For years I’ve resisted buying an eBook reader out of a matter of principle. I thought the word should be printed and I enjoyed owning a physical object instead of a data file on my computer. But my room was getting over-run with piles of books that I wasn’t reading. I decided it was time to do something about it and did my research and eventually spent just under $200 to get a Kindle 3 with Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. After using my new Kindle for just one month I’m a complete convert to the eBook reader revolution.
Previously I had 500 books in boxes, shelves, in the attic and in piles around the place. Now I have 1,000 books in a small device which is about the same size as a paperback. And what’s better is that 80% of those books were completely free. I have calculated that even if I only spent $2 or $3 for a second hand book it was still costing me lots of money. My Kindle has already paid for itself in terms of money saved not having to buy any more Penguin Classics. That is thanks to the copyright laws – any book printed before 1923 is out of copyright. Kindle has access to over 1.8 million free, out of copyright titles.
The experience of reading from the Kindle 3 is very similar to reading an actual book. It doesn’t look like a computer screen. It is not backlit and doesn’t use LED lights. Rather the text is sharp and clear and the background looks like paper. It is not stressful on the eyes. There is a slight delay on the page turns but not enough to make me irritated.
Downloading books could not be simpler. I use the 3G network rather than the Wi-Fi. There aren’t any fees to pay for being connected. I search for the book I want and it’s downloaded to my Kindle in under a minute and a half. And I like the way Amazon keeps a track of what I’ve ordered and keeps a back-up for me.
Finally, I love that I can also play mP3s on my Kindle 3 and it has text to speech functionality so I can listen to something when I’m on the move. Really I cannot understand why I didn’t buy a Kindle sooner.