Amazon Kindle Enkindles My Passion for Reading

I have recently purchased an Amazon Kindle ebook (electronic book) reader and have begun reading books in digital format...

Now, that may not seem like a big deal to many of you, but it is for me. You see, I love books. I love the feel of a good book in my hands... the weight, the hard cover, the paper, the print, the smell... all of these things give me comfort. My books are my friends. They literally speak to me through their printed words.

My personal library contains over 400 volumes, most of them hardcover editions of history and biography. I read an average of 20 books and 10,000 pages per year, so I am always looking for additions to my library. But alas, I am running out of room for additional books in my home. Space is at a premium, and I have nowhere else I can put more bookshelves. For these reasons, and because it can store up to 3,500 books in digital format, I decided it was time to buy that Amazon Kindle ebook reader...

When I ordered my Amazon Kindle, I felt a little bit like I was betraying those many friends of mine that have stood by me faithfully on my bookshelves. I could almost hear them calling: "How dare you go over to the 'dark side' and begin reading digital books? What's next... audio books?!?"

My Amazon Kindle arrived on my doorstep only three days after I ordered it. It came pre-loaded with three ebooks that I had ordered with the reader: Decision Points by George W. Bush; The Winds of War by Herman Wouk; and The People's Tycoon: Henry Ford and the American Century by Steven Watts.

Before I bought my Amazon Kindle, I had heard a lot of very good things about it - how easy it is to use; how clear and crisp the display is; and how versatile and convenient it is. From the very first time I used it, the Amazon Kindle has met or exceeded all my very high expectations.

Easy to Use: The Amazon Kindle is of a very convenient size ( 7.5" tall x 4.8" wide x 0.335" thick) and weight (8.5 ounces), making it larger than an average cell phone but smaller than an iPad. The display measures 6" diagonally. The device's design is simple and sleek. The front has the display screen, a full "qwerty" keyboard, a multi-function button, and two "next page" and "previous page" buttons. The bottom edge contains a sliding on/off switch and a micro-USB battery recharging port. On the back are located a pair of stereo speakers for use when listening to an audio-enabled book.

When I took my new Kindle out of its box, it was ready to go. After charging the internal battery for an hour or so I turned the device on. I was immediately taken to a user-friendly user's manual that guided me on how to use my new device. After I finished reviewing the manual, I moved to the "Home" screen, where I found a menu containing the three books I had ordered.

I found reading on a Kindle to be a simple and straightforward process. Read a page, press the "next page" button, wait for a split-second for the page to "turn," and continue reading. When I decide to stop reading or pause for a while, I can add an electronic bookmark. When I decide to begin reading again, the Kindle automatically detects my last bookmark and offers to take me there.

Clear and Crisp Display: One of the first things that struck me when I began reading on my Kindle was that all that hype about the amazingly clear and crisp display was actually true. I couldn't believe what I was seeing...

The Amazon Kindle uses an electronic ink technology that magnetizes "ink" particles and forms them into an image of the page being displayed on screen. The display itself is not backlit; there are no light emitting diodes or liquid crystals present, like there are in most cell phones and laptop computers; the Kindle's screen looks clear and crisp, very much like the printed page of a book. One drawback to the electronic ink technology is that it is not yet capable of displaying in color... yet. I understand that color ink displays are on the near horizon, however.

Versatile and Convenient: Since I began using my Amazon Kindle over two months ago, I have been very pleased with its versatility and convenience. Of the three models offered by Amazon, I opted for the one that features both wi-fi and free access to a 3G network. Of course, the wi-fi feature is only effective if you're using it where wi-fi is available; but free 3G access means your Kindle will work anywhere there's a 3G cell phone network available, regardless of the carrier. That has provided me with an almost limitless number of places I can take it. I've been able to take my Kindle along and read during my meal breaks at work, or while visiting friends and relatives.

The Kindle offers several excellent options that help improve the reading experience. I can change the font size (but not the style) to one of six sizes offered. I found the default font slightly smaller than I liked, so I increased it by one increment. I can also choose to enable the audio feature, but only for ebooks that have the feature included.

Kindle Accessories, EBooks... The Amazon Kindle isn't just for ebooks. Amazon.com offers subscriptions for a variety of popular magazines and newspapers as well. Some of these subscription fees are less expensive than what the original publisher charges.

The Amazon Kindle does not ship with any kind of protective case or cover, so it's necessary to purchase one as an accessory. Cases and covers come in a variety of colors and sizes; with or without built-in lights; and can be reasonably inexpensive or downright costly. I purchased a good solid leather cover for about $25.00 that provides plenty of protection for my Kindle.

...and a Couple of Drawbacks: As good as the Amazon Kindle is, it does have a few drawbacks. First and foremost is its lack of compatibility with other ebook formats. Digital books in Kindle file format will only work on Kindle devices, along with some ebooks in .mobi and .pdf file formats.

This raises the second drawback of the Kindle: the cost and quality of ebooks. Amazon claims that they have over 700,000 Kindle books, with many of them offered at no cost. However, the free ebooks are almost always older works of classical literature in the public domain. Contemporary works in all genres must be purchased, and many times the prices are unacceptably high - sometimes approaching $20.00 (higher in some cases than a paperback or a hardcover edition of the same book!) Amazon claims that these exorbitant prices are set by book publishers. True or not, I have adopted a policy of paying no more than $10.00 for any ebook. If I find a digital book I want at a price higher than that, I will purchase a print edition of it instead.

Ebook quality is frequently substandard. Nearly half of the 28 ebooks I've purchased contain many typographical errors and misspelled words. This is apparently due to the hurried and haphazard manner in which ebooks are scanned from print sources and converted to a digital format; it is completely unacceptable.

MY VERDICT: Over the past two months, I have become an enthusiastic user of my Amazon Kindle ebook reader. I still prefer those good old fashioned hardcover books, but with bookshelf space at a premium, I've found my Kindle to be an excellent alternative. Because my Kindle is so versatile and easy to use, I find that I can read more often and faster with my Kindle than with print editions of books. The Amazon Kindle definitely enkindles my ongoing passion for reading. Highly recommended!

Amazon Kindle (6" Display, Wi-fi only) $139.00
Amazon Kindle (6" Display, Wi-fi and free 3G) $189.00
Amazon Kindle DX (9.7" Display, Wi-fi and free 3G) $379.00

SOURCES:

Amazon.com Kindle pages

Personal Experience