Now if you have been following this blog, you probably know I think Kindle is the best thing since the discovery of fire. Having said that, one major issue that I have with Kindle is its ergonomics. There is no doubt that Amazon could have done a better job designing the device. But what concerns me the most is the fact that I have not been able to avoid pushing a button inadvertently every time I touch the device. That could be a big problem if you are reading a book. Let’s say you decide to take a quick break. You put your Kindle down just to pick it back up a few minutes later. If you can’t stop pushing some of these buttons (next or back), you are going to flip the pages forward or backward.

Now I thought it was just me. I thought I had freakish fingers or something was in general wrong with the way I was holding the device. But it seems many folks have been complaining about this very fact on Amazon.com forums. So maybe Kindle 2’s new design is more significant that I thought it was (which is another reason to get the new Kindle).

Do you have the same problem?

Do you end up touching a button or two on your Kindle unintentionally on a daily basis? What would you change about the design of the first generation Kindle? Over to you!

2 Comments »

October 20th, 2008 Bob Says:

Once you train yourself to remember that, in the reading mode, the keyboard is disabled and you can hold/handle the kindle anywhere there, your “inadventant page turns” will decrease geometrically…….

October 21st, 2008 P.rad Says:

Hey Bob,

That’s one way to do it. I am just not used to pressing the keys and holding for dear life. You can also stick a rubber in between the problematic key. I have seen it done before but that doesn’t work for me either. I guess these issues will be resolved with the new Kindle.

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