Entered CNET Catalog: 01/14/2010
SKU: D00801
Manufacturer: Amazon.com
Manufacturer description
Kindle DX is as thin as most magazines. Just over a third of an inch in profile, you'll find Kindle DX fits perfectly in your hands. Kindle DX's large display is ideal for a broad range of reading material, including graphic-rich books, PDFs, newspapers, magazines, and blogs. Kindle DX's display is two and a half times the size of the Kindle display. Whether you're reading the latest bestseller or a financial report, text and images are amazingly sharp on the 9.7" screen. Kindle DX is completely wireless and ready to use right out of the box - no setup, no cables, no computer required. Kindle DX supports wall charging via the included Kindle DX power adapter, and charging from your computer via the included USB 2.0 cable. Kindle DX fully charges in approximately 4 hours. Kindle DX's screen reflects light like ordinary paper and uses no backlighting, eliminating the glare associated with other electronic displays. As a result, Kindle DX can be read as easily in bright sunlight as in your living room. Kindle DX can read to you. With its text-to-speech feature, Kindle DX can read books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers out loud to you, unless the book's rights holder made the feature unavailable. You can switch back and forth between reading and listening, and your spot is automatically saved. Pages automatically turn while the content is being read, so you can listen hands-free. You can speed up or slow down the reading speeds or choose a male or female voice.Product summary
The good: The Kindle DX's wireless connection now works overseas; offers 2.5 times the screen real estate as the smaller Kindle; native PDF support; you can switch from portrait to landscape mode by just turning the device; large library of tens of thousands of e-books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs via Amazon's familiar online store; built-in free wireless "Whispernet" data network--no PC needed; built-in keyboard for notes; faster processor speeds up the device; with 4GB (3.3 usable) of internal memory, it's capable of storing 3,500 electronic books; font size is adjustable; decent battery life; displays image files, and plays MP3 and AAC audio.
The bad: Expensive; no Wi-Fi; somewhat heavy compared to the Kindle 2; no expansion slot for adding more memory; no protective carrying case included; battery is sealed into the device and isn't removable; isn't compatible with loaner e-books from your local library that use the ePub format; if you're using the wireless service overseas, you're charged extra fees for downloading full books and periodicals; Apple's iPad offers far more functionality at nearly the same price.
The bottom line: Although it has all the positive attributes typically associated with a Kindle device, the arrival of Apple's iPad seriously affects the Kindle DX's viability unless Amazon lowers its price by at least $100.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 02/23/2010
Editors' note (July 6, 2010): As of July 2010, the version of the Amazon Kindle DX reviewed here has been replaced by a new model. The updated model is black (graphite) instead of white, its screen is said to have improved contrast, and it has a lower suggested retail price ($379).
Amazon announced on April 20, 2011, that a software update adding the ability to read e-books from participating local libraries will be added by the end of 2011.
Not long after Amazon updated the U.S.-only version of the Kindle and replaced it with a new international Kindle model, the company followed suit with the larger Kindle DX. This new model--now called the "Kindle DX (Global Wireless)"--runs on AT&T's network and can access content on cellular networks inside and outside of the U.S.
Aside from the switch in wireless carriers (the old DX used to be powered by Sprint, and didn't work outside the U.S.), nothing else has visibly changed--at least as far as the hardware itself goes. The 0.38-inch-deep DX is just a tad thicker than the 0.36-inch Kindle. And the Kindle DX's 9.7-inch e-ink display (1,200-by-824-pixel resolution) technically offers 2.5 times more screen real estate than the Kindle's 6-inch display. That extra screen comes at a price, both figuratively and literally, as the DX weighs almost twice as much (18.9 ounces) as the Kindle and costs $230 more, at $489.
Aside from the price, the biggest strike against the DX is a competing product from Apple. In early 2010, Apple announced that it would release the iPad, which offers a full-color capacitive touch screen that's the same size as the Kindle's monochrome e-ink screen along with a far richer feature set, including much better support for PDF and image files (the iPad also supports video playback, Web browsing, and iPhone apps).
Obviously, in light of Apple's announcement--and the fact that the iPad's $499 starting price is so close to Kindle DX's--the DX becomes much harder to recommend, despite some positive attributes. We expect that Amazon will have to lower the price significantly for the DX to continue to be a viable product.
To get a deeper dive into the Kindle DX, check out our earlier review of the U.S. Wireless version.
Note: Those planning to travel outside of the U.S. should be aware of some caveats. First off, only some countries have Kindle-compatible wireless coverage. And even if cellular "Whispernet" service is offered, additional fees--anywhere from $1.99 per title to $4.99 per week--are charged for books and periodicals downloaded outside the U.S., at least for U.S.-based Kindle owners who are traveling abroad. On the bright side, those using the Kindle internationally can still download sample chapters of books at no charge. (Surcharges can be avoided by downloading Kindle content to a PC first, then transferring it to the Kindle via USB.)
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1out of 1 user reviews
I ordered KindleDX from Germany,returned it immediately
Pros: Screen size,
Screen quality
Cons: No Wi-fi (Only 3G is available)
In Germany 3G is not available, though they have a coverage map and Germany is included, but internet does not work, only whispernet works. Even if you would like to pay for internet, it is not possible.
1. Start re-designing Kindle DX Mark II to include Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is a feature included in their smaller models and I believe it should also be included in the DX model. If Wi-Fi was a feature in the Kindle DX, it would at least be possible for me to connect to internet in hot spots or at home without 3G. I am quite puzzled why Wi-Fi is not included in DX but in smaller models. I believe (strongly), people who buy DX are more likely to use it for internet content as well as reading books, whereas smaller models are more suited for reading books.
2. Start looking at their options and investigate how they can provide 3G internet service to customers in Europe (Germany in particular), free or with additional costs, a service currently provided to US customers free of charge and/or at least be able to tell your customers where they need to go to have the restrictions on internet connection removed, and how much they have to pay for this. And give this information to the customer (explicitly) before they purchase the product. My message to Amazon: "You should not discriminate against your customers, because they happened to be somewhere else in the world but not in the US."
After my initial review of Kindle, Amazon customer service contacted me to solve the connection problem I am having. I talked to someone at Amazon and they said 3G service is available in Germany and they were quite surprised that I was receiving the following message when I tried to log on to www.amazon.com (Not Kindle Store): "Due to local restrictions, web service is not available for all countries."
Amazon service centre employee tried to re-set my Kindle remotely couple of times, and the web service did not work. She then consulted with her superiors and told me that web connection is not something they have control over, these restrictions are applied by AT&T and I need to talk to them. While I was talking to her, I checked it online and I could not even find AT&T in Germany, I told her this and then she mentioned Vodafone. But I really did not understand what she was trying to tell me. All I wanted to find out was who I need to talk to have these restrictions removed. I don't think she could give me a straight answer, because she did not even know that these restrictions were there in the first place. I have been speaking to number of customer service representative's last couple of days, and I don't think any of them actually know why these restrictions are in place in Germany and what the customer needs to do if they want to use internet on their Kindle.
In the end they said that it is not possible for me to use the internet on Kindle DX in Germany. But they said that I could still buy books from Amazon Kindle Store.
I have decided to return the product, and they said that they would give me a full refund. So I am quite disappointed that I cannot use the Kindle DX, because I really liked this product especially the screen size and the image quality though I did not like the weight, I think it is a bit heavy to hold it in your hand, you certaily feel the weight after 10 minutes.
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