petergaryr's Full Review: Amazon Kindle 2 Handheld
What Is It? The Kindle 2 is the next generation of Amazon's e-book reader.
Why Consider It? If you are like me and like to read, you may find yourself running out of space to keep books. I seriously cannot fit one more book into our bookshelf. The Kindle 2 can store approximately 1500 titles electronically at one time, so that solves one immediate problem for me.
You can always delete some of the content you have purchased to make room for new titles, then re-download older items at a later date. Everything you have purchased is associated with your Kindle account at Amazon, so if your Kindle every breaks, is stolen, or you upgrade you will never lose your material.
What Are Its Advantages? Aside from the previously mentioned ability to store quite a number of titles, there is its convenience to consider. You can find a book at the Amazon Kindle store, in many cases download a quick sample preview, decide to buy it and do so in a matter of minutes. The book, magazine, or newspaper is downloaded via Whispernet directly to the Kindle. No PC is required.
Is It Easy To Use? There are a minimum number of user controls on the Kindle, so even those with little "tech savvy" should be comfortable using it. Aside from the obvious "next page" and "previous page" buttons, "Home" bings up a listing to what's on the Kindle, and the 5 way toggle switch allows you to easly move the cursor around and select items.
How Easy Is The Screen To Read? Using electronic ink, the Kindle produces an image that is surprisingly close to what you get in a printed book. Sharp black letters are presented on a grey screen and are legible indoors under typical reading conditions, and outdoors under natural light.
I know some people dislike the fact that the Kindle has no backlight, but I have not found that to be an issue at all. I consider it a book and prefer to read using the type of light I ususally use to read books. I find that staring at backlit devices, which I do a good part of the day, can cause eyestrain. Not so with the Kindle.
What You Might Not Like About It Well, for one, it is an electronic device which means you have to treat is gently. Since no protective case is included, I immediatedly ordered one from Amazon (there are an number of them available).
The cost is somewhat pricey, but when you consider that bestselling books can be had for around $10, you have to factor in that savings if you are accustomed to buying hardcover books.
Not all books allow the Kindle's text-to-speech capability to be used. Now in fairness, this isn't a fault of the Kindle, but rather a restriction that some publishers place on it since they apparently feel that could eat into thier profits from audiobooks (or so I've read).
While the library of e-books is extensive and growing, you need to be aware that not all titles you may want to read are available in a Kindle edition. While that hasn't been a limitation for me, you may feel differently.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 0 Recommended for: Beginners - Simple and Easy to Use
For use with the Amazon Kindle 2 The next generation of case for people who need to use their gadgets on the go. The Electronic BookArmor (tm) zipper ...More at eBay
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