Amazon Kindle Voyage review – Times of India

NEW DELHI: E-readers are niche devices and Amazon’s Kindle Voyage is probably as niche as it gets here in this category. Priced at Rs 16.499 for the Wi-Fi version and Rs 21,499 for the 3G + Wi-Fi version, this e-reader is more expensive than many decent tablets in the market (for context, iPad mini 2 costs Rs 21.999).

So, what does the new Kindle Voyage HAS That makes it Such an expensive e-reader, especial since the Kindle Paperwhite can be Purchased for Rs 10,999. Even more important: does this e-reader deserve Such a high price tag? We’ll find out in our review … Amazon Kindle Voyage
design
The most striking thing about Kindle Voyage notes design. Gone is the chunky and boxy design or Kindle Paperwhite, Replaced By An edgy and angular look on the back and an overall narrower profile. The new Kindle Voyage is the thinnest and lightest Amazon e-reader at 7.6mm and 188gram (3G + Wi-Fi model), respectively.

The front panel Has The 6-inch E-Ink screen Carta, with thick bezels on all sides. On the left and right side of the screen are the new Press Page buttons,-which we will Discuss in the Software segment. The Kindle logo below the screen, while the top is optional.

Though Kindle Voyage is the most portable e-reader you can find in India today, its thick bezels on the top and bottom of the screen make it bigger than it needs to be

The back is made of magnesium and Has Two types of finishes:. while the rear casing is dominated by soft rubbery finish you haveseen Nexus 5 and 7, the top portion is made of glossy plastic. The back panel is a fingerprint magnet, and you would be hard pressed to clean the smudges too. On the back panel, the Amazon branding is in the center, flanked by the Power button on the left.
Display

The 6-inch display Kindle or Voyage HAS 300ppi pixel density, twice or That Kindle Paperwhite. This Means you get much sharper text and images. We Compared the two e-readers’ screens and found thatthere is a noticeable clarity between how the text Appears on the display panel. Also, there is no fuzziness That You Usually associate with an E-ink display.

ook opened a graphic novel on the Kindle Voyage and found it to be the best in terms of showing details, something you can eat Actually miss on previous generations or Kindles.

Amazon Says It has used reinforced glass to ensure That the screen remains and devoid of scratches. We tried to scratch the keys with keys, fortunately, to no avail.

The new Kindle Voyage ook Reduces glare, Amazon claims, as the glass is Chemically micro-etched. HOWEVER, we found That the level of glare in the new e-reader is not much lower Compared to Kindle Paperwhite’s.

The display Kindle or Voyage Also has ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the lighting-which. HOWEVER, claustrophobia because, you can change brightness levels manually with the on-screen button.

One major problem associated with E-ink displays is the slow response time to touch input, something that’s still not fixed Voyage on Kindle eventhough it is faster than previous models.
Software

Amazon Kindle Voyage’s biggest new feature is Page Press, a set of buttons on the sides of the screen . Page Press lets you turn the pages on the e-reader by just pressing the button requisite; hit the vertical lines to flip the page, push the dot to go back.

This feature HAS BEEN Kindle demanded by buyers for long, and works pretty well. Though we found ourselves turning the pages via the touchscreen in the initial few hours of using Kindle Voyage Eventually we did get used to the Page Press buttons.

Another new feature is PageFlow; from the middle of the screen, you need to swipe from the bottom to top-which lets you move between chapters. The X-Ray feature, Which Provides details or important characters and places in the books you read, is present on the Kindle Voyage.

Amazon Kindle Voyage Also has Goodreads, Facebook and Twitter integration

Reading on the screen is great in the few hours we used the device, as the images and text Appear extremely crisp and you will not miss any details. HOWEVER, the automatic brightness adjustment works well, but not fast enough.
What we think
Kindle Voyage is a fantastic e-reader, a device That makes the extremely high price tag worth it. It is definitely the first e-reader to sacrifice aesthetic appeal and great reading experience in a package so small, makes a difference-which Actually Especially for someone who Spends long hours reading e-books.

Amazon Kindle vs Voyage Kindle Paperwhite

Kindle Voyage (3G model) costs twice as much as the Paperwhite, something any buyer would consider before putting in her / his money. In our view, Kindle Voyage is for purists who do not worry about the price and care for the best possible experience, while Paperwhite is For Those Who are still mindful of the associated price and are willing to sacrifice a little on the experience When buying an e-reader

Follow TOI Tech on Twitter & gt;. & gt; & gt; toi_tech
Like TOI Tech on Facebook & gt; & gt; & gt; TOI_tech

Amazon Kindle Voyage Review: A great e-reader made even better – Daily News & Analysis

The Kindle Voyage is the spiritual successor to the Kindle Paperwhite, and it absolutely does not disappoint.

• 

Smartphone, tablet, e-book reader; you’d imaginethatdesign the average user would prefer convergence and carry Fewer devices on a business trip or a holiday. A slew of high-end e-book readers Launched in the recent matches suggest otherewise. Amazon’s new Kindle Voyage is the latest device to target the ‘compulsive’ reader with a premium e-book reader, building from Where They left off with the Paperwhite. Does the Kindle Voyage justify a pricepoint at-which you can snag a capable 7-inch tablet?

While we loved the build quality of the Kindle Paperwhite, the Voyage raises the bar; yet again. It’s ultra-slim (just 7.1mm) and is lighter than quite a few phablets (Just 180g). The device stands out with notes clean lines and elegantly sculpted back. A power button sits at the back of the device while a micro USB port is located at the base. The Kindle HAS opted for a flush glass front with Chemically Strengthened Glass in a bid to reduce scratches on the surface. You will notice ook a set of pressure-sensitive page-turn buttons That flank both ends of the bezel. These buttons generate haptic feedback depending on where clause you place your fingers. This is one of the standout features in the Voyage, especial if you dig physical buttons for every page turn.

The glare-free display is one of the other big improvements. Kindle’s e-ink displays have offered great visibility even under direct sunlight, one of the Reasons Why They Are perfect for the pool deck at your favorite beach getaway. The 6-inch E-ink Carta HD touchscreen display stays in That zone despite it being a brighter screen. With 300 pixels per inch (PPI) it is a Considerable jump over the Paperwhite (212 PPI), but the killer feature is how the front light ADAPTS to the ambient light conditions, Ensuring you will not go to bed with a piercing light from your Kindle. The screen is very responsive too; you do not really need the Press Page feature to flip through pages.
There are no major improvements on the hardware spec sheet. The device is powered by a 1GHz single-core processor with 512MB of RAM; that’s enough fire-power by this device. There’s 4GB of onboard memory, enough to store all the books you can eat may possibly read in a lifetime. The battery life does not match the Paperwhite – that Could be due to the more powerful screen on this device and yet a single batch Could bother you for weeks together. Quite a contrast from the daily routine or charging your smartphone or tablet. The Voyage comes in bone healing WiFi Only and WiFi plus 3G options. Just like other Amazon Kindles the 3G Effectively free and, unlike the US, users in India do not encounter any promotional ads.

The Voyage is packed with all the features we have come to love on the Kindle and instant access to Amazon’s bottomless book store. One of our favorite features is Smart look up, wherewolf full dictionary definitions are integrated withother reference information via the ‘X-ray’ functions, and Wikipedia. There’s ook Whispersync Where the last page read is saved and synchronized across devices – just in case you are flitting from one device to the other. Kindle devices ook allow you to quickly share book or sections Recommendations from your e-book on Facebook and Twitter, just in case you wanna Appear more ‘evolved’ on your social networks!

The Kindle Voyage makes a compelling case for a dedicated e-book reader at a time When quite a few users are catching up On Their reading on tablets and even 5-inch smartphone displays. You will never have to worry about that ‘unputdownable’ book being interrupted by an email from your boss. The improved display elevates the user experience while Kindle’s intuitive features and book store are a’ve given. Ook it’s one of the best e-book readers ever designed, light enough to curl up on the couch for long periods of time with your favorite book. Kindle’s cool origami cover is a clever accessory That Allows you to prop up your Kindle on a stand. It’s not bundled with the Voyage and comes at a stiff price tag (Rs 2,999 onwards). The Voyage might not justify an upgrade (notes’ve given steep price tag) for Paperwhite owners but if you’re an avid reader looking for the best possible e-book reader experience look no further.

AT A GLANCE

What we liked

• Design
• Adaptive lighting
• Page Press feature

What we dont like

• Pricey
• Case sold separately

Price: Rs 16.499 (WiFi only) / Rs 20.499 (WiFi + 3G)

QuickSpecs

Display : 6 “Carta E-ink GD touch screen (monochrome) 300ppi

Memory: 512MB RAM, 4GB storage

Processor: 1GHz single-core

Kindle writeon is Destined to Fail – Good E-Reader (blog)

I’m catching hints or Microsoft in Amazon’s behavior. Trying to do too much is a recipe for failure. Take for instance Microsoft’s mission statement as Stated by Bill Gates in the 1980s:

“A computer on every desk and in every home running Microsoft software.”

Remarks like that were being Praised in management circles at late as 2006:

http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/2432/power-of-a-clear,-concise-vision

But you Precisely and I know what’s wrong with it. Those two phrases “every desk” and “every office” do not encompass a world of mobile or portable devices. That’s a core reason why Microsoft missed out on smartphones and tablets. It’s usefull why theywere caught flat-footed by the Internet. Those computers Existed Primarily to run “Microsoft software.”

But notice That Gate’s remark is wrong in another way-Those two “everytime” claims. Microsoft wanted to own office and personal computers. It was so focused on driving what happened That it failed to see what was happening outside itself.

Amazon is making similar gaffes, Particularly in the book arena. What it can not own outright, it seeks to dominate. Sometimes That Means it is legitimately charged with bullying. Sometimes it Means notes late to a party and upset to discover That everyone else is going down a different path. . A healthier company would cooprate Those with other paths not compete with or try to buy them out

–

Like Microsoft before it. Amazon is ook making enemies among Those with who it must have cooperative relationships, Particularly authors and publishers. Other corporations know better, Boeing-including, Which Also has a heavy presence Seattle.

When I worked for Boeing as a tech writer, I was told something interesting. Boeing, I was informed, Could easily run Its Own passenger and package firm, using notes own aircraft to shuttle people and things between notes major facilities. It’d save time and money. An Boeing executive at the company’s Everett facility (where 747 are assembled) Could show up at 8:15 am and leave on an 8:30 flight to the company’s plant in Wichita, arriving at the facility itself. Could he attend a meeting and return That afternoon. And all that convenience would cost the company less than flying commercial.

Why does not it do that? My informant Explained why. The airlines and package companies were notes to customers. Boeing had the good sense to know that, if it wanted to sell planes to American and UPS, it needed to do a healthy business with them. I could not compete.

Amazon Seems totally unaware or That dynamic. It thinks it can be a print and digital publisher and still have amiable relationships with publishers. Not very realistic.

A publisher does not mind sharing book profits with book retailers. It knows That a healthy market needs bone healing book publishers and retailers to do well. If bookstores are hurting, publishers will soon be hurting. What a publisher does not like is sharing profits notes with a retailer who is ook trying to dominate publishing. Amazon executives may think it’s making clever moves to gain leverage over publishers. Others will think it’s being foolish and making enemies Unnecessarily

-.

I do have one question about Wattpad though. I placedunder a draft of my latest book, Senior Nurse Mentor there:

http://www.wattpad.com/story/34716705

I was impressed by how marvelously has made my Raw text look quite good. But while getting 95 reads, was probably respectable, I’m disappointed That none have commented eventhough I think I know why. My book is serious non-fiction. Nursing morale in many hospitals dreadful. It offers a practical solution.

But Wattpad Seems to be almost Exclusively for fiction. Three of the four “similar stories” found it to mine are about Harry Potter, of all things. The only sense I can make or thats That Their recommendation software must think That the “mentor” is my title is like the wizards of Harry Potter. Weird!

What’s the answer? Wattpad is about fiction. Amazon is flailing about with writeon. Does anyone have a Website That Focuses on non-fiction, Perhaps broken down by area?

That would make sense. Wrong is worse in many ways than bore. Because it’s fact-based, non-fiction needs more prepublication reviews than fiction. But doesnâ Seem to be an Internet-wide way to do that

-Michael W. Perry, Inkling Books