Comparing The Kindle 2 And The Kindle DX EBook Readers

Kindle was Amazon.com’s first version of an ebook reader. Though Sony and a few other companies had some kind of digital reading device on the market, there was too much confusion about the functionality about these gadgets. The Kindle, however, was an immediate hit. Amazon recognized the issues of the market and responded accordingly by coming out a year later with two new versions of their product. The Kindle 2 and seven months later with the Kindle DX.

There are hundreds of ebook readers out on the market today. Everyday there is a new portable reader coming out offering better options. However Amazon, with its two latest Kindle versions, is by far the leader. If you are researching the electronic book reader market and want to buy one, then the Kindle 2 or the Kindle DX are the ones to be checking out. But which is the right one for you?

In comparing the two Kindle models, the Kindle DX is the larger of the two. As a matter of fact the DX is the largest ebook reader on the market right now. It measures 10.4″ in height x 7.2″ in width x .38″ in width. Amazon, with its forward thinking, designed the DX to be able to accommodate textbook content as well as for the better reading of newspapers and magazines. The Kindle 2, which measures 8″ x 5.3″ x .36″ respectfully, was meant it to handle smaller formatted material such as handbooks and novels. The Kindle 2 is much easier to handle and can fit into any carry bag or purse.

The larger screen display on the Kindle DX has the same display characteristics as the Kindle 2 in regards to the use of eInk. The displays still have that feel for real paper. The DX screen measures 9.7″ diagonally, while the Kindle 2′s screen is 6.” The one major difference besides the display screen size is that the DX’s display can be rotated from portrait to landscape just by tilting the reader. This can be an advantage for reading reports or diagrams or for just a more comfortable feel of the reading material

The Kindle DX has twice the amount of storage space compared to the Kindle 2. The DX has 4GB to 2GB on the Kindle 2. The DX also has built in integrated PDF support which means that PDF files can be downloaded right to the device. Where as on the Kindle 2 PDF files must be converted. For a small fee, one would have to send the files to Amazon support for conversion. By far probably the most important comparable factor of the two Amazon devices is their price. The Kindle 2 is $359 and the Kindle DX goes for $489.

The prices are somewhat on the steep end. There are cheaper models out there. But none have the look and feel of the Kindles, and at present none have the features of the Kindle DX. Prices have started to come down. Sony just brought out three new models cheaper than the Kindle 2. And as mentioned before their are new models coming out almost every week. The models may change and the options will only grow in number but the most important thing to remember is – what ebook reader is right for you.