Varin
Status: Arthur Conan Doyle
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Terra
Posts: 710
... KDX Update, anyone?
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« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2010, 05:58:06 PM » |
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Mmkay, here's the article. My friend works on the newspaper and they had a shortage of articles so she was like, write about the Kindle... with no more specifics than that, so it's a bit rough, I think.
Is a dedicated e-reader for you?
When I ask that question, I mean, do you read a lot? Several books month, a week? If so, then an e-reader might be for you. An e-reader is a device that reads e-books, digital versions of the paperback and hardcover editions.
Do you already own an e-reader?
Probably. Because the most basic definition of an e-reader is a device that can display text, your computer, phone, ipod, even your PSP or Nintendo DS can function as an e-reader.
If you are an avid reader however…
Your computer, phone, ipod, Psp or Ds is a poor reading device. While these devices can function as an e-reader, they suffer several disadvantages compared to a dedicated e-reader. If you own a smartphone or ipod touch, the distraction element comes into play. The urge to check Facebook, Twitter, email, make a phone call or play a quick game of Tap Tap can be difficult, if not impossible to ignore. Self control aside, most devices with the ability to function as an e-reader are not suited to long-form reading. You might read a few pages while waiting on line, but you won’t read a book on your phone.
Most phone screens are too small to get a decent amount of text on the screen. Your computer has a bigger screen, but it’s usually heavier than the book it is meant to replace, awkward to find a comfortable position with while reading, and it gets hot on your lap.
Most non-dedicated-reading devices have an LCD screen, which means that they will suffer from glare with overhead lights, get washed out in sunlight, have grimy, smudgy screens if it is a touch screen device, and relatively poor battery life, considering it’s multi-purpose functions.
A dedicated e-reader is different
A dedicated e-reader solves all the problems multi-purpose devices have in regards to reading. In both function and form it is meant to make reading easy and pleasurable, without distractions. E-readers are small and thin, lightweight. Anyone who’s read Charles Dickens’ Bleak House or War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy has felt the strain on their back as they carried the book around on their back… and on their wrists as they read it. The storage capabilities of an e-reader mean that one can carry thousands (yes, thousands) of books all in one small, portable device. The screen utilizes a technology called E-ink, which is made to resemble real paper. It also doesn’t get washed out/illegible in sunlight. In addition to being easy on the eyes, the battery life of e-ink based e-readers is phenomenal: it can be measured in weeks, not hours. Battery power is only spent when changing page, and not while maintaining it, unlike an LCD screen, so you never have to worry about your book dying on you.
Kindle is King: The best e-reader you can buy
There are many different kinds of dedicated e-readers out there, and the most popular by far is Amazon’s Kindle. First introduced in 2007, the Kindle succeeded where the Sony reader and other early e-readers dating back to the early 90’s had failed: the Kindle ignited the dead-in-the-water market.
Previous to the Kindle’s advent, there were few quality e-reading devices, few ebooks available to read on said devices, and ebook prices were as expensive and sometimes more so than their print counterparts. The first mainstream ebook reading device was created by Sony in 2007, and their reader series suffered from a small book catalogue, high book prices and a clunky, iTunes-like software that required one to hook up their reader to the computer in order to put books on the device. These failings kept the device from reaching a wide audience, and ebook adoption numbers low.
Introducing Whispersync, the wireless means by which a user can download books straight to their device, the first-generation Kindle was also released with a 90,000 book catalogue(Amazon Media Room). Even at the high price point of $400.00, the original Kindle sold out in five and a half hours (Engadget). The rest is history.
What people are saying about the Kindle
Today, several generations later, the Kindle has evolved into the ultimate e-reading device. The New York Times stated that the “New Kindle leaves rivals farther back”. Cnet also praised the new Kindle, stating that the, “Kindle's winning combination of noteworthy upgrades—an improved screen, better battery life, lighter weight, and lower price—vaults it to the top of the e-book reader category.” PC Magazine declared, “Simply put, it's the best dedicated ebook reader you can buy… Amazon has managed to increase the contrast on the Kindle in a way that sets it above the Nook, Sony Readers, or any other dedicated ebook reader we've tested.” Engadget stated, “… If you’re looking for a standalone e-reader (i.e., a portable replacement for physical books), this is the go-to, standard-setting device" (Engadget Kindle Review). Amazon states on the Kindle’s webpage, “Kindle is out #1 bestselling item for two years running. It’s also the most-wished-for, most-gifted, and has the most 5-star reviews of any product on Amazon.”
What you get with the Kindle
At $189.00 (or $139.00 for the wifi only model) the third iteration of the Kindle is only 8.7 ounces (8.5 ounces for the Wifi-only model). With a battery that lasts a month and the new Pearl e-ink screen at a contrast ratio of 10:1, it is easier than ever to read as many of the current, ever-growing 670,000 book catalogue in the Kindle store as your heart desires.
With free 3g wireless included, in addition to wi-fi capability, you can download books, magazines, newspapers and blogs in less than sixty seconds, wherever you want, no computer necessary.
There are over 1.8 million free public domain books such as Pride and Prejudice, Dracula, War and Peace, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Oliver Twist available for download. In addition, many publishers have free promotions in order to introduce readers to their authors’ work. Over 550,000 books in the Kindle store are less than $9.99, and that includes over half of the 112 current New York Times Best Sellers.
The latest Kindle includes a web-browser which means that, while utilizing either the wi-fi or the absolutely free 3g wireless provided by AT&T, you can look up information on Google or Wikipedia, check your email or the weather or look up game scores.
While reading, you can search throughout the book by keyword or phrase, increase the font size, and even have the book read to you with Text-to-Speech, if your hands are tied up. If you come across an unfamiliar word, with the Oxford English Dictionary, you can easily and immediately learn the definition of the word.
Stuck carrying around a lot of papers? With the Kindle you can go green. Carry all your personal documents around on the Kindle and go paper-free. It has native PDF reading capabilities in addition to .txt files so you can lighten your bag even more.
In addition to all these features, you get a whole e-reading ecosystem along with your Kindle. Buy a book once and read it anywhere. You can sync your notes, bookmarks and highlights and the position in your book across a number of devices, including your computer, ipod touch, iphone, ipad, blackberry or android phone, so if you don’t have your Kindle with you , you won’t be without reading material. Using Whispersync, you can pick up right where you left off when you pick up your Kindle again.
Give Kindle a try
If a dedicated e-reader is for you, then you should head over to Amazon.com and give the Kindle a look. With a thirty day free trial period, you have several weeks to see if the Kindle is right for you. While you might miss that book smell and the feel of turning pages, you just might like the convenience with which you can carry a whole library around with you, more. An e-reader is the perfect companion to an English major or anyone with an affinity for reading, and as a Kindle owner, I would highly recommend it.
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