Well, I've been using my Kindle regularly now for a couple of weeks, and
I like it. I don't love it like I do my iPhone, but I like it, and it
has made finding and getting ebooks as easy as I was hoping. However,
there are few things that do bother me that I think could and should be
improved:
– The next page/previous page buttons on both sides of the device are
really just in the wrong place if you are using the Kindle in the cover
with which it comes. I hit those buttons by accident at least once
every time I'm reading. How on earth does it make sense to put buttons
in places where you will naturally hold on to the device? This is
analogous to putting the call and end buttons on a cell phone on the
sides where you grip it to hold it up to your ear. I know people
somehow get used to this with the Kindle, and some don't even find it
to be a problem at all, but I'm at a loss as to how they do this. I
have small hands and I'm not an uncoordinated person – Amazon needs to
find a user interface/ergonomics professional and fix this. So far,
this is almost enough of an irritant for me to cause me to not recommend
it to others.
– There is no way to create custom folders to store your content. Call
me crazy, but I like to have my stuff organized (I own two label makers
– two, I tell you! A place for everything and everything in its place.)
and I am a bit frustrated that I can't group all of my Samples in one
folder, Books I've Read in another folder, and Books To Read in another,
etc. Why won't they let me create my own folder structure to do this?
My Kindle home screen is already spread out over 3 pages and it looks
messy with no rhyme or reason. Yes, I can choose to display everything
by newest first, author, title, or a few other options, but none of
these really meet my needs. Amazon: please allow users to create their
own file structures to manage their content!
So, those are my two gripes so far. As expected, I have already
purchased more books than I ordinarily would have if I were buying paper
books. And the reading experience continues to be just about as good as
reading paper (with the exception of the next page/previous page button
issue, as noted).
With my luck, though, Amazon will have version 2 of the Kindle out that
will address all of my gripes (and in a nicer package!) shortly. And
this is why eBay is my friend.
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