Thursday, December 30, 2010

Kindle Review

Since we are constantly reviewing our favorite kindle books, I think it's only logical that we give you our opinion of the kindle itself. My K3 was delivered yesterday afternoon. Prior to its arrival, the only time I got a chance to play with one was a few moments at Target on Christmas Eve. You heard me right, the first time I've ever held a real kindle was six days ago. To say that I was immediately hooked was definitely an understatement.
It had been on my wish-list for a long time, and after spending a few moments playing with the display model, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted one as soon as possible. In actuality, we had gone to Target to purchase one. My husband wanted to surprise me. Unfortunately, they were sold out and it would be several days before they received another shipment. Disappointed, we left empty handed.
Of course that meant there wasn't one sitting under the tree Christmas morning. Don't get me wrong, I had a wonderful Christmas morning. No complaints whatsoever. But I had been bitten by the kindle bug, and now I wanted one more than ever. Sunday morning, my husband asked if I had went ahead and ordered one from Amazon. "What? Really?" Two minutes later, I received an order confirmation email and was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Now, I just had to wait for it to show up.
I expected it to take a while, what with all the orders they had been shipping out for the Christmas rush, so when I got an email Monday morning saying it had been shipped and I should receive it by Friday, I was tickled pink. Imagine my surprise when it showed up two days early. I could hardly wait to get home to play with it. I didn't have to wait long, however, because my wonderful husband decided to bring me lunch and brought the kindle with him.
I have been unable to put it down ever since.
There are so many features I like about this thing. The fact that I can turn my review files into mobi files and load them onto the kindle is beyond amazing. Another feature I love is the text to talk. This little feature is especially handy when driving or when I'm doing something that takes me away from reading. I got to test it out first thing this morning while I sat in the dentist's chair for two hours. What might have been a completely miserable experience was made to be much more enjoyable. I can see this feature is going to become one of my favorites.
I also love how easy the kindle is on the eyes. While I loved the kindle app on my laptop, it was straining to my eyes, and quite often I could read for no more than an hour at a time. The kindle didn't see to cause the eye strain that I experienced with the laptop. I was amazed at how much the screen resembles actual paper. I'm not sure how they did it, but it is cool!
I know I've said many times before that I love my printed books, and I do, but I think having a kindle is going to bring my reading experience to a whole new level. If you've been considering getting one but you aren't quite sure, go play with one. You will make up your mind right then and there. Do I think it's worth the money? Absolutely. But don't take my word for it. Try it yourself.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love my Kindle. I got the DX for Christmas LAST year. It didn't come in until February. It was on back order and boy am I glad I didn't know it was coming until my dad and brothers called me to come over!

We bought my daughter a Kindle 3 this year and I'm jealous. I love my DX but the K3 is so small and cute. We got her case for it just yesterday. It's cute with flowers all over it. She loves her Kindle too!

Since I got my Kindle, my book consumption has sky rocketed. You're right, the text to speech is great in the car. I don't have to wait to hear what happens next while I drive.

Jack Chrysler said...

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Not All E Ink is the Same - Kindle Uses "Pearl", the Latest Generation E Ink for 50% Better Contrast
When considering an ereader, you should ensure that you are getting a device with the latest generation E Ink technology, referred to as "Pearl". Our all-new Kindle uses Pearl, resulting in the best reading experience possible with 50% better contrast and the sharpest text.
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How Electronic Ink Works
Electronic ink screens work using ink, just like books and newspapers, but display the ink particles electronically. People who see the display for the first time do a double take because the screen looks like real paper.
No Eye Strain - Reads Like Real Paper, Not a Computer Screen
Kindle's electronic ink display is ideal for reading because it does not create the same eyestrain as reading on traditional backlit LCD tablets or laptops.
Clearer Text and the Sharpest Display
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No Glare, Even in Bright Sunlight
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Longer Battery Life
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