Your Guide To Books

When The Kindle ebook reader by Amazon came out several years ago, few of us had ever heard of digital book readers. At that time several companies had some kind of electrical reading device out on the market, but because of format or functionality problems they had not made any kind of impact. The Kindle reader was different. It was an instant hit. Amazon was quick to react to the markets needs and quickly responded by releasing an improved versions, the Kindle 2 and seven months later the Kindle DX.

Today’s digital reader market is quickly getting crowded. Just about everyday new readers, with fancy new options, are being unveiled. But everyone is playing catchup with Amazon and their two latest Kindle versions. So if you are thinking of buying a Kindle, which would be the right one for you - the Kindle 2 or the Kindle DX? Here is a quick comparison of the two models to help you get the wheels turning in the right direction.

In comparing the two Kindle models, the Kindle DX is the larger of the two. As a matter of fact the DX is the largest ebook reader on the market right now. It measures 10.4″ in height x 7.2″ in width x .38″ in width. Amazon, with its forward thinking, designed the DX to be able to accommodate textbook content as well as for the better reading of newspapers and magazines. The Kindle 2, which measures 8″ x 5.3″ x .36″ respectfully, was meant it to handle smaller formatted material such as handbooks and novels. The Kindle 2 is much easier to handle and can fit into any carry bag or purse.

The use of eInk technology is incorporated in both the Kindle 2 and the Kindle DX. EInk technology was created by the E Ink Corporation for viewing written content from a display screen as if it was actually being read from real paper. Measured diagonally the Kindle DX’s screen is 9.7″ versus the Kindle 2’s 6″ screen. The screen display on the DX rotates from portrait to landscape for a better reading experience. This can come in handy when viewing diagrams, graphs or reports.

The Kindle DX has twice the amount of storage space compared to the Kindle 2. The DX has 4GB to 2GB on the Kindle 2. The DX also has built in integrated PDF support which means that PDF files can be downloaded right to the device. Where as on the Kindle 2 PDF files must be converted. For a small fee, one would have to send the files to Amazon support for conversion. By far probably the most important comparable factor of the two Amazon devices is their price. The Kindle 2 is $359 and the Kindle DX goes for $489.

The prices on both Kindles are high. One can find cheaper ebook readers. Sony just came out with three new models that under cut Kindle 2’s price. But none can compare to Amazon’s Kindles. There is nothing out on the market today with the features of the Kindle DX. As the ebook reader market grows, there will be new models with more options. And prices will have to come down. No matter what, if you’re looking for a digital reader you will have to decide on which one is the right one for you.