My Amazon Kindle
Most avid readers and the entire publishing world have most likely heard of the Amazon Kindle by now. In June of 2008 I broke down, shelled out $400 and purchased a Kindle. Sure, half a year later they released version 2.0 but I will be sticking with my 1.0 for now as it is easily my most prized possession.
The Amazon Kindle 1.0
Right out of the gate I will say that one of the biggest positives about the Kindle is that it has allowed me to read more. I typically read more than one book at a time and with the Kindle I have my entire book collection with me at any given time, ready to produce whatever book for which my tastes may be hankering at the moment.
The e-ink technology is phenomenal. There is no light emitted from the screen so it is as easy on your eyes as a paper page of text. Actually, it is even easier on your eyes due to the fact that you can choose the font size that is most comfortable for you. Reading outside in the light of the bright sun? No problem.
I find that the page buttons are actually well placed. Whichever hand I happen to be holding the Kindle in there is a next page button within easy reach of a finger or thumb. I have read the complaints about the touchy previous page button but I find no such problem when the Kindle is used in conjunction with the Kindle cover. The cover does make it easy to hold and offers that added piece of mind when carrying it around with you. I did, however, think the cover was a bit plain so I purchased a handmade canvas and deer skin Kindle cover off of eBay.
The built in Oxford dictionary is a handy little tool. Typically when I read a novel one or two words pop up with which I am unfamiliar. Pre-Kindle I would usually just skip over the word, thus missing out on the opportunity to expand my vocabulary. With the Kindle, however, the definition is just two thumb clicks away.
But what about the feel? I must admit that my major concern before purchasing the Kindle was losing that old fashioned “book feel” of the paper against by fingertips, even the smell. But a chapter into my first book the device itself just “disappeared” and I became engrossed in the story, just as I do with a physical book. In addition to that, it is just easier to read with the Kindle. I no longer have to keep one hand occupied holding the book open. I can lay the Kindle down on the table and read while eating. I can even, for the first time in my life, get a good cardio workout on a treadmill while reading a book. I just crank up the font size and place it on the treadmill reading stand. Reading with the Kindle is just plain more comfortable than reading the old fashioned way. Between my lunches and the time I spend on the treadmill the Kindle has allowed me to add about 12 extra hours of reading to my week.
When I went home to the States for Christmas I was able to test out the Whispernet functionality. It was very convenient. However, most of my time is spent overseas where that particular feature is not available. But one does not need Whispernet to enjoy the Kindle. Amazon allows you to download your purchases directly from your online media library to your computer. From there you can connect your Kindle to your computer via a USB cable and download your books. I find it very simple and quick. One downside to this, however, is you cannot download the samples this way. As of this writing, samples can only be downloaded via Whispernet.
When I first opened my Kindle I felt the keyboard took up too much space. In fact, since I don’t usually have access to Whispernet I was thinking I would be better off without a keyboard all together and dedicating more of the space to the screen. But now that it is there I actually find myself using the keyboard to take notes in the books I am reading. So while I initially disliked the keyboard, it has now grown on me.
The one feature of the Kindle that I could do without is the audio feature. It is a poor MP3 player because you can only use it on random shuffle and the ability to fast forward and rewind does not exist. Amazon should either ditch the MP3 player, thus making the device a little lighter and cutting down on cost, or at least make the MP3 player fully functional.
The Kindle is expensive. There is no getting around that. It has come down a little in price to $359 since I purchased mine. My hope is that the price will continue to drop. That being said, I have come to cherish my Kindle so much that, knowing what I know now, I likely would have been willing to pay twice the amount.
Generation 2.0
Now, I have not tried version 2.0 as of yet but I still have some things to say about it. Personally, I feel Amazon
The Amazon Kindle 2.0
jumped the gun in releasing the newest version. The changes that have been made are not significant enough to merit an upgrade. If anything they should call this the Kindle 1.5.
The device seems fine enough and I am sure it is slightly superior to the one sitting here by my computer as I type. It is said to be thinner, have a crisper screen and longer battery life. The device was already thinner than any
paperbacks I read, the screen already as crisp as text on a paper page and I only have to charge my Kindle 1.0 about once a week for less than an hour. The new improvements are nice but perhaps they could have waited to upgrade until, say, e-ink had color capability.
I can do without the color, but the one thing I was really hoping for in the newest version was a larger screen. Why does the keyboard take up so much room on the device? The device is a reader. The keyboard is only used for a small fraction of the time, if at all.
So yes, I am a little confused as to why Amazon went ahead with an upgrade at this point in time, but I still think the device is one of the best things to happen to reading since Gutenburg. When that sad day comes that my current Kindle goes to that giant garbage heap in the sky, the very first thing I shall do, after a few minutes of mourning, is purchase the newest version.
I’m hoping to get the Kindle with tax return money. I don’t see any major design improvements but one thing I did notice is the new Kindle had a reading feature (I don’t know if the old version had that or not). Now if you’re paralyzed or something, that could be a big advantage but if you’re too lazy to read and need a story read to you, perhaps an audiobook is a better choice than a $350 Kindle. I can’t wait to get mine!
Well, for those who don’t already have a Kindle it is certainly worth buying. I’m not all that impressed by the reading feature, however. I watched a video demonstration of it and the voice actually sounded a bit creepy. Although I do understand there are several voices from which you can choose. But I agree, if you want to have a book read to you use an audio book. Besides, the Kindle is a bit big to be using as an audio device.
I have my new Kindle and I love it! It isn’t too different from yours, judging from the limited time I looked at it over Christmas. I wasn’t even thinking about it until you showed it to me and now I love it so thank you so much, my friend.