Best way to hold a Kindle?

[Trekker]

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[Bacardi Jim]

Become left-handed.  It's a lifestyle choice.

[Vegas_Asian]

I hold it left handed too...which is actually nice cuz it leaves my dominate hand free for note taking or typing. (i'm a multi-tasker) I put my thumb on the next page button and my index finger on the previous page button.

I also use a book stand that came with one of my mom's cookbooks. With the stand I just lay on my stomach and press next when I need to. I mostly do this when i am reading during tv commerials.

[Linda Cannon-Mott]

My Kindle is in a m-Edge cover, when sitting up I hold it in the palm of my left hand using my thumb to turn the page. If I am lying down I prop it on my book holder and turn pages with my index finger. The first few hours I found myself inadvertently hitting the next page button but that is not an issue anymore. I adjusted very quickly and have it down to a science now of perfect timing when to hit the next page button.  

Linda

[MonaSW]

You can avoid most inadvertent page turns in a few ways:

If reading the Kindle in its cover, fold the cover all the way back and secure with the elastic band. Grip the left hand of the spine and reach a finger out to turn a page as needed.

Also if reading Kindle in its cover as above, slide hand between the covers on the right. The elastic will keep your hand in place.

You can also hold the Kindle with your right hand thumb resting on the bar between the selector column and the reading area. It is plenty strong enough to hold there.

Or grip at the bottom - most of the buttons are disabled while reading except for the Home key and the Alt + aA sleep combination.

Also sleep your Kindle whenever you put it down, no inadvertent page turns when picking it up.

[Kelly G]

Do you leave your Kindle in it's cover?  I put the obligatory bits of velcro on the outer edge of the Kindle/cover which secures it much better than the silly plastic piece.  Now I find keeping the cover on allows me to read and hold the Kindle w/o too many accidental button pushes.

[Bacardi Jim]

I don't understand how being left handed would help at all. Those huge buttons are at the left side as well as the right side. Am I missing something?

The "fold" of the cover provides some "grip room" on the left side that will help prevent accidental page turns.

[MonaSW]

Yeah, reading in the cover does help. If you have problems keeping Kindle in the cover, add a bit of Velcro to the back of the Kindle.

[Lotus]

I usually hold it in my left hand, with the ball of my thumb on the edge of the Kindle with my thumb resting on the Next Page button. I use my thumb to turn pages. I do it this way when lying down on my left side, too. I almost always read with it in a cover.

I think most of us took a few days to work out what is most comfortable/convenient. Different hand sizes/range of motion make some things more comfortable for different people.

[Cuechick]

I just think you have to get use to it. You actually do not have to hold it at all, sometimes I lay in my bed and prop it up against my knees. I do
think the right cover (for you) helps. The first few days, I kept hitting buttons by accident, just forgetting they were there. Now I rarely do that.
Keep in mind, other than the font button, the keyboard does not operate without the aid of the Alt button, when your reading so you can touch the
whole lower portion without doing any damage.

[pidgeon92]

I keep my thumb over the cursor bar when I read, then it's a simple matter of moving it a little to the right to click the next page button.

It's just a matter of getting used to what's comfortable for you.

[Betsy the Quilter]

I hold my Kindle with either my left or right hand.  I have a cover, which I fold behind the Kindle when I read.  If I'm holding it with my right hand, I put my thumb either on the bar between the scroll bar and the screen, as Verena (pidgeon92) said, or just below the screen in the empty area beneath the screen, and my fingers in behind the Kindle and cover.  If I'm using my left hand, I hold it with my thumb below the screen or sometimes the cover.

It's really a matter of practicing until it becomes second nature!

Betsy

[Bacardi Jim]

If you refuse to choose become left-handed, your next-best option if to lop off your right thumb.  I recommend a really, really sharp meat cleaver.  If done properly it should only take one clean stroke.  Also, since you refuse to become left-handed, you should have someone else do the hacking.  They'll be more accurate.

This should prevent any more accidental (or even intentional) page turns.  Plus, it will have the added benefit of forcing you (against your stubborn will) to become left-handed.

[Wells83]

I don't usually have a problem with accidently pushing the buttons.  I hold the Kindle a lot from the bottom, with my left hand, but it really depends on how I'm sitting/laying.  I guess I've just become acclimated to the buttons.

[Bacardi Jim]

I should add that lopping off your right thumb means you have to use your nose to scroll/click the cursor.  This presents a whole host of new difficulties.  But accidental page turning isn't one of them.

[ProfCrash]

hmmm I hadn't thought about chopping off my right thumb. I learned how to hold the Kindle (in either hand) just below the screen pretty qucikly. If I am not in bed with my fiance, I hold the Kindle with my left hand on the extra space created by bending back my Oberon cover. If my fiance is with me, I hold the Kindle on the right just below the screen. It took me about 30 minutes to learn how to avoid accidental page flips. I am working on training the fiance. He sometimes brushes the buttons on the left hand side of the Kindle.

[Andra]

With the Kindle out of the cover, I usually have my hand kind of over the keyboard with the thumb in the clear space right below the screen - whether I hold it with the right or left (usually left).  Then it's pretty simple to just move my thumb to turn the pages.  You really do get used to the button location pretty quickly.  And as others have mentioned, always put it to sleep before you put it down - most of my accidental button pressing comes when I pick it up or close the cover without sleeping it.
Enjoy!  It really is addictive.
Andra

[Tbarney]

I should add that lopping off your right thumb means you have to use your nose to scroll/click the cursor.  This presents a whole host of new difficulties.  But accidental page turning isn't one of them.

Bacardi Jim, you seem to take great pride in providing sarcastic comments to everyone's posts.    If someone did lop off their right thumb, maybe they could use their left one instead.  I hope any amputees reading this don't take great offense to your comment.

[Bacardi Jim]

Bacardi Jim, you seem to take great pride in providing sarcastic comments to everyone's posts.    If someone did lop off their right thumb, maybe they could use their left one instead.  I hope any amputees reading this don't take great offense to your comment.

[Teninx]

Bacardi Jim, you seem to take great pride in providing sarcastic comments to everyone's posts.    If someone did lop off their right thumb, maybe they could use their left one instead.  I hope any amputees reading this don't take great offense to your comment.

I once commented, sarcastically in the middle of a "button too big, stock cover no good" discussion,  that I had no problem with the Kindle because I was born with opposable thumbs. Then I sat back and observed the outrage.

[Bacardi Jim]

I once commented, sarcastically in the middle of a "button too big, stock cover no good" discussion,  that I had no problem with the Kindle because I was born with opposable thumbs. Then I sat back and observed the outrage.

hehehe

[PraiseGod13]

Just another option that is my favorite..... I read my Kindle "hands-free" so no accidentally hitting buttons.  I have it in an Oberon cover and the cover lies flat and open like a DTB.... only without your paper pages turning accidentally.  Then, I either have it on my lap, or my favorite way is to put MaKK (in his cover) on a sloping book stand.... either on my lap or on a table/desk.  Then I'm able to drink my coffee/tea and pet the dog..... or make notes.... or eat one of Betsy's muffins.  Works great!!!  If I do hold onto the cover, I hold it left handed along the fold.  You get more used to it as time goes by and the accidental page turning seems to resolve itself pretty well.

[Lilly]

I had the same problem 2 months ago when I got the Kindle.  Elsi kindly helped me out with the below picture and I've held my Kindle like that ever since.  It's really comfortable.  If you still have the original case, hook the elastic in the corner to keep in place.

[Atunah]

I hold it either like the picture shows, or mostly I hold it so my right thumb rests all along the large next page button and my other fingers are behind the folded back cover. I just press down with my thumb when I need to change pages. That way I don't have to move any fingers or other parts. Its comfortable to my carpel tunnel hand.

I use the original cover with the strap over the bottom right corner.

[tecwritr]

With warm gentle hands and a smile on your face