How does the kindle 3 stack up against my questions?
In my previous report I articulated a number of questions to guide my search for an E-Reader. My initial thoughts were influenced by my personal need which was to have a gismo to be able to read my favourite books on long-haul trips of up to 10 or 12 hours. After identifying what I determined were baseline guidelines I decided to look further for an E-Reader that might duplicate as a work-related item. With my strategy in mind this is what I discovered on the internet.
Kindle
The kindle 3
I read or rather saw the kindle probably about a year ago whilst browsing conception Amazon. My initial reaction was hmmm what can I use that for? I never gave someone else conception to it until I arrived in Waikiki last month and happened upon the Apple Mac shop on Kalakaua Ave. It was there that I saw the iPad and had a play on it; I was impressed to say the least but I didn't buy one. I am an apple fan but only of the devices and not the prices. With this in mind, I checked out the kindle 3 and see if meets my personal needs. Incidentally, I was de facto writing about the Kindle 2 and then the Kindle 3 pops up.
Is it lighter than a 500 page hardcover book and Is it smaller than A4 (11.7"x 8.3") so that it slips into my on-board luggage?
The Kindle 3 is a step up from the customary Kindle and is a mere 0.335" thick (thin), 4.8" wide and 7.5" high and weighs in at a measly 8.5 ounces. It is sleek and slim and much smaller than an A4 piece of paper.
The rationale behind the first two questions is that I want to pack or rather slip the gismo into my carry-on luggage to read while on long-haul flights. The Kindle 2 was slimmer than the iPhone and the Kindle 3 is smaller than the Kindle 2 so it meets both criteria. The Kindle 2 has a 6" diagonal electronic paper display (and so does the Kindle 3), measures 8"x 5.3" x 0.36" and weighs a measly 10.2 ounces.
Can I read it in the dark and in the direct sunlight on the beach in Waikiki or Turtle Bay?
Both the kindle 2 and Kindle 3 come with 16 levels of gray scale which means you can read it in full sunlight. The kindle 3 is qualified with an E-Link screen that provides a sheet of paper reading sense and is designed to eliminate glare. This means that the gismo can be read in sunlight and inside without worrying about light. I wonder if this means I don't need a light to read in the dark?
Does the battery power last at least 5 hours?
I am impressed with the battery power of the kindle 2. On a single payment with wireless on you have 4 days of reading; with wireless off you have up to two weeks of reading time. Obviously, wireless usage chews up your battery power. The kindle 3 battery life is very impressive; it boasts a battery life of a month on a single payment with Wi-Fi turned off. With Wi-Fi enabled it lasts 3 weeks which is still impressive.
Something else that caught my attentiveness about the kindle 2 battery pack is that it is not detachable which means you cannot replace it yourself. You need to send it into Amazon for transfer at a cost of . At this stage I don't know what the life span of the battery is.
How long does it take to payment and Can I payment the gismo up on the plane via Usb?
It is nice to know that the Kindle 2 fully charges in roughly 4 hours and has a Usb 2.0 port (cable supplied) so it can be charged up from a laptop and from the Usb association on the plane. It can also be payment via the kindle power adapter (which is handy if you don't have your Pc or laptop with you). The kindle 3 can be fully charged in 4.5 hours and like the kindle 2 via Usb cable.
What is the storehouse capacity?
The Kindle 2 has 2Gb internal capacity which renders down to roughly 1.4Gb of user space. How many books is that? Apparently up to 1500 books. The kindle 3 has an impressive 4Gb of internal memory of which 3Gb is ready to the user; this equates to 3,500 books. Not bad at all - although I would hate to drop the gismo into water!
What types of formats does the gismo support?
As it turns out the kindle 2 and 3 supports the following formats: Kindle (Azw), Txt audible enhanced (Aax), Mp3, unprotected Mobi and Prc. However, Doc, Html, Pdf, Jpeg, Gif, Png, and Bmp files need to be converted by Amazon before they will work on the Kindle 2. Now that's a hassle but I bet if we take a look around Youtube we will find person who has already done this, then we won't need to pay Amazon for that service.
Can I purchase my e-books from any supplier with this e-reader?
The kindle garage has an impressive 700,000 books; add to that the 1,000,000 books that Amazon has ready for users to read for free. As far as I can tell - the Kindle can only passage books from the Amazon store (I need to check that out thoroughly)
What accessories come with the device?
You get a power adapter, Usb 2.0 cable and a rechargeable battery for both the Kindle 2 and 3. The cover is sold separately
How much does the gismo cost?
For the kindle 2 the prices are 9 (permits downloads with the Us) and 9 (the international version which allows for article downloads in over 100 countries). The Kindle 3 is 9 which in my conception is a great price! (I can spend more than that on books is a single shot)
Good to know
- Amazon keeps a back up of your books so that if you accidentally erase a book from your gismo you can download it again at no cost to you
- Enhanced Pdf reader with a installation for dictionary lookup, notes and highlights
- both 3G and Wireless available
- Car charger accessory ready for just under
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