Kindle Review - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2010, 11:53:25 am
content: Er Dave, .so when are you taking it apart then...?

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2010, 12:28:24 pm
content: Speaking of which, check outof the older models

author: Time
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2010, 02:27:15 pm
content: From what I can tell from my kindle, it might be difficult to get the casing apart without prying, marring, scratching, or breaking.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2010, 02:42:05 pm
content: Quote from: Time on September 02, 2010, 02:27:15 pmYou're just not trying hard enough

author: JohnS_AZ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2010, 04:05:27 pm
content: I just watched the Kindle review ... Great job Dave.Looks like the Kindle/Nook battle is closer than I thought.The Kindle has a superior web browser,but the Nook has a microSD slot.The kindle has a keypad, and the nook has a small color LCD touch display instead.Maybe we can get Barnes & Nobel to send yo a Nook to review.As for me, back when I was shopping, I looked at the Nook, the Kindle, and the iPad, and then bought an Acer Netbook.My wife bought the Nook.

author: XynxNet
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2010, 04:05:33 pm
content: It would be interesting how well the kindle handles ebooks, which are not from amazon. I still use an old PDA as ebook-reader, which is no fun at all. There especially PDF-ebooks can be really nasty with fixed text width, big images, hard newlines, etc.

author: JohnS_AZ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2010, 04:09:49 pm
content: What I'm dying for is an E-ink display in the format of a standard small graphic LCD module.It would seem to be the IDEAL display for an automotive application.

author: Polossatik
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2010, 04:40:47 pm
content: The nook was promising for hackers but theydecide to take countermeasures for rooting it in the latest hardware revision.so watch out if you buy a new one.E_ink is very nice, but the current screens are still on a (hardened) glass substrate (not sure about the kindle 3, but all other are), plastic screens are around the corner, until then really, don't push to hard on that screen.The main pain is the refresh and the small screen size. I had a sony 505 (was a DOA and no new units where then available) and a pocketbook 302 (which I send back for screen issues - a big production run of e_ink screens could not handle sun light) .Both where fine units to read a novel or so, but for most technical pdf's you really need more resolution and screen estate .So, if you are thinking on buying this for "mainly" PDF usage I would really suggest to wait a bit, Pocketbook will come out with a 9" "plastic e-ink" reader and I think they will be a good bet for "hackers" seen they are fairly active in the community onmobileread.comand seams fairly "open" to hackers , they have also a huge fanbase in russia (it's a Russian firm).the 9" will however be more $$$, rumours go around the 350 euro pricepoint.That said I do think i'll get myself a nook (or a kindle), just for reading novels , seen the pricepoint....Ha, and Dave, the weird opening on the side of a kindle3 can beused for accessing serial

author: JohnS_AZ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2010, 06:00:26 pm
content: Man, as if the E-reader market wasn't messy enough ....http://www.ecnmag.com/News/2010/09/Touch-screen,-price-hike-to-cheapest-Sony-e-reader/

author: squeezee
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2010, 08:05:02 pm
content: QuoteIf the price was right they would be great for so many devices, but there aren't really any drop-in equivalent e-ink parts.Althoughhttp://www.kentdisplays.com/makes something similar to an e-ink display, you can get a couple of their GLCDs fromsparkfunbut haven't seen them on digikey or other major distributors.

author: DJPhil
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2010, 01:45:11 am
content: Quote from: polossatik on September 02, 2010, 04:40:47 pmGood call, I'll be looking into this.I've been looking for a good solution for reading around the house and at bedtime for years. I've got a large PDF library that I'd love to be able to use without a laptop, and I've been holding out for something I can tinker with.Edit: I think they've just today announced the products you've mentioned ->http://www.pocketbook-usa.com/news/press/56

author: pjkim
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 04, 2010, 04:10:23 am
content: Dave,Really enjoy your show.I am on the fence about the Kindle3-- I think what would help me make up my mind is whether it can display Google maps with traffic. I think this would be a "killer application"-- being able to get real-time traffic information on the road without paying for an expensive data plan. Could you try it out?Peter

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 04, 2010, 09:36:32 am
content: Quote from: pjkim on September 04, 2010, 04:10:23 amGoogle Maps Australia works just fine for me.Don't know about the traffic option.Bit annoying to use without the keypad instead of a mouse, but still usable.Gmail appears to work just fine too.For $189 you basically get a useful portable internet device with (unlimited for now) free 3G access thrown in!Dave.

author: red_kooga
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 04, 2010, 10:11:09 am
content: Hi Dave,Great blog, how well does the kindle display circuits in magazines and ebooks?I tried the sony ereader last year with a nuts & volts pdf and didn't like some of the circuits.i would buy the kindle if circuit diagrams were viewable.Thanks.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 04, 2010, 10:20:57 am
content: Quote from: red_kooga on September 04, 2010, 10:11:09 amIt views PDF's perfectly. Everything I have tried works just fine.Those not correctly formatted for the small 6" screen work with the zoom feature.I can't possibly try every magazine and ebook, sorry, but I'd be very surprised if it can't view them properly.Dave.

author: red_kooga
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 04, 2010, 10:35:50 am
content: Thanks for quick reply, ordering one now.

author: ng
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 10, 2010, 08:29:41 pm
content: Does anyone have high resolution pictures of the Kindle 3 tear-down?I am mostly interested in pictures of the the Freescale CPU, Freescle power management chip and the JTAG connector.Thank you.

author: RayJones
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2010, 10:30:27 pm
content: Not so sure that MP3 player is working properly, on my video it sounded like a garbage truck being unloaded

author: TopherTheME
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2010, 11:56:06 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 04, 2010, 10:20:57 amDoes this include datasheets? I would buy about 5 kindles if they can read datasheets fairly well.

author: TheDirty
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2010, 03:39:45 pm
content: Hey Dave. Regarding the Eject issue. Just got a Kindle of my own and using Win7. I noticed if I eject the device like you did with the system tray it does not work, but if you right click the device in the explorer and select eject, it does work.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2010, 09:12:17 pm
content: Quote from: TopherTheME on September 19, 2010, 11:56:06 pmImage quality is fine but screen size can be a bit limiting. You also only appear to be able to zoom to a few fixed sizes 150/200/300%. It is smart enough to chop out white borders to maximise area.It's also a bit clumsy for flicking through to different secitons of a large PDF - the PDF index does not appear to be available, and it doesn't buffer multiple page-turn clicks well - you have to wait for each page to refresh, even if you've pressed a few more times during refreshI don't know if this gets better if you use Amazon's convert-by-email service to turn them into 'native' Kindle format.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2010, 10:19:55 pm
content: A few more random internal shots hereI took it a bit further apaaart than Dave..

author: Nermash
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2010, 06:46:08 am
content: Man, that is some heavy duty hardware hackingRespect!

author: jpwack
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 17, 2010, 01:53:10 am
content: I know that is rude to bump an old thread but...I'm saving money to buy this as a time and trees saver, in my work I'm forced to print out 25 or more pages of schematics and datasheets almost every day, plus running from and to my PC to look up on things. Sadly there has been a lot of reports of faulty units and freezes in the Amazon site, have any of you had any problems with yours Kindle 3s?best regardsPS: I live on Chile, so I'm guessing that the shipping time would be in weeks in case of having to return the Kindle.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 17, 2010, 02:35:27 am
content: Quote from: jpwack on November 17, 2010, 01:53:10 amwhy?

author: jpwack
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 17, 2010, 03:23:47 am
content: Quote from: shafri on November 17, 2010, 02:35:27 amDon't know why mate, but I was bitched about it many times in many other forums.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 17, 2010, 06:34:48 am
content: Quote from: jpwack on November 17, 2010, 03:23:47 amno worry mate, thats never happened here afaik. and i see no harm in that (infact i'll prefer it that way) as long as it is ontopic. Kindle review? ask Dave, i dont have a. sorry.

author: armandas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 17, 2010, 11:04:48 am
content: Quote from: jpwack on November 17, 2010, 01:53:10 amIf you're going to use the Kindle for reading schematics and datasheets, consider saving up for Kindle DX. Kindle 3 screen is 6", so you'll have to zoom and pan to be able to read something. SeeMike's postabove.

author: rr100
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2010, 06:53:28 am
content: I have Kindle 3 and for me it's almost useless for documentation PDFs. It is acceptable only in very rare cases; basically once you need to zoom it's a pain. It does display all PDFs I have so I can look up something if I really want it but for "real life" forget it.In the end you need something bigger and with more pixels, Kindle DX maybe, a netbook (maybe one that is also a tablet, there were some from Asus, Lenovo), one of the bigger tablets or anything similar.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2010, 11:56:50 am
content: If you'all just wait, many 8x11" ereaders have been shown, but none yet I've seen in the market.Its a start, because its the same size as many journals and the minimum I'd use for schematics.Further a new generation of screens are fully flexible, so you can roll them up for storage.I think most of what's available now are good to replace pocketbook size reading, but limited for technical use.

author: allanw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2010, 12:28:21 pm
content: Sounds like an iPad is more what you want. Or just a netbook.

author: jpwack
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2010, 01:36:56 am
content: Quote from: armandas on November 17, 2010, 11:04:48 amI thought that, I keep saying myself that I'll use it sideways, nevertheless I'll save up to 400 USD in a couple of months and see what's on the market then.Quote from: rr100 on November 18, 2010, 06:53:28 amI have craved Asus EEE line for many years now, I'll keep saving moneyQuote from: saturation on November 18, 2010, 11:56:50 amThanx for your answer!, I'll keep saving money thenQuote from: allanw on November 18, 2010, 12:28:21 pmThe iPad is just too expensive (my current laptop cost me 300 USD two years ago, is a second hand 2006ish mid range 14.1''), a Netbook may be an alternative, I don't care if it only has a dozen gigabytes if they're in SSD.

author: DavidDLC
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2010, 02:29:05 am
content: Well, I just went and picked up one from Best Buy, sorry Dave I didn't get it from Amazon.com because if I can have it right after pay I always prefer that.I haven't opened yet, but I want to save some time and may I ask if you need to something special to download pdfs ?

author: armandas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2010, 11:13:29 am
content: Kindle supports PDF out of the box, but most of them won't be formatted for Kindle's screen. Amazon offers an email conversion service, but it took more than a day for them to email me the thing and that was the last time I used it.Luckily, there is a free mobi creator, which works very well:http://www.mobipocket.com/en/downloadsoft/ProductDetailsCreator.asp

author: TheDirty
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2010, 02:58:36 pm
content: Use Calibre e-book manager.http://calibre-ebook.com/

author: DavidDLC
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2010, 05:24:21 pm
content: Good to hear that guys, I will try them when I'm back at home.

author: armandas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2010, 06:31:35 pm
content: Quote from: TheDirty on December 08, 2010, 02:58:36 pmYeah, it was my first try, since I use Ubuntu. Their PDF parser is pretty useless though.

author: TheDirty
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2010, 06:34:35 pm
content: Quote from: armandas on December 08, 2010, 06:31:35 pmThanks, I have not converted anything from PDF, yet. I'll give mobipocket a try when I do.