[Guest]

I'm wondering why so many people want the Kindle to have a touchscreen? My smartphone (Palm Centro) has one and while it's great, it also means my screen usually has fingerprints (I rarely bother with the stylus as it tends to scratch the screen) all over it, meaning it has to be cleaned all the time. I don't see any need for one on a Kindle-the screen would quickly become a mess I think!

 

[pomlover2586]

I personally would not buy a Kindle that only had a touchscreen......I don't like seeing the scratches/fingerprints where I'm reading.

 

[Thumper]

For me it's not so much a want as it is I'm already poking at the screen like it *should* be a touchscreen. Too much time spent using PDAs and the iTouch, I think...

 

[luvmy4brats]

I really don't need a touchscreen for my Kindle, the fingerprints would drive me batty. Love my iphone, but I'm constantly cleaning it. I hate to admit that every now and then, I forget it's not a touchscreen though, and start poking at it too.

 

[akpak]

When people first see the Kindle, it seems like the first instinct is to touch the screen.

The advantage of a touch screen would be to eliminate the keyboard... Thus maybe allowing a larger eInk screen to be used

 

[cjpatrick]

I have to agree with the anti-touch lobby here. I am already a little anal about my electronic screens, I'm overly so with the Kindle. The problem is that anytime you get a single smudge on your kindle it is the equivalent of getting a smudge on all 400 pages of your favorite book. You can't just flip the page and forget about it. I currently have two specks of dust trapped under my screen protector and they drive me insane. I know I could remove them, but so far two specks has been my best application attempt and I don't want to gamble with another try and end up with worse. I can only imagine the smudges a touch screen would present. As far as a larger screen is concerned, I've yet to see the need for one, as long as the push of a button can flip a page the current screen size is fine by me. My biggest fear is my e-reader turning into some catch all gadget that can make phone calls and play games and everything else. Reading takes you away to a magical world, it's an escape, and as soon as my friends and family can call me from my book, the magic is gone.

So what is really important to improving the e-reader? Not what is the most fun, what is our dream e-reader. But what are the aspects that are crucial to improving and progressing the Kindle and not causing it to crossover into another gadget altogether? Any thoughts?

Personally, I would like to see an improvement in the speed of the Kindle, organization of files, and possible more ports for add-ons. READING RELATED ADD-Ons, like a light.

 

[Mycroft]

I also vote against a touchscreen. I just think it would get smudged too easily. I have a K1 and I love the size and placement of the buttons.

 

[kim]

I'm on a computer at least 9 hours a day.  If someone touches my monitor at work, I yell at them.  Smudges and fingerprints drive me nuts.  Getting rid of the keyboard would be nice, but to do that the screen should be as advanced as something like an iPhone or I don't think it would be a step forward.  And anything with smudges would be a step backwards.

cjPatrick - You're right, what a terrible thing if your book started calling you.  I would have to stop reading scary things, a sudden ring would scare the cr*p out of me.

If they want to add something, I vote for aromatherapy!  Just think, if you are reading about something in the French countryside you can actually smell the lavender fields.  Or smell the salt water during that make-out scene on the shore. 

 

[ak rain]

its a bit fun flicking the pages on my son's itouch. the thought of the technology allowing this. the novelty is due to I rarely get to touch my son's itouch. and I have played with electronic check in at airports. Do you understand it new technology to me. touch screen on my reader? not needed. if it gave me a slightly longer screen to read without being bigger item to hold? it might be worth it. I like my kindle reader.
Sylvia

 

[Linda Cannon-Mott]

Anti touch screen here, the finger prints would drive me up the wall!

 

[DHILL]

I actually like touch screens.  It would be nice to touch/tap a word in a book and have it defined at the bottom of the screen.  I hate scrolling to the word.  Also, with many pages of books and docs, it would be nice to just tap the book you want to open.  If we ever get folders, a touch screen would make it easier to navigate, especially if you have many books and docs.  I have to admit though that I come from the PDA world with the stylus and recently iPhone.  I also have the DR1000S and it uses a Watcom screen and stylus.  It does make navigating much easier.  As for reading and page turns, the buttons are best.

 

[cjpatrick]

BUT THE SMUDGES!!!!!! 

 

[L.Canton]

Providing there was a technology developed to repel the oil left over from fingers, I think a touch-screen would be a great addition.

 

[MAGreen]

As much as I love my Kindle, I think a touch screen would be great for navigaton. It would need to be done so it didn't add to glare or reduce the screen sharpness. I'd rather have folders though...

 

[Latjoe]

I'm not interested in a touch screen for Kindle.  For me, a touch screen is good for something that's hyperlink-heavy, such  as with a pda, where you're checking your calendar, jumping to individual entries, then to contacts, etc.  For straight reading, I don't want it. As mentioned, wouldn't want the smudges. I prefer the simplicity of a page key that's right next to my thumb.  Also, virtual keyboards don't impress me.  For one thing, calibration is often an issue.  If you have a bunch of small squares and your calibration is off, it's just a hassle.  For another thing, with a keyboard, you can go by feel -- tactile feedback is important to me.  You feel the key, and you know when it's been pressed properly.  Had a touch screen cell phone, didn't like it, returned it.

I also wonder if the extra layer required by the touch screen would make the text less clear . . . don't know about this, though.


For Kindle improvements, give me folders, and support for tables or spreadsheets. 

Kathie

 

[SusanCassidy]

I've heard that the extra layer, shininess, etc. makes the Sony with the touchscreen have less contrast than their other models.

 

[dickj]

I love touch screens when they add value.  When the interfere with the purpose of the device I hate them!  Touch screen is great on my iPhone.  I have tried touch screens on computers and hated them.  If the device is reading intensive as opposed to icon intensive then touch screens seem to interfere - simply because the smudges and finger prints become distracting. 

 

[ladyknight33]

No touch screen for me!! <y daughter has the iphone and I hate using it.

 

[Andra]

I have had a variety of handheld devices that were touchscreen and the fingerprints drove me up the wall.  I got around most of them by adding screen protectors, but it did make the screen harder to read.  I'd hate to do that with my Kindle.

 

[MamaProfCrash]

I do not want a touch screen. Sony's touchscreen has caused issues with glare and clarity of text. I would hate the smudges.

Yuck.