If getting through the workday was a boulder on a hill, just call me Sisyphus. Luckily, my desk is in front of a lovely window and not in the depths of the Underworld, but still -- getting through the nine-to-five (and then some, if you're a freelancer like me) can get repetitively monotonous if you don't find a way to break up the day.
But as a tech editor, there are anywhere from eight to a dozen devices on my desk at all times (four different Kindles, two monitors, one laptop, two phones, one docking station, and a wireless mouse right now) that all sit in the splash zone. My desk is even at risk, since it's an adjustable electric standing one. I've taken precautions for my laptops and monitors, and my phones have a strong IP rating. Even my Kindle Paperwhite is water-resistant, but the note-taking device I use all day, every day -- the Kindle Scribe -- is in terrible (but ridiculous) danger.
Kindle Scribe Colorsoft
- Resolution
- 150ppi
- Storage
- 32GB, 64GB
- Brand
- Amazon
- Screen Size
- 11-inch glare-free display
The Kindle Scribe doesn't have an IP rating
Which makes dust dangerous and water wrathful
The Scribe is the only Kindle model across the whole modern line that doesn't have an IP rating. You read that right: none at all. An IP rating (or Ingress Protection rating) is a code that describes how well an electrical device can withstand elements like dirt, dust, and water. Ratings vary from very minimal dust and water droplet exposure to devices that could survive a tsunami after a three-day trek through a dust storm, and all depend on the enclosure seals that protect the internal mechanisms from exposure.
Models like the Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Oasis boast IPX8 ratings, which means they're protected enough to survive being accidentally submerged beneath two meters of fresh water for an hour. Saltwater dwindles that time down a bit, but you don't even have to worry about brief splashes.
Accidents happen, and a Scribe shouldn't die over a little spilled milk.
None of the Kindle Scribe models -- from the 2022 first-gen to the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft -- have an IP rating. It doesn't necessarily need to be tossable into the drink or anything -- I'm not planning on jotting down notes underwater. But accidents happen, especially at a sleep-deprived employee's desk where a hand could easily knock over that desperately-needed cup of joe.
Because I use a standing desk, sometimes I forget what height I set it to and bump into it when I go sit down. This is usually fine, except when I've just poured a fresh cup of tea and the movement causes the hot liquid to slosh around and out of the mug. It's landed on my phone before, and destroyed countless paper notebooks. Paper notebooks are cheap, and it isn't the end of the world if I have to replace them. But ruining a $630 paper-like tablet is a little closer to the end of the world than that.
The Kindle Scribes are too expensive to be ruined so easily
All it takes is bumping into your desk to trigger catastrophe
I'm currently using the new $630 Kindle Scribe Colorsoft as my daily notebook driver. The regular third-gen Scribe with a front light starts at $500, the version without a front light ships in early January for $430, and the older generations start at $400. One of the cheapest prices you can get any Scribe at all is $360 for a refurbished 16 GB model. Kindle Scribes may be a single(ish)-use notebook replacement, but replacing one costs as much or more than some iPads that can do a whole lot more.
Granted, I love my Scribes for their limited use: they allow me to consolidate my notebooks into a single digitized home. But those notebooks used to sit next to my multiple cups of coffee a day, and spilling a little caffeinated beverage on them wasn't going to destroy my productivity or set me back a few bucks. A little spillage on my Scribe could spell disaster -- and cost me far more than a coffee-stained page ever did.
At such a premium price, the Kindle Scribes should come with at least a little water resistance, simply for the sake of desktop beverages and real-world practicality. Accidents happen, and a Scribe shouldn't die over a little spilled milk.