Two Weeks With Kindle

Hey guys, it's been two weeks since I purchased a white Amazon Kindle 3G. It's also available in black and in a Wi-Fi only version (black only). The Kindle is possibly the most widely known e-reader, and one of it's main advantages is it's integration with Amazon services. Amazon is one of the world's largest retailers, and it has a lot to offer. I even have a book for teens, Bubblegum Frogs, in the Amazon Kindle store. Anyone can publish content for Kindle. I'm working on another book to be published in the Kindle store early next year, this will be a political commentary called Diverse Beliefs exploring how religion, politics, and our Constitutional freedoms can work together.

But that's enough self-promotion, onto the Kindle. I purchased the Kindle largely as a platform for testing my own content. One huge warning - BUY A CASE. I got a scratch on my Kindle screen the first day I owned it. I was carrying my keys in my hand and I think they just managed to scrape the plastic screen. It's a minor scratch, only visible under fairly precise lighting angles, and the screen is matte - further reducing it's visibility. But I'm OCD so it drives me up a wall. Though I'm learning to accept it, since it's almost never visible, and it certainly doesn't impair usability. I got the M-Edge Trip Jacket in Pink, which Amazon doesn't have anymore. It seems to have been replaced with a more professional bland "Fuchsia." I love the case, it's great. And I'm glad I got it when they had the bright bold pretty one, LOL. It makes sense, though, considering the Kindle is mainly targeted at older people due to it's superiority for reading. The screen has great contrast, and looks like real paper.

But, you know all that about the Kindle. Why would a young person want one? Well, it's great to read on - much more relaxing than a computer screen for anyone. It's also wonderful as a Bible study tool in church. I use the YouVersion website, and I bought the Kindle version of the New Living Translation. YouVersion works okay, but the Kindle NLT is great and worth the $10 which supports Bible translation efforts. The nicest thing is that unlike a phone or tablet, you can use these tools in church without a glowing screen drawing attention to you.

The Kindle is also great for college students, many of the books you are required to buy are long out of copyright, and thus are available for Kindle for free. The Kindle will close to pay for itself if you're a college student taking literature classes. And it's a lot lighter. I really wish I'd had one in college, it would have been amazing. Textbook publishers need to get on board next. Sure, the lack of color would make it hard for some books, but there's plenty of college reading material perfect for the Kindle. Combined with the free 3G, I'd recommend the Kindle to every college student.

What is the free 3G? In at least 61 countries, you can use the experimental WebKit browser to surf the web over local mobile phone networks. Now, this is not a computer - or a tablet. It's an e-reader - with a slow processor and an e-ink screen. But it's totally usable for email & news & a status update in a pinch. Mobile optimized sites work best, and complex sites bring the thing to a crawl quickly. Still, it's free, and well worth the extra $50 for the 3G version. In the US, coverage is provided primarily by AT&T. If you're in an area with poor or 2G AT&T coverage, keep that in mind. Here in Montana, there is currently only a very poor AT&T 2G GSM network inherited from Alltel. Early next year, there will be 3G AT&T coverage over the entire current Alltel CDMA network footprint and it'll be much MUCH better. In even more countries, the 3G can be used to buy books and surf Wikipedia. The 3G is paid for by charging "wireless delivery fees" to publishers of Kindle books. Overall, a great deal all around - the fees aren't bad, encourage optimization of images and markup, and give customers a great free service. Definitely shell out the $50 for the 3G version. If you're a world traveler, the free 3G internationally is a great alternative to international roaming charges to check email, news, etc.

Overall, the Kindle is a wonderful device. Make sure you protect the plastic screen, especially if you're as OCD about scratched screens as I am. A good case also makes it feel a lot more book-like. Reading on the Kindle really is a great experience I can highly recommend. It also makes the perfect Christmas present. And for $189, it's much cheaper than an iPad (and no monthly fee for Internet or international roaming charges either!).