Amazon has recently released yet another digital book reader, the Kindle DX. This new model aims to address a common limitation on other e-book readers, whether it is the Kindle 1, Kindle 2 or the Sony PRS series. Prior to the release of this new model, the largest screen on any e-book readers in the market measure at 6-inches. Although this is a sizable dimension (good for reading books), it take a little getting used to reading magazines and newspapers on a tiny 6-inch screen.
Among other features, the new Kindle DX comes with a huge 9.7-inch making it the largest screen on any e-book readers in the market. It incorporates most of the features on the Kindle 2 and a few additional features. The features retained in this new model includes the slim design (at just 0.38″thick and about 19 ounces in weight), 3G connectivity, Whispernet, and an instant-lookup dictionary.
There are also several new features on the new Kindle DX. It has an auto-rotation features, like iPhones. You can choose to read in portrait or landscape mode by just turning the reader to the side. It also has a larger 4GB memory (the Kindle 2 has only 2GB) for you to store your e-books and mp3 files. With a larger screen I would expect that the battery lifespan of the new model will be shorter than the Kindle 2. According to Amazon, the Kindle DX too can last up to 2 weeks on a single charge.There are also some experimental features such as a basic web browser and the read-to-me function.
To make space for the large screen, the size of the keyboard on the DX has been reduced. The keys consist of small rectangular tablets much like those on cell phones. Unlike Kindle 2, the page turn buttons on the new model is only found on the right side of the reader.This gives the user a better grip over the larger Kindle DX. The additional features on the new reader does come at a price. At the time of writing, the new reader costs $489 each.