Review: Amazon Kindle

The world of eBooks is not new. They have been around for awhile, whether on a dedicated reader or just a computer or PDA. But they haven’t really taken off. The market is plagued with high prices and relatively small selection. Plus, it is hard to compete with good old paper. It is difficult to improve on something that has not only stood the test of time but also changed the world as we know it.

Amazon recently released an eBook reader called the Kindle. It started selling on Nov. 19th 2007 for $399 and was completely sold out until recently. It is about the size of a paperback book, but a little thinner. The Kindle utilizes an eInk display, which reads just like ink on paper, to prevent eye strain. One of the key features that sets the Kindle apart from other eBook readers is it’s wireless connectivity. You can connect directly to the Kindle store and download books all through the device itself with no monthly charge.

I received my Kindle at the beginning of February and I absolutely love it. This is my first foray into the world of eBooks and the Kindle has been an excellent host. At first, I was extremely skeptical about the device. I had heard about it through many different blogs and podcasts but it just never caught my attention. I thought it was neat, but still more of the same thing. Mainly it was the price that held me back. I couldn’t imagine paying so much for this device. After hearing more about it, I decided to hit up the product page for more information. That is when it got me.

The more I read, the better it sounded. Even the negative reviews couldn’t dissuade me. My geeky side loves to fiddle with new gadgets, and being a book lover, this was a match made in heaven. I have had the device for a few months, giving me enough time to properly evaluate it. Here are some of the most important aspects in my opinion.

All Else is Frivolous

Overall, this is an outstanding device. In the few months that I’ve had it, I have finished four books and am currently into my fifth. The unit disappears in my hands. I am not using a device, I am being transported to and immersed in these stories. For me, it actually does a better job than a regular paperback. Every other thing in this review is frivolous compared to this one fact. Without this quality, the Kindle would be nothing more than a paper weight. It not only succeeds in this primary objective, it delivers is spades. If nothing else, this is what makes the Kindle worthwhile. One topic you may notice in other reviews is the screen flash. When turning pages, the screen turns black so that it can realign the eInk particles. At first you may think this is distracting, but you quickly get used to it. I don’t even notice it anymore. Although, if you are an extremely fast reader you may find the page turns a little slow.

Features and More

Beyond readability, this device does many other things right. One thing that other reviews rag on are the big buttons. I, on the other hand, adore them. It is part of what helps the Kindle disappear while I use it. I can hold the device many different ways and still maintain access to the buttons with the slightest movement of my fingers. I can curl up on the couch and not worry about how my book is positioned.

Text resizing is a major benefit that comes with the addition of a screen. I by no means have poor eyesight when it comes to reading, but I do find the text in some books to be a bit small. The Kindle allows me to increase the text size which makes it easier to keep the lines of text in order. The larger text has even helped increase my reading speed.

Surprisingly, the built in dictionary turns out to be one of my top features. I have rarely used a dictionary while reading a book. If I find a word I don’t know I usually just fight on through. I am too involved with the story to go hunting through a dictionary. With the Kindle, I use the dictionary constantly. It is so simple to look up words. It takes a few extra seconds and no hassle. If you haven’t used a dictionary while reading you may be surprised to find the Kindle creating this new habit. For those who use a dictionary regularly, the Kindle should save you some time and make the process much simpler.

The wireless access really helps set this device apart from others in the industry. You can’t review the Kindle without talking about the wireless access. Amazon has removed the extra step of using a computer and it makes a huge difference. You can now download books no matter where you are. You don’t have to stock up or wait to get home in order to enjoy a new book. The interaction with the online store is seamless. If you prefer, you can still use a computer. You can browse Amazon from any web browser and when you buy a book it automatically gets sent to your kindle. The wireless feature also makes it possible to receive the newspaper in the morning.

There are tons of other features like annotations, clippings, search, and battery life (yes I do consider this a feature). I could go on but to keep the length of this post reasonable I will stop here. If you are curious about my input on these other features then leave a comment. I may even write a second post if I feel it will be beneficial.

Drawbacks

Remember, the Kindle isn’t trying to be the paper book. It is a new way of reading. It gains respect with me by not replicating everything about the paper book. If they tried to include every last element, the device would become clunky and unusable. Some things should be left with paper.

With that said, there are a few things I long for. One of those is the ease of flipping back multiple pages to reread something. This is pretty difficult with the Kindle. You can make annotations and bookmark past pages which makes it a little simpler, but you can’t just fly back on a whim to compare sections of the story. This isn’t a huge deal for me, but is something I would like to see improved in the future.

Additionally, the Kindle makes it difficult to compare stories with their paper counterparts. By this I mean discussing the book with someone who is reading the paper copy. The Kindle uses it’s own page numbering system. This means you can’t just say, “I really like the dialogue on page XX between Mr. Z and Mr. Y.” You have to refer to chapters or parts of the story. This makes it difficult to determine how far someone is without potentially giving away part of the book. The Kindle numbering system was implemented so that “page numbers” would be standard regardless the text size used. This helps other Kindle users discuss stories, but creates a barrier with our paper using counterparts. A huge part of reading a book is the discussion. This is something that really needs to be improved for the Kindle to become a major player in the world of reading.

The final major drawback I have is the way books are organized within the Kindle. Currently it is one long list that can be sorted via title, author, or date opened (last time the book was read). This is simple and clunky at the same time. It is easy for me to get back to my story if it was read recently. But if the book is a tad older, it takes some searching to get to. I would like custom ordering or folders. The ability to line up things to read in a list instead of title or author. It would also be beneficial for me to group similar readings in a folder. If I have a few texts to read for class, I would like the ability to group them as one. Sometimes I have several articles for one class stored on my Kindle. This can quickly kick my current book to the second page. I am not too concerned about this drawback since it can easily be fixed in a future software update.

Overall Rating

4 out of 5 stars

Overall I give the Kindle 4 out of 5 stars. The device is outstanding and definitely holds its own. It isn’t perfect and I believe that future versions will be exponentially better. I feel the drawbacks are by no means a deal breaker. I have put up with bigger problems in other gadgets that I love. The Kindle has been an excellent addition to my reading life. It has enriched the stories I read. I have even used it in my college career. I use the Kindle to read various texts that teachers have scanned and made available online. This review could go on forever, but I feel these are the main and noteworthy points that make the Kindle worthwhile to me. If you have any specific questions about the Kindle feel free to leave a comment.