Kindle Amazons Wireless Reading Device
Introducing Kindle™ Three years ago, we set out to design and build an entirely new class of device—a convenient, portable reading device with the ability to wirelessly download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers. The result is Amazon Kindle. We designed Kindle to provide an exceptional reading experience. Thanks to electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology, you’ll find reading Kindle’s screen is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen. Kindle is also easy on the fingertips. It never becomes hot, and is designed for ambidextrous use so both “lefties” and “righties” can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time. We wanted Kindle to be completely mobile and simple to use for everyone, so we made it wireless. No PC and no syncing needed. Using the same 3G network as advanced cell phones, we deliver your content using our own wireless delivery system, Amazon Whispernet. Unlike WiFi, you’ll never need to locate a hotspot. There are no confusing service plans, yearly contracts, or monthly wireless bills—we take care of the hassles so you can just read. With Whispernet, you can be anywhere, think of a book, and get it in one minute. Similarly, your content automatically comes to you, wherever you are. Newspaper subscriptions are delivered wirelessly each morning. Most magazines arrive before they hit newsstands. Haven’t read the book for tomorrow night’s book club? Get it in a minute. Finished your book in the airport? Download the sequel while you board the plane. Whether you’re in the mood for something serious or hilarious, lighthearted or studious, Kindle delivers your spontaneous reading choices on demand. We’re very proud to introduce Kindle and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. – The Amazon Kindle Team
User Ratings and Reviews
3 Stars Next Gen needed
I do not own this device…
but I think if one thinks about the evolution of the cell phone, and the laptop computer, its easy to realize that thin and convenient are required.
If one layers in the convenience of reading a book, or a paperback, I would suggest that in order to become a hit, this type of device would need to be much thinner, with a larger screen, perhaps more rugged and even “foldable”, and with only a small thumb-style QWERTY keyboard.
I believe that most people who would read books “electronically” should already be conditioned to a working with today’s thin, bright, and low-profile electronics, so maximizing screen space, resolition, and contrast-ratio, and minimizing the device profile, as well as taking portability and ruggedness into consideration, will go a long way in marketing and promoting a true mass-consumer electronic replacement for books.
4 Stars changes the way I consume books
Great product. The screen is easy to read and it’s intuitive, so you should be able to just figure it out without reading much, if any, of the manual.
Love that I can take it outside and read in sunlight.
Love that I can email files to myself and read them on my Kindle.
Love that you can get free sample chapters to look through books before you buy them.
A couple of things I don’t like:
1. Turning the page is a bit weird. The buttons need to be moved. Plus, there is a bit of a delay in turning pages. Maybe this is because of how the screen works, but it takes longer than I expected.
2. The case. Buttons are on the back and you have to remove the case to turn the Kindle on or off. I do find the case, because of its size, makes the Kindle easier to hold though. Will maybe try one of the other cases available.
A good product. Worth the wait.
2 Stars My experiences with the Kindle
I purchased the Kindle several months ago. At first it was great — I was reading more (perhaps based off the novelty of the item), I wasn’t having to carry around all of my books, it was convenient, etc. In fact, I loved it. The design is a little bulky but NOT horrible… anyone of moderate intelligence can figure it out.
But then the first Kindle broke. Something happened with the screen… it went “black,” so to speak. When I called the Amazon reps they were very helpful and seemed to imply that has happened on more than a few occasions. They ship a new Kindle and I send out my defective.
The new Kindle arrives and joy is restored. Temporarily, because a few days later the same screen problem reappears on a different model. Once again I call Amazon and request a replacement — once again, the representative was very, very helpful and had a new model sent out immediately.
Unfortunately, the second replacement Kindle also quickly developed the same problems and I returned the item for a full refund. It’s not as though I was rock climbing with my Kindle or using it to smash objects… there’s really no reason for the e-ink to “leak.”
What can I say? Amazon was fantastic and the Kindle itself is wonderful (when it works). Are three defective products a simple fluke, or is it indicative of something larger?
3 Stars bought and sold within two months
I wanted to like the Kindle and I still think it’s a great idea. I don’t mind the proprietary format – well, I mind it, but I got past it. I think I would miss physical books if they went away, but I like to try new things, and I was sure ready to get rid of full bookshelves and heavy backpacks full of one or three books to read on the bus. But two drawbacks made me sell the thing after a couple of months: 1) the device interface is really bad. All the things you’ve read about already – page buttons too big and in the wrong place, power switches on the back, inaccessible without removing the whole thing from the jacket, squirrelly menu roller thing, no sorting of book titles. All of this seems so fixable – but from the leaked photos of version 2, still not totally addressed even in the new Kindle. Every time I take it out to read, it feels like a foreign device I need to master to get to the book I want to read. Downloading the book instantly over whispernet is nice, except that navigating the store to buy the book is so awkward that I end up going to my laptop to do it anyway. 2) I really had hoped Amazon’s marketing muscle would cause most books I want to read to be available for it. I’d say it’s more like 60% – or reallly 40-50% if I don’t let whether or not a book is available in Kindle format to influence my desire to read it. I read mostly literary fiction – lots of brand new stuff is there and you can get classics in pdf and transfer them, but the whole middle is missing and forget any small or university press stuff. If I still end up buying books and/or using my local library, the Kindle can never be my one source of reading material. As it is, I ended up carrying a book AND the Kindle around most of the time. I will hope for a better experience down the road – either version 3 or 4 from Amazon, or a competitor from a company better at design, and a more mature market for ebooks in general.
5 Stars I love my Kindle!
I LOVE my Kindle! When I ordered it before Christmas, they estimated the delivery by mid-Feb, however, to my surprise, it arrived a few days before Christmas, so it indeed turned out to be my Christmas present! I wanted it mainly to read on, so I rarely use the other functions. I like the way it handles, it does not feel awkward to me at all, I am ok with the original cover, I only put 1 small round double-sided sticky velcro on the right bottom back side, so it is more secure, but otherwise I am happy with the original cover for now. It froze a couple of times, but since I started turning it off every few days, I have not encountered that problem again. I buy books regularly from Amazon, also from a few other sites, the mobi format works great on it as well, I also converted a couple of other documents with the converter that can be found on the discussion board, really helpful program by the way. So all in all, I love my Kindle, I take it everywhere with me, I am very-very satisfied with it!!!