If you own an Amazon Kindle 1 and are thinking of upgrading to version 2, you should be aware of a few things before you spend $359 for the upgrade as you could end up frustrated. The following points are based on the experiences of real Kindle users when they made this ‘upgrade’ to the more ‘elegant’ newer Kindle from the original.
You cannot transfer your stored content directly from your computer to the new device. Amazon would have to reformat all the files for the Kindle 2 before you can download it to the new device.
Retrieving content from Amazon’s servers you have already purchased is not always straightforward. There are two reasons: Books sometimes get ‘removed’ from Amazon’s shelves, and newspaper and magazine subscriptions are not held for more than 6 days. So it is better to keep copies of all content purchased from Amazon on your own computer.
SD cards cannot be used in the new Kindle as external memory is no longer supported, and therefore there is no longer an unlimited storage capability. So don’t expect to find any memory slots to help you organize your content.
The new Kindle does not offer the convenience of the Jump Ahead or Jump Back features. If the Table of Contents fails to work which is not untypical, you could very well have to click through many pages before getting to the page you want.
The batteries cannot easily be replaced without voiding the warranty. The only safe solution then is to fork out an additional $65 for an extended warranty for the privilege of being able to send the device after one year to have its batteries replaced.
Your reading experience won’t be as easy on the eyes as you may expect. Some users attribute it to the silver grey screen that the K2 has. There is also that bothersome glare from any source of light that when reflected on the device’s screen on certain angles, doesn’t quite make for a pleasurable reading experience.
You can’t expect any favors from Amazon just because you’re an original Kindle owner. Sorry, no discounts for an upgrade to the new model are offered.
Don’t misinterpret what I write here. It’s just that original Kindle 1 users should know what to expect when upgrading to Kindle 2 and not be caught out especially if they have a lot of content stored in it. Despite its limitations and the potential complications in making the transition, both Kindles are prized gadgets in the ebook industry. Amazon’s Kindles are great devices that are well worth owning.