because it appeared so light, but I'm sure that was filmed with a lot of stage lighting so I can't really compare it to my K.

I am enjoying reading the K in bed more now with the book light because the room lights don't shine in my eyes anymore, I can read in the dark with it and just the mighty bright. I'll just have to adjust devices to each situation.

I do hope they improve e-ink and give us a contrast and brightness adjustment in the future.

It is entirely possible that it's just me, my vision isn't the greatest and in general I'm pretty sensitive to changes around me in environment.


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

lynninva said:


> I was surprised the first time I read my Kindle in the cafeteria at work under the very bright fluorescent lights. The background really looked white, not gray. It made me realize how the lighting affects the appearance of the screen. And why some of the pictures on the Amazon website may have appeared to show a white background.


Yeah, me too. I know what you mean.


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## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

I also love my booklight (MightyBright). I don't use it much other than at night and even then I usually use the lower setting. But I could see how others would. The bright whiteness of the light really helps the contrast. It brightens the page alot. I really hope amazon adjusts the contrast on any new future kindle models (along with folders please )


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## reemixx (May 12, 2009)

koolmnbv said:


> I really hope amazon adjusts the contrast on any new future kindle models (along with folders please )


It's not really up to Amazon. It's the manufacturers of the e-ink displays. Amazon just uses the part in their Kindles, they don't make it themselves.

Folders, though..... That's a different story entirely


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## laura99 (Mar 13, 2009)

I find the background on my K2 is much darker than a DTB as well. There are places I could once read comfortably that need additional lighting. I also adjusted as I love my Kindle so much! I do have the Mighty Bright as well which helps out with that.

I did install the font hack and that helped some, but always felt the contrast issue was more with the background than the font itself.


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## Laurie (Jan 9, 2009)

Have you tried using the ALT-G combination that clears ghosting? Whenever I use my Kindle I always do that first thing after opening my book. I do it several times and the background gets a little whiter each time. The screensaver ghosting makes the background appear gray or darker until I clear it by doing this.


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

I haven't tried that. I'll check it out, thanks.


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## laura99 (Mar 13, 2009)

Thanks Laurie, Alt-G has become an automatic when I take the Kindle out of sleep, but I don't think I have ever tried doing it multiple times. I'll give it a try when I get home from work.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Is there a particular Mighty Bright light you use for the Kindle?  I've been looking for a thread on the lights.  I have a K2 and an M Edge cover.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

Carol Hanrahan said:


> Is there a particular Mighty Bright light you use for the Kindle? I've been looking for a thread on the lights. I have a K2 and an M Edge cover.


No difference on them, they're all about the same in spite of Amazon tagging one as "Kindle" approved or whatever.  The only thing to note is that most of the ones with cool colors have transparent casings, and light may leak through those. For some people, this isn't a distraction; others will only buy the solid black to block out all chances of extraneous glare.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Thanks, Victoria!


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

VictoriaP said:


> No difference on them, they're all about the same in spite of Amazon tagging one as "Kindle" approved or whatever.  The only thing to note is that most of the ones with cool colors have transparent casings, and light may leak through those. For some people, this isn't a distraction; others will only buy the solid black to block out all chances of extraneous glare.


I have a white one that is not transparent. Also have black that I bought later on. I bought them in Borders an Barnes & Noble, since the prices were lower (hard to believe but they were).


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## BK (Feb 5, 2009)

My Mighty Bright was several dollars less at Barnes & Noble than at Borders.  Best book light I've ever had.  My husband usually falls asleep before I do, so I had a drawer full of not-so-great book lights in my nightstand -- getting rid of the rest now.


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## docjered (Apr 12, 2009)

The Mighty Bright Duet 2. Best booklite in the world!!! Also good for sheet music when you are playing and not reading. Yes, I still do things that don't involve my Kindle 2. LOL


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## kimmysue (Jun 4, 2009)

Just got a Mighty Bright Duet in Pink.  LOVE IT!!  I love that it has 2 settings!  Thanks for all the great reviews that helped me pick it.  Its sturdy, looks like its gonna last forever.  Very happy with all the recommendations!  Getting rid of all the other sub-par predecessors!


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