Kindle DX - How Does It Measure Up?
The latest in Amazon’s Kindle ebook reader family - the DX was announced in early May, just a few weeks after the launch of the Kindle 2 in February. Ever since then Kindle owners and potential owners have been speculating about just how big the changes and enhancements in the DX when compared with the Kindle 2 really were. If you’re an existing Kindle owner or if you’re an avid reader wondering which of the two devices would be the best for your needs, then check out the comparison below:
Display
The Kindle DX has a 9.7" screen (measured from corner to corner) - which is two and a half times bigger than the Kindle 2's 6" screen. Apart from the obvious size advantage, the DX screen has an auto-rotate feature which allows you to switch from the standard portrait mode to landscape mode simply by rotating the device. This makes the DX better for reading newspapers, magazines and other text which contains graphics.
Overall Device SizeThe DX has overall dimensions of 10.4″ X 7.2″ X 0.38" and weighs 18.9 ounces. The Kindle 2 has external dimensions of 8" X 5.3″ X 0.36″ and a weight of 10.2 ounces. So, although the Kindle DX certainly isn't too cumbersome to carry around, the Kindle 2 is the more portable of the two readers.
On Board Memory Storage Capacity
The DX has 4 GB of internal memory - which equates to storage for approximately 3,500 books. The Kindle 2 has 2GB of storage, sufficient for around 1,500 books - not too bad, and enough to keep most people supplied with reading matter for a long while, but still some way short of the DX.
PDF Support
The Kindle 2 can read pdf files - but only after you e-mailed them to Amazon for conversion. There is a fee associated - although this is really quite small - for the conversion. All in all, a bit of a hassle. However, the DX has pdf support built in so you can simply load up your pdf files and read them with no translation, no fee and no hassle.
Price
The Kindle 2 is currently available for $359. When the DX ships on June 10th it will cost you $489. It's no great surprise that the price is higher than the Kindle 2, the larger display is one of the most expensive items in the device - so a higher price is perfectly logical. If you compare the DX's $489 ticket price with the $859 of the iRex Illiad - a similar 10" ebook reader - the DX doesn't look quite so expensive anymore.
Final Analysis
Although the Kindle 2 is relatively new, and was itself a big step forward in comparison with the original Kindle, the DX offers significant further enhancements. The larger display and the facility to handle pdf files is probably enough to justify you spending a little more - especially when you consider the price of other similarly sized ebook readers on the market. Unless Amazon lower the price of the Kindle 2 after the launch of the DX, pick the DX option.