Written by Andrew Hilbert
Let’s face it; it’s not always easy being a reader. Lugging your books around on long trips really weighs you down and if you’re anything like me, compulsive book buying not only lightens your wallet but quickly takes up space all over your house. The Kindle Keyboard 3G keeps your library large without taking up any space and can save your back (and your wallet)!
Some of us are married to the smell of a new book and like as the white pages yellow and its new smell turns musty. I was one of those people until I started using the Kindle. The Kindle Keyboard 3G comes with free 3G connectivity which allows you to connect to the internet anywhere there’s 3G coverage and start downloading books instantly. Amazon pays for the 3G connectivity so there are no charges and no contracts for you to worry about. It also has Wi-Fi connectivity built in.
What’s so cool about the Kindle Keyboard 3G is that while it offers a huge library of books to purchase, it also has a large library of books that are free of charge because the books are in the public domain. Sure, you can probably find these books for four dollars or less but nothing beats zero dollars.
I was initially worried about glare that is so commonly associated with reading off of a screen. That was what initially made me think that I would stick to paper books forever. Because the Kindle Keyboard 3G uses E-Ink technology, I really felt like I was reading off of a page rather than a screen. I could sit outside at a café in the Texas sun without any problem. I can’t even write this review outside on my laptop because of the glare! However, when the lights are dimmed it’s a little harder to read the text because of the lack of a color screen. Unlike reading off of an iPad, my fingers didn’t leave any smudges on the screen either.
Once, I accidentally purchased an extra-large print version of a book off of Amazon. There are no mistakes like that with the Kindle. You can choose how large the text reads. So if your eyes are getting tired and you need to squint, simply zoom in on the keyboard.
I’m a frequent highlighter and note-taker when I read, even when I’m reading for fun. The Kindle Keyboard 3G supports this fully. You can edit your annotations at any time and export it anywhere. Heck, you can even share your favorite passages on Facebook and Twitter if you wanted to!
It’s not all about reading either. Like any good electronic device there are games designed specifically for it. It’s not essential but it sure is neat to have.
Pros
- Lightweight, compact, travel friendly
- Over a million books available and growing
- No glare
Cons
- Not in color
- Not as easy to read in dim lights
- No “new book” smell
At $139.00, the Kindle Keyboard 3G is at the top of its class in E-Readers. Sure, it doesn’t have a colored screen and it doesn’t do everything the iPad does but it does exactly what it’s meant to do. It’s meant to be a library at your fingerprints and it excels at that. It is much easier to read off of a Kindle than an iPad and it is a much better value. The Kindle Keyboard 3G does exactly what it’s made to do and it does it better than its competitors. If you’re in the market for one, don’t pass the Kindle Keyboard 3G up!