[foxtail]

My Kindle 2 should arrive Monday or Tuesday, so I'm pre-accessorizing. I've ordered an Oberon journal (the dragonfly Pond in Sky Blue) and now I'm looking at skins, mostly at the Decalgirl website.

My questions are about whether some skins are distracting while you read. I love bright colors and patterns, but I'm worried that the surroundings will pull my eyes from the printed words. Is there any consensus on this? Or opinions?

Also, is there a consensus about whether darker or lighter colors are less distracting. My instinct is to go with a lighter background skin, but I may be backward in my reasoning.

Thanks!
Kristi

 

[drenee]

First off, welcome to the Boards.  Congratulations on your K2. 

As far as skins being distracting, I do believe that just about everyone will tell you that they virtually disappear.  Some folks have commented that they prefer the darker skin, as it makes a better contrast for reading. 

You'll have to let us know which skin you pick. 
deb

 

[patrickb]

Hard to say - some people definitely have some pretty darn, er.... 'bright' skins, and love them. I was concerned with it and got the burlwood skin for my K2 [with a mocha m-edge prodigy cover which it matches very nicely with]. I had the Zen skin for my K1 and it was great as well. DecalGirl skins are fantastic though - they're really well made.

 

[foxtail]

I'm torn! There are soooo many gorgeous ones. I'm trying to limit myself to ones that will not clash with the sky blue Oberon. 

I'd been sort of ignoring darker skins, but maybe I need to reconsider.

Of course, if I don't like what I get, I can always get another....

Kristi

 

[VictoriaP]

Welcome and congrats on your new purchase!

I found the white color of the Kindle frame very distracting, so a skin was a necessity.  I deliberately chose a skin with an abstract image in very muted tones.  It's dark, which makes the screen background appear brighter--and it shows a lot less dirt than my white-based laptop skin.  Even as abstract as the image is, it can still be distracting to this ADD girl.  I cannot imagine trying to use some of the brightly colored and heavily patterned skins.  I love some of those though and wish I could get away with them!

Like everything else, it's a matter of personal preference.  Luckily skins are inexpensive enough that if you don't get it right the first time, replacing it isn't a major expense.

As far as coordinating with the Oberon, keep in mind that only a very tiny amount of the color shows on the interior of the cover, whether you use the journal + Amazon cover or the actual Oberon Kindle cover.  You'll see even less of it if you read with the cover folded back.  So don't let it limit your choices unless you're really concerned.

 

[reemixx]

I went with the Dark Burlwood skin for my K1 for the very reason of not being distracted by a 'busy' skin. I'm sure the more you use it, the less you'll notice any skin, though. Still, I wanted something plain and neutral. I'm happy with my choice. It isn't distracting at all.

I *was* going to get a lighter skin originally, just because it would blend better with the Kindle's keyboard and stuff. I'm glad I didn't, though. The darker skin makes the screen's background appear a little lighter to the eye, which was a nice added bonus.

As most people have said already, the skin you choose is a matter of personal preference. But there's my reasoning for ya, anyways.

 

[luvmy4brats]

Hi! Welcome to Kindleboards. I think you're going to get a lot of different answers to your questions.

I tend to stay away from overly busy skins as I'm easily distracted. When looking at the pictures of the skins, I cover the back with my hand so I can see the effect of just the front. I've only had one skin (out of too many to count) that was too much of a distraction (the Crest..but other people love that one). I prefer the lighter skins because the white shows through the edges of a dark skin. I'd rather have one that blends a bit better with the Kindle. I also put dark skins on my iphone because of the black screen...

After the first day or two, I don't really notice that it's there while I'm reading...I have to have one on there though because the all white is WAY too distracting.

Another suggestion I might make.. If you narrow it down to 2 skins and can't decide, get both. Put one on the front and the other on the back. I did this with Star Kiss and Six Pack . I know somebody did this with the Zen and Zen Revisted.

Good Luck with whatever you choose!

 

[foxtail]

Well, I got it to two, and ordered both: Lily and Stardust Winter.  What a hard choice! At one point, I had 12 in my wish list.  I have an idea that I'm going to prefer Lily for reading, but I did love the stars in Stardust!

Thanks for the welcome!

Kristi

 

[kevin63]

I have a dark colored skin (Match Cover) on my K2.  I don't find it distracting at all.  And it has lots of different colors on it, so it's easy to switch out covers if you need (want) to.  I've kept that skin on it since I got the K2 in Feb.  Haven't found a need to switch the skin out yet (even though I have another in the drawer if I need it).

 

[Scheherazade]

I see we've tempted you not only on the Oberon Cover but onto kindleboards and a decalgirl skin as well!  Heck, two!  Welcome to the boards   I'll say that I actually was and still am a proponent for the white Kindle.  I feel like it was designed to fade away when you're reading, and I think it does the job well.  I was really iffy on getting a skin (you saw mine on the other boards, the one with the green RoH Journal) but I finally got one because I felt bad that my Kindle was naked.  They offer protection which was a selling point, but I also felt like I wanted to make my Kindle my own.  Everyone likes to be different and this is a great way to express yourself with something that will probably never leave your side.

But like I said, I was really worried about it being distracting and I think my first post on these boards was even about not understanding the whole skin things.  That being said, I broke down and not only got a skin but designed a custom one.  It's pretty busy and I wouldn't say it's dark, but I think does have a sort of tonal quality throughout that makes it not seem so busy despite all the different colors and designs.  I don't find it distracting in the least, which either speaks for the quality of e-ink or for the magic of a well written book.  I think I could lose myself in a novel even if I had a skin that lit up and flashed "Eat at Joes"... though I don't want to test that theory.

 

[zephyrs]

I as well am pre-accessorizing and ordered the My Heart skin yesterday. It has a white background with black and red accents. Anyways I am usually drawn to darker colors but was worried that it would be distracting so when with something more bright. I also picked up the Gypsy skin for my cell phone. I figure if I get tired of it after awhile or decide I really don't like the white backgrounds I can always order a new one to try out. I am addicted already.

 

[foxtail]

I see we've tempted you not only on the Oberon Cover but onto kindleboards and a decalgirl skin as well! Heck, two! Welcome to the boards ...

I will confess to first hearing about Oberon on the Amazon discussion board. But, when I found Kindleboards, this is where I found all the gorgeous pictures of the Oberon covers. And I spent over an hour going through the thread picturing skinned Kindles, deciding what I liked and didn't like.

I'm trying to hold out now till my Kindle actually arrives. Tuesday should be the day. There's an added complication as it is my reward to myself for completing an EMT-Intermediate course, and I don't test for the national registry until Wednesday. So, I've promised myself to charge my K2 when it gets here, then not to play until Wednesday after my testing. Anyone want to take bets on whether I restrain myself?

 

[zephyrs]

If you can wait that long you deserve a reward.  I am waiting for my K2 to come hopefully next week and I'm having mine delivered to work so that I can charge it and play ASAP...lol

 

[Rasputina]

I used my K1 for over a year without a skin, and when I did recently finally put a skin it on it was really distracting. Now that I've gotten used to it, it isn't anymore.

 

[Cindy416]

Good luck on your tests (EMT and not using your Kindle!!). Here's further temptation for you, in case you don't already know.....You can read your Kindle WHILE it's charging.

As for the skin question, I wondered about the distraction, too, but found my white Kindle 2 to be more distracting than I'd thought it would be. I ended up ordering DecalGirl's "Stand Alone" skin, and I absolutely love it. I agree with those who say that the contrast is better with a skin on your Kindle. I couldn't stand to have a skin with a really busy pattern, though. My skin is a beautiful, tranquil scene of a lone tree with the sun behind it.

 

[Adele]

I just recently received the "burlwood" and love it - I find it actually draws you into the screen - I hadn't realized it but I think the white (no skin) was distracting.

 

[foxtail]

Good luck on your tests (EMT and not using your Kindle!!). Here's further temptation for you, in case you don't already know.....You can read your Kindle WHILE it's charging.

Thanks for the good luck, and fie on additional temptation!

As for the skin question, I wondered about the distraction, too, but found my white Kindle 2 to be more distracting than I'd thought it would be. I ended up ordering DecalGirl's "Stand Alone" skin, and I absolutely love it. I agree with those who say that the contrast is better with a skin on your Kindle. I couldn't stand to have a skin with a really busy pattern, though. My skin is a beautiful, tranquil scene of a lone tree with the sun behind it.

That's gorgeous! Must put that one on my maybe-next-round list. (It's a good thing skins are cheap!)

Kristi

 

[Sweety18]

Well, I got it to two, and ordered both: Lily and Stardust Winter. What a hard choice! At one point, I had 12 in my wish list. I have an idea that I'm going to prefer Lily for reading, but I did love the stars in Stardust!

Thanks for the welcome!

Kristi

Those 2 are great looking skins. Congrats and welcome to the board.

 

[NogDog]

I also went with the Dark Burlwood DG skin. After having it on for about a week now, I do feel that it does make the text background look a little lighter versus the un-skinned Kindle 2. The first few days it distracted me a bit just because it was new. Now the only distraction is one little bump (either a bubble or piece of dirt that got in there) near the upper left part of the skin which catches the light sometimes and pisses me off that it got in there.