Why I love the Kindle
Sunday 13 September 2009 - Filed under Computers
My wife gave me a Kindle. I obviously knew about the Kindle and I am an admitted bibliophile so I was curious, but, like many, I love traditional paper books so much that I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy the Kindle.
I love it. It is really awesome. Here is why.
- It’s not backlit. This is a huge feature. The “digital paper” technology is very cool and very pleasing to read. You can read even in low light conditions and it uses very little power.
- It’s small but not too small. My laptop is too big to curl up with like the Sunday paper. My iPhone is too small. The Kindle is perfectly sized to hold in one hand with a cup of coffee in the other. It’s very lightweight as well. I’m currently reading Anathem, which is 900 pages long and weighs almost 3 lbs. The Kindle weighs less than 1 lb. Reading Anathem on the Kindle is much more pleasant than manhandling the large tome.
- It’s magic. The New York Times shows up automatically. I don’t do anything, it’s just there, ready and waiting every day.
- It appeals to the bibliophile in me. It is dangerously easy to browse and buy new books. And the device makes me want to read more. It’s a very pleasing little device, in a very book-like way.
- It’s not a computer. You can browse the web if you want, but there are far less distractions than a computer. No email, no IM, not Facebook or Twitter. When you read, it is a book and only a book.
The price point for the Kindle seems too high to me but the cost of the books is quite economical, I paid only $8 for Anathem and it downloaded in seconds. The Kindle is a great gift for the bibliophile in your life, including you.
2009-09-13 » lolife