I Sold My Kindle Scribe After Just 3 Months of Ownership, Here's Why

[@JustJesci]

As someone who writes in journals a lot and fills up notebooks. The Kindle scribe has been a lifesaver. I can now have my little reading nook in my room not as cluttered because of notebooks and pens because it’s on the scribe. I’ve had it for a year and I love that I don’t get notebook envy anymore because of filling one up. My scribe journal never ends! LOL the fact that I can do my morning reads on it makes it a plus. I ended up selling my paper white because I just ended up using it as a paper weight. 😂. I kept my basic though but that’s more for sentimental value than anything else.

[@UnicyclDev]

This review is a breath of fresh air. Just a man and his camera sharing his truth. No bias, no random add, no complex over production. Appreciate it.

[@PhantasmaPlumes]

Good on you, my dude. There's no harm in getting something that works better for you, and I hope the Paperwhite helps you read more! Can't wait to see more content from you!

[@MichaelsBookNook]

I picked an urban fantasy book that I’m slowly but surely getting through and I’m excited to talk about it.

[@thisguy4505]

The right device for the right use case! The only reason I would recommend Scribe for pure reading is if someone is big into manga. The screen is beautiful for graphic storytelling! I use mine every day for productivity, as you mentioned. I do a lot of studying, annotating, note taking, and even public speaking. The Scribe is just what I need! But just like you don't need a forklift to organize your pantry, the Scribe isn't the right tool for everyone.

[@MichaelsBookNook]

Oh yeah for sure. I read some of Kim-Joy’s (from Bake Off) graphic novel on it and it was amazing, especially coming from an Oasis. No matter how much I try though, graphic novels and manga seem to just be nothing more than flings to me lol. I like my words-on-paper books more overall.

[@ThePuchaczPL]

2:10 Good point. I was never in the market for scribe. I was thinking about paperwhite or the basic kindle and that part made me lean more towards the basic one.

[@megaredshadow]

Appreciate your video! Hands down the most honest review of the scribe I found that was actually helpful for my decision. Being the owner of an iPad Pro which is dusting away uncharged in some drawer in the basement now that I am not in school, I was gravitating to just get the most expensive kindle but I knew better and did not rush to buy. I’ll be going with the Paperwhite, thanks to you! I am not looking to annotate nor draw nor do any fancy stuff. Just want something simple to hold to read for fun.

[@SaitoGray]

I appreciate the review, you cure me of my "I NEED IT NOW!!!" phase. I'm in the same user case, i don't really take not and read in bed, the screen will be an issue. I'll move it on my list "Someday, with 25% off".

[@ccoco7689]

What a great review. Liked your honest opinion and your issues regarding your particular use scenario. I might face some of the things you described but i`m still willing to give the device a try after hearing your experience. I got a kindle 3rd or 4th gen that is still working almost as the day it was purchased.

[@MichaelsBookNook]

It’s definitely a great device, and the big screen with night mode is nice to have for sure. If you can snag one on sale or off eBay, it would likely be well worth your time and hard earned money

[@larryblackmon2341]

I'm a new Kindle Scribe user and love it. It has integrating seamlessly with not only my personal life but my work as well. Even a few coworkers have expressed wonderment in it, my boss included. I'm also a diehard problem solver so my brain started with what about..... The scribe checked so many boxes for me that I do feel sad your experience was less than optimal. I got the scribe because it should be a way to upgrade after losing my Kindle Paperwhite so I am glad you got something that serves your needs better!

[@MichaelsBookNook]

I’m glad that the Scribe is working out for you for sure! I think that’s its strong suit: problem solving types either at work or school. If the Scribe came out while I was in undergrad I would have bought it in a second since I used ebooks most of the time anyway. I can imagine how useful it would be in a professional setting as well, especially since the battery lasts weeks, not hours like an iPad or Surface. There’s definitely pros and cons to each model, and I am truly glad that the Scribe is working out so well for you. It’s a great device for sure.

[@madMARTYNmarsh1981]

Thumbs up purely because you didn't say 'my work flow'... I hate that term.

[@larryblackmon2341]

@@madMARTYNmarsh1981 hahaha I'm surprised because I do use that phase! 😝

[@mopete9830]

You made some great points. One of the reasons I went with a bigger ereader is productive and journaling and manga and comics. I use it everyday now and I read more. But I'm not everyone so I liked that you pointed out what you noticed with use and why you switched back. I recently used my Kobo libra to load it with books for my husband and I was like it's too small now. Lol. I'm using a boox note air 3c but I did look into the scribe first.

[@MichaelsBookNook]

I looked into the Boox and Remarkable and I had a Kobo Libra 2 for awhile but I’ve since moved to Mac and the program I had that de-DRM’d the Kindle books is Windows only as far as I know so that’s why I stayed with vetting the Scribe over other manufacturers. I really thought with the pen and stuff I’d get into writing and journaling and all that but it’s just never been a priority for me. Not sure why I thought a new piece of tech would change that lol.

[@mopete9830]

@@MichaelsBookNook It really has to be something you work on. You don't just start journaling randomly. I was journaling in a reading journal and bullet journal. I found the mindfulness part of the bullet journal really got me into journaling, but it was a process. I've been trying to find a method that worked for me personally for like 10 years. It wasn't until I read ryder carrolls book that it really stuch for me.

[@romanbolhov8006]

For me it is fore reading epubs and pdfs, nothing more. And for it’s price it is a decent device!

[@terencedavis8434]

I own the Kindle Oasis and the Kindle Scribe, my preference will always be the Oasis, but I do enjoy using the Scribe as well, even tho like Michael, I don’t really use the writing feature. The main detractor that I find with the Scribe is the lack of support for using things like Calibre to manage your books, as it removes features from the ebooks on the Scribe.

[@JasonByers77]

Great reverse psychology!!! It's settled. I'm getting the Scribe.

[@linziday8102]

Excellent thoughtful review - as someone with small hands I really appreciate it.

[@BrianHartman]

I was tempted to get the Scribe, but the size of it turned me off. When Amazon came out with the Colorsoft, I was hoping that either it would be pen-enabled, or that they'd release a smaller Scribe, but they haven't so far. My birthday is coming up, so I decided to get a Kobo Libra Colour. It's a pen-enabled device with color for less than the Colorsoft. That's what sold me. I've got a lot of Kindle books, so I'm not getting rid of my Paperwhite. I'll read any Kindle books I have on my Paperwhite, and going forward I'll read new books, magazines, and newspapers on the Kobo.

[@MichaelsBookNook]

I just got a Kobo Libra Colour last week! I haven’t purchased the pen yet but I’m really loving it so far. The color display is pretty cool, if not more of a gimmick for me personally (since I don’t read comics or graphic novels often) but I’m thoroughly impressed with it so far. So much so, I’ve actually sold my Kindle Paperwhite to use the Kobo as my main reader

[@rodhernandez4134]

I think you missed the point as to why Amazon did not make it so that you can just write on a book. When you write on the book, then you happen to change the font size, the image of the writing doesn't match the text anymore. Looking at the Elipsa by Kobo, it does this too. When you change the size of the font, the notes basically become sticky notes, like on the Scribe. So, they did not drop the ball.

[@MichaelsBookNook]

I understand why they made it so you can’t write directly on the books. I’m just not a big fan of the implementation choice Amazon made in using the sticky notes. Kobo is releasing a color version of their Libra that allows you to write directly on books (or so their advertisements show). I’m interested in seeing how they decide to implement that as well.

[@kript1996]

scribe was never meant for someone that just want to read novels tbh...like you said you lose one of the big things of the standard ereader that is convenience given by the portability... i can see it for someone that really needs font for big size, but it's not a device you can just take out anywhere to read like a basic 6 or 7 " ereader. Personally i''ve just read a couple of books on it, it was fine doing it at home, but i mostly use it to read manga, i bought it with that in mind and it's doing its job amazingly. i was also very impressed with writing on it and started to do it a lot (not in books, never felt the need to write notes on novels or stuff like that)

[@MichaelsBookNook]

Yeah I think in the end I just got caught up in the “new shiny tech” phase of the Scribe and didn’t really stop to think about my personal use case for it. I did read a chunk of Kim-Joy’s graphic novel on it and it was awesome for that, but I don’t read graphic novels much or manga and the manga I do have is the physical copy anyway. Either way, I definitely see the appeal of having one and can definitely see myself snagging a used one if the price is reasonable and using it at home and keeping the paperwhite for reading while out of the house.

[@mannastea]

I'm an annotator and looked at the Scribe for a little while. I was even keeping an eye out for Prime Day to see if it went on a deep enough sale to be worth picking up. But since annotating in the Scribe is exactly the same as the Paperwhite or Fire (you have to highlight the text and then write your thoughts) I was kinda like...eh. I don't think it's worth the money for me, personally. I like to take notes for writing in paper notebooks and I'm not into journaling or messing around with PDFs. Your review pretty much confirms that. Now I just have to hope that my husband didn't see my adhd ass looking at it for a few days and get any bright ideas into his head about my birthday. LOL Thanks for your honest thoughts!

[@verifiedmilk]

I’m thinking about trying a scribe. My brain is similar to yours where I think I’d be very overwhelmed reading on it. But I think it may be a good secondary device with my paperwhite 11 for mangas and journaling. But maybe I’m just itching to buy again haha.

[@MichaelsBookNook]

If you happen to know someone who has one I’d ask if you could try it for an hour or two and just play around with it. I know some Best Buys in my area have them out on display but the sample software they had on it made it run terribly and you couldn’t really interact with it. If you can snag a refurbished one or a cheap one off eBay that’s probably your best bet for getting one without breaking the bank. It’s a great product for sure tho and I bet you’d enjoy it more than I did, especially since you mentioned journaling and mangas.

[@TheChiggerBug]

I usually use my Kindle Paperwhite or the Kindle App on the Surface Pro to read, but it's contextual. If I am reading a textbook, I prefer the bigger screen but If I am reading a nover, I prefer the smaller. Money wouldn't be much of an issue for me, but would you recommend the Scribe for reading textbooks over the Paperwhite? The books I read have graphics and charts, so it's not very suitable for the paperwhite. I don't intend to take notes on the Scribe. P.S. I have ADHD too, but Adderall keeps the 'length of time im on the screen' away, but I can relate. I increased the size of text on my paperwhite to help me feel like I am reading faster

[@MichaelsBookNook]

For textbooks, I think the Scribe would excel at that. It depends on how you could get your ebooks tho. If you’re able to get a PDF of the book, that’s what I’d do since you can write directly on the screen on those. I used my Scribe when studying for a certification for my job and it was very handy in that regard. I just recently got diagnosed as an adult so we’ve been doing that dosage and medication carousel but I’m finally getting to a point where I’m able to stop my mind from wandering when I’m reading and it’s been a total game changer for me.

[@PinkKitten002]

Im thinking about getting one of these but like you id almost strictly be reading on it, i have an oasis which i love but it has issues now and i dont trust refurbished stuff, i wish amazon had released a new oasis because the screen size is perfect and i love my page turn buttons

[@MichaelsBookNook]

The second Amazon announces an Oasis with usb-c I’m getting it. I loved my Oasis and miss it, although the Paperwhite is super great too. I’m a sucker for page turn buttons too lol

[@mddeebp4445]

l agree it is a lovely writing experience but l didn't want to use that and a bit too big for reading. it would be better if it could scroll.

[@Maria-tl1lm]

Thanks a lot for the video. I am trying to decide whether to buy the scribe or the paperwhite and I will probably go for the paperwhite even tbough the screen is a bit too small. I use a table to read kindle books now and the screen is 8 inches. I really don't know what to do. I think I will end up not using the writing option so it's a pity to spend so much on something you will not use. I wish there was a paperwhite a bit bigger-

[@MichaelsBookNook]

You can get Scribes refurbished for a lot cheaper than retail. Secondhand retailers like eBay are a good spot too. If you’re mostly reading at a table then the Scribe with a standing case may be exactly what you’d need!

[@TheFonzieCommunity]

now i'm curious on your thoughts on a kobo color compared to scribe?

[@MichaelsBookNook]

If I can get my hands on one, I’ll be sure to do a video review. I’m definitely intrigued by it, although Kobo not bundling the pen with it and charging a whopping $70 for it makes the prospect of getting it much more difficult lol

[@TheFonzieCommunity]

@@MichaelsBookNook I mean I get it, but it would be cool to see which of the two you’d prefer if your needed or wanted a scribe like device. The scribe in many standpoints was also pricey, so I personally don’t see a difference between the two price wise. Also they are competing against amazon, so I don’t think they can make as good of deals; but I think they are just trying things out. So that the next improvement of the next kobo color with a bundle. In general it’s the well known (Amazon) versus the underdog (kobo), but maybe prices might change once amazon or others finally make their own color versions of their products. I think many kindle buyers wanted it, but they never did until recently according to a few sources that kindle could soon have their own color one by next year.

[@claudiameier666]

I have a Kobo color. It's pretty good but the writing experience is better on scribe and I'm still trying to get kindle books moved over to Kobo.

[@enriquediaz7547]

I’m a long time kindle user & also wanted to like a scribe but also returned it during the 30 day period. I’m actually still looking for a reason :) perhaps sw updates? Thx!

[@ministryofengineering3850]

Thanks

[@TheDigitalcrack]

I can appriciate some what your statements, however you basically said you bought a product without ever wanting to use the product for the point the product was made for. Why would anyone want a scribe if they hate writing or journaling but only wants to read? And if they want those things ...your reasons for returning it wouldn't even make sense to them.

[@MichaelsBookNook]

There are people who would love a scribe strictly for reading, especially those with poor vision. A bigger screened kindle might be more attractive to someone who reads exclusively at home and can use a Kindle Basic or their phone on the go. The reasons why someone would want a giant screen are practically endless. The entire video was my personal reasons for selling the Scribe and going back to the Paperwhite. I did think that the ability to use the Scribe as a digital notebook would be nice, especially for my DnD campaigns, but that didn’t turn out to be true. At the end of the day, I’m just one dude on the internet with one view on the Kindle Scribe. It’s a great device, and I said so in the video, but it didn’t incentivize me to read the way I’d hoped, so I let it go. I didn’t want others to make the same mistake I did so I made the video. People are more than welcome to disagree with me however they want. Sorry for the long-winded response but hopefully that helps clarify the point I was making in the video.

[@HyenaEmpyema]

1:18 the video starts here, also hold down the mouse button to watch at 2x

[@Dorito230]

De-incentivized.

[@FewFew77]

How does it do reading PDFs that are image heavy. I just bought the Kindle Paperwhite. While it reads text only PDFs just fine, it's very slow with image heavy PDFs. It takes about a minute to turn the page. Does the Kindle Scribe have this same problem?

[@MichaelsBookNook]

From my research it looks like the Scribe and the Paperwhite both have the same processor so you’d likely have the same issue on the Scribe. Although when I used it for studying for a certification, I didn’t have any issues with it loading the images in the pdf

[@DigiDriftZone]

Funny, I purchased a Kindle Scribe to compliment my Kindle Paperwhite that I use for travel :) - it's great to have a device for larger A4 PDFs. Also, if you search for reMarkable planners, there are a whole bunch that a free, like the one from the Morning Coach that is fantastic - it has a menu to jump to specific days, etc, very nifty. But yes, it seems like quite a niche product, I couldn't resist when it came on sale for £160 including a premium pen, that's like the price of a Paperwhite!

[@FewFew77]

How does the Kindle Scribe do reading PDFs that are image heavy. I just bought the Kindle Paperwhite. While it reads text only PDFs just fine, it's very slow with image heavy PDFs. It takes about a minute to turn the page. Does the Kindle Scribe have this same problem?

[@DigiDriftZone]

@@FewFew77 no, it’s very good. Side by side turning a page in an image heavy PDF the Scribe takes about a second, the reMarkable2 takes about 5 seconds. Don’t expect it to be instant but way faster than the remarkable.

[@kiasky1]

I knew it was too big for me.

[@jayvansickle7607]

The choice to not be able to write directly on Kindle books actually makes sense. Because of Whispersync, you can read books across your devices (Scribe, Paperwhite and App).... All of which will have different text layouts. So, if you annotate on the Scribe, then "pick up" the book on a smaller Kindle, or the app....the annotation/scribble will be located in a different spot on the book. Not where it's supposed to be. Which is why they went the Sticky Note route. I did a video a while back, showing what I meant. I'm not a KZbinr, so this is just one of like 5 videos I have for random things. Usually just showing someone something specific. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZaoYXRtjMppsKMsi=urauw21kcMloP9Nv

[@MichaelsBookNook]

You know, I hadn’t considered Whispersync at all when trying to figure out why Amazon went the sticky note route, but that makes a ton of sense now that you mention it. My Scribe was the only Kindle I had so that’s probably why I never thought about that