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I unpacked my new Kindle DX today and have had a few hours to play with it.  So far it is a pretty impressive ereader.  Everything from Amazon’s smart packaging to the device itself seem well thought out,  well designed and properly constructed.  The batteries even arrived with some charge, so you can play with your new toy for awhile before having to plug it into the wall.

As you can see in the photo, the DX2 comes with a quick start guide and a wall charger/USB cable.

I’ve noted before that I really like reading on my iRex DR800.  After getting used to the 8.1-inch screen of the iRex it almost seems like I’m stepping down when I read on an ereader with a 5 or 6-inch screen.  The smaller screens feel like I’m reading text on a device, while the iRex feels more book-like.  This is probably due to the fact that the screen of the DR800 has a wider format – which seems more like an actual book to me – whereas most other ereaders spread their screen real estate out in a taller and narrower format.   Amazon also takes the tall and narrow approach with the DX, but even after a few minutes I find the device fading away into the background and the immersion in my reading taking over.

Construction quality seems to be a common issue with ereaders as manufacturers try to keep the costs down.  With the iRex, for example, I can feel the bezel flex if pressed in some places because it doesn’t fit perfectly with the back.  The nook has also had its own problems with bezel cracks around the page turning buttons. 

This is absolutely not an issue with either the 6-inch Kindle or the DX2 ereaders.  The parts all seem to be mated perfectly and fit tightly together.  I have not experienced any bezel flexing or any other signs of poor construction with either the DX2 or the 6-inch Kindle ebook readers. 

Another notable feature of the iRex DR800 is the way in which the slightly tan bezel complements the e-ink screen.   Amazon has  also done this to very good effect with the graphite bezel of the DX2.  The graphite color does a very nice job of enhancing the appearance of the e-paper.

Because of its larger size the DX is of course heavier than the 6-inch Kindle, but not uncomfortably so for me.  The slim body with its slightly rounded edges and matte finish feel very good in my hands.

There are only page turning buttons on the right side of the DX, so at first glance it would seem to be less friendly to lefties.  The DX comes with an accelerometer though, so you can turn your ereader upside down and the buttons will then be on your left.  If you need to use the keyboard you will have to turn it right side up again unless typing upside down is part of your skill set.

The DX uses the new Pearl e-ink display which is advertised as increasing the contrast by 50 percent.  Unfortunately I don’t have an older DX at the moment to do a side-by-side comparison, but next to the 6-inch Kindle the contrast is better, but I would say less than 50 percent so.

Apparently the Pearl display is a stepping stone to color e-ink.  A recent article in the FT Techblog quotes the head of E Ink global sales as saying that,  “We are in the process of building a colour display – our colour display is essentially a monochrome display with a colour filter on top.”  Because this filter cuts down the light reaching the display and therefore reduces contrast, a display with better contrast was a required step on the road to developing color e-ink.

So far I am very impressed with my new Kindle DX2 ereader.  It is easy to see why iRex and others are in bankruptcy.  The new Kindle DX2 comes with a bigger screen, offers better construction, way more features, is much more stable and is backed by the Kindle Store and Amazon’s customer service.  All of this for $20 less than the iRex was selling for!

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