Kindle

 

 

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On the latest Kindle the screen remains unchanged and is excellent, most significantly in sunlight. The most striking difference is the size of the Kindle - significantly smaller than the keyboard version and now looking more like the Sony eReader range. I don't need a keyboard - although you have access to a virtual one on the Kindle screen but only can only slooooowly select keys using the 5-way control on the front of the Kindle. I much prefer this compact, very light, form. The finish is also better in my opinion. I prefer the silver casing to black, and certainly the white available in US earlier-generation Kindles. Another flagged improvement is the speed of `virtually' turning the page. There is a minimal improvement but it's still not possible to repeatedly press the next page button without the Kindle quickly falling behind.

Lower specs, excluding the keyboard which I think is a plus, is the anticipated time before the Kindle needs to be recharged - one month instead of two. One month is fine for me. The storage is also reduced but Amazon archives all your purchases in the Cloud so when you have Wi-Fi access you can download them just in case you're running out of storage space. As the Kindle will hold more than 1,000 books this is not likely to be an issue. Further, listening to music and audio books is no longer an option on the Kindle (which has no speaker) so the storage won't be clogged with large sound files. Storage space is not critical therefore. I also find that with Wi-Fi pretty ubiquitous these days that the loss of a 3G is fine. Where you're likely to struggle finding a Wi-Fi access point you're also likely not to be in a 3G area but can still rely on a slower GPRS or Edge mobile download. It is possible to connect the Kindle to a PC and move e-books to it via the USB cable so the Wi-Fi less have a work around (but you need Wi-Fi at least once to activate it on receipt).

Overall this is a refreshing update of the Kindle focussed on the key features of an e-reader - a good screen/size ratio, lightweight form, ease of downloading new books, and an excellent screen. And thanks to the focus on core features it's cheaper than earlier versions. Recommended.

Update: I've uploaded a picture showing the back of the Kindle with its metal frame which improves the built quality and strength of the device.

Length:: 8:50 Mins

I already have the original Kindle with the keyboard and have been extremely pleased with it. As soon as I saw this smaller, lighter version of the Kindle I thought I would get it to carry around with me when I go to work and in my handbag.

It has the same functionality that is available on the original Kindle, it just doesn't have a physical keyboard. If like me you didn't use the keyboard much then it is worth losing it to gain a smaller reading device. There is an on-screen keyboard available for inputting data which is controlled by the four way selector button. It is more time consuming to use than the physical keyboard but I didn't find it to be too much of an issue.

This Kindle is significantly smaller in size and lighter in weight than the older version. This means that it is much more comfortable to hold for long periods of time without making your wrists ache from holding it. Despite being lighter it still feels sturdy, solid and well made.

The front of the Kindle has the four way controller button which is used for much of the functionality and making selections. There is still a home button which takes you as you would expect, back to the home page of the Kindle. This is where your downloaded books and collections are stored. There is a keyboard button that brings up the onscreen keyboard and a back button that takes you back to the previous screen. The final button is the menu button that contains most of the functionality and options you will need to manage your Kindle.

On the right and left hand side of the Kindle you have the forward and backward buttons that allow you to change pages. By being on both sides of the device it means that you can use your preferred hand to turn the pages. The buttons are less prominent than on the original device but they seem just as easy to access and turn pages with.

The Kindle comes with a USB charger which will enable you to charge it directly from a computer, laptop, netbook etc. Note that this Kindle does NOT come with the plug adaptor for mains charging - this option needs to be purchased separately.

After charging and switching the Kindle on the screen and e-ink looked sharp, it was easy to read the words on the screen - a good contrast between them. Also, your eyes won't get as tired if you read for long periods of time as there is no backlight - something many other e-reader devices use.

This newer Kindle has less storage space than the original one, you can store around 1,000 books instead of 3,000 but this isn't a problem as you can remove books after reading them. Amazon store all the books that you have purchased and you can redownload any book you have removed within a few seconds.

The battery life is also lower than the original Kindle. I normally had to charge my original device up once a month - it seemed to go on forever. So even if this one needs charging every three weeks, so what? You can extend your battery life by turning off the wireless option once you have downloaded your books.

As someone who had virtually stopped reading books before purchasing a Kindle it has made a huge difference to me. I am never without my device and generally get through a book every one to two days. If you enjoy reading books and you haven't already bought yourself a Kindle then I would highly recommend treating yourself to one.

I am one of those thousands of people who never thought they'd switch to an e-reader as I've been in love with paper books my entire life, I love the smell of old books, etc., etc., yadda-yadda-yadda. You've heard it all before in other people's reviews, so I'll skip to what I love about the Kindle, now that I've been converted.

I suffer from a rare eye condition which, unfortunately, means I'm slowly losing my eyesight in such a way that corrective lenses don't help. Back in my days of 20/20 vision, I used to read two or three books per week and reading was very much my first love. In recent years, however, reading has become more difficult and it isn't unusual for it to take me four or five times as long to read a book than it used to. I was getting to the point where reading was more of a chore than a pleasure, which upset me greatly.

Then my wonderful other half bought me a Kindle and all that changed. Thanks to the Kindle's ability to increase the font size of the books you read on it, I've been able to enlarge the text to a size which is once again big enough for me to read comfortably. No more squinting at tiny print! No more sore eyes and headache after just fifteen minutes' reading! Thanks to the Kindle, reading is now a genuine pleasure for me again... and I'm back to devouring books at my pre-sight-loss rate of two or three per week once more.

I also love the fact that the Kindle's screen isn't backlit, as reading from a computer screen also gives me a headache and painful eyes. Yes, it means that you need an external source of light to read it, but you need that to read a paper book, so I really don't see it as a mark against the Kindle at all.

Amazon doesn't seem to want to mention these aspects of the Kindle in its advertising campaign (probably because they want to market the Kindle primarily to young people and emphasising the boon it is to those of us with failing eyesight might give it the stigma of being a device for old fuddy-duddies) but I really can't emphasise enough that the Kindle is a godsend to the partially sighted. (Besides, I'm not THAT old; I'm only 36 and started losing my eyesight at 22. Vision loss can strike at any age, after all.)

Anyway, to the nay-sayers, I really recommend taking the plunge and getting a Kindle. I used to be one of you and, as much as I used to bang on about how I 'love the smell of paper books' I really don't miss it at all.

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1.0 out of 5 stars poor performance and very poor customer service
I love reading and I was so excited to get a kindle. But what a disappointment... I treated it so carefully, buying a special cover to keep it safe and mainly only reading it in... Read more

Published 8 hours ago by Miss Sally C. Watts

5.0 out of 5 stars When its in your hand you'll see first hand what people mean
This small low priced gadget will get you reading more. The kindle really does work.

The kindle has been in and out of my wish list and actual basket for many months... Read more

Published 9 hours ago by David Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
A wonderful toy for my commute I've used this every day since getting it. The controls are responsive and intuitive to use.

Published 10 hours ago by Vicky

5.0 out of 5 stars So much reading in the palm of your hand.
My Kindle has over 900 books in it , it fits in my jacket pocket. The kindle is so easy to use, the screen is small, but the print size makes for perfect reading. Read more

Published 11 hours ago by Stanmatt

5.0 out of 5 stars Kindle - a blessing of technology:
I have recently bought a new kindle, because my son had offered one to me (now it is unfortunately out of order). Read more

Published 17 hours ago by Cistóvão de Aguiar

5.0 out of 5 stars kindle
Bought the 'little' Kindle as a gift for my husband. I already have the keyboard version. He wasn't sure he would get much use out of it as he says he 'doesn't read that much',... Read more

Published 18 hours ago by Mrs C Manuel

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Purchase
I am really pleased with my Kindle. As my old fingers and wrists are beginning to feel the weight of some books I thought I'd try a Kindle. I'm very glad I did so. Read more

Published 19 hours ago by S. Hitchings

5.0 out of 5 stars Great device.
This is the second kindle I have purchased. I bought one for my wife for Christmas and after seeing it just had to have one for myself. Can't put it down, its great. Read more

Published 21 hours ago by Brian Richardson

5.0 out of 5 stars I never leave home without it!
I had purchased a kindle due to my hands not being able to hold a book open...being one who is loves to read I purchased the kindle and there is no going back! Read more

Published 23 hours ago by L T B

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for my needs!!
I couldn't be more happy with my Kindle! I decided not to get the 3G + Wi-Fi, I have Wi-Fi at home and nearly everywhere I go so it was an easy choice. Read more

Published 1 day ago by Tina N

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