Your Experiences using Kindles for Japanese?

[ruby]

Hiya Nativeliers. This got ramble-y so I’ve bolded the things I’m looking for replies to as a TLDR.

When the new Kindle Basic released I saw a ridiculous amount of influencing for it on SNS. I thought they couldn’t be more than £50-60 and was shocked to say the least when I saw the price!

I do the majority of my JP reading on the Kindle App on my phone, so I’m used to the Kindle system and wouldn’t be switching in that regard. I have a series of books on DMM Books, other than that all of my digital books are on Kindle. I don’t read much from Syosetsu.net - I’ve read one series (in the web browser) and one short story (downloaded as PDF and put onto my Kindle app - not ideal as you can’t do any lookups, but gets the job done) from there. I might be looking to read more from Syosetsu in the future, but not for a little while.

Aside from the price (£85 could probably buy me my entire Natively Wish List!!) and the feeling of being influenced feeling a bit gross, my hesitation stems from the fact that I did buy a Fire tablet maybe 7 years ago for books for school and didn’t end up using it for anything but school in the end. Granted, at the time I wasn’t reading for leisure, but I don’t want to buy a device if I won’t actually use the dang thing.

At this point I feel like I’ve spent more time researching than actually reading!! I’ve been watching reviews primarily by English language speakers reading in English, so I had a couple of concerns/questions.

Can you install other dictionaries onto the device? And if you can, can I get the one Shirabe Jisho uses? I’ve used the Kindle app for long enough now to know that maybe as much as 30% of lookups I want to do aren’t possible on the in-app dictionary, either because it’s a conjugated verb or because the word simply isn’t in the dictionary.

If a word isn’t in the app dictionary, I either highlight the entire sentence to get a Bing translation or copy the word straight into the Shirabe Jisho app, but to do that on a Kindle I’d have to get my phone out and handwrite it on my phone, which erases the entire point of an e-reader! Granted, I am extremely lazy with lookups, but still a concern. (I might go ahead and count how many lookups I do in 30 mins of the book I’m currently reading so I can assess how annoying it’d be?)

If you’ve used both the Kindle App and a physical Kindle device, what are your thoughts on the two? Has it been worth it for you? How annoying if at all do you find lookups on a physical Kindle

Less Japanese-specific, but I’d use it on long-haul flights to and from Japan, so if you have a Kindle, do you find it easier to read on than a phone on planes?

My other concerns are mostly things I think I can go find out by seeing one in the flesh (i.e. screen warmth - I always have the Kindle app set to a warm background colour, which the Basic doesn’t have), but any accounts of using a Kindle for Japanese both positive and negative would be appreciated!

[Biblio]

I dislike kindle for various reasons, so nothing to add here, however, since you are already used to reading on a normal mobile screen: Have you thought about a cheap android (or iOS) tablet instead of the kindle? it gives you more flexibility in how to use it. If you absolutely want to keep using the kindle app, you can. But you’d also have access to kiwi browser with yomitan (i.e. 1 touch lookups) or any of the other ereader options out there.

[暁のルナ]

@ruby

Can you install other dictionaries onto the device?

Yes, see here: Kindle Dictionary Guide: How to Add, Change, and Create Custom Kindle Dictionaries | The eBook Reader Blog

I don’t think the issue with the Kindle app is the dictionary itself though (its word recognition. That said the Kindle app’s JP-JP dictionary can be frustrating, and the JP-EN one doesn’t always have certain words

@ruby

to do that on a Kindle I’d have to get my phone out and handwrite it on my phone

Google Lens is available for Android and iOS, and is a game changer. With android I simply open the app, take a picture (not saved), and either select all or copy the individual text

@ruby

If you’ve used both the Kindle App and a physical Kindle device, what are your thoughts on the two? Has it been worth it for you? How annoying if at all do you find lookups on a physical Kindle

I got a Paperwhite a year or two ago, and found it to be incredibly laggy (and instantly sold it to a friend). Based on other threads on here, physical Kindle’s word recognition works much better than the app’s word recognition (which basically can’t handle anything not in dictionary form)

At this point, I’m fine with the app, and use it for its JP-JP dictionary. I’d be hesitant to buy a Kindle again without knowing about its responsiveness first.

I read off tablet or physical btw (Samsung Galaxy 8), so pulling my phone out to look things up is less inconvenient than if I was relying on a single device)

[seanblue]

As mentioned, lookups work much better on the actual kindle since it can generally handle conjugated words, while the app cannot.

It is also true that it can be laggy sometimes. That said, each iteration seems to get faster, and reviews made it sound like the latest Paperwhite model is much faster.

Also, I’ve had an issue lately (maybe a software bug, but not sure) where the dictionary and even some menus just don’t work. Restarting the device fixes the issue temporarily, but restarting a kindle takes several minutes. There was a software update recently, but I haven’t been using it enough these last few weeks to confirm if it fixed the issue permanently.

Overall, I recommend a dedicated ereader if you have the money to spare. Better lookups, battery life that far exceeds any phone or tablet, and being softer on the eyes are all worth it to me. I’ve not used any ereaders besides the kindle paperwhite, so I can’t provide any comparisons.

[Legato]

@seanblue

As mentioned, lookups work much better on the actual kindle since it can generally handle conjugated words, while the app cannot.

This. This is the reason why I could never use a Kindle app version. It’s either physical Kindle or an epub loaded into https://reader.ttsu.app with Yomitan dictionary browser extension for me.

Looking up dictionary entries on a Kindle can be a bit laggy, but I have a very low threshold for being annoyed by stuff like that, and still I am overall I’m rather happy with my Paperwhite 2021. I’m not going to read high-level stuff where I need to look up every second word with it, but for things that I am more comfortable with and e.g. have to look up a word a sentence I wouldn’t want to read any other way.

@seanblue

It is also true that it can be laggy sometimes. That said, each iteration seems to get faster, and reviews made it sound like the latest Paperwhite model is much faster.

In the reviews that I read, it was more like “Wow, this is such much faster! (Note that I’m comparing it to this Kindle Paperwhite from two generations ago that I have. I also compared it to my girlfriends 2021 Kindle and compared to that there isn’t that much of a difference.)”, and I couldn’t find anything on whether selections, lookups etc. got faster too, or whether it’s mainly page turns.

But since I’m currently renting a Kindle Paperwhite 2021 via Grover that I’m very happy with, and since I’m looking to buy a Kindle soon to be able to stop renting, I’ll probably go for the 2024 version and hopefully I’ll be able to provide proper data on that then.

[snowwater]

Info: just curious why you are interested in getting the kindle itself if you already use the app? Is it because of the PDF’s where you can’t do any lookup? I use the app myself and I wouldn’t consider buying the tablet, as I’m greatly satisfied with the app.

[暁のルナ]

I’m not OP, but having a dedicated eReader that doesn’t have all the distractions, apps, and notifications of a phone or tablet is a blessing in itself, imo. Also as mentioned the dictionary functionality in the app is not the best.

This post is making me think about getting an eReader again, but I prefer reading physical anyway. So I don’t think it would be the best choice (and I could buy so many books instead!!)

[ruby]

Thanks for all of your experiences, everyone! I think at the very least I’m going to hold off until January when people hopefully start selling their unwanted Christmas presents second hand haha. I’m also considering looking into the second hand Japanese market as I’m used to buying second hand books/games/etc. for so cheap from bookoff.

[ruby]

There’s a couple of reasons. Distraction-free reading and getting away from my phone is definitely one of them.

• My wrists are quite weak and my hand cramps like crazy when reading on my phone. I was recently stuck in bed and couldn’t hold my phone up for long enough to read. The Kindle is lighter and seems a bit more ergonomic especially if you have some kind of strap or pop socket on (which I can’t put on my phone as I can’t live without a folio case… which also makes my phone heavier).
• The screen isn’t as… screen-y? I already set my Kindle app’s background to the cream setting to help my eyes a bit, but it still feels a bit bright sometimes.
• Screen size. The Kindle Basic has a wider and slightly shorter screen than my phone. I set my text on the app to be a bit bigger than the default, so I’d get a maybe two more lines of text per page.
• FOMO definitely plays a role here, which is why I’m so hesitant!! I hadn’t thought about Kindles for quite a while before I started seeing posts about them.

Some other benefits like battery life and better for long-haul flights than physical books are also factors. As is stealability. I do see a Kindle specifically as my weekends and work from home days reading device though, I know I’m not likely to commute with it, as much as that would be a good idea with phone thieves in London.

[暁のルナ]

@ruby

I already set my Kindle app’s background to the cream setting to help my eyes a bit, but it still feels a bit bright sometimes

I found the black background to be easiest on my eyes (especially at night) fwiw. It took me a bit to get used to reading the characters in the white font, but now I don’t even notice it

[bungakushoujo]

Just weighing in, I recently got a 2024 model paperwhite and it is very snappy, the dictionary pops up almost instantly! I’m loving it so far after 5 years reading with the 2015 model.

[Pashmina]

Maybe I have to upgrade… Mine is the 2018(?) model and it’s so slow… But battery is still going strong so I’m hesitant to give it up…

[暁のルナ]

Can I ask what JP-JP dictionary it uses? The Kindle app uses 大辞泉, which I’m honestly not a fan of. I know you can side load dictionaries, but I’d prefer not to bother with that, bc I’m lazy (assuming I ever got one in the first place)

[ruby]

@seanblue

lookups work much better on the actual kindle since it can generally handle conjugated words

I’m really surprised at this as I had no idea, this is definitely an added temptation! I feel like in all this time I’ve looked up less than 5 verbs that were in dictionary form in the novel lol.

I also found a pic of this feature in action as I wanted to see what it looks like in this blog post here if anyone else is curious: Verb/Adjective Conjugation in Kindle Japanese-English Dictionary - 豪鬼メモ

[bungakushoujo]

@暁のルナ

Can I ask what JP-JP dictionary it uses? The Kindle app uses 大辞泉, which I’m honestly not a fan of. I know you can side load dictionaries, but I’d prefer not to bother with that, bc I’m lazy (assuming I ever got one in the first place)

I am also lazy and just use what it comes with! It also has the 大辞泉 on it, which I’m pretty happy with. Why aren’t you a fan? I feel like it gets the job done.

[暁のルナ]

I find a lot of the definitions obtuse, or self referential. Like yes, I know that bc it has this ending it’s the こと/さま/する of the thing that looks like this, but has the other ending… That’s completely useless (I’d imagine for almost anyone). And yes I could further open the dictionary and hunt for the other thing, but by then I may as well have just used my phone.

Also if you want to know the word readings, it’s a complete crapshoot, bc half the time it will display the 音読み of the individual kanji, but not how the word is actually read. Like if I wanted the reading for the kanji, I’d click on the single kanji (and even when I do that, they don’t have an entry half the time). Or it does something like this for 探る:

Which isn’t particularly helpful. Tho if I type it into goo.ne.jp, I’ll get separate entries for さぐる and the あなぐる one (which my phone’s keyboard doesn’t believe exists )

Sometimes it just doesn’t have words, like 一室, 木枠, etc. I can guess 一室 from the kanji, I can’t confirm the reading just from that.

Otoh usually when I look things up on goo.ne.jp, or even Takoboto, I can mostly make out what it’s supposed to mean (jpdb otoh is 50/50). I’m sure some level of this is just that 大辞泉 is a dictionary meant for adults, and my vocab and reading level are just not there yet… But still, others work better. Edit: tho I just checked, and goo.ne.jp is actually an updated デジタル大辞泉… So maybe some of my issue is visual formatting? Or they made substantial updates since 1995?

[bungakushoujo]

Oh right, now that you mention all of that I guess that’s true…

@暁のルナ

Also if you want to know the word readings, it’s a complete crapshoot, bc half the time it will display the 音読み of the individual kanji, but not how the word is actually read.

This is especially annoying! Sometimes if I care enough I end up looking up the words on my phone’s Japanese dictionary app instead. It still isn’t a big enough deal for me to stop being lazy, though….

[暁のルナ]

My problem is I always care Anyway, another fun one:

I’m pretty sure the reading we’re looking for is in fact, しめい

[shitsurei]

Weighing in here a little late, but in case this might help someone:

I still use a J-E dictionary and use the JMdict version that’s currently maintained for kindles here. I think they also have some better J-J dictionaries floating around the internet for Kindles that you can sideload if you just search for it. I find the default dictionary J-J really only barely useful.

For the record, I actually also have JMdict installed in my Kindle app, and find it’s still pretty helpful even without the conjugation ability. Sometimes you can select just the stem of the verb and it will give you the definition for the noun. Most of the time there’s not a huge discrepancy between the two and the issue you’ll more likely run into is that there’s not an entry for the stem on its own. In that case I will select → copy → share to my Japanese dictionary app for a lookup. Sharing to a translate app instead could work in a pinch (the translate function within the app itself isn’t great, but it’s not egregious either). I wouldn’t read a book that I needed a lot of lookups that way, but I also won’t read a book I need to do a ton of lookups for on kindle, I’ll read it in ttsu.

Regarding Paperwhites:
My newer Kindle isn’t quite as new as @bungakushoujo’s (maybe a 2022 model? I forget exactly when I got it), but it’s pretty noticeably faster than my 2019ish model. I find it’s still a struggle to point exactly to where it thinks the word boundaries are and frequently have to select text more than once to get it right. I find that more annoying, tbh, than I do with the whole send the word to an external dictionary when reading on my phone, fwiw.

[暁のルナ]

I didn’t realize you could sideload with the app to. I’ll have to look into that. Updating the app doesn’t overwrite it?

@shitsurei

In that case I will select → copy → share to my Japanese dictionary app for a lookup

It doesn’t restrict the number of times you can copy? I ran into that constantly with LNs when I was first trying to read on the app - to the point where I just stopped using it; and even now I never copy text

In-app I stick to monolingual, but on my phone I tend to use Akebi (JP-EN) bc of its UI. So I use a mix (tho I would like to get the proportion of JP-JP usage higher personally… it’s just faster and easier to use Akebi)

@shitsurei

I find it’s still a struggle to point exactly to where it thinks the word boundaries are and frequently have to select text more than once to get it right. I find that more annoying, tbh, than I do with the whole send the word to an external dictionary when reading on my phone, fwiw.

As an aside, I stopped reading LNs on Bookwalker altogether bc of that, and bc I’ll take Kindle app’s dysfunctional dictionary over Google translate any day (iOS doesn’t have this problem, just Android)

That would definitely strongly deter me from grabbing a kindle, if that’s still an issue