Just got a Kindle DX in my hands about an hour ago and first impressions so far are quiet good. The first thing I did is load up a bunch of technical PDF documents (SDK’s) I have gathering on my desktop. I transferred them onto the Kindle DX via the USB cable and it mounted like an external drive. A simple drag and drop to the documents folder and unmount was all it took. All the PDF’s displayed on the main screen of the Kindle. The problem with the 6″ devices is that PDF support is not very good because of the eInk screen size. Scaling down a PDF makes it unreadable so the 9.7″ eInk display works out very good. Page flipping and search works and so far I’m quite impressed. The cost of the Kindle DX is $489 which is very high compared to the 16gb Apple iPad. I would say the iPad will be a better device to store/read PDF’s as you don’t typically read them from cover to cover. At least I don’t, I typically reference SDK’s so using a iPad would work. The DX or other 9.7″ eInk devices costing $489 (or higher) may not be a viable products once the iPad is released.
Now that’s what I’m talking about! A full 8 1/2″ x 11″ eInk display with Native PDF Reader!
Here are the full details:
- Slim: Just over 1/3 of an inch, as thin as most magazines
- Carry Your Library: Holds up to 3,500 books, periodicals, and documents
- Beautiful Large Display: 9.7″ diagonal e-ink screen reads like real paper; boasts 16 shades of gray for clear text and sharp images
- Auto-Rotating Screen: Display auto-rotates from portrait to landscape as you turn the device so you can view full-width maps, graphs, tables, and Web pages
- Built-In PDF Reader: Native PDF support allows you to carry and read all of your personal and professional documents on the go
- Wireless: 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle DX, anytime, anywhere; no monthly fees, no annual contracts, and no hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots
- Books In Under 60 Seconds: You get free wireless delivery of books in less than 60 seconds; no PC required
- Long Battery Life: Read for days without recharging
- Read-to-Me: With the text-to-speech feature, Kindle DX can read newspapers, magazines, blogs, and books out loud to you, unless the book’s rights holder made the feature unavailable
- Big Selection, Low Prices: Over 275,000 books; New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases are only $9.99, unless marked otherwise
- More Than Books: U.S. and international newspapers including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, magazines including The New Yorker and Time, plus popular blogs, all auto-delivered wirelessly
I just placed my pre-order… once I get it, I’ll post a full review!
LINK: Kindle DX: Amazon’s 9.7″ Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation)