I LOVE my Kindle!!!

Mike's mom got me a Kindle for Christmas. She heard about it on the Oprah Show and thought I would love it. I had heard of it, but had not really looked into it. Anyway, once I started reading about it I got really excited.

I purchased my first Kindle book, Death Angel by Linda Howard , yesterday. I am sooo hooked.

My Kindle

So, here's my review, both the good and the bad, of the Kindle after using it for 5 days.

The Good

• Free sample chapters. This did not seem like such a big deal to me at first. I know who I like to read. I figured it would be good for exploring new authors or if reviews of a book were mixed. Wow, did I get that wrong. I downloaded a sample from an author that I have read in the past and liked. Within the first few pages I knew that this was not the book I wanted to read now. Further, if I did read it, I'd get it through Paperback Swap (PBS) instead of paying $9.99 for it. I downloaded another sample (for the book I am reading now). I wasn't really sure I would like it, thought it was on my PBS list. Lucky for me, the free sample saved the day again. Not only did I like the beginning of the book, I loved it and couldn't wait to read more. I can't tell you enough how valuable the free samples are.
• Quick downloads. When I got to the end of my sample for Death Angel I had the option to "Buy Now" or Continue (or something similar). I chose to buy and Amazon did 1-Click ordering using the primary card associated with my Amazon account. The book was downloaded in less than a minute. The entire book!
• Ease of Use. Flipping through the pages is easy and straightforward. You don't have to be a computer geek to use the Kindle. Page navigation buttons appear on the left (Prev Page, Next Page) and the right (Next Page, Back) of the device. There is a slight delay as the page draws that is reminiscent of turning a page in a paper book.
• Readability. Kindle uses E-ink that is designed to be as crisp and clear as real ink on real paper. It is great. You can also adjust font size if you need/want to.
• Portability. The dimensions of the Kindle are 7.5" x 5.3" x 0.7" -- somewhere between a trade paperback and hardback -- and it weighs 10.3 ounces. But this device can hold up to 200 books. The weight and size don't change, but you get your whole library (or a fair portion of it) in 28 cubic inches. 200 books not enough? Add a 4GB or 8GB sD card. The possibilities are almost limitless.
• Whispernet. The Kindle is a wireless device. But it isn't like a notebook computer, it is more like and iPhone or Blackberry. Communication occurs over a cellular network (Sprint EVDO, I believe) and works just like a cell phone. There are no fees, no passwords, no nothing. You don't have to think about how the content is transferred to your Kindle, it just gets there. The coverage is good for urban areas , but if you are in a rural area, you may need to get content by connecting to your computer's USB port and downloading through your local internet connection .
• Other Goodies I have not needed yet, but know I'll use. You can search you entire kindle for a word or phrase. There have been so many times I wanted to flip to another section of a book, but can't find it; no problem with the Kindle. Ability to bookmark and annotate pages. A built in dictionary. Let's be honest, this has happened to all of us. You are reading along and encounter an unfamiliar word. Kindle makes it easy to look it up on the spot!
• Basic Web Functionality. I list this last because it is what it is called -- basic. Since the Kindle has a wireless data signal you can check email and do basic web surfing. I have bookmarked my Gmail in case I am in a pinch, but I'd rather use my iPhone.

The Bad

Let me preface these items by saying, if this is the worst of it, no one should complain.

• No backlight. This is intentional. Kindle is meant to give you the same reading experience as a written book. A backlight would turn the nice screen into a more computer like device, which is harder on the eyes. Solution: buy a clip on book light. I just ordered mine.
• No page numbers. There is a progress indicator, but no traditional page numbers. I can live with this.

Kindle books vary in price. Amazon says (in loose terms) that prices go up to $9.99. I paid $12.60 for the book I am reading now, but it is worth every penny.

Smiles!