Kindle DX and Buyer's Remorse

Rarely have we seen a gadget that has made the majority of its owners happy. No matter how great a gadget, there is always going to be people who can’t hate it enough. A lot of buyers feel buyer’s remorse after purchasing a new gadget, whether it is due to unfair expectations or wishful thinking. When it comes to Kindle 2.0, it’s a little bit of everything. Kindle 2.0 was supposed to be this killer gadget that would go on to replace Kindle 1.0 and bring a better reading experience to its owners. Amazon has kept up its end of the bargain. But a lot of Kindle 2.0 buyers did not expect Amazon to release a bigger, better Kindle just a few weeks after the release of Kindle 2.0. That move is probably why Amazon Kindle 2.0 has ended up on a lot of dubious gadget lists (such as this one).

At first you can argue that Kindle 2.0 customers have a point. After all, why buy a Kindle 2.0 when you can buy a Kindle DX. In reality, Kindle DX and Kindle 2.0 are made for two different audiences. Kindle DX may be lightweight and thin, but it’s still way less portable than Kindle 2.0. It’s designed specifically for college students and researchers. On the other hand, Kindle 2.0’s compact design is more attractive to business individuals and folks who are constantly on the go.

Complaining about Amazon’s decision to release two Kindles in a span of a couple of months is like complaining about new laptop models coming out right after you have bought one. While Amazon could have saved itself a lot of headaches by keeping its customers informed, in reality it didn’t have or need to disclose information about Kindle DX a couple of months early. One can’t help but feel for people who have spent their hard-earned money on Kindle 2.0 just to find out there was a whole new Kindle in town a couple of months after. But you shouldn’t buy every gadget you see in a flash anyway. Being an early adopter has its advantages. But it has its disadvantages too. Besides, Kindle 2.0 is not all of the sudden the worst gadget on the market with the release of Kindle DX. It’s still very capable. Some Kindle 2.0 will continue to complain but one thing is certain: nobody will be complaining when Amazon releases Kindle 3.0 early next year.