I need to start this review by saying that my first impressions of the Kindle were not positive. However, it has now become an indispensable part of my life, and found a very fond place in my heart! I now ask myself, why I did not buy one sooner.
When I first received my Kindle, I was very excited. I opened the box (which was pleasantly simple to do!) and greeted by Kindle, a usb cable and a brief set of instructions. I was unimpressed with the cosmetics and contemplated returning the device. In today's fast paced technology industry, I have become accustomed to having everything look like a high-tech gadget with a shiny screen. This was my first misconception about the Kindle in believing it is a competitor to say, the iPad or numerous other tablets on the market. It is not competing with multimedia tablets, and without sounding too cliched, definitely in a league of its own!
I turned the device on and registering the product was simple and easy. My Kindle books and content was immediately available and downloading it to me Kindle from the cloud was quick. In a matter of second I was reading Why does E=MC² (a fantastic book by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw), along with my entire e-library at my fingertips (no pun intended).
The user interface is easy to navigate through, and if you have ever used a touch screen device such as the iPhone, you will feel right at home here. Even still, I cannot imagine anyone having any major issues with the touch screen, as it is quite intuitive and easy to pick up. Text is crisp and easy to read on the matt screen. The effect of replicating real text on paper is well achieved, and strain on my eyes is significantly reduced when compared to using the Kindle app on the iPad. However, I did get some reflective glare when reading in the sun, which wouldn't be the case with paper and ink.
There are a plethora of great features to enhance ones reading experience. MP3s can be transferred to the device (although I have not figured out how to do this from iTunes yet), you can highlight parts of text you quickly want to refer to again and make annotations as well. The added ability to post your favourite quotations to Facebook is well integrated and easy to use; one of my favourites! Text size and spacing can also be changed to suit your reading style and preferences. The addition of more fonts would be a welcome addition (there are 3 currently available to select from).
Although I am full of praise for the Kindle, there were a few issues I was not happy about. The Kindle is a nice looking e-reader and comfortable to hold. The back is nice and smooth to the touch and overall, a light product. As much as I love the functionality of the Kindle, the plasticy finish on the front could have been more refined. Also, the touch screen could have been a little more responsive and intuitive at times.
Based on the price-point, the Kindle is a well balanced and very convenient gadget, with a real purpose and market. But I should add that I was disappointed with the pricing, when compared to the USA; $99 vs £109. I fail to see the logic; £89 would have still been comparatively more, but much easier to digest.
Overall, I am very pleased with my Kindle touch. It has definitely made the train commute a lot easier and lighter, without having to lug around an extra book or two. The convenience of being able to read any book I like, immediately, is very convenient indeed. And without a case, the Kindle can be read single handed, leaving the other had free to hold on in the train or check my phone. Great! I cannot recommend the Kindle enough. 5/5
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Kindle E-Reader
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