New model Kindle 4 just arrived at my home!

[techiegirl]

I just received the Kindle 4 today and I'm loving the size. I don't take notes on the Kindle and other than entering the wifi security code, won't be using the keyboard.

[Belle2Be]

Sorry if someone asked, but how are you all getting your K4's already?
EDIT nm, I thought they were both preorder but now I see its just the touch

[Noughty]

A couple questions. I just read in one article that search in kindle searches not only title, author but the whole book. Is that correct? If so, I dread searching for a specific book with a common title. I even have a search program for Vista as it also search in file content, so it's impossible to find a file if you know the name of it.

And just to clarify, you can add the same book to multiple collections (read it in the same article)? Does it create multiple files on Kindle (less books will fit) or no? Also how subcollections work? Or is it just a fancy name without a function? I mean I have a fantasy collection and I want subcollection sci-fi. Both these will show up in the same list or sci-fi collection will be inside fantasy collection which makes it neater?

If there is a thread about collections FAQ point me to it, I'll check it out. Didn't find myself. Even looked at youtube videos and still it shows only adding a few books to one new collection, I want the specifics, multiple collections etc. Like do you really need to go to all book list to remove books from collection? If you have even 300 books on Kindle it would be a pain to go through all that list to find those few books to remove (Can't you just remove books from the list in the collection itself?). I probably will use calibre plug in for collections to create them, I love to do stuff automatically.

And you can't even sort alphabetically book lists/collections? I'd like to have that choice.

It's my birthday today and Kindle is my present, just want to know more about the UI. although might have to wait even till November to actually buy it . Patience ain't my virtue

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Noughty

A couple questions. I just read in one article that search in kindle searches not only title, author but the whole book. Is that correct? If so, I dread searching for a specific book with a common title. I even have a search program for Vista as it also search in file content, so it's impossible to find a file if you know the name of it.

Yes, but it displays titles and authors first in the search results, so they are easy to spot.

More usefully, if you have the home page sorted by title or author, then typing a single letter will take you to the point in the list at which titles or authors with that initial letter start. That's the fastest way to navigate a long list if you know the name.

And just to clarify, you can add the same book to multiple collections (read it in the same article)? Does it create multiple files on Kindle (less books will fit) or no? Also how subcollections work? Or is it just a fancy name without a function? I mean I have a fantasy collection and I want subcollection sci-fi. Both these will show up in the same list or sci-fi collection will be inside fantasy collection which makes it neater?

There are no "sub collections". Collections aren't folders, but tags that are applied to a file. Yes, a single book can a member of multiple collections, but there's still only one copy of the book on the Kindle.

And you can't even sort alphabetically book lists/collections? I'd like to have that choice.

Certainly you can. You can sort the home screen by author, title, collections, or "most recently accessed". You can also, independently of the home screen ordering, sort the contents of collections by author, title, or most recent.

[meme]

Are there any slots on the side of the new K4 - the ones used to anchor and power the lighted Amazon covers on the K3?

I'm wondering if they've used the same mechanism for holding their covers in place. If there aren't slots on the side, do you see anything that would indicate how they are powering the lighted cover?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by meme

Are there any slots on the side of the new K4 - the ones used to anchor and power the lighted Amazon covers on the K3?

I'm wondering if they've used the same mechanism for holding their covers in place. If there aren't slots on the side, do you see anything that would indicate how they are powering the lighted cover?

If it's not powered from the Kindle, there must, logically, be a battery in the cover. That's how the other lighted covers work.

[naypalm]

How is the build quality? Is it flimsy or cheap-feeling like the K3?

[xari]

Originally Posted by naypalm

How is the build quality? Is it flimsy or cheap-feeling like the K3?

I'm not sure what material they used this time, but it looks and feels great!

Very sturdy, yet even lighter than the K3.

[tlrowley]

Originally Posted by HarryT

If it's not powered from the Kindle, there must, logically, be a battery in the cover. That's how the other lighted covers work.

I can't remember where ('cos I've been reading a lot of K4 articles), but I read that the cover is powered by the Kindle through contacts on the back. I assume these are the contacts



I think that if there had been a lighted case for the non-touch K4, I might have picked that up. I use my light (in my K3 lighted-case) almost every time I read, and I would hate to have to give it up.

ETA: the new lighted cover is definitely powered from the Kindle, the product description pages make that clear, I'm just trying to clarify the way the connection is made, now that the hinges are gone.

[HarryT]

Interesting. Thanks!

Originally Posted by meme

Are there any slots on the side of the new K4 - the ones used to anchor and power the lighted Amazon covers on the K3?

I'm wondering if they've used the same mechanism for holding their covers in place. If there aren't slots on the side, do you see anything that would indicate how they are powering the lighted cover?

There are no slots in the side of the K4. I noticed on the Amazon website that the new covers use a plastic saddle-like mechanism to hold the K4 in place. I assume that somehow connects the K4 power to the cover light.

[JSWolf]

Yes, I know the $79 Kindle is the low end of the price scale, but the $99 touch is only $20 more and so much easier to use. So really, why even bother with it? I've seen the Kobo WiFi and it's just as bad.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Yes, I know the $79 Kindle is the low end of the price scale, but the $99 touch is only $20 more and so much easier to use. So really, why even bother with it? I've seen the Kobo WiFi and it's just as bad.

Some of us really like page turn buttons, and aren't particularly bothered about touch screens. The Kindle Touch doesn't have hardware page turn buttons. I think personally that was a mistake.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Yes, I know the $79 Kindle is the low end of the price scale, but the $99 touch is only $20 more and so much easier to use. So really, why even bother with it? I've seen the Kobo WiFi and it's just as bad.

Because everyone has their own favorite way of doing things. Just because you like touchscreens doesn't mean everyone should like touchscreens.

I personally prefer a non-touchscreen. I don't care about fingerprints because they don't show up that much on an eInk, but I don't like the fact that the touch UIs I've seen for eInks are always sluggish due to the nature of eInks being slow to refresh. It makes me feel like I've got a touchscreen attached to an old PC running the 8086 Intel processor! I also don't like having to avoid touching the screen. Often when I set my reader down for a few moments or pick it up again I manage to accidentally touch the screen. With a touchscreen reader this will page back or forward depending on where I touched it. If I hold my touch it might page 10 or more pages. Now I'm stuck with looking for my place in the book. Also a touchscreen can page if clothing or other objects come in contact with it. I've got two cats and they are known to cause many inadvertent page forwards or backwards with their tails alone. And most importantly, I much prefer paging with buttons rather than touching/swiping the screen.

[Barty]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Because everyone has their own favorite way of doing things. Just because you like touchscreens doesn't mean everyone should like touchscreens.

I personally prefer a non-touchscreen. I don't care about fingerprints because they don't show up that much on an eInk, but I don't like the fact that the touch UIs I've seen for eInks are always sluggish due to the nature of eInks being slow to refresh. It makes me feel like I've got a touchscreen attached to an old PC running the 8086 Intel processor! I also don't like having to avoid touching the screen. Often when I set my reader down for a few moments or pick it up again I manage to accidentally touch the screen. With a touchscreen reader this will page back or forward depending on where I touched it. If I hold my touch it might page 10 or more pages. Now I'm stuck with looking for my place in the book. Also a touchscreen can page if clothing or other objects come in contact with it. I've got two cats and they are known to cause many inadvertent page forwards or backwards with their tails alone. And most importantly, I much prefer paging with buttons rather than touching/swiping the screen.

I think that's an excellent point. Touch may make the eink feels even slower, because you're conditioned to expect responsiveness from a touch UI from iThings. It's the uncanny valley. The slow keyboard lowers your expectation so it doesn't feel so frustrating

The non touch appeals to me because it still has the page buttons and is smaller and lighter, but I need audio. Barring an improved eink screen, my ideal ereader would be the touch + page/home/back menu buttons + same size as non touch. Either that or a 7" in same size as current touch.