Why Does the New Kindle DX Have a Graphite Case?

One of the two big changes of the new Kindle DX that was announced yesterday is a graphite case.  Is this to make it lighter? Look sexier?  Most likely, no.  It is going to improve the readability of the text on the e-ink screen.

K-Design Works, wrote about this a while ago when he explained the rationale behind his Kindle 2 font hack.

If you look at the Kindle 2, it is a pretty device – shiny and white, sleek and modern. It has a bright white case surrounding a gray screen. Unfortunately, Amazon set themselves up for a disappointing user experience by using this combination – the screen always looks dark gray relative to the whiter, more reflective bezel. It must because the screen reflects about half as much of the light as does the white plastic. …an object of constant brightness is alternately perceived as lighter or darker based on its surroundings. Based on the psychology of perception, the Kindles bezel should be darker  i.e. less reflective than the screen so as to make the screen appear as light as possible… Design must take advantage of our visual perception.

This is all about making the improvement on the new E-Ink Pearl screen even more dramatic to the reader.

Tagged as: e-books, kindle