I like DX the Kindle

May 08

Poor customer service. I have been an Amazon.com customer for years and they have always had outstanding customer service. But to my surprise with the kindle they really messed the Kindle DX up.

I am frequent international traveler, not living in the US but visiting the country almost every month on business trips. I was very anxious to get a Kindle and be able to travel with many books in one. I got my kindle yesterday and to my surprise I am not allowed to buy books for the kindle using my credit card because the billing address is not in the US. But they did accept the same billing address to pay for the Kindle!!!

Unbelievably Fragile!!!. A simple tap on a door frame while walking thru my home broke the screen. I contacted Amazon and they were COMPLETELY unhelpful. I would never recommend buying one for the Kindle DX simple reason.

Could be a tool for low vision users. I am legally blind and have been searching for the best low vision e-book reader. I think I have found it. With minor changes, the Kindle DX could be a real tool for low vision users. I think the following should be done by Amazon, (1) Make Kindle friendly in low light, that is, let the user adjust the background color to increase the contrast, (2) Allow the user to increase the font size to 24 and 28 font size, (3) Make the text in the menu as large as the text in content, (4) Make the cursor easier to see and (5) Settle the disagreements with the Author’s Guild so all materials can be read using the Speech to Text feature. Now I know why Amazon advertises the device in a beach setting. I have an iPhone, and I use the Kindle iPhone app in low light situations. The first four items should be easy enough since the Kindle is a computer running the Linux OS. The fifth needs some backbone and encouragement from Amazon and common sense from the Authors’ Guild.

I find the buttons easy to use. I find the device very intuitive. The Whispernet feature is great and almost worth the purchase alone. I have not used the browser yet. The Kindle store is easy and too addictive. I have not read so many books since childhood. Customer support was responsive and very helpful.

If I were Amazon, I would build Mac and Windows OS versions of the Kindle application. the Kindle DX would help sell content. (I would be disappointed if the Mac app is not built.).

Tags: dx, kindle

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