™

Kindle™ isn't just an e-reader, it's a software, hardware and network platform by Amazon.

And the Kindle™ software can be used on various devices and platforms, including Microsoft Windows, iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X (10.5 onwards) and Android.

The latest generation, Kindle™ 3 features wifi and 3g connectivity for free as an option.

3g is a connection through the mobile network just like your mobile phone, this means you can download anywhere (almost) on the planet, no need to look for a wifi connection.

The latest Kindle™ is even sleeker, lighter and double the storage, now up to 3500 books, all on a device that weighs as much as a thin paperback.

Too busy to read everything? click here to find out why not to buy a Kindle...

Now the 3rd generation is out, how has it improved over the last model?

21% smaller body, same 6" reading area

17% lighter

50% improved screen contrast

Crisper, darker fonts

Double the storage

Faster, quieter page turns

Built-in Wi-Fi

Enhanced PDF reader

Soft-touch textured back

New WebKit-based browser

Voice Guide read-to-me menus

At least Amazon made some really dramatic improvments and didn't just release a re-hashed version of

the Kindle™ 2.

The Webkit browser looks interesting, although only in a Beta version it raises the bar yet again.

My Kindle™ review is for the latest 3g version, It arrived the day after I had ordered it, and gave me a real rush opening the box, just like receiving a book your anxious to read and then some.

I wasn't too familiar with the Kindle™ having a 'play' with a friend’s device for a few minutes, but I took it out of the box and immediately was impressed, the text is so much like a book it has to be seen to be believed, after a second I realized that traditional print might well die! (Hope not). I also opted for Amazons Kindle cover with LED light.

And that statement is from some one who loves books and bookshops, the smell of paper, the feel of a book in the hand, yet still the fact I could store 3500 books in this slim device changes everything, and on an Eco level the less trees cut down to make paper the better.

If the text looked strange or was a pain on my eyes then it would just be a good novelty gadget, but the text looks amazing just like a book, I can't stress that enough, at least to my eyes.

The image on the left does not do the screen justice; it's difficult to show, a bit like trying to show how good the colours are on a new TV while watching the advert on your old TV!

There is no screen glare; it just looks like slightly matt paper, nothing like your mobile screen, laptop, or ipad.

Amazon have really made this as true to paper as you can get, although I suspect they are continuously trying to improve the experience.

And just like a book you need a light to read it by, no reading in the dark! But you can read in bright sunlight, try reading with your ipad on the beach....

The Kindle™ also comes with a lot of features I probably will never use, but they are there if you need them such as the ability to read PDFs and a host of other document formats, see here.

You can even listen to music while you read as it also stores and plays MP3s.

But all that is just 'icing on the cake' the Kindle is an ereader first and foremost, its function is to give you a feeling of reading a book and the ability to buy and download novels instantly and cheaper than their paper equivalent.

Straight from the box you can do this without downloading any software or installing anything, it really is plug and play, just switch it on and your Amazon account is synced and connected.

It comes out-of-the-box with your Amazon username and email address.

You can have at least 6 Kindles registered to the same account so there's nothing to stop people sharing books through this since all the Kindles on the same account can read the same book even though only one person bought it great for a family of readers. .

.

You can also alter the font size to suit, and a great feature is the text to speech function, which I use for going to sleep with positive hypnosis texts.

And remember books that you purchase from the Kindle Store are automatically backed up online in your Kindle library on Amazon.co.uk. Re-download books wirelessly for free, anytime you want.

Also newspapers and blogs are available to read and mountains of free books are available too.

Currently Amazon has about 500,000 e-books available and if you want a new title you can buy it and have it on your Kindle™ in about a minute, The price for new titles is not that much cheaper than a physical book, however if you wait a while the prices usually drop dramatically. Other great features are the ability to add annotations to text, just like you might write in the margins of your book. And you can edit, delete, and export your notes.

For those that use social networks you can share your enthusiasm for books and reading with friends, family, and other readers around the world by posting passages to networks like Facebook and Twitter.

Now although the Kindle™ is good, no review would be complete without the negative side.

And Kindle™ does have a few niggling points, not a 'deal breaker' for me but here they are;

You can't currently lend e-books with a kindle and although this will probably change in the near future, there will be some limitations.

You can't currently give or sell you e-book purchases to other people in the same way that you can with paper books, again this may change.

You can't buy e-books for kindle anywhere but Amazon except for publishers that don't add DRM to their e-books.

I have big hands and sometimes hit the turn page button by accident.

The Web-browser still needs work.

No touch screen (I like touch screens)

Well that's about it, for me far more good points than negative and you can read plenty of customer reviews on Amazon.co.uk

If you do decide to buy you can get it from

of course!

The Kindle™ wireless is £109.00

If you are thinking of buying one of these Kindles for a Christmas gift be warned this is the most wished for and gifted item on Amazon, in fact Kindle™ is Amazons best selling product so be quick before they all go.

The Kindle™ 3G is £149.00

DISCLAIMER

KINDLE REVIEW.org.uk is a review and information site only, we are in no way connected to Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk, all images are recognized as the property of Amazon and all technical details and specifications also come from Amazon. Kindle™ is a registered trade mark.

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