A Warning to Users of Kindle 1 Wanting to Upgrade to the Newer Model
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.
If you have purchased content from the Amazon store, it is advisable to back this up on your computer because there is no guarantee you will be able to download it again. Some books may no longer be available and Amazon does not retain copies of any newspaper subscriptions for longer than 6 days either.
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.
You won’t be able to replace the batteries yourself. With an extended warranty for $65 however, you can still send your ebook reading device the following year and have it replaced.
The new Kindle may look elegant on the outside but its silver grey screen is said to be not easy on the eyes. Furthermore, it is also subject to the problem of glare from light reflecting on its surface at a particular angle. All in all, these two points do not make for an easy 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.
Reading all these points you may come to think that the new Kindle does not live up to its hype. Both Amazon’s ebook reading devices are great pieces of technology and lead the industry. But if you are an owner of the original Kindle, you have a lot of content stored on it, and used to how it works, and are thinking of getting the newer Kindle, then you should definitely be aware of the above points. It is important to know the limitations of the newer model and the hitches that could occur in making the transition before taking out your frustration on the device itself.