Sep 27 2009
What’s The Difference Between The Kindle 2 And The Kindle DX EBook Readers
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.
The portable ebook reader market has exploded. New ebook readers are coming out weekly. Companies are competing to come out with the best product imaginable. But Amazon is the leader of the pack with its two ebook readers. If you are in the market for a digital reader, then it would be worth your while to take a look at the Kindle 2 and the Kindle DX. See which one would be right for you.
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 larger screen display on the Kindle DX has the same display characteristics as the Kindle 2 in regards to the use of eInk. The displays still have that feel for real paper. The DX screen measures 9.7″ diagonally, while the Kindle 2′s screen is 6.” The one major difference besides the display screen size is that the DX’s display can be rotated from portrait to landscape just by tilting the reader. This can be an advantage for reading reports or diagrams or for just a more comfortable feel of the reading material
The Kindle DX has integrated PDF support built in. Pdf files can be downloaded directly to the reader. This is not the case for the Kindle 2 where PDF files must be converted. To do this the files must be sent to Amazon support via email. They can convert the files for a small fee. Also the DX has about double the storage capability of the Kindle 2. The DX has 4GB to Kindle 2′s 2GB. But the most important determining factor is of course the price. The smaller Kindle 2 goes for $359 while the Kindle DX is $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.