Written By: Olivia Hernandez
Amazon’s take on the e-reader, the Kindle, has sparked quite a controversy between the e-reader camp and the real-books-are-better camp. However, Amazon’s Kindle Keyboard 3G E-Reader has what it takes to compete in today’s market.
Kindles are known for their use of electronic ink technology, or E Ink Pearl, which makes the screen read just like a book, with none of the headaches that usually come from reading off a screen. The matte screen also means that I can read from my Kindle outside without the glare from the sun reflecting off the screen. This means, however, that there is no back light on the device, meaning that I have to turn on a light if I want to read at night – again, just like a book. The Kindle weighs less than a paperback, so I can carry it with ease and lift it with one hand without any sort of stress. I can store 4 GB of information on a Kindle, meaning millions of books, newspapers, and magazines, all stored in one 8.5 ounce tablet, which makes it great for traveling. The battery life of a Kindle is over two months with consistent use, and I have never had a problem with it dying unexpectedly, as it gives you plenty of warning when the battery is low. The Kindle Wi-Fi is a great feature that allows instant downloading from the virtual Kindle store, as long as there is a previously existing connection. I can also surf the Internet from my Kindle, although it’s slow to load new pages because of the E Ink. While there are a lot of good things to say about the Kindle, there’s also several issues that may or may not be resolved in Amazon’s later editions of the Kindle. The Kindle Keyboard 3G measures my progress in a book by percentage, instead of page numbers, which makes it almost useless in a classroom setting. This tells me the Kindle is for a recreational reader, rather than an academic reader. The letters on the keyboard wore off of my Kindle within the first month, without any sort of excessive use.
Amazon’s latest versions of the Kindle include the Kindle Touch and the Kindle Fire.
Pros:
- Just like a book – no glare, no headaches
- Lightweight and great for traveling
- Long battery life
- Wi-Fi capable
Cons:
- Just like a book – no back light
- No page numbers
- Keyboard letters wear off easily
An Amazon Kindle Keyboard 3G will set you back $139.00, and when you factor in the cost of millions of books that the Kindle allows you to purchase at a reduced price (or free, in some cases), it’s definitely worth the cost.