Review of the Amazon Kindle 2 eBook Reader

An Overview of the Kindle 2 eReader

The Armchair Geek
The Armchair Geek, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Sep 3, 2009 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
On February 9, 2009, Amazon introduced the Kindle 2, its eBook reader for electronic books. The eReader device became available for purchase on February 23, 2009 for a suggested retail price of $359.

The Kindle 2 offers many improvements over its predecessor. It has many new features such as improved battery life, 20 percent faster page refresh rate, and a text-to-speech option that allows text to be read to the user.

The first noticeable improvement on the new Kindle is the overall size. The Amazon Kindle 2 is much thinner than its predecessor with a thickness of only .36 inches (compared to .8 inches for the original). It is very slim at just over one-third of an inch, which is thinner than most magazines. The Kindle 2 is also very lightweight at 10.2 ounces, which is much lighter than a typical paperback book.

The new Amazon Kindle features a 543 MHz ARM-11 90 nm process with 32 megabytes of RAM memory and 2 gigabytes of flash storage. The Kindle 2 also has 2 gigabytes of internal memory, which can hold approximately 1500 books. There are about 300,000 books, newspapers, and magazines available to download. The text-to-speech feature allows users to listen to books and pages turn 20% faster. However, the Kindle 2 does not have an SD memory card slot.

The Amazon Kindle 2 is completely wireless. The 3G wireless network allows users to download books directly from their devices at anytime and any place with no monthly fees, service plans, or the need of a Wi-Fi hot spot. Users can download books in less than a minute with no computer required.

Users of the Amazon Kindle can enjoy longer reading times because of the improved battery life. The new device also features a 3.7 volt lithium polymer battery. The battery lasts 25% longer than its predecessor, which allows readers to use it for days without recharging.

The new Kindle also offers a improved display. Users will notice that the display looks like real paper with 16 shades of gray for clear text and images.

Overall, the Amazon Kindle 2 is a much improved version of the original. However, there is still room for improvement. After using the Kindle 2 for a while, you would begin to think that a touch screen navigation system would make your reading experience more enjoyable.

In addition to this, the lack of color somewhat limits the potential of the e-book reader. The final drawback to the system is the hefty price tag. Sony's e-book reader is prices at $299 and has a touch screen, while The Kindle 2 retails at $359.

Published by The Armchair Geek

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The Kindle 2 offers many improvements over its predecessor, with new features such as improved battery life, 20% faster page refresh rate, and a text-to-speech option that allows text to be read to the user.

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