Is the Kindle Really Worth It?
eBook readers have struggled in the past to gain significant ground until recently. Amazon’s Kindle has changed the playing field significantly, and Sony’s eBook Reader provides some good competition. The price of these devices though is significant. Also these devices are highly specialized, they tend not to read all major formats, and not all books are published electronically. An alternative to eBook readers, netbooks, address many of these issues. For instance, netbooks can do many things include accessing the Internet, watching videos, and providing readers for a wider variety of formats.
Late last year I purchased a Lenovo S10 netbook. The netbook was great — very portable and versatile. The biggest downside to the netbook was just its speed, it sometimes got bogged down in handling tasks in the background while trying to surf the web. And it often struggled a bit with video. But overall the device met most of my needs, especially as a portable document reader. However in April I decided to purchase a Kindle anyway. What drove my decision, and has it been worth the price?
Here are the things that motivated me to make the purchase:
- Well let’s be honest, I am a gadget geek. I love gadgets. So I have to be truthful here and include this as a reason.
- There are publications and releases that are available on the Kindle that are not available elsewhere.
- The Kindle is even more portable than the netbook.
- The battery of the Kindle lasts longer, especially with the wireless turned off.
- Delivery of new books and many of the publications is free through Whispernet (though delivery of blog feeds costs $2 / month)
- The paper like screen of the Kindle is easier on the eyes than the netbook screen over a period of time.
- The whole device is well geared toward reading — making it easier to read anywhere. Finding Next Page on the Kindle is easier than finding Page Down on a netbook.
- The price of many of the books, newspapers, and magazines is less than the price in the bookstore or on the newsstand.
So those are the many reasons I decided to purchase the Kindle. And these reasons are fairly consistent with the pros you probably have already seen about the Kindle. However there are some negatives too, and often it is more important to consider the negative aspects before purchasing something than the positive ones.
Screen Looks Almost Like Paper
But I said this was a pro, why have I listed it here!? It is a pro, and it is one of the best features of the Kindle. However I have noticed a key difference with the Kindle versus using a computer eBook reader. The backlight on a computer, although sometimes harder on the eyes, helps me stay awake while reading. I have a wonderful habit of falling asleep if it is late while reading a paperback or hardcover book. The Kindle shares that same feature. The downside to the Kindle here, of course, is that it is more dangerous to drop the Kindle than it is a book! This is a minor disadvantage, but I have found it to be true for me.
Newspapers and Magazines Are Incomplete
Most of the books are the full edition, though some of the figures in certain books are difficult to read. Periodicals and magazines on the other hand tend to have few of the illustrations, photos, and figures that the print edition has. Some of the magazines and newspapers actually have fewer articles than the print edition. Although the price of these is generally much lower than print, it is disappointing to find a watered down Kindle edition of a publication. The good news here is that the magazines and newspapers all have a trial period so you can try it out before paying for it.
The new Kindle, with a larger screen, should help address the readability of some of the figures. The question remains as to whether the content providers will provide more of their content. But the new Kindle has a higher price point, so it may be wise to wait for the price to come down.
Missing Formats
The Kindle would be nearly complete if it supported PDF natively and MobiPocket. This would cover the majority of electronically published material. The newest Kindle edition supports native PDF, though I have not seen how accurate and readable its output is. MobiPocket covers a wide range of content that is not already available through the Kindle. Overtime I expect more content to support the Kindle, eventually this will no longer be an issue.
The Kindle Doesn’t Come With a Cover
Considering the device costs over $300, throwing in a $20 cover to make sure it makes it past the first week would be considerate of Amazon.
Conclusion
Despite the few issues, I still love the Kindle and highly recommend it to everyone who likes to read, and even some people who don’t. The Kindle is a great resource for professional growth, staying informed, and entertainment. You can purchase the Kindle directly from Amazon. Though for the frugal minded, if the price of the Kindle is close to affordable but still a roadblock for you, consider purchasing an older edition through eBay.
Because I highly recommend the Kindle, I feel it is worth endorsing. If you are considering buying one, you can find it in one of the following two places:
