Kindle DX Reviews: Another Success For Amazon

The Kindle DX reviews are finally in and it seems like Amazon has another success on their hands.
The DX is a bigger, more feature rich version of the sleek and recently released Kindle 2.

Here’s what some of the hands on reviews had to say about the Kindle DX.

Wired:

Despite the few hardware shortcomings, the DX is still a superior reader to the Kindle 2. The larger display is even easier on the eyes — a good form for newspapers and textbooks. My reluctance in the success of the device lies in its $490 price tag. In the current state of our economy, we’re doubtful that most consumers and students will pay this hefty amount for an e-book reader, only to have to spend even more on content. And a real blow to digital distribution is students can’t sell back their textbooks like they would with physical books at their university bookstore. Also, they can’t buy books “used.”

CNet.com

Up till now we’ve been talking about the Kindle DX without any regard to price, but obviously its high price tag is one of its biggest shortcomings, and that may limit its appeal in the early going. We do expect that Amazon will figure out a way to subsidize the cost of the device for the one audience it hopes to reach in large numbers: college students. But for the average consumer, $540 (if you include the cost of an optional protective cover, which we actually consider a must-have) is a lot to spend for an e-reader that can easily break if dropped

That said, there’s undoubtedly a certain segment of buyers out there who won’t mind spending this kind of money on a large format e-reader that offers the core simple-to-use Kindle experience, plus a couple of new features. This reviewer would prefer to carry around the smaller and less expensive Kindle 2, but to some, bigger will always be better–price be damned.

The Examiner:

The Kindle holds a huge amount of promise for textbook users, this is unrealized as of yet, but was talked about at some length (and covered by me) during the Kindle DX announcement. Time will tell if the textbook publishers will take advantage of this wonderful platform and save the backs of students that have to lug many pounds of books from class to class.

What I really like about the Kindle DX is less page turning, better graphics, PDF’s that work seamlessly and increased memory to keep more materials on the device. I guess I really enjoy having a big, sharp screen to read from too.

Some of the key differences of the Kindle DX compared to its younger brother are:

Size and Weight:

Kindle DX is roughly 2.5 times the size of the Kindle 2 and weighs in at 18.9 ounces compared to the 10.2 ounces of the Kindle 2. The bigger real estate (9.7”) on the device is targeting those who read textbooks and need to view pictures in those books (Biology and Psychology texts for example).

(Hey there big bro!)

PDF:

The Kindle 2 didn’t recognize PDF files and in order to read them had to be converted into the Kindle format. The other option was to email it to the Kindle with a special Kindle email, which cost 15 cents per document. The DX now allows PDF format, saving time, energy and money.

Buttons:

The buttons on the DX are now oval compared to the round buttons on the Kindle 2. Also, there aren’t any buttons on the left side of the Kindle DX. The Kindle 2 had two buttons, “next page” and “previous page”.

Price:

This is what may turn many away from the Kindle DX. The DX costs $489.00 with free shipping from Amazon compared to $359 for the Kindle 2.

If you’re a gadget junkie, the price will not hold you back from at least giving the Kindle DX a try but for the common folks, it’s too steep for a reading device even if it does look awesome.