I tested out the first version of the Kindle when it came out and I wasn’t totally impressed. I had tested it side-by-side with the Sony Digital Reader and actually preferred the Sony because of the user interface.
I now have the second generation Kindle and will be bringing this with me when I leave today for Asia. I’m actually pretty excited that I’ve been able to cut down on the number of books that I’ll have with me. On a 5-week journey, this can be substantial, ya know? Now I’ve got a couple of books that will definitely keep me entertained in the coming weeks and if, by some miracle, I find enough time to read through them (I won’t), I can always tap into Amazon’s international service, and simply download more.
I’m sure I’ll have additional remarks about the Kindle once I actually have this baby in action, but in the meantime, I’ll tell you what I think are a few of the pluses and minuses on the Kindle.
Available on Amazon for $260
The Good
- Instant accessibility to downloads, without having to connect to a computer
- Thin design, slips right into my daybag and takes up little room
- Ability to log in to my Amazon account through a computer and easily search and order books that get downloaded directly to the Kindle
- The obvious is that I can leave that stack of books at home and just carry this little reader
The Annoying
- Somewhat slow over the Amazon connection when searching around
- The buttons are not quite as intuitive as they could be. I have found myself hitting the “Back” button, thinking I’ll go back to a previous page and it brings me back to a main menu. (There IS a “Previous page” button, by the way.)
- Keypad is awkward to use – buttons have no depth and they are tiny!
- Not enough books are available on the Kindle yet (not Amazon’s fault, but annoying none-the-less)
Over all, I’m thrilled to be bringing the Kindle with me. Especially considering I was able to load it with a couple of free books that I’ve wanted to read for a long time including Autobiography of a Yogi.
If you’re a Kindle owner, you’ve absolutely got to protect it with some sort of cover or holder. I have an M-Edge GO! leather cover. While it’s slightly on the heavy side, I feel like the Kindle is really well protected in this. It’s got hinges that allow the reader to slip right into the spine of the cover as well as two corner elastic straps that keep the Kindle in place should it become dislodged from the hinges.
Another little advantage of having a cover like the M-Edge is that it makes you feel like you’re reading the physical version of the book. This isn’t a big deal to me, but it might be a better experience for some.
Oh, and it comes in PURPLE!
Available on Amazon for $35.
Travel Well!
Beth
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fernfiddlehead says
For a softer, lighter touch, there are some nice kindle pouches in my etsy shop.
Dave Glick says
I hope you love it!
Scribetrotter says
I love my kindle!! I got one for Christmas and living in France I’d been waiting for the international version…
I agree with everything you said, plus… I’d also like it to tell the time – seems odd to have an electronic device that doesn’t. Also the shopping experience is horrible – the cataloguing needs a lot of work. I now identify a book I want elsewhere – then look on Kindle to see if they have it. Also, not all the books are well-scanned. Books that have foreign names are absolutely full of typos. The scanning is obviously done electronically with no checking. But given the high price of a lot of the books, that’s not acceptable.
But all of this is minor. I no longer have to carry kilos of books with me – and I do love my Kindle! 🙂
jessiev says
i haven’t used a kindle yet, but my mom loves hers!! i am sure you’ll be very happy with it – can’t wait for a report back from your travels!