Me and my Kindle
I have had my Kindle now for about four months and have read over a dozen novels on it in that time. As much as I love reading I usually only manage one or two books a month. So right out of the gate I will say that one big positive of the Kindle is that it has allowed me to read more. Because I take it with me just about everywhere I go I have all the books on my reading list with me at all times. I have found that I am able to read more than one book at a time, assuming that they are of different genres. So whatever book I am in the mood to read at the time, it is there in my hand.
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 in which I happen to be holding the Kindle there is a next page button within easy reach of a finger or thumb on that hand. 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.
I cannot comment on the Whispernet functionality. I am currently stationed overseas and Whispernet is only available within the US. However, 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 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. My hope is that they will be able to bring down the cost in the next generation of the Kindle. It has already come down about $40 since I bought mine. 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.
The Kindle, and e-readers in general, are not everyone. I fully respect the reasons posted here why some people would not entertain the thought of purchasing an e-reader. In the end it comes down to your own personal motivations. There are downsides to using a Kindle. With a Kindle you can only read your book on your particular Kindle. You can not loan the book to someone else when you are finished. If the books you read have a lot of graphics than the Kindle is likely not for you. It does not represent pictures well at all unles they were specifically created in gray-scale. Not all books are yet available on the Kindle, although there are enough good ones available to keep you busy for a lifetime. If you lose a paperback book it is no big deal. If you lose your, Kindle that is a significant chunk of cash down the drain. While the e-ink technology makes reading the Kindle screen in the bright sun light a very pleasant experience, it can quickly turn to fear if it begins raining.
Some just don’t want to change from the familiar feel and smell of a paper book. There is no arguing out of that one. If that is very important to you than you likely won’t be happy with an e-reader. For me, there is only one thing I want out of a book: a good story. A good story should make the paper or device disappear anyway. I get no more pleasure reading a story from a paper book than I do my Kindle, or vice versa. I do, however, get more READING done with my Kindle.
As for privacy concerns? Well, that is a personal issue. I personally could care less who knows what I am reading. Hell, I am posting under my real name so that much is obvious. If privacy is your main concern than you should probably steer clear from ordering books online altogether.
I would never try to convince someone who doesn’t want an e-reader that they should get one because it really is all a matter of taste. I just want to make sure people are awar of the plusses and minuses so they can deduce for themselves if they are in fact the “e-reader type”.
The above review was in part lifted from a review I posted on Amazon 6 weeks after I purchased the Kindle.
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I didn't find it too bad, but I definitely prefer paper versions.
