Author: valleyreading

Kindle Colorsoft – 9 Months Later

Its almost a year with the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition and I thought I would do a quick review of how I have found it so far. I say almost a year as it has been 9/10 months since I received my Colorsoft just after Christmas. Prior to the Colorsoft I was using the original Paperwhite Signature Edition.

Compared to last year my reading output has increased, I wouldn’t say it was helped by the Colorsoft but I have read only using the Colorsoft. I do notice compared to the Paperwhite the Colorsoft lacks clairty in some aspects but it is not detremiental to the reading experience, I am not a picky person but I know some are. The difference is the screen and how the nature of Coloured e-ink screens means there is an extra layer to the screen that affects the crispness.

I was very lucky that my Colorsoft was one of the first of the non-yellow band batch, I do notice something but I have concluded its the LEDs at the base. There is no sign of yellow and being a frequent visitor of Kindle forums it is a paranoia you can’t shake off.

  • Home Screen
  • Inside Book
  • Image
  • Zoomed In
  • Normal Text
  • Kindle Screenshot

The images above show the device as I see it, I did include a screenshot from another book. The Kabuki book had stylised pages which didn’t make it seem fair for comparison. I also included an in-kindle screenshot.

Does Colour or lack of change the Kindle experience? Im my opinion it hasn’t made it any better or worse. It is wonderful to see covers and images in colour, along with notations but 99% of the time you are reading and text is in black and white. Depending on what you’re reading some of the pictures may be published without colour so there is no difference at all. I was excited to read a Manga on the Colorsfot but then realised only the cover was coloured and the content black and white. It really shone through with comics and I had read a series called Gun Honey and that really popped.

I do think colour is the future and for the first iteration of coloured e-ink Kindles, this is a fine entry and better it will get. Already there are a 16GB model Colorsoft and a Kids version and recently announced Colorsoft Scribe. I am happy with mine and it will do me for many years, perhaps if there is a big jump in quality and features down the line I would get another.

Perhaps they will add features like change of font colour, or page background colours. It will be interesting to see where it goes from here. A slight disappointment for me is the lock screen, I know for longevity and battery it is limited in brightness, but it would be nice if it was backlit a little to be more vibrant at the expensise of battery.

Lock Screen
Device On

All in all colour or no colour it makes little difference but it is nice to have the choice to enjoy the option of colour. Is it a necessity no, but it is a pleasure and great to have the choice. Though the question with Amazon getting more restrictive is to try a new e-reader or stick. Kobo, Boox, Pocketbook all provide alternatives to Kindle. I would be interested to see the next colour offerings from Kobo and see how they update the Libre Color, that would be what I would go for next, if they make improvements to the device and build quality.

Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee… by Charlie Higson

I found this to be a very pleasant surprise and I was honestly expecting it to be a little underwhelming and too similar to David Mitchell’s Unruly, but what a thoroughly enjoyable romp between 1000 years of English/British Monarchs.

Very readable and approachable and full of humour and interest. Is it clonclusive or detailed? No but there is enough for each Monarch to get a lot out of this book. Even the boring ones or who did little of note.

It is a book I would love to read again and I loved the illustrations by Jim Moir (Vic Reeves), especially the one of Wat Tyler and Richard II, and the one of Simon de Montfort with his balls on his nose!

Highly recommend this book.

Revolting by Terry Deary

A very fun and enjoyable history or Revolts and Rebellions from the creater of the much loved kids books Horrible Histories. This book is similar but for adults. I found it easier going and more enjoyable than “A History of Britain In Ten Enemies”.

A lot of interesting tidbits of hitory split into 10 sections and lessons like for the sections it could be Money, Religion, Slavery and for the lessons Get A Leader, Gather Intelligence.

On the whole it was good fun and a nice, light read if you don’t mind reading about molten metal down someone’s throat or people being hung, drawn and quartered.

I look forward to reading what is next from Terry Deary. He is alongside RL Stine and Roald Dahl as one of my early literary influences that got me into reading (and history) as a child.

The Magpie at Night by Li Qingzhau

A great collection of Chinese poetry recently re-published by Penguin Classics. The poems are by the poet Li Qingzhau from the 12th Century Song Dynasty.

It is a beautiful collection of poetry, some melancholy and highlights the poets feelings for life and nature around her, very evocative and touching writing. When you read about Li Qingzhau and the life she lived it is understandable why her poems took a turn to the melancholy.

It is the first collection of Chinese poetry I have read for a while and I quite enjoyed it.