Is It Time for a Second Chance?
The Reader’s Edge | Charlie Samways | August 23, 2026 |
Last week, I decided to give a piece of tech a second chance.
This was the first time I’d ever re-bought a device, the Kindle Colorsoft, which I’d previously returned.
I did a review for my channel ten months ago, and the Colorsoft didn’t live up to my expectations. The biggest thing that surprised me at the time was how text isn’t as sharp on the display, compared to a Paperwhite. This is caused by the Kaleido 3 layer, which results in a softening of the text you see on the screen.
In June, Amazon released new software that my 2022 Paperwhite wasn't eligible for, which meant I needed to decide between the latest Paperwhite or giving the Colorsoft another go.
As chance would have it, Amazon were running a deal on a refurbished Colorsoft Signature Edition. I went ahead and ordered it.
The thing that has surprised me most has been how my experience with the Colorsoft has been better this time around.
Knowing exactly what I was buying changed my expectations. Rather than expecting a display as sharp as a Paperwhite, I knew what I’d signed up for.
That had me questioning how much our expectations shape our judgements.
Try It, You’ll Like It
A slightly absurd experiment supporting what happened with the Colorsoft came from researchers at MIT and Columbia.
They created an “MIT Brew”, which was a regular beer with a few drops of balsamic vinegar added to it.
Asked in advance how they felt the balsamic vinegar would affect the flavour, eighty per cent estimated it would make the beer taste worse.
Participants were split into three groups; the first were tasting completely blind, the second were told before tasting, and the final group was told immediately after tasting, but before giving their preference.
The research found that preference for the MIT Brew was highest in the blind group. But the critical finding was that preference was reduced in the group that was told the special ingredient before tasting.
Learning the supposed “flaw” in the beer after the tasting had almost no effect on how people said they enjoyed it.
Just like with my Colorsoft experience, the first time around I was looking for the flaws. I was aware that I may have to send it back if the experience didn’t meet my expectations.
This time, I went in informed and softened to the trade-offs. As a result, my experience of the same technical limitation was genuinely different.
This Week’s Question
Have you ever given something a second chance - a device, a book, a restaurant - and had a completely different experience the second time, even though nothing about it had actually changed?
Reply to me at hello@charliesamways.com. I read every one.
From The Channel This Week
This week’s video was all about the 8 settings I had to change when I set up my new Colorsoft, and something every Kindle user should adjust:
8 Settings You Need to Change On Every New Kindle
And my Free Kindle Guide now has a bonus section on speed reading, which is available for all members to download here
Wishing you all the best this week, and considering second chances.
Catch up next week,
Charlie Samways