The Amazon Kindle: The Best E-Book Reader Yet
Amazon's E-Reader Is for Everyone Who Enjoys Reading
Sep 15, 2009
The Amazon Kindle (available from online retailer Amazon.com) is not the world’s first e-book reader. Numerous others have tried – and failed – to produce a portable electronic device that makes storing and reading large volumes of text both convenient and enjoyable.
Yet, since its introduction in Fall 2007, the Kindle has emerged as perhaps the most viable e-reader ever. Although the device may never replace print, the Kindle is an amazing, if not essential, tool for people who love to read – whether that means books, newspapers, magazines, or even blogs.
Kindle: The iPod for E-Books
The Kindle isn’t the only e-book reader out there. (The Sony Reader is currently its main competitor.) But the Kindle’s seamless integration with Amazon’s online store, via a free wireless 3G connection, sets it apart from the current competition.
In other words, the Kindle is to Amazon and books what the iPod is to iTunes and music. And while it is nowhere near as ubiquitous yet as Apple’s media player, it’s catching on: Citigroup analysts estimate that Amazon will earn roughly $1.2 billion in Kindle-related sales – readers and content purchases – by 2010.
Kindle Features – and Benefits
Here’s what this user loves about the Kindle:
* Books. Amazon claims to have over 350,000 titles currently available for the Kindle. (The Kindle itself can supposedly hold around 1,500 books.)
Browsing for and buying books couldn’t be easier. Turn on your Kindle, go to the Kindle Store, and you’re shopping. Use the Kindle’s keyboard to type in author names, subjects, and titles to search for favorites. The “Kindle Daily Blog” at the Kindle Store highlights new titles and author interviews.
Free samples are available for every Kindle title, and most Kindle books are discounted –a little or a lot – from their print counterparts. Find something you like, and it will arrive on your Kindle in less than 60 seconds.
* Newspapers. My subscription to the Kindle version of the daily New York Times costs just $13.99/month. (The Times is not available locally.) Every morning, the paper is waiting. Dozens of other national and international papers are also available.
* Magazines. My monthly subscription to the Kindle’s version of The New Yorker costs just $2.99/month. Newsweek, Time, Reader’s Digest, Technology Review, The Atlantic Monthly, and a dozen or so other magazines and newsletters are also available.
* Built-in Dictionary. When you come across an unknown word in your reading, use the Kindle’s five-way navigation button to scroll to it. Immediately, thanks to the built-in New Oxford American Dictionary, a definition appears at the bottom of the screen.
* Wireless Web. The Kindle’s bare-bones browser is no replacement for Firefox or Explorer. But the free 3G connection makes it possible to visit a variety of Web sites – including Wikipedia, Google, and local weather -- with little effort and zero cost.
* Adjustable Text. A dedicated “text size” button on the Kindle’s keyboard makes it easy to choose from six onscreen text sizes while maintaining the original publication’s font.
One feature you won’t find on a Kindle is a backlight. While some potential users have asked about this, the fact is that backlighting is what made so many other e-book readers (not to mention computer screens) unpleasant for reading. Without the glare of a light, the Kindle can be read for hours without eye strain. Besides: When was the last time you saw a paper-based book that came with backlighting?
Kindle Conclusions
Whether you yearn for news from around the world, relish classic literature, hunger for the latest Jodi Picoult novel or John McPhee collection, or want to carry a stack of travel guides without looking like an overburdened tourist, the Kindle can help.
To learn more, start at Suite101, where you'll find a number of Kindle-related articles. Also, visit the Kindle section of the Amazon Web site for a variety of testimonial and informational videos, along with links to numerous Kindle FAQs and user forums.
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