So much for Amazon's
attempts to quell Kindle 2 rumors, eh? Talk of a replacement (or a
pair of replacements) for Amazon's popular -- but very oddly-styled -- e-reader has been in the mix seemingly since the first model started shipping, and Boy Genius Report has scored shots of something that certainly looks like it could be in the legitimate pipeline. The revised device appears to address complaints over the original's look head-on, rounding the corners and ditching the oddball angles; the scroll wheel has been replaced with a joystick, the SD slot is gone (don't worry, there's at least a gig and a half on-board), and around back, we have grills that seem to suggest integrated stereo speakers. The display is basically the same size -- no color here yet, sorry -- so unless the sharp edges on your first-gen piece are driving you batty, it looks like this could be safely skipped by current owners while roping in new buyers who wouldn't have considered it before. Thing is, was ditching the scroll wheel and that trick mirrored bar in favor of a joystick really the right way to go?
posted Oct 3rd 2008 9:06PM
If this REALLY is the Kindle 2, then it appears Amazon still needs a little help in the asthetics department.
I do like it a bit better, though.
its a kindle in the wild!
I find that I agree with the author on this one. besides the asthetics, this is a step back in functionality!
No expandable memory? Screen isn't any bigger?
Maybe there's a faster refresh time, but that doesn't compensate for the loss of function. I'm glad that i chose to get the first generation kindle.
finally, the joystick as a control scheme? They should have learned their lesson from Sony! No matter how fast therefresh rate is, it isn't worth waiting just to see your selection change. I like the instant change lcd strip of the original kindle.
My two cents.
bit better?
It's bigger without a bigger screen and typing looks even harder because keys are cramped
I'm sorry if I come out as rude Patrick, but unless I am missing somthing, that had to be the most pointless reply to a first comment I have ever seen.
Now go play with your old-fashioned books.
A wild Kindle appeared!
I choose: RUN
Amazon, you're KILLING me here. I ordered a Kindle last year and promptly returned it, waiting for a more polished interface and a better design. Well, it looks like you've gone and mucked it up again.
1. Why devote even MORE space to a keyboard? When I had my Kindle, I hardly *ever* used the keyboard. I thought I would use it for web browsing but I hardly ever used my Kindle to browse the web because the interface was bad and the e-Ink refresh rate was way too slow for comfortable browsing. So, unless you've completely revamped the Web access to make the experience at least as pleasing as surfing on a Blackberry, the extra space for a generally superfluous keyboard simply makes no sense.
2. Why continue to make the bezel white? I know Bezos likes the white bezel because he thinks it "disappears" as you get lost in the text, but I just think it makes the already gray e-Ink screen look even darker in comparison. Use a dark gray, metal, or black bezel to make the e-Ink screen pop.
3. Where is the BACKLIGHT? That was my other complaint about the Kindle: For all the all the talk about how neat e-Ink is, the it was really tough to see in anything less than direct bright light. Newspapers and books are perfectly readable in indirect dim light, but e-Ink is not. It has to be directly under a light source. Your stop-gap measure seemed to be selling a clip-on light as a "recommended accessory." But there is absolutely no excuse to leave a backlight out of the 2nd gen Kindle -- or at the very least, a built-in light at the top of the screen that can flip out or something.
Please look at the Sony e-readers and try to understand what makes a compelling design. The problem with Sony is that their design is great but their selection is limited. The problem with Amazon is that your selection is great but your design remains 10-20 years behind the times. Oh how I long for a Sony-Amazon hybrid -- something with Sony's sense of style that can access the Kindle selection. Looks like it's not to be.
Please try harder for version 3.
A-fu*king-men.
No kidding!
Screen is still way too small, and the bezel is actually LARGER?? The plastic bezel on all the sides needs to be reduced by at LEAST 75%. God, this is just as bad as the first one! Why don't they just do a joint deal with Sony? At least sony has some decent japanese industrial designers...
I like a lot about the first Kindle, but the thing that drove us all COMPLETELY NUTS was the page buttons on the edge. There was no comfortable way to hold it without accidentally changing the page!
I sure wish they would have fixed this. All they had to do is watch someone try to use and notice how many times you made this mistake!
Cole
It's so futuristic it looks like a prop from "Space 1999."
It looks like they 'Apple'd' it. It's got the same curves as the Air.
Besides the needed rounding of sharp edges.. to me the old kindle looks better.
note: I said looks better, not looks good.
@Matt
Backlighting is physical impossible with eInk. (It'd be like shining a light through a painting. Some of the light might pass though microscopic gaps, but it won't make it viewable.)
am I the ony person that think these are pretty fugly. How hard to include style
Google is mocking me. It's showing engadget as 'Podcasts on Engadget'. Sigh...
@Thi - yeah, those things are hideous. It looks like something out of the 80's and we all know that in terms of style that wasn't the best decade.
If you ask me I really like the look of that PRS-700 that we got a glimpse of a few days ago. That thing is sexy. Why aren't we talking more about that?
Still Fugly!! Looks like the one introduced via the Plastic one is still the way to go.
Looks better, but where is the black model?
Why so gigantic?...
Wouldn't center bottom mounted chargers make no sense since it would be impossible to 'kindle' it in your lap while charging?
kin·dle 1 (kndl)
v. kin·dled, kin·dling, kin·dles
v.tr.
1.
a. To build or fuel (a fire).
b. To set fire to; ignite.
2. To cause to glow; light up: The sunset kindled the skies.
3. To arouse (an emotion, for example): "No spark had yet kindled in him an intellectual passion" George Eliot.
v.intr.
1. To catch fire; burst into flame.
2. To become bright; glow.
3. To become inflamed.
4. To be stirred up; rise.
Yes I guess a bottom mounted charger would make it difficult to set fire to it while it was in your lap. Ironically you can read a dictionary on the device.
Wouldn't it be easier to scroll with a wheel then a that joystick pad?
sorry, but that's not less ugly, it's more ugly.
I don't have a Kindle yet, but I think the first version is still more appealing to a potential buy like me. Reasons below:
1. I don't think navigating with the joystick will be as pleasing as the scroll wheel on e-books because e-ink is slow in refreshing and I think it'll be harder to click something, say, at the bottom of the page than to scroll to the bottom with the mirrored bar. Seems to me, the mirrored bar is a nice feature to have on the first kindle. I think the only reason they go with the joystick on kindle2 maybe they are coming out with some webbrowsing feature that was in beta on kindle1.
2. Although kindle1 is weirdly shaped, I think it look more ergonomic to hold in one hand vs the kindle2. I think if Amazon fix the large page flip button so people don't click it by accident will be enough. They don't have to come out with a new shape because the current kindle looks fine to me.
3. The kindle2 no longer have grips in its back, so people with sweaty hands might have a tough time holding it for long period reading. And from the back, it basically looks like a huge flat ipod with the metallic back....
4. I think stereo speakers are useless on a reading device because I'd get a compact mp3 player to do audiobooks and music...
Also the first one has an edge, perfect for cake cutting.
Making it larger = FAIL.
Its not that bad, quit bitching.
First the Iliad and now this, well at least if I get me one of these there is no worries of it being pinched.
(crosses finger for an attractive FLEPia)
Dear Amazon,
For the love of god, hire better product designers, please. The Kindle 1 sucked big time, and the new one seems to follow the same stupid and absolutely lame style and unbelievably bricked mentality. I really believe that you have to change the placement of the main and important buttons, of course I'm talking about the next and back keys; they are simply wrongly placed, and any normal person who holds this thing will accidentally press one of the 4 buttons you are adding to the Kindle 2, it is a simple fact that your team seems to ignore like a kid designing their first science project and asking their mom to leave them alone! And talk about waste of space! Look at that screen! why don't you just a portable screen instead? it will give more white spaces so that your product design team can enjoy every bit of it! it's like they are in love with wide views of white uselessness!
I really believe in you and will support you guys, but not with the Kindle 1 nor the 2nd edition.
If god had a hell for products, the Kindle will be seen a lot.
Yours,
Someone who cares about Amazon.
Dear Amazon,
Here is roughly what an ebook reader should look like: http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/02/sony-announces-prs-700-reader/
Yours,
Someone with eyes.
Dear Amazon,
Please consider Wolfticket's request.
Yours,
Someone with some freaking common sense.
It's just ridiculous... How hard can it possibly be to make a decent looking ebook? I can guarantee that Amazon just hired some bargain-basement chinese original design manufacturer without a freaking clue. Let me offer them some help..
HOW TO MAKE A SUCCESSFUL KINDLE:
1) Create a dark-grey, aluminum shell roughly 9" H x 6" W x 0.5"
2) Put a 7" x 5" E-ink display on it, leaving roughly 1/2" bezel on the top and both sides for buttons. 1.5" bezel on bottom for small keypad placement.
3) Fill with logic components and battery
Dear loosely_coupled,
You have completely butchered the concept of Saad Rabia's comment and its replies. If you are going to reply, please reply accordingly to the rules set by the other parts of Saad Rabia's comment and its replies.
Yours,
Somebody with half a brain.
Dear Commenters (including me),
Is it just me or is the open letter format getting a bit old already?
Yours,
Mr Hip O'Crit
Bunch of idiots cant even design a simple product such as an ebook.
Amazon, seriously. Did anyone complain about the scrollwheel?? Why take that away? I thought everyone loved that. It was one of the things functioning perfectly on the device. One of the big pains was having the damn buttons along damn near the entire side of both sides of the device, causing them accidentally get pressed while reading.
I do like the look of the back however. Looks like they went with the same texture of the back of the original iPhone that Apple unfortunately dropped when they changed to plastic in the iPhone 3G. I don't know. We'll see.
A ton of blank white space....
especially down near the keyboard
Hopefully the Kindle 2 will not be bundled with a leather cover as the first one was. Everyone I know would not buy the device if it does come bundled again.
Whats wrong with covers? Don't complain.
Ross: he or she's vegan, so a leather cover would just be bad, that is all.
The next one hopefully has leather hand grips built in! Yay cows!
Sorry, but the cover that comes with the Kindle is not leather. It is a synthetic product.
@Tagbert.
Don't be sorry :)
FYI PC World, Gizmodo and other reviews stated that it was leather. But perhaps you are right, I never did email Amazon sales to confirm, as the design of the device wasn't very tempting anyway.
I hope many cows die to bring us kindles bundled with leather.
Woah! I seriously did not think that the Kindle could get any uglier! I was wrong.
Seriously WTF? Why keep including a keyboard on a reader? I want one on my iPhone, but I definitely don't want one on an eBook reader. A touchscreen keyboard is perfect for the limited use of typing out the occasional title... Get rid of the keyboard Amazon.
At first, I was like whuh? For an E-ink display? But, you're kind of right actually. I hadn't thought of that. Apparently the technology is available to do that, so indeed it's probably possible. Wonder if they've thought of doing that.
@Spyrus - Dude they already did. The PRS-700 that Sony just announced has a touchscreen. Very cool. Check it out.
Someone told me the other day books now come in colour. CRAZY FOOL!!!!!!!!!
"A wild Kindle appears."
No color. No sale.
Personally, I like the keyboard, and I hate touchscreen keyboards because they take up screen real-estate. However, on a device which is meant for people who read novels, a touchscreen makes sense, since you don't need to type often.
However, if you make an A4-sized Kindle, and you want to make notes on a PDF you're viewing, a physical keyboard is better because unlike a touchscreen, a physical keyboard would allow you to view the entire document on the screen without rescaling the size of the document itself, or chopping off part of the document to make room for the keyboard.
Oh, and how did they take the same device, but make it bigger? Why Amazon, why?
What a hunk of junk. I hate joysticks, love the scroll bar and love the way my Kindle fits in my hand. So glad I bought when I did!
Let me weigh in here:
I am a first generation Kindle owner and it is nearly perfect. The only things i might request are a smaller next button on the right side and a faster refresh rate. The shape now might look weird but feels great in hand and the grip on the back is essential. I have read 3 books this month on my Kindle whereas i probably read
Is it a joystick, or a dpad? Nokia's evolution of phones has shown that dpads are MUCH better than joysticks.
I'd also ditch the keyboard. There are enough thumb sized USB keyboards and such, that I'd have just put a micro-USB slot on it, and gone from there. The dpad could help with inputting text for searching for ebooks if you needed that. Or you could put a touch screen interface over the e-ink screen, which could handle scrolling, virtual keyboard (which I mostly hate, but for this device it's probably good enough). Then you'd be able to either make the device smaller, or the screen larger.
In fact, that's probably what I'd do: micro-USB-host for keyboard and maybe mouse/trackpad for when you're at your desk and/or have a USB thumb keyboard (maybe bluetooth for HID and FTP), touch screen for finger navigation and virtual keyboard input when you're not at your desk. Add USB card reader support, and you could use that for extra storage and swapping content between the kindle and an SD card.
looks fake to me, especially in the display area. it's skewed at the bottom and the text on the screen is fuzzier than everything else in the photo.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the problem with touchscreen is that the device is always "on", while with the Kindle and e-ink, you don't really waste battery power unless you flip pages. See, that's the part I don't mind. I'd rather have that than touchscreen.
Well then, they should just have a switch that turns the touch-screen on and off.
Such as with the iRex Iliad, to turn on the touch-screen function, you simply take out the stylus from the stylus holder port.
I really hope the Kindle 2 has a touch-screen for annotations and for a better more user-friendly interface.
Well... If it is real, at least people can't complain that there is no where to hold it. :|
All of my paper books show two pages at a time. Kindle and Sony e-books both look like half-books to me. I want an electronic book, not an electronic half-book. The first outfit to bring out an electronic book with decent functionality will win my purchase. And it does not have to have wireless functionality. If every outfit keeps pumping out half-book trash, I will eventually get bored and give up even considering this possible change of medium for my reading.
"Let's look, first, at who attended. Along with the press were representatives of Harlequin, Penguin, Random House, Hachette and Harper Collins. What does that tell you?"
"In addition, Steve Haber, President of Sony's Digital Reading Business Division, reported that there will be a major update to their ebook store by the end of October, including a better look and a vastly improved search function. He said that there are currently about 50,000 books in the store and he is going to have about 100,000 by the holiday season. (Note the publishers I mentioned above.)"
"Last year Sony had about 700 outlets for the Reader, this year they are expecting to have about 3,000 in the holiday season. Further, they have hired 1,000 people to do in-store trials and demos and to introduce the public to the Reader."
"Two further things. The new Reader is fast, fast and faster. Compared to the older Reader and the Kindle it is like a Ferrari vs. a bicycle. It is amazing how quick it is. Also, there is no flicker or "blink" when you change pages. This is a major ergonomic improvement over earlier versions. A representative of E-ink, who makes the screen, was at the event and I cornered him and asked him how Sony accomplished this. He said it was a combination of Sony proprietary technology and some small improvements in the E-ink screen. Primarily, he said, this is a result of Sony's expertise in writing an optimized driver and in designing the display chip and optimizing timing issues. This, I would guess, is going to be extremely difficult for competitors to do for themselves."
"Finally, there will be a wireless version. Steve said this is down the road because they want to launch wireless on a open platform. That is one that will have different bookstores and book suppliers, not just the Sony store. This will take a bit of time to set up. No target date was given."
http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/10/03/new-sony-reader-and-a-renewed-commitment/
I woulden't mind getting one of these, these are really cool! we actully have one of these at school and I got to mess with it first hand and its really awesome!
Add one more for the people who like the old one better.
Looks like a Giant Palm Z22...
For the life of me, I cannot believe that this is a Frog design, what a way to kill my excitement for their next generation e-reader! At least there are choices : )
Kindle? - isn't it some sort of firewood - seriously - I have yet to see anyone with one of these useless pieces of plastic used by anyone - ever hear of reading from a book - smelling and getting high from fresh ink - bookcases .... what will you first adopters ever do when the grid goes down and there is no electricity to charge your book.- baaaaah. There are somethings analog god never intended to be done digital - unless it's diddling with your self
A buy books to read them, not smell them. And unless the power is out for like a week, that's not going to be an issue on a device like this.
prefer the look and feel of the old one: it's a good size (larger is not better) and frankly I never have any problems with the buttons. My real concern is the software: does the bloody thing have bookshelves yet? I've got so many books on my kindle (and expansion card) it's not funny, and paging through all of that is just awful. And it looks like they're doing away with the sturdy book-cover with 2.0 :-/ Definitely feels more like a downgrade/side-grade than an upgrade.
As to "why larger buttons"...look at the median age of the owners: 46. That means they have a lot of older folks using them who likely have a hard time typing on the original model
I'll echo the desire for something other than white though.
I guess I'm just amazed that after Frog Designs bashed the first generation kindle on its poor design etc, they turn around and give us this POS, come on now, even the case looks like a big leather (synthetic) condom.
looks terrible... they should hire someone from apple's design department , and put all the creative team behind this horrible design to learn a litle. why so much plastic ?? that huge and ugly keyboard ? LOOK the size of this thing, i would never carry that with me, a pocket book is smaller and more light than that.
I like much about the first Kindle, but a problem that the entire family had was accidentally turning the page because the page buttons were on the edge of the device. There's no easy way to hold it without accidentally hitting the buttons!
I wish they would have fixed this. I spend so much time correcting my page mistake.
Cole
Just hold the device by the keyboard. For the most part these keys don't do anything while you're reading.
looks a little better but with that bezel....gosh.....i want bigger screen size.
All things beside, who would want to be seen using one of these?
laptop, phone ,mp3 gadgets galore, ect,ect. All acceptable. But this kindle is just totally uncool.
Fugly 2.0
No external storage. No ability to put unencrypted NON PROPRIETARY content on the device WITHOUT contact with Amazon.
NO SALE. Period.
I want SD card support and I want Minimum OPEN format support open as in non proprietary.
PDF RTF TXT MINIMUM with pdb doc being nice but not required extra's
The Kindle supports txt, and most other formats can very easily be converted to Mobi.
TUAW Report: More e-book readers on iPhone (using Stanza app) than no. of Kindles sold !!!
Take that Amazon !!!!
Except it doesn't tell you how many books are actually being read on the iPhone. And considering that the reader software doesn't support DRM, most users might only be using it as a document reader.
ereader sw works on iphone and supports drm
Okay, but Stanza doesn't. And that's the specific iPhone app that has supposedly outpaced the Kindle.
Is it me or does anyone think this thing just looks like a giant glorified calculator? A cheap calculator at that.
THIS is was an e-reader should look like.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/16/bookeen-set-to-release-new-cybook-e-ink-reader/
I hope this is a fake, or a really rough mock up. I suggested everyone bitching at Amazon wait till it is at least officially shown off I don't trust these kind of photos till they come from a reputable source.
I have the current Kindle and for the most part I am happy with it. The next button does get occasionally hit when you hold it wrong, but for just reading the device is otherwise fine. This thing however looks like the current Kindle shoved inside an ipod looking case. The extra space around the screen would actually be handy for holding it, so I could see how they would want to do that. But the keyboard looks worse. There is no place in the middle to put your thumb when you are holding it from the bottom like the current one.
I guess we have to wait and see what actually comes from Amazon.
.
backlight is not possible - e-ink displays are opaque - there's a good explanation in wikipedia under "electronic paper"
.
really should be able to charge it up via usb - my kindle went brick a week into a two-week trip - thought i'd be able to recharge without schlepping the charger... wrong, plus it's non-standard and there's no info about voltage or power tip polarity so there was no way to buy one
.
why in the world would they make it larger?
.
Just get the USB Data / Charging Cable for Palm Tungsten E /Zire 31 from eforcity to charge your Kindle.
What a load of crap. By a tablet pc or a notebook.
The battery life on a tablet PC or Laptop won't last anywhere remotely close to as long as the one on a dedicated ebook like this.
Appalling.
I just know that the day after I purchase a Kindle will be the day that Steve Jobs announes Apple entry into the eBook market and it'll likely be one with a color display. With integration into iTunes, Apple would kill Amazon.
It's been widely reported that Apple is working on a table-style device with a 7 to 9 inch screen which stylistically looks a bit like a bigger verison of an iTouch and reminds many of a today version of Apple's past Newton. Many believe this device will mark Apple's official entry into the eBook market. Once Apple works out a deal with book publishers to put books into iTunes, this new device will likely crush the Kindle. Especially since Apple would likely make an official eBook reader app for their iTouch/iPhones, which although not as pleasant to read from as a larger tablet would, would still make their eBooks available to millions of customers on day 1 of their announcement.
In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Apple has an eBook reader ready to be rolled out and are just waiting for Amazon and Sony to prove a successful business model. Why not let the competition pioneer it, until it makes sense to jump in?
Color for right now means no eInk. And without eInk, you lose most of the benefits these devices bring.
I guess this is proof that no one reads technology reviews. The first Kindle was universally panned, despite going for that edgy Klingon iPod look. As the most popular Reader of last year it's no surprise they aren't getting rid of the keyboard - the product's most distinguishing feature. Sure, a bigger screen with an on-screen keyboard would be preferable, but I get the feeling this is just a cosmetic upgrade with few, if any, substantive improvements.
If I were entering this market, I'd be looking to lock up this segment with a small (keyboardless) tablet laptop (or a bigger iTouch) with a combined LCD/eInk display, like OLPC accomplished at a lower resolution.
A wild Kindle appears!
the first kindle looks like a new version of the second one
I molested a sony ebook reader over the weekend and I have to say, the screen flashing when you changed pages was a HUGE minus. It was very distracting. but the form factor was excellent. I just need to find out if it'll read pdf's and if it does I might pick one up.
Technically the Sony one will. However not all PDFs are going to format well on its 6" display.
Perhaps the changes they made will result in a cheaper Kindle. If so, that is really all that matters. While there are plenty of better looking readers, the real question (as it was with Beta/VHS or Playstation/Dreamcast or anything else technical for that matter) is that Content Is King. Great job with that reader, Sony, but your "bookstore" sucks. Amazon's store, like the device or not, is the best one out there and Whispernet is a fabulous idea (being in an airport and getting a new ebook in a minute rocks).
Now, if you're just looking to read PDF's or TXT's or whatnot, then yeah, this isn't for you. But, guess what, it wasn't meant to be either. Those other devices are much better suited for your needs (as might be an iPhone depending on how much reading you're doing).
I wish Kindle looked a little more slick. I wish it was a little better ergonomically. But most of all, I wish it was cheaper. If this new design reduces the price, then my bet is that Amazon accomplished the most important task.
FUCKING uggly.