Tag: my thoughts

Kindle Colorsoft – My Thoughts

Kindle Colorsoft – My Thoughts

Its not often I am an early adopter of new technology but a coloured e-reader or Kindle has been something that has been on my own technology wish-list for several years. Finally this year through Kobo with its Clara and Libra Color (colour from here on out). I am well entrenched in the Amazon ecosystem and due to my vast library and pretty much positive experience I am happy to stay there too.

I will say that prior to a colour reader from Amazon, the Kobo did catch my eye and I was almost going to get one but decided to wait. They look a fun device but for me it is missing the certain something and it looks not as premium or well made as a Kindle (no joke intended). Also I have searched for many books I own on Kindle on the Kobo store and not found them available so that was another mark against the Kobo.

Then Amazon announced the Kindle Colorsoft and my dream came true… Then it came out and was what people feared it to be a rushed product that was blighted by issues since launching. Notably a yellow band across the screen and (something common to both Kobo and Kindle) dead pixels. Due to the backlash and negative feedback the device has been limited in availability and taken off shelves up until just before Christmas (typically when all presents have been decided and bought).

I decided I deserved a New Years gift and it was in stock so on the 4th January I ordered it expecting it the 7th and to my surprise it arrived on the 5th and dear reader… She is beautiful! Is she perfect? No, but we can overlook all that.

It was with baited breathe I waited for the delivery and opened it, having read reviews and posts and seeing other peoples experiences I was expecting at least a hint of yellow banding but to my surprise it is perfect. No yellowing or dead pixels at all.

I have been using it for a few days now and I have to say I am pretty impressed with it so far. It is not perfect but it is a wonderful step into the World of Colour and e-readers.

Price

It is an expensive piece of kit? Worth it? That is subjective and for me yes it is worth it and I will enjoy using this device and get value from it and many years of use. I expect it to be another 2 or 3 years before a second coloured Kindle. Given the amount of issues with QC I would not keep a premium product at this price point unless it was 100% perfect. I wouldn’t settle if it was just a little yellow etc.

Screen

With the new technology going into this, it is going to look a little different to the previous models of Kindle, it is a completely new technology. The screen looks papery, not as crisp and clear as a normal Kindle but not too bad either. Looks a bit like thin tracing paper laid over the screen.

Colour is where this shines and compared to Kobo it looks a lot more vivid and clear and less ghosting when zooming. The implementation of the technology has been superior in Kindle. The colours pop nicely and compared to the greyscale normal of the kindle the colours do make a difference. Contrast is where it is let down as it is very dark and renders the colours not too good especially the darker it is. I do prefer my brightness up. How the screen is affected by the sun I don’t know yet and haven’t tried (UK here!).

Images are not glossy like a magazine, similar to a news paper, if you want vivid images read on a tablet with Kindle App.

I did expect more from it and the lock screen, it is cool to see the cover and in colour but like all Kindles the lock screen isn’t backlit so you don’t really see the colour. If there are future devices I would love to see a wake function for the lock screen where the screen can brighten and show off the cover without opening the Kindle.

Performance

Excellent performance, feels more snappy and quicker. Not had any issues with anything especially once all the indexing was completed. No stuttering or ghosting encountered.

Other

I do have the Jade vegan case to go with the Kindle, my first Aamazon case having only ever used third party cases and if feels good quality and well made. Certainly feels a premium product to go with the Colorsoft.

A big negative is that with the generation of Kindles (possibly the last too) Amazon has done away with the “Download and Transfer” feature for the new models. Which means you can no longer download a copy of your purchased titles to transfer via USB. It still works for older models but not the new ones. To use this feature you need an older Kindle. As someone with a vast digital library this a very poor decision. I like to download and back up a copy for my own personal use. I can see in a way why they do this to combat privacy but in today’s digital world where lots of things whether it be a PS5 game, music track, movie or e-book are online only, we don’t really own a copy but a license. They only exist as long as the server and store wish to provide it and books do get removed regularly when a new edition of publisher comes out with a copy. Just something to keep in mind and if the new Kindles are your first and only then you’re unable to transfer any of your purchases.

Overall

A great device and addition to the Kindle and e-reader family but a device that can be so much more. For the first one it is an admirable effort and hopefully can be built upon and do more with it. Imagine a Kindle Scribe Colour or a Kindle Oasis Colour? Would that be more making the Kindle a tablet and too similar to a Fire tablet? Where do you draw the line? For me some slight adjustments to this and you have a perfect reader. The same screen technology with the Scribe = perfect. Perhaps an illumination feature for the lock screen to show off the book covers. Perhaps too the long requested buttons? Could also have a toggle for Colour/B&W? So many possibilities.

All in all a great product and certainly a base to build from.

Attack On Titan – Conclusion

I did say I would try to update this blog more often but laziness got the better of me. Well I do have something to post about finally I have caught up with Attack On titan, not only caught up with it but finished it as far the anime goes, and also read the last manga chapters to know the end (I couldn’t wait).

I’m not sure what I’m going to write below so be aware there may be spoilers from here on.

What an excellent show, as I previously mentioned I am an anime/manga virgin and this show was really my entry into the genre and I think I spoiled myself. I seem to have started with the best and possibly downhill from here. Well it was certainly a fun and enjoyable experience and changed my perceptions, I haven’t been this into a show of any kind for a real long time. It just grabbed me and never let go. It still hasn’t as I’m left wondering about things and questioning things. I’m very much looking forward to watching the series through again and picking up the foreshadowing and easter eggs I missed the first time around.

As for anime, up to this point it is nice to see how the Paradis Eldians put aside their differences to work with the Marley General and the Marley Titans – to fight against the common enemy and try to put a stop to the Rumbling and Eren’s plan. I had an inclination this would be the case. Despite Eren’s reasons for doing it it would just confirm the bias of the outside World that the Island Devils would do what they did. For me the choking moment was when the plane was atop the founding titan and the Marley Eldians saw the Paradis Eldians and the Marley titans fighting against one of their own in Eren’s Founding Titan.

Also Eren allowing them freedom of abilities means he wants them to fight and to win, which harks back to the start where he wants to kill them all – the Titans. In order to do this his friends must also kill him. The ending and what is to come will make for a thrilling piece of animation and I’m excited to see it. It will be an incredible fight.

The show leaves me with lots of questions and I’m looking forward to watching deep dives on the show and learning more. One for instance is was Eren in control and manipulated his mother getting eaten? It would be a perfect motive to destroy the outside World.

Manga

As for the end I have to say I’m somewhat disappointed the fighting and Titan twist was excellent along with the killing of Zeke and Eren but after that it leaves me flat.

The original surviving 104th Cadets now are envoys of Marley to show the World the Paradis Eldians are not the Island Devils they are believed to be. It seems a tentative World peace is achieved but through the decades as the Yeagerists push their political and military agenda War is inevitable and a modern day Paradis is bombed. So all the Rumbling to prevent a conflict was somewhat in vain, although with Paradis reaching modern era, it would be a fair fight.

The very end though gives me CJ GTA San Andreas vibes “Oh shit, here we go again!” with the child and dog stumbling upon Erens tree with the opening to go through. A parallel to Ymir and the start of this cycle of Titans. Does Eren’s power live on through the tree? Does the context of the child exploring contrast with the life/death of Ymir’s situation? It certainly leaves food for thought and who knows maybe a sequel in the future?

Whether the anime will be different but I would have liked to see more of the aftermath and how life altered post rumbling. It could have been better and on the flip side could have been worse.

It didn’t spoil the experience though and I’m still looking forward to the anime this Autumn. I am very happy Floch is dead, oh and fuck the Yeagerists!

So now I’m going to have a little break and then I may rewatch the show from the start along with the OVAs. I also plan to try Vinland Saga and Death Note and maybe something random on Crunchyroll.