Tech Review

Kindle: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device

Amazon Kindle Book Cover

Are electronic books the next big thing or specialty items for gadget geeks?

A good analogy for electronic books versus the traditional paper may be the difference between digital and paper pictures: Whereas some prefer to thumb through a real photo album, others enjoy the flexibility of calling up pics by keyword and storing hundreds of them on their phones.

Although the convenience of electronic book is clear (portability, etc.), the disadvantages should be apparent as well. Besides the sentimental "feel of the page and smell of the ink" that many eBook reader lament, there are the very real drawbacks of not being able to keep an impressive library in your home like Blofeld from which to give an expert interview or homey official response to the president (Then again: In case of a fire or zombie uprising, you're be in good shape,). Passing on books to friends or children is impossible, and electronic glitches and hardware failures occur. Not to mention that people drop stuff. Try breaking your copy of War and Peace.

War and Peace by Larissa Volokhonsky

What about audio books?

I've tried the Audible service with my iPod and it's excellent, but I've discovered that I much prefer reading books than listening to them (I think that gives me a text/visual learning style). My Axim X30 PDA with Microsoft Reader is a good alternative to both audio and paper books. eBooks are sometimes free and the device works well. I like summoning a book while I'm waiting in line, and the backlight means that I can read at night or in a movie theater. On the "con" side, I've had trouble finding some of the books I like (What, no Monster Manual?) and the small LCD is difficult to look at for extended time periods- both for its size and its brightness (Do you read books on your laptop?).

Monster Manual: Special Edition (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Core Rulebook III) by Jonathan Tweet

Enter the Kindle electronic reader. I've been researching the device and reading reviews (There are hundreds of reviews on Amazon-just click on Kindle picture above.). Here's what I've gathered: Unlike similar offerings from Sony, the Kindle has wireless features that allow you to look up and order a book as quickly as you can navigate a simple menu and press "purchase." You don't have to find a Starbucks while traveling either. Instead of WiFi, the kindle works on a cell phone-like EVDO network which means that you can pretty much order a book or read a magazine or a blog any time you wish. If you subscribe to one of the hundreds of newspapers available, the Kindle will automatically download and have it ready for you in the morning- kind of like a high tech beagle.

Sony PRS500 Portable Reader System

Yes, other services like AvantGo provide downloadable content, but I'm sure they don't have as many titles available as the Kindle, and you'd still be using the LCD.

Unfortunately, the Kindle doesn't read some common document formats like PDF which could be a problem if you don't also have a laptop.

I couldn't care less that the Kindle plays mp3s, as I can't read and listen to music at the same time. Besides, for music and pictures, I'd use one of the other gadgets in my utility belt.

So, as soon as the spending coast is clear, I might buy one of these things. It's a little expensive at $399.00, but isn't that what you paid for your iPod?

P.S. Is Amazon sponsoring this product or something? It says, "Amazon's new..."

Specifications and manufacturer description below:

Follow up:

* Revolutionary electronic-paper display provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper.
* Simple to use: no computer, no cables, no syncing.
* Wireless connectivity enables you to shop the Kindle Store directly from your Kindle—whether you’re in the back of a taxi, at the airport, or in bed.
* Buy a book and it is auto-delivered wirelessly in less than one minute.
* More than 90,000 books available, including 100 of 112 current New York Times® Best Sellers.
* New York Times® Best Sellers and all New Releases $9.99, unless marked otherwise.
* Free book samples. Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy.
* Top U.S. newspapers including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post; top magazines including TIME, Atlantic Monthly, and Forbes—all auto-delivered wirelessly.
* Top international newspapers from France, Germany, and Ireland; Le Monde, Frankfurter Allgemeine, and The Irish Times—all auto-delivered wirelessly.
* More than 250 top blogs from the worlds of business, technology, sports, entertainment, and politics, including BoingBoing, Slashdot, TechCrunch, ESPN's Bill Simmons, The Onion, Michelle Malkin, and The Huffington Post—all updated wirelessly throughout the day.
* Lighter and thinner than a typical paperback; weighs only 10.3 ounces.
* Holds over 200 titles.
* Long battery life. Leave wireless on and recharge approximately every other day. Turn wireless off and read for a week or more before recharging. Fully recharges in 2 hours.
* Unlike WiFi, Kindle utilizes the same high-speed data network (EVDO) as advanced cell phones—so you never have to locate a hotspot.
* No monthly wireless bills, service plans, or commitments—we take care of the wireless delivery so you can simply click, buy, and read.
* Includes free wireless access to the planet's most exhaustive and up-to-date encyclopedia—Wikipedia.org.
* Email your Word documents and pictures (.JPG, .GIF, .BMP, .PNG) to Kindle for easy on-the-go viewing.
* Included in the box: Kindle wireless reader, Book cover, Power adapter, USB 2.0 cable