I’ve been thinking about buying a Kindle DX ebook reader, given my addiction to books, both business and personal. On a recent flight from Boston I finally saw the larger DX model being used by my seatmate. A development manager for Microsoft, she uses hers on long flights to catch up on professional reading (long technical white papers, internal reports, etc.) and then relax with a favorite book. Her enthusiasm reawakened my interest in Kindle.
This weekend another Kindle fan tried to persuade me to buy one for sustainability reasons (“Save the trees!”) My friend is wildly enthusiastic about her Kindle 2, and enjoys the smaller size because she can just throw it in her purse. Knowing what I spend on books, she’s been encouraging me to buy a Kindle for several years. It would be great for business travel, she says, or while waiting for appointments.
For professional reasons I’ve been waiting for the larger format as well as robust support for PDF, given the need to read or search business documents in PDF format. For me the question is, is the DX good enough or should I keep waiting for a next gen model?
Unanswered Questions
I’m intrigued but still see some potential deal breakers with today’s DX model… Checking the user reviews leaves me with some unanswered questions:
- Does Amazon ever issue firmware updates to resolve software problems?
- Does the battery wear out over time and need replacement – or is your only option to buy a new device?
- Do they plan to add folder support to help people manage the assets they acquire over time – or will this be available only on future devices?
- If you hate it or find that it just doesn’t meet your needs, will Amazon take it back and refund your money?
Is This a Transaction or a Relationship?
My experience with the iPhone makes me a firm believer in the mandate for portable device manufacturers to fix identified glitches in their software via periodic firmware updates. Apple has routinely addressed problems and improved the iPhone’s usability via firmware updates. (This is one reason why I’m so delighted with my iPhone.) Other consumer electronics device companies – like Amazon – should follow Apple’s example.
There’s no evidence in the user forums that Amazon has embraced a policy of continuous improvement via firmware updates. This is a big issue, because I know their experience as a device developer and manufacturer is quite limited in comparison to companies like Apple and Sony. A policy of firmware updates would make me more confident in this brand.
Consumer – Not Professional – Support for PDF
From user reviews I see the DX model has lots of problems with its “native PDF” support – issues that Amazon has not yet resolved with a firmware update. (Source: owners’ feedback within the user reviews section of Amazon’s Kindle Store.) Here are the limitations that trouble me:
- No ability to adjust the font size within a PDF document once it’s stored on the Kindle
- Embedded links within a PDF don’t work – this is a static PDF reader…
- Problems storing PDF documents containing spaces in the file name or other character sequences – files get lost?
These limitations with the built-in PDF reader make it hard to justify the Kindle as a business purchase — and its price means it’s hard to justify for personal reasons.
When I think about it as a consumer and regular library patron, the Kindle’s incompatibility with the formats supported by public libraries is another cause for concern (although I understand Amazon’s business reasons for this constraint). And to be honest I love typography and cringe at the fact that I’ll have to live with the limited set of fonts that the Kindle supports.
Reasons to Stall
Net net: I question the value equation in the pricey Kindle DX. Meanwhile my lack of confidence in a 100% money-back guarantee from Amazon (given feedback from disgruntled owners) causes me to continue postponing a purchase decision. Before buying one, I’d have to undergo a trial experience to see if its benefits could motivate me to overlook the feature limitations I already know about. So for now, I’ll keep stalling.
What’s your experience been with Kindle DX’s PDF support? Is it good enough for business requirements?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Have been wondering quite a while with the same issues you listed. Decided to give Amazon a try and placed an order for Kindle DX even though wireless connection is not going to work (in Finland). It will be interesting to see if Kindle DX can really work well enough with PDF as this will be the main use for the device… On the other hand – there is no competition on the market in this price range.
I’ll be interested in hearing your impressions after you’ve had a chance to work with the Kindle DX. Too bad it used CDMA for the wireless connection — not so good for Finland. Please let me know how the PDF works — and if Amazon provides firmware updates when needed.
Thanks — and good luck!