Kindle DX Gets Slated
The e-reader market has yet to take off in earnest in the UK. Folks on this side of the pond have yet to see the launch of Amazon’s Kindle and Sony decided earlier this year that the Brits would have to wait for a 3G version of its e-reader.
Several new models are set to hit our streets over the next few months including the recently announced iRex 3G DR800SG, but recent comment from users in the States suggests that we may not be missing out on very much.
Students at Princeton have been test driving the latest offering from Amazon. The University partnered up with Amazon.com to give each student on a select number of courses a shiny new Kindle DX containing their course material for the semester. This is a larger version of Amazon’s ebook reader with a larger screen designed to make it easier to read journals, newspapers and textbooks.
The idea was part of a paper saving initiative but unfortunately for the online retailer, this scheme seems to have backfired somewhat, with students firing some harsh criticisms in the direction of the e-readers:
“I hate to sound like a Luddite, but this technology is a poor excuse of an academic tool. It’s clunky, slow and a real pain to operate. Much of my learning comes from a physical interaction with the text: bookmarks, highlights, page-tearing, sticky notes and other marks representing the importance of certain passages – not to mention margin notes, where most of my paper ideas come from and interaction with the material occurs. All these things have been lost, and if not lost they’re too slow to keep up with my thinking, and the ‘features’ have been rendered useless.”
Some of those testing the new device were impressed with the screen which they found “easy on the eye”. Among the other complaints listed, however, was the need to charge the Kindle before use, the lack of proper page numbers making academic referencing a nightmare, and the inability to “flip through” as can be done with a traditional textbook.
So, the revolution hasn’t arrived just yet; bookshops can breathe a sigh of relief.
