Amazon Kindle 3 Review

My love of eBook readers began over a year ago, when I realised my passion for books was creating embarrassing excess baggage moments, especially at airport check-in desks! Looking for a solution, I became the proud owner of a Sony eReader.

However, over the last year, I’ve realised that most of the books I wanted to buy were not only available on Amazon, but were actually cheaper there too.

I began wondering whether I should buy a Kindle as my second eReader. This would mean I always have a back-up plan and can read my eBooks if anything should happen to my Sony eReader. And, of course, it would also allow me to easily purchase and download eBooks from Amazon.

I began my extensive research into what the Amazon Kindle has to offer and decided to write my findings as a review for anyone thinking of buying an eBook reader, or a Kindle…

Size Definitely Matters!
Most people who consider buying an eReader will do so because they want a small, convenient device, which will allow them to store lots of books easily. Another benefit of eBook readers is that your whole library becomes portable – you can store a number of books,

as well as documents, but don’t have to worry about the weight, especially exceeding your baggage allowance at the airport.

The Kindle measures a slim 190mm x 123mm x 8.5mm and weighs a mere 241 grams, which is less than a packet of sweets.

Considering the Kindle’s small size, it may come as a surprise that you can store approximately 3500 books which, I’m sure you’ll agree, is enough to keep even the most avid reader busy for a long time.

Kindle Comfort
Naturally, if you’re going to be holding a Kindle, or any other eBook reader for extended periods of time, comfort and ease of use should be very important. So, how does the Kindle measure up for comfort?

The shape and size of the Kindle ensures that it fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. The sleek design sees the page forward and back buttons conveniently positioned at either side.

With these buttons on each side, the Kindle is ideal for easy page turning, with minimal effort, whether you’re left, or right-handed. Even if you turn the Kindle on its side, to use in landscape mode, the buttons remain easily accessible, which is important if you want a comfortable read without placing strain on your fingers.

Screen size and quality
Before using an eBook reader, some people mistakenly believe that their small size might make reading difficult, but that’s not an issue with many eReaders and certainly not with the Kindle. The screen measures 6”diagonally and contains a 600×800 pixel display, which, along with the advanced ink technology, ensures an exceptionally crisp, clear read. Furthermore, the display is so easy on your eyes that you can even read before bed, without interfering with your sleep.

One of the problems with LCD backlit screens is that you can’t see the screen in bright light or direct sunlight. If you’ve tried to use your mobile phone or games console at the beach, or in the sun, you’ll know what I mean and might be wondering whether you’ll be able to use an eReader (without having to cover your head and the screen with a towel!) Rest assured that this is not the case with eBook readers, due to the display technology. Reading in bright light and direct sunlight is where eReaders come into their own because they remain as easy and clear to read as they are in normal lighting conditions.

Amazon’s website states that the technology guarantees, “The clearest text and sharpest images with latest E Ink Pearl display.”

Having seen the selection of images which are displayed on screen when the Kindle is in standby mode, the display does appear very detailed and crystal clear.

What’s the difference between Kindle Wi-Fi and Kindle 3G?
There are currently 2 models of Kindle eReader to choose from

1. The standard Kindle comes with built-in Wi-Fi, which means you can connect to your home Wi-Fi network to download your books and reading material. If you’re away from home, you can still receive your books and other reading material by connecting to Wi-Fi hotspots, such as those in some restaurants and other public places.

2. Kindle 3G is a slightly more expensive model, which has an additional option for receiving books and accessing the web. This 3G option means you can connect on the road, even when you’re not in a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Deciding which option will suit you best comes down to personal preference. If you have Wi-Fi in your home and will be downloading most of your books there, the standard Kindle would be a good choice. However, if you will be travelling with your Kindle and would like to receive books and documents on the road, you will probably prefer the 3G model.

The 3G model weighs just 6 grams more than the standard Wi-Fi version.

What will you read?
Amazon currently has over 500,000 books to choose from so, whatever genre you prefer, there’s plenty of choice. Furthermore, there are also free books which you can download for your eBook reader, including classics such as Shakespeare, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift.

You can even subscribe to newspapers and magazines and these will be sent directly to your Kindle, which many people will prefer, rather than connecting and syncing their eReader to their computer.

If the idea of Sunday papers without even leaving your bed to trudge downstairs to the collect them from the letterbox appeals to you, then the Kindle is definitely for you – Just leave your Kindle beside your bed and the latest edition of your favourite magazine or newspaper will be waiting for you when you wake up – And, of course, there’ll be no inky fingers!

Additionally, if books, newspapers and magazines aren’t enough to keep you going, you can also subscribe to blogs and have them delivered to your Kindle device.

Read First Chapters for Free
Are you one of those who like to read a few pages and get a feel for what the book is about before you commit to buying?

If, like me, you’re a touchy-feely reader who needs to skim the first pages before you buy a book, this could be a problem when buying eBooks to read on your Kindle.

However, this is where Amazon goes one step further and reassures you that there really is no need to judge a book by its cover and blurb alone – You can download and read the beginning of books for free.

Usually, the first chapter is included and is sent to your Kindle so you can try before you buy. This is a brilliant way to sample a new author or book – If you like what you read, you can then buy the whole book and have it downloaded to your Kindle, so you can continue reading.

With so much to read, how long does the Kindle battery last between charges?

Electronic book readers don’t usually use power to sustain the image or text displayed on screen, which means each time you charge your Kindle, it will last up to 1 month, depending on your usage.

As mentioned before, the Kindle displays wonderful graphic pictures when in standby mode and it’s good to know that you can enjoy these images without worrying about them eating up your battery life.

A full charge will take approximately 4.5 hours and when your Kindle does need to be recharged, this can be done either from the UK power adaptor, which is included, or by connecting to your PC or Mac, using the USB cable supplied.

‘Whsipernet’ What is it?

The easiest way to get documents onto your Kindle is to have Amazon send them and the method used to send this information to your Kindle reader is ‘Whispernet’.

The way this works is similar to the way your mobile phone sends a text message to another – it’s simple, speedy and instant. This Whispernet service is free and the information is sent to your device by Wi-Fi.

The speed of this wireless delivery system means that whole books can be sent to your Kindle in approximately 60 seconds.

This means, if you have a lot of documents sent to you or that you need to carry around, you can have these delivered to your Kindle, by Whispernet. The way this works is that each Kindle has a personal email address which allows you to have documents sent to your Kindle, free of charge, using Wi-Fi. This is a great feature and one I would use regularly, as I receive a lot of PDF documents.

It can sometimes be difficult to read PDF documents on an eReader, as they don’t resize or enlarge in the same way as books and other documents.

With your Kindle, not only can you read and enlarge PDF documents, but you can also use the ‘Text to Speech’ mode. Simply send them to your registered email address, with the word ‘CONVERT’ in the subject title and they will be sent to your Kindle, converted and ready for you to digest however you please.

Extra features
The Kindle reader provides a convenient way to store and read your books, newspapers, magazines, blogs and other documents.

As well as being very user-friendly, it also comes with many other features, which you may find useful. These include:

• Audio output 3.5mm audio jack for your earphones so you can listen to music, or you can use the stereo speakers located at the rear, if you prefer. Simply load your favourite MP3 tunes on to your Kindle and you can listen to music whilst you read.
• Personalise your reading experience by changing settings, including text size and spacing. You can also switch to your favourite font, as the Kindle now has three font styles to choose from.
• Built-in dictionary, which is perfect for looking up words, without interrupting the flow of your reading.
• Easy bookmarking – simply mark pages or text for use at a later date.
• Password protection, which offers peace of mind when not in use, particularly if you have any personal documents stored on your Kindle.
• Notes – You can use the keypad to add notes as you read.

Any complaints?
The main complaint about the Kindle is that it doesn’t support books in the ePub format, which is probably the most common format used by other eBook readers and eBook suppliers. The other neagtive is that Amazon supply books in their own format, which means that books bought from Amazon can’t easily be read on other brands of eReader.

However, Amazon books are so competitively priced and there is such a vast choice, that this is something which has actually encouraged me to buy a Kindle reader, rather than put me off. In fact, so many of the eBooks I want to purchase are cheaper on Amazon, I have decided to buy one to used alongside my Sony device, so I can download Amazon Kindle books with ease.

As with all Ereaders, the ink and display technology means they are ideal for reading in normal light and excellent for use in bright sunlight but reading in the dark is not so easy. However, this is no different to reading a normal book and is easily solved by using a light if you choose to read in a dimly lit room. If you prefer, you can also use a clip on light, which attaches to your Kindle and there are also some protective cases which have a built-in light.

What’s included?

• Kindle eBook reader
• UK power adaptor
• USB 2.0 cable
• Instructions

Does the Amazon Kindle come with a warranty?
The Kindle comes with a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty.
You also have the option to purchase a 3 year extended warranty, with accident protection

What do other users say about the Amazon Kindle?
The Kindle is so popular that there are many reviews from other users and it has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 from reviewers on the Amazon website.

Here are some of the comments to date:

• “This really is an example of real thought being put into something. Within ten minutes of opening I had downloaded five books, looked up my website, and surfed with Google. So simple, and it works.”
• “What a great experience this was, the device is very intuitive and not once did I have to refer to the instruction manual.”
• “A page is a good word for the screen. After you have been using the Kindle for a few minutes, you loose sense of looking at a screen and are hard pushed not to realise you aren’t looking at words on paper.”
• “I always said books were no good if you couldn’t hold them, smell them, and feel them. Well – that was until my husband presented me with a kindle for Christmas.”

Where can you buy the Kindle eBook reader?
You can buy the Kindle and the Kindle 3G from Amazon. Free delivery is also available on both products. Click here to view the Kindle on Amazon.