Top positive review
2 people found this helpful
A Great Device
By Bpollen on Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2011
I got the Kindle Keyboard 3G as a gift for a shut-in partially disabled relative in an institution, as well as one for myself. So far, it seems to be working fine. My relative uses the 3G, since she doesn't have access to wifi. I have wifi. Both 3G and wifi work great on this Kindle. But words of warning to those considering getting a Kindle for a relative such as mine: Be aware that you have to set up the relative's account with a credit card. This mattered to me, since my relative will NOT be downloading anything that costs money. Nada. Nothing. She has no money to speak of. I got this Kindle for her so that she could have access to the classics and things like that, since she can't go to the library. She doesn't have a credit card. So I used mine. So, okay, whatever. But it would've been nice to know that ahead of time. Second, watch out for mystery charges. My relative says she's not downloaded anything that cost anything, but a mystery "kindle" charge of $2.51 has appeared on my credit card. So apparently there are charges (spelled out in fine print, I guess) for something that she did or tested. I've had to disconnect her Kindle account, until I have time to read her manual completely to find out about mystery charges. Third, for those considering buying a Kindle, you should know that despite all the wonderful reviews (and they are warranted, IMO), the Kindle is not a book or anything like a real book. It's a totally different experience. It's great, IMO, for travelling people, people like my relative who need a source of reading material but can't get books, some disabled people (the Kindle is much easier for an infirm to handle than a book), people short of space to keep books in, or people who like gizmos or the ease of getting reading material fast and quick. These are all great reasons to get a Kindle. It's fun, it's easy, it's handy, etc. But it's not quite the same as going to a discount bookstore and picking out a used Agatha Christie novel and going home to read it, or picking up that old copy of Shakespeare collections from your bookshelf and running across notes made by your mother when she was a child. Reading hard copy books and reading books on Kindle are two totally different experiences. For the pros of the thing, I will say that I also bought one for myself but haven't hooked it up yet. I bought one for myself because it was on a great sale, and I am running out of space to keep hard copy books. I have books in every room of my house except the bathrooms. I will still buy real books, but for those times when I just want to read, say, a current fiction paperback or something, the Kindle will be great for that. Or if I want to read a little of an old classic that I don't have in hard copy, or if I want to find a particular passage in it, the Kindle can't be beat for that. Downloading an old classic is free, and you can search the text of it. Ba-da-bing. I think it also may be easier to read in bed than trying to hold open a paperback as I get sleepy. If anyone has an idea of what the mystery charges are, I'd like to know. It was only $2.51, which sounds like my relative was testing out some feature. She tested out the text-to-speech feature, so maybe there's a charge for that. I'm not concerned about the small amount; I'm concerned because I don't know what the charge was for. It crossed my mind that someone else got hold of her Kindle and did something (she's in an institution). It's passworded, but my relative may have told someone the password. Anyway, I hope I figure it out so I can turn her Kindle back on. I'm glad I got the Kindle 3G keyboard (w/ads). I think I'll get some use out of it. Oh, as for the keyboard vs. touch decision: I got the keyboard because my relative was uncomfortable with using touch screens, and also because that's the one that went on sale. I got the same one for myself for the same reasons. UPDATE 1/3/11: Mystery charges: I found out what they were for. It took awhile for them to appear in the account. Turns out it was my relative, but she didn't want to tell me. Credit card: Others have told me that I can delete credit card, after it's set up. I'm not going to do that, but that's good to know. Updating software: Must have wi-fi or a computer to update the software. So for those who ONLY have 3G, be aware that you will not be able to update (f the software. Other posters tell me that the updates are not really necessary. But consumers should know this. Most people have access to computers, though, I would think. I've been using MY Kindle Keyboard 3G-wifi now for about a month, and I love it. It's light, compact, easy to read, and I've been able to find the books I want. I found covers for mine and my relative's KK (I ended up buying a cover made for the Kindle Fire). This is a remarkable gadget. I'm upgrading my rating from a 3 to a 4 (not a 5, since you can't update the software on the 3G without a computer). I wouldn't mind a Kindle that's a little larger, actually. UPDATE 1/15/2015: I still use my Kindle, and it works great! I have grown to really love it. I download books and keep them organized in categorized folders. The battery still works fine. This is clearly a well made device and built to last. When my relative's Kindle was stolen, I bought her a used one of the same type from Amazon, and it works great for her. Amazon was helpful in helping us cancel her old Kindle account and transfer it to her new Kindle. I have upgrade my rating from a 3 to a 5!
Top critical review
11,712 people found this helpful
Worth the money. Not perfect, but very very good for start to finish novels in good light
By Jeffrey Stanley on Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2010
The Kindle is my first e-ink reader. I own an iPad, an iPhone, and have owned a Windows-based phone in the past that I used as an ereader. My overall impression of the device is good. The good: I'd honestly rather read linear (read from page one to the end, one page at a time) fiction from it than a book, because I can't always get comfortable with a book. Hardcovers are sometimes a bit heavy, and paperbacks don't always lie open easily. The Kindle is incredibly light and thin. I can hold it in one hand easily. The page turn buttons are conveniently located. Page-turns aren't instant, but they're probably quicker than turning a physical page in a printed book (there are just a lot more page-turns unless you choose a small font). The contrast is better than other ereaders I've seen. There is zero eye strain in good light. My eyesight isn't the greatest and I like being able to increase the font size and read without glasses. I love being able to browse the Kindle store and read samples before deciding to purchase. The "experimental" browser is surprisingly usable, but isn't great. It is useful for browsing wikipedia and blogs. The biggest drawback to the browser is the awkward pointer navigation, using the 5-way pad. It syncs your furthest read page over the internet so you can pick up where you left off using your iPhone or iPad. The so-so: The kindle store could use more categories and sorting options. You can't sort by "top rated," and there is no category for "alternate histories," for example. Finding a very-specific type of fiction relies on keyword searches, which don't do a great job. The wifi sometimes doesn't connect before it times-out. You rarely need the wifi, but it is annoying if you change a setting, answer "OK" to the prompt to connect, and the thing tells you it failed to connect two seconds later (the exact moment it indicates that it did finally connect, then you need to go back to update the setting again). Most settings don't require a connection, but it is a minor annoyance. Most of your time will be spent reading, and of course your books are stored on the device and a connection is not required. Part of me wishes I'd bought the 3G model, because the browser is good enough that having lifetime free 3G wireless would be worth the extra money. Magazines don't look very good and are not very easy to navigate. There is minor glare in some lighting conditions, mostly when a lamp is positioned behind the reader's head. The bad: The contrast is fair to poor in dim light. It is much easier to read a printed page in dim light. In good light, contrast is on par with a pulp paperback. In dim light it feels almost like reading from an old Palm Pilot (resolution is better than an old Palm, but contrast is bad in dim light). The screen is small enough that the frequency of page turns is pretty high. Even in good light, the light gray background is less pleasant than the eggshell background of a printed page. You must tell it to sync before you switch it off, if you expect the feature allowing you to pick up where you left off using other devices to work correctly. The copy protection prevents you from using the files on anything other than Kindle software or devices. Vs iPad: IPad is a lot better for magazines, reference materials, and illustrated materials. Kindle is worlds better for reading novels. IPad is pretty heavy, making it more difficult to hold in your hand or carry with you everywhere. Kindle is much more portable and easier to hold. IPad has some amazing children's books and magazines, which take advantage of its multimedia features. IPad is unreadable in sunlight and glare is bad in bright light. Kindle is as good as a printed page in bright light. Ipad serves as a creative tool, a computing tool, a gaming tool, and a communication tool. Kindle is only a novel machine. I don't regret buying either one of them. An iPad won't replace books, but a Kindle can, if the book is text-only. I highly recommend this device at its new low price if you are a frequent reader of novels. I love my kindle. Just don't expect it to be more than it is. Leave the magazines and such to the tablet computers.
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