Kindle Forum banner

Kindle Voyage First Impressions

79K views 479 replies 110 participants last post by  Bibliophile 
#1 ·
I figured this would be a good place for everyone who is receiving their Kindle Voyage over the coming days and weeks to post their initial impressions.

So, you fine lucky people, let's hear your thoughts... likes, dislikes, comparisons, whatever!
 
#302 ·
First some pictures I have taken in the past:

1: Kindle Paperwhite 1



2: Kindle Keyboard



3: Another Kindle



All these screens I think look pretty good. Including the Paperwhite 1. But is the Paperwhite 1 picture accurate to what the eye would see in most conditions? Mostly likely not. And the same goes for both mom133 and Eltanin Publishing's pictures. They both are great, but they are from the cameras and scanners point of view. I would recommend for anyone thinking about getting a Voyage or Paperwhite or Basic Kindle, that they do not go by the pictures you see online. Go to a store or try one out in person to see if it will work for you. And if you would be happy with the personal E-reader that you have in your own hands, and looking at with your own eyes. :)
 
#303 ·
runtmms said:
Some people have complained that the bottom of the touch screen is not sensitive so they have trouble getting to the reading navigation display. I think this is because it wants a swipe from the bottom. A tap won't access mine, but a swipe always does - just start in the middle of the bezel and swipe up. This is confirmed in the user guide loc 127.
Thank you for posting this information. I'm one of those people who tend to skip reading the user guides when upgrading. I was annoyed at not having the reading progress bar respond quickly to my taps. It does work nicely with swiping. :)
 
#304 ·
northofdivision said:
As for the EPs photo with the sticky notes on the bottom, that looks like most kindles in the light: clear, crisp and clean. can you post that same pic in the dark, ep?
Um, no. It's a flat bed scanner. It uses the scanner light to make the image. As for taking a photo with a camera in the dark, I refuse. In order to NOT get a gradient, you'd have to make sure the camera lens and the kindle screen are parallel, with the camera directly over the kindle, and perfectly centered up/down left/right. With most of the ways people are taking a photo of their kindles (at an angle with the top of the kindle farther from the camera than the bottom of the kindle, maybe with a room lamp off to one side, etc.) even a sheet of white paper will show a gradient.
 
#305 ·
Unfortunately scanner isn't going to be the solution either. While ingenious in its own way, and I applaud Eltain Publishing for giving it a go, it will light up the light guide from the front, so that the powerful light will reflect back from the screen. This will definitely be more powerful than any light difference the Voyage LEDs could generate while travelling over the light guide and it will even things out.

I think Amazon saying to us some gradient is normal, as someone got from CS, is probably as realistic as their eventual photographic update on Paperwhite 1 unevenness. It is also the logical conclusion - the LEDs are at the bottom only, so some fade is expected to happen over that space. It seems certain level of unevenness is normal with the technology. PW1 has the "stage lights" and splotches (which PW2 reduced), Voyage has the gradient - and both at least seem to have higher than non-lit e-ink variance in their screen quality. Now, what the real variance is between great units and bad units, that is much harder to ascertain and of course very interesting to anyone who is picky about these things and interested in knowing how long to play the replacement game.

I dedicated a long thread onto So, you didn't like Paperwhite... (see my signature) I wonder come mid-November if Voyage requires similar treatment. :) I doubt it, since the near-perfect answer is already in Kindle (7th Generation). But I am interested in seeing if Voyage is good enough for me, since PW2 after one replacement is good enough, even though I know it is not really perfect - it is good enough.

I guess, for some of us, the frontlit e-reader game has become a game of good enough. I guess a little sad in its own way.
 
#306 ·
Eltanin Publishing said:
Um, no. It's a flat bed scanner. It uses the scanner light to make the image. As for taking a photo with a camera in the dark, I refuse. In order to NOT get a gradient, you'd have to make sure the camera lens and the kindle screen are parallel, with the camera directly over the kindle, and perfectly centered up/down left/right. With most of the ways people are taking a photo of their kindles (at an angle with the top of the kindle farther from the camera than the bottom of the kindle, maybe with a room lamp off to one side, etc.) even a sheet of white paper will show a gradient.
Solution suggestion: Take photos from many different angles and in a few different locations? Maybe even with your cellphone and then with a real camera, if possible? The wealth of that photographic evidence should give a realistic idea of how it looks. If you can see certain pattern in most of the images, that is proably real - if it only shows under some circumstance, then it is probably just the camera.
 
#307 ·
FearIndex said:
Solution suggestion: Take photos from many different angles and in a few different locations? Maybe even with your cellphone and then with a real camera, if possible? The wealth of that photographic evidence should give a realistic idea of how it looks. If you can see certain pattern in most of the images, that is proably real - if it only shows under some circumstance, then it is probably just the camera.
No, it's pointless. Certain people believe that all Voyages have color gradients, and they want to believe that, and no photo will convince them otherwise - they will come up with some reason why the photo is not to be trusted. I'm not playing that game, and wasting my time, to change the minds of a few people. BTW, my PW1 did have green and pink color blobs (though not so bad to make me return it), so I do believe SOME devices have annoying color. But not ALL.
 
#308 ·
FearIndex said:
I guess, for some of us, the frontlit e-reader game has become a game of good enough. I guess a little sad in its own way.
Yes, but is it because Frontlit screens are not photogenic? I am not saying all Kindle screens are perfect by no means. But the pictures do not really prove anything.
 
#310 ·
FearIndex said:
... the near-perfect answer is already in Kindle (7th Generation).
IMO you really have to allow for individual circumstances and preferences. I often thought the basic Kindle would come close to perfect - except I live in a rural area and have no wifi and don't get anywhere that does have it very often. No 3G is a deal breaker for me. And except the one thing I liked so much about my PW1 I kept using it was the light (I pretty much dislike every aspect of the touch screens and would be much happier with the KK-type controller.) So I accept no Kindle is ever going to be perfect for me. Amazon isn't going to put the light in a non-touch Kindle. In fact from what they've just done to the basic, they're going the other way and all Kindles are going to have touch screens.

So you could say I'm accepting good enough, but what makes it only good enough for me is different from what makes it only good enough for the screen-sensitive people. I had no problem with the screen on my PW1, although the one on my Voyage is so superior it made my PW1 (which has now gone to a new home) look dated.
 
#311 ·
Now that I have used my KV for over a week, this is no longer a first impression, but I want to ask if anyone else has noticed an evening out of the overall light/color of your screen with continued use?  I think I have.  When I first posted I said my screen was clear with a slightly noticeable change in tone from top to bottom when looked at from an angle besides straight on.

I left the auto-sensing on for the light, self adjusted it to a slightly brighter setting than the sensor chose and haven't touched it again.  The screen is always even-toned now, from any angle, and it always looks like the same color page to me in whatever light I am in.  I know the sensor adjusts the lighting because I have looked numerous times.  If I am reading in a dark room, it is adjusted down, but the "page" looks exactly the same as when I am reading in bright light and the sensor has moved the lighting up.  I think it is working exactly as intended, it has "remembered" that I like my page a little brighter than the default settings and adjusts it to my preference. 

I also think whatever minor gradations may have been on my screen in the first few days have even out to a solid one-color page with use.  How that might happen "technically", I have no clue, but in my opinion it has.  So if you are on the fence about the lighting or the color of your screen, really use it for several days, adjust it to your light preference in one setting and then make sure the auto-light sensor stays on, you may be pleasantly surprised to find out you start opening to a page that looks exactly like the page of a paper book every time.
 
#312 ·
I ended up replacing my first Best Buy Voyage with one from Amazon. The replacement has a much better screen but there's still a bit of the yellow tint at the top.  For ME, the yellow tint on the first Voyage caused the font color to change from black to a dark grey and it appeared slightly blurry to my eyes. I have pretty bad eyesight to begin with, although thanks to eye glasses or contacts, I've got 20/15. I want whatever I am reading to be "just right" because otherwise that is really all I see. My Best Buy unit was sent to the Kindle engineers to take a look at. I also included a one-page letter that explains why I consider the unit to not be up to par.

I don't mind the replacement as much. The color change is probably only something that I would notice on this unit. Now if I could just find a case I like. I didn't like the Belkin or Incipio cases. I have a no-name folio-style case right now. The Fintie book-style slim case is shipping on Monday. I have Fintie on my Samsung Note 10.1 and had it on my Dell Venue Pro 8 Windows tablet - that I recently sold. I like the Fintie brand.
 
#314 ·
Ann in Arlington said:
What I've noticed after a week -- so also, no longer a first impression -- is that I quite like the page turn buttons. I picked up my paperwhite earlier today and found myself pressing the side to turn the page. :eek:

Once I find the perfect cover I'll be a thoroughly happy kindle camper. :D
This too. I have totally adjusted to the right place and touch for the page turn buttons. When I find the perfect cover, all will be right in my Kindle world!
 
#315 ·
I mentioned this earlier in the "Is this normal" thread, but no one responded, so I figured I'd post here as well. I have the night mode on & the auto light on, but when I put my Voyage on to read in bed in the dark, the light does not gradually go down. I checked the light setting. The Voyage came set to 9 in the dark, but I did change that to 10, but when I put it on, it's on 10 right away. I guess the light is not adjusting down in the dark, or am I missing something? It's just the night mode feature. The adjusting to light during the day may go up to 12, so that part is working.
 
#316 ·
Toby said:
I mentioned this earlier in the "Is this normal" thread, but no one responded, so I figured I'd post here as well. I have the night mode on & the auto light on, but when I put my Voyage on to read in bed in the dark, the light does not gradually go down. I checked the light setting. The Voyage came set to 9 in the dark, but I did change that to 10, but when I put it on, it's on 10 right away. I guess the light is not adjusting down in the dark, or am I missing something? It's just the night mode feature. The adjusting to light during the day may go up to 12, so that part is working.
I am going to make a guess on this one because noticed the same thing while I had my Voyage. But at the time I did not know about this:
Customize the 'auto brightness'

You can toggle auto-brightness on and off via the top bar menu -- touch the lightbulb icon and check the box, or clear it. You can also set a specific light level. By default, the auto brightness will adjust from dimmest to brightest based on ambient light level in the room. The sensor is in the upper left corner of the front of the screen.

Some may feel like the dimmest is too dim in all cases or the brightest is too bright in all cases. To adjust what the device 'thinks of' as brightest and dimmest you can teach it what works for you.

With auto brightness on, go to your darkest room and set the level you regard as dimmest. Then hit the large - at the bottom to set your preferred minimum brightness. To set your auto max setting, you do the opposite: find the brightest place you will read and adjust it to the level you like and hit the + at the top to lock it.

Your kindle will now automatically adjust between those points; in an area where the ambient light is in between, it adjusts between those 2 levels.

Thanks to member larryb52 for this tip which he got from a Kindle Customer Service Tech.

So my theory is now, if you custom adjust the auto-brightness range too small. The night mode feature has no room to work and it wants to use those lower numbers. BTW mine came set to 2 in the dark, which was way to low for me.
 
#317 ·
ellenoc said:
IMO you really have to allow for individual circumstances and preferences. I often thought the basic Kindle would come close to perfect - except I live in a rural area and have no wifi and don't get anywhere that does have it very often. No 3G is a deal breaker for me. And except the one thing I liked so much about my PW1 I kept using it was the light (I pretty much dislike every aspect of the touch screens and would be much happier with the KK-type controller.) So I accept no Kindle is ever going to be perfect for me. Amazon isn't going to put the light in a non-touch Kindle. In fact from what they've just done to the basic, they're going the other way and all Kindles are going to have touch screens.

So you could say I'm accepting good enough, but what makes it only good enough for me is different from what makes it only good enough for the screen-sensitive people. I had no problem with the screen on my PW1, although the one on my Voyage is so superior it made my PW1 (which has now gone to a new home) look dated.
Moved the response to the So you didn't like the Paperwhite/Voyage, now what? The solutions thread, so as to not bog down first impressions.
 
#318 ·
CAR said:
Yes, but is it because Frontlit screens are not photogenic? I am not saying all Kindle screens are perfect by no means. But the pictures do not really prove anything.
Moved the response to the So you didn't like the Paperwhite/Voyage, now what? The solutions thread, so as to not bog down first impressions.
 
#319 ·
Eltanin Publishing said:
No, it's pointless. Certain people believe that all Voyages have color gradients, and they want to believe that, and no photo will convince them otherwise - they will come up with some reason why the photo is not to be trusted. I'm not playing that game, and wasting my time, to change the minds of a few people. BTW, my PW1 did have green and pink color blobs (though not so bad to make me return it), so I do believe SOME devices have annoying color. But not ALL.
Moved the response to the So you didn't like the Paperwhite/Voyage, now what? The solutions thread, so as to not bog down first impressions.
 
#320 ·
CAR said:
I am going to make a guess on this one because noticed the same thing while I had my Voyage. But at the time I did not know about this:
Customize the 'auto brightness'

You can toggle auto-brightness on and off via the top bar menu -- touch the lightbulb icon and check the box, or clear it. You can also set a specific light level. By default, the auto brightness will adjust from dimmest to brightest based on ambient light level in the room. The sensor is in the upper left corner of the front of the screen.

Some may feel like the dimmest is too dim in all cases or the brightest is too bright in all cases. To adjust what the device 'thinks of' as brightest and dimmest you can teach it what works for you.

With auto brightness on, go to your darkest room and set the level you regard as dimmest. Then hit the large - at the bottom to set your preferred minimum brightness. To set your auto max setting, you do the opposite: find the brightest place you will read and adjust it to the level you like and hit the + at the top to lock it.

Your kindle will now automatically adjust between those points; in an area where the ambient light is in between, it adjusts between those 2 levels.

Thanks to member larryb52 for this tip which he got from a Kindle Customer Service Tech.

So my theory is now, if you custom adjust the auto-brightness range too small. The night mode feature has no room to work and it wants to use those lower numbers. BTW mine came set to 2 in the dark, which was way to low for me.
Thanks for finding this and re-posting, Car -- I'd seen your post late last night Toby but was, frankly, too tired to respond. ::) Was planning on pointing you to the above -- which is from a thread in Tips Tricks and Troubleshooting called something like Voyage Undocumented Tips. So far, it's the only one we have -- if anyone else has discovered something that's not in the user guide please do share! :D
 
#321 ·
OK, folks,

I'm going to ask, one more time, that the discussion of "all of them are this way" vs "some of them are this way" be suspended in this thread as it derails the thread every time. People's first impressions are their own. They will be different. What makes this thread useful to members contemplating a purchase is that a multiplicity of experiences are related. People who read them can make up their own minds based on what they read.

I find it difficult to extrapolate or generalize on screen quality based on the experiences of the 72 people who have posted in this thread. Some have declared their screen perfect, some have said theirs had a gradation, and some don't even have a Voyage but are asking questions or posting commentary, so the actual number of data points concerning the screen is fewer than that. It's useful anecdotal information, and invaluable when make a decision--which is why the thread will continue. It seems to me the only thing that can be said with any certainty is that "some" or perhaps "many" (by which I don't necessarily mean "most") screens have issues. It comes down to one's willingness to play the odds, and what one thinks those odds are.

I'll note that the Voyage currently has 208 reviews on Amazon and 109 of those are five stars--over 50 per cent. 24 are one star--less than 12 per cent. Those reviews are worth considering--and represent a much larger number of data points--I encourage people to read those, too.

Pictures can be useful as one factor in considerations. Let's all concede that and move on. To those who posted pictures, thank you. Those are additional data points to consider.

Let's stop the bickering, it gives me a headache.

Betsy
KB Mod
 
#325 ·
I moved my latest replies over to the So you didn't like the Paperwhite/Voyage, now what? The solutions thread, so as to not bog down first impressions, nor to litter the forum with other new threads. I think it is an interesting discussion, the screen quality and how to measure it, but I understand this thread is not the place for it.
 
#326 ·
So, my first impressions.

I guess the screen is the first thing we all look at. I’ve looked at it from every angle in every light, with the light off and on, set high and low, with and without my specs! I can’t see any problems - no uneven colouring or lighting at all, so I’m very pleased about that, given some of the reports. Placed next to my PW2 using the same light setting, the Voyage has a noticeably whiter background which is all to the good, though I was happy with the PW colour. I’ve hardly noticed that the bezel is flush - being black, there’s still a clear demarcation between bezel and actual screen. It seems to show finger marks more though, and there’s a slight reflection occasionally – inevitable I suppose when you have glass with a black background. I have yet to get to grips with how the autolight function works, but in the meantime it’s no bother to change it manually as before.

The text seems finer and crisper. I usually use (and have been perfectly happy with) the default Caecilia font on size 4. It’s bigger on the Voyage than the PW though, too big really, so I’ve knocked it down to 3, which although quite a bit smaller than I’m used to is clear enough. The font also seems slightly different, less round perhaps, but that may be just an impression because I can’t get the identical size to compare or because it’s finer. It is a tad disappointing that long after other devices have had many more font choices and even the ability to load one’s own, that Amazon chooses not to implement this – but it’s not a deal breaker for me.

It’s definitely much faster, especially downloading books – and it seemed to index them pretty much immediately, even when I deliberately downloaded a large number altogether. No more leaving it overnight to index as we had to in the early days! My collections synced automatically with no problem and once I’d remembered to tell it to show the collections I wanted in all views, I was good to go. There was also no problem connecting to my Wi-Fi. I’m very pleased to have 3g again too – I just had Wi-Fi on my PW2 and it was the first time I’d ever done that  - but have decided that, for me at least, it’s worth the extra splurge to get the 3g. No problems with the 3g signal.

I’ve never missed the page turn buttons and using a touch screen for so long I’m out of the habit of having to hit a precise spot to get the page to change, so I’ve carried on touching the screen as before. The only time they might be useful to me is when changing pages on the home screen etc., where you have to remember to swipe rather than tap - but I keep missing the exact spot on the bezel which gets frustrating! At least having both hopefully keeps everyone happy for a change.

The on/off button being on the back is slightly inconvenient at the moment, only because I have yet to get a suitable cover with the auto on/off feature. I’m using a spare PW2 case to carry it about which doesn’t work with this model so I have to keep remembering to put it to sleep manually when I finish reading – though I guess it wouldn’t hurt to leave it to go off by itself. Once I have the correct cover, I would hope I would rarely need to use it – and the cover may have a hole for it anyway.

I haven’t come across any significant difference between the PW2 and the Voyage as far as the software and settings etc. are concerned – I think it works pretty much as it did before.

In conclusion, I would say that my first impressions are very favourable and I’m happy I decided to upgrade. I’ll be glad to get a cover sorted though – I find I don’t like reading it naked.  :eek:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top