This is my first ereader and I love it! I've been researching them for years and finally I've found one that worth buying: Amazon's Kindle Paperweight. Here's my review of it.
Pros
- Super long battery life: it was half-charged when I pulled it out of the box. It's been over a week and I have yet to charge it, even though I've been using it a couple of hours every day. Amazon claims a 2-month battery life, assuming you use it 30 minutes per day, no wifi, and at 40% brightness. That seems reasonable. Yet even if it's half that, it's amazingly good.
- Multi-touch display: Although it's not as responsive as a iPhone/iPad, you can swipe and pinch all you want. Typing is less responsive than a standard LCD touch screen, but you can certainly type and even use the free to-do-list app.
- The screen is as bright as you want it: The Kindle Paperwhite targets people who like to read black text on a white background. Ironically, I prefer black text on a gray background. I find it easier on my eyes, so I usually leave the brightness setting at only 5% brightness. That saves battery life and, for my tastes, it's what looks best in complete darkness AND a bright environment. It's only in semi-lit environments where I will boost the front light. Still, it is amazing how bright it can get and that you can have a nice white background even in a bright room.
- The double helix nanoimprinted light guide technology: It lights up the eink perfectly and evenly, unlike any other ereader in the market today. (See pic on this page.) A few reviewers have complained that there are extremely minor shadows at the very bottom of the reader (see them in the video). It's true. They are there. However, it's so incredibly subtle that only the most picky person would care. If you're one of those, I suggest you go to therapy.
Cons
- Can't play MP3s, unlike some other Kindles, so no audiobooks or podcasts.
- Like all Kindles, it doesn't accept the industry-standard ePub format. As a result, if you like checking ebooks out of your library, your selection may be limited. For example, at the two libraries I go to, I find that they have many books only in the ePub and/or PDF format. Although there are ways to import them into the Kindle, it's tedious.
- The ads on the home screen are (so far) not very relevant to me. They've been offering Editor's Picks, Young Adult Novels, and Mysteries/Suspense - none of these topics interest me at all. I hope (and expect) that the ads will become more personalized once Amazon sees what I read. Otherwise, it's a huge waste of real estate on the home screen. Luckily, that's the only place where you'll see such big ads. Once you swipe past the home screen and look into your book collection, you'll only see a small banner ad at the bottom. More importantly, no ads will appear while you're reading a book. If ads bug you that much, then get the non-ad version for an extra $20. It's cheaper than therapy.
Conclusion
For $119, it's the best value of any ereader out there! I'm going to take this on my trip to all 54 African countries!
Kindle Protective Case
When you travel, you're probably going to take your Kindle along. Just like you must protect your phone, you ought to protect your Kindle.
I've tried three cases. The first, the Timbuk2 Sleeve Case, wasn't great. The next two are better:
Kindle JKase for Paperwhite
My review is below.
Then I compared the JKase with the...
Verso Artist Series
In the video, I conclude that perhaps the JKase Executive Series Premium Quality Custom Fit Folio Case Cover Compatible with Kindle Paperwhite Display Wifi + 3G Model (Black) is better than the Verso Artist Series Cities Red by Sharyn Sowell for Kindle (Red) (fits Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle, and Kindle Touch).
I cite two reasons:
1) The JKase has a way to close the case securely.
2) It's slightly smaller.
However, after further testing, I'm going to stick with the Verso instead because:
a) Although it's slightly bigger than the JKase, it weighs nearly the same. JKase is 4.2 oz vs the Verso's 4.3 oz.
b) The Verso is stiffer and prettier than the JKcase - it seems like it may last a bit longer.
It's a tough call. If you're trying to save money or want the smallest form factor, then go with JKase. Otherwise, go with the Verso.
