Review: Kindle

I’ve had a kindle for about 3 years, maybe longer; time has a habit of slipping by faster than I’d like.  I had been a hard-copy kind of woman before and wondered if I would really enjoy reading in this new way because I loved the new book smell and the feel of a book in my hands.  My husband purchased the kindle 1 for me and it completely changed my reading habits.  I just THOUGHT I read a lot before he bought me a kindle.  I loved the way I could take my entire library with me when I went somewhere, how I could change the font size easily, flip pages with a twitch of my thumb, bookmark passages in books, make notes if I so desired, had a dictionary readily available in the kindle if I needed one, and that there was no glare on the screen, not to mention the cute little red cover he purchased for me as well. 

When the kindle 2 came out, I was truly intrigued by the text-to-speech function, as well as the new version being slimmer and the changes to the navigation.  I loved the changes except for the feature I was most intrigued by: text-to-speech.  I thought I would be able to continue to “read” in situations I needed both hands free or needed my focus away from a book.  Alas, it didn’t work out as I’d planned because I didn’t like the robotic sound.  Another feature that’s available but I don’t use much is the internet.  I have used it before and it’s fair for browsing text-based sites, but I prefer my home PC with a mouse for navigational ease. 

I love the portability and durability of the kindle.  It goes everywhere with me: picking up kids from school, waiting in line at the grocery store, waiting in line at the drive thru, waiting at the doctor’s or dentist’s office, even when I’m meeting my best friend for lunch for the (very) rare occasion I arrive early.  Sometimes I’m only able to squeeze in a page or two but it keeps my brain active.  

I’m debating purchasing the latest generation, which is even smaller than the kindle 2 with a larger memory.   One great thing about upgrading is you never lose your library.  When you purchase kindle books from amazon, they digitally archive the books for you and you just have to load them to your new device.  Also, amazon has a HUGE selection of free and very low-cost books available in the kindle format.

Bottom line: a kindle is a fabulous gift to yourself and loved ones who read.

Kindle 3G, Free 3G + Wi-Fi - Latest Generation
Kindle DX, Free 3G, 9.7" Display – Latest Generation
Kindle, Wi-Fi - Latest Generation