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.

So after reading a lot of the negative reviews, I still went & bought a new Kindle yesterday & glad I didn't just base it on the negative comments - these are some of my reasons:

I bought it to read books on. When was the last time you bought a book and expected it to do anything else other than have pages in it with words on it. Yes, I know that they have some of these other features, and people may like them - however it is an e-reader. Use it as one & you will be happy with it. Try use it for anything else & you may end up being disappointed.

1st impressions of it - not much to it & it just works.
I don't care about having audio - I buy books to read, not to have them read to me (that's what an MP3 player is for & is good at)
I don't care that the browser may not work (that's what a PC/Mac/iPad etc.., are used for and they are good at it)

Some people say that the text is not as crisp or clear as a book, or it doesn't have the same feel as a book - bah humbug to you. It's not a book. If you want to hold a book & have the same feel as a book - please buy a book.

A few people complained about the lack of a keyboard & that the new controller was a problem - really? I got my 8yr old daughter to try it out last night and she had no issues. I can only suspect that people having issues either have a defective unit, or maybe don't have the finger dexterity that they would need. Anyone familiar with using a mobile phone should have no problems using this new interface. Besides, for people who never mark up anything and only want to read (like me), you'll probably never need to use the keyboard after the initial setup very often anyway.

To those of you who are complaining about the price differences between the UK & the US - get over it. yes, there is a $79 version (roughly £52), however you still have to pay tax in the US, so you can add at least another £5 - £10 to this price depending on which state you live in. Did anyone also read that the cheapest one comes with advertising & sponsored screensavers? those companies are effectively subsidising the cost of the Kindle to us end users. Take the Kindle that is exactly the same that we buy here & you're see it's actually $109 plus tax. So there is not much difference in cost at all really, other than we are unable to buy a version that is subsidised by corporate advertising. Not really an Amazon issue or an issue with the Kindle itself - please leave feedback on the actual product, and not about why you won't be buying it because of cost.

I love the reduced packaging as I have less to throw away and there is just a little bit left of the world that hasn't needed to have been dug up/processed just to make a product look nicer for us. I guess some people are expecting more when they open it up & feel deflated when all they get is what they bought plus a cable. No longer do we see a mass of eco unfriendly packaging, pull out nicely packaged cables/connectors & power supply, then get to go through a heap of booklets in different languages & then finally after the excitement & anticipation has built up you finally get to the actual Kindle. Sorry guys, it's just not going to be like when you were a kid opening Xmas presents. Open the box & what you see is pretty much what you get - the Kindle, a cable & a thin 1 page guide to the device. Can't get any better!

As for the power supply not being provided - why do we need yet another power supply? Another plus for those of us wanting to get companies to do their bit to help reduce our impact on the environment. Admittedly if you don't own a PC, or have a mobile phone or any other device that has a USB connection or plug that can be used to charge a standard USB device, then you'll need one. Is suspect this is a very small percentage of people though.

Some people complained that there were no instructions - ok, so they could have included a 1 line sentence on the paper guide they include saying that to turn it on for the 1st time, press & hold for 7 seconds. Once it's turned on though, there is a Kindle user guide on the front screen, why do I need yet another printed copy of it that will only end up going in recycling! I got this to reduce the amount of printed literature I have.

Hope that helps, and please don't let all the negative comments put you off - especially as most of them don't actually relate to the product himself!

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5.0 out of 5 stars My new Kindle
I love my new Kindle done nothing but read on it since purchasing...
but still read normal books as well, but like the convenience of down loading books quick and easy... Read more

Published 2 hours ago by gandelf1967

5.0 out of 5 stars Love my kindle!!
The kindle has definitely been my best buy of the year! It's so convenient and does all that I need. Read more

Published 4 hours ago by emsietaps

1.0 out of 5 stars Amazon not playing fair over the Kindle
I'm a big fan of Amazon and they're at the top of my list of trusted companies to buy from.
Having recently bought the Kindle 6" Wifi, I mentioned to a friend that I liked... Read more

Published 9 hours ago by jsm

5.0 out of 5 stars Kindle reading
I love my new kindle I didn't realise how easy it would be to use or how soon I would stop missing carrying heavy books around.

Published 11 hours ago by Mrs. L. V. Prosser

5.0 out of 5 stars As good as everyone says
I was a bit sceptical about changing from books but from the moment I picked this up I loved it. Download of books is easy and super fast. It does exactly what it says it will. Read more

Published 11 hours ago by katieb

5.0 out of 5 stars A book lover's dream come true!!
I was never really drawn to the idea of an ebook reader and so was a bit sceptical about the idea of the Kindle. Read more

Published 11 hours ago by yidishveverke

5.0 out of 5 stars The Kindle Wi-Fi 6" E Ink Display
The new Kindle is more compact than the older one as there is no manual keyboard. The screen makes reading very comfortable. Read more

Published 14 hours ago by Ian

4.0 out of 5 stars extra suppert
I like my kindle but as a complete novices like me, i feel that a how to use the kindle guide book should be included in the box with the kindle. Read more

Published 14 hours ago by peppermint

5.0 out of 5 stars Ideal for anyone who reads alot
Absolutely love it, its compact size means i can carry it around wherever I go. So easy to manage books in any order I want. Read more

Published 15 hours ago by Joe122

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!
I recieved it in lightning quick time, popped it out of its box, connected and registered and starting reading in minutes! Read more

Published 16 hours ago by Alex Chklar - Author - Chasing...

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