I kind of like this 'electronic ink' stuff!
Written: Aug 20 '08 (Updated Aug 21 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy on eyes (like my wife!). Lightweight. Expands with SD card to hold many titles.
Cons: Buttons are sensitive; Can turn pages when you don't want to. Black & white.
The Bottom Line: It's a fun gadget but a bit pricey right now. Amazing 'e-ink' technology. Get one if you like to read during a commute and have the money to spend.
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| kevlog's Full Review: Amazon Kindle Wireless Reading Device |
I've been using my nifty Amazon Kindle for about ten days now, and I have to say, I'm liking it way more than I thought I would. Having worked in publishing for twenty-one years, I'm a fan of books - the kind made of paper; the kind that have to be printed and glued together and held in your hands; the kind that I can take to the beach and not worry about dropping in the sand or seaweed; the kind I can read in my bubble bath and not worry (as much) about dropping in scalding hot water.
When the company I work for issued our sales force kindles (to make manuscript distribution a snap) I was thrilled to get one to try out myself. The kindle works on wireless technology (Amazon provides it) and so far I've been able to connect from anywhere with little trouble. Being tied to Amazon for any ordering is sort of weird, but, hey, it's their baby. Regular hardcovers that are normally 25 dollars go for around 9.99 via the Kindle, and they are uploaded to your machine in a mere minute. Amazing. Image heavy books (cookbooks for example) aren't the greatest, but for things like mysteries, fiction, and daily newspapers (many are now available as Kindle subscriptions), the device works great and you can increase the text size as needed. It's like having any book you want (well, any book that Amazon has in Kindle format) as a large print edition (nice, especially since I hit 40). I tend to get car sick when I read books in the car but I haven't had this problem while reading the kindle; must be the magic electronic paper and electronic ink. You can read more about this cool technology on Wikipedia so check it out.
The Kindle offers access to the internet but it's still in the 'experimental' stage, and clunky at best. I find that it works fine for mobile G-mail and that's about it. Any site that is loaded with graphics tends to freeze the Kindle and I have to reboot (which is simple enough to do using a reset button near the battery compartment on back).
The Kindle holds 200 books as is, but with an SD card can hold thousands. Not sure I'll need to hold thousands, but it's cool to know it's an option if I go on a 'round the world (or universe?) train (space shuttle?) trip.
In addition to thousands of titles, there are magazines (like Newsweek and Fortune), newspapers (NY Times, Boston Globe, etc.), and blogs (I have the Onion delivered to mine every day. I also get the Boston Globe (49 cents for a single issue or $9.99 a month). Some of the Globe's photos appear on the kindle, but I suspect not all of them. For most magazines you can get a free two week trial. For books you read a sample chapter before you buy. You can also send lengthy documents in pdf format to yourself via a personal kindle e-mail account.
Amazon has supposedly shipped over a hundred thousand of these babies, but on my commute in and out of Boston every day, mine is the only one I've seen so far (but people have come up to me to ask about it and have said their friends or relatives have one). I suspect that as the price comes down we will see more and more of these. The kindle comes with a chord that allows you to move files (like Mp3 music files) over to your kindle so you can listen to the latest Coldplay hit while reading Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. Pretty cool. It's no I-Pod but it's a great feature.
Another 'experimental' feature is something called Ask Kindle NowNow. Using NowNow you can actually submit any question (like What is the Meaning of Life?) and librarians will research the inquiry and respond, usually within a half an hour. I asked about some strange lyrics (something about being 'stone in love with you') and received THREE responses within the hour. Pretty wild.
The power button is located on the back (you can also put the Kindle in a 'sleep mode') and is separate from the 'wireless' button. Reading on the Kindle while the wireless button is turned off will save you battery life.
So, overall I'm happy with my Kindle. It's easier to say that since I got mine for free. I don't know if I'd feel that way if I'd paid almost 400 dollars for it. What if I dropped it in the tub and it filled with Mr. Bubble enhanced water?
Books still have a place on my bookshelves, but the Kindle is great for the morning commute. Many favorite titles aren't yet available for download but you can send a message showing your interest and they'll pass it along to the publisher.
Thanks for reading and I hope you're enjoying the lazy days of summer.
Kevlog/Kevin
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 0.00
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Epinions.com ID:
kevlog
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Member: Kevin
Location: Southeastern Massachusetts
Reviews written: 233
Trusted by: 283 members
About Me:
I am constantly overwhelmed with the richness of life.
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