Buy an Amazon Kindle - My Tortured Decision to Take the Plunge

Should you Buy the Amazon Kindle 2 or even the Kindle DX? That question tortured me for almost three months before Christmas and you may find yourself in the same boat as me... will the Amazon Kindle make me happier, saving me time and money or will it end up being another useless high tech gadget that goes unused like my treadmill (but that's another story). Or will it frustrate me to the point I want to throw it out. PCWorld said the Kindle was the most gifted item ever for Amazon this year but I never was a crowd follower, I just want my purchases to make sense and make me say hey, I LOVE this product and would never give it up even for chocolate cake.

Why I Resisted Buying an Amazon Kindle for so long

According to some statistic I read, somewhere in my travels across the internet doing research about ebook readers, we are going to be the last generation of "Real" books readers and that makes me sad. More sad than when vinyl records bit the dust..... Even textbooks will go the wayside and in five or so years college students will be saving their backs as Kindles and the likes replace those oh so heavy book laden backpacks and high school and middle school students will soon follow after that.

More importantly, I love the way books feel in my hand and the way they look...the colors and design of the cover...the way they look on my shelf... the way I can stack them on my nightstand to make me look like a voracious reader. Books are pretty and fun and I love to buy them when the budget allows. The Kindle is white and while I do love technology in all its glory...white is not even a good bra color unless your shirt is see through.

A Kindle does not make you look smart like a personal library does. I guess I have a romanticized view of the Library, think back to all the old movies with an actual Library in the house, maybe someone smoking a pipe as the wisdom of the ages poured through them....will Professor Plum ever be able to commit murder in the Library again. And what will happen to the real Library's, ( there currently is no sharing on Kindle books) will they pack up their dusty wares in the next twenty years?

Why I Took the Amazon Kindle Plunge

I won't bore you with all the amazing technical highlights of the Kindle, those specs can be found everywhere...but

1) My ultra environmental friend enlightened me with this point ( I do recycle religiously), the Kindle is Eco-Friendly, seriously never gave that a thought... where do all those unused books go especially the paperbacks. I feel good about not killing any trees or filling any landfills because of my Love for reading.

2) I am a Big Change My Mind girl....in fact going anywhere where I might read, I used to take at least 3 or four books especially on vacation. Because even if I think I know what I want to read out of my library at the time, when it comes down to the actual reading it's not what I want to read after all, not the mood I'm in. Crazy I know, but now instead of dragging along all those books I have my entire library with me at all times. I'll always be able to find something that hits my fancy.

3) My favorite thing about the Kindle is its Bookmarking and Notes feature! I was never the type to write in the margins of my books but always wished that I could find the things and quotes that struck me at a later date and that never happened. Now I can easily and this in itself has made the Kindle worth its weight in Gold to me. I can even export my notes for a nice little summary and can even import all those PDF's I collect across the internet and read them whenever and wherever I want.

4) The books especially the Bestsellers are cheaper and I never have to wait for the paperback, I never have to wait period because it takes less than 60 seconds to get a book and a lot of books are Free, my budget really likes that!

What was I waiting for???

I will never stop buying books that I can touch and feel until they no longer sell them but right now, you couldn't tear my Kindle from me, even if you offered me TWO pieces of chocolate cake.

Still not sure if the Amazon Kindle is right for you?

Check out BuyAmazonKindle.org for reviews and get a List of FREE Kindle EBooks!

Get FREE Shipping on Your New Kindle to sweeten the Deal.

10 Reasons Not to Buy a Kindle

10 Reasons Not to Buy a Kindle

The Kindle Reading Device is Amazon's bestselling item for two years running.  According to Amazon it is "the most-wished for, most gifted, and has the most 5-star reviews of any product on Amazon."

So why would you not want to buy a Kindle?

Not comfortable with new technology. Some folks take to new technology like ducks take to water. They jump at the chance to make their lives more convenient and pleasurable though new technology like Kindle. Other folks are just the opposite.  Leaning to use new tech products doesn't come easy for them.  They may even like the idea of Kindle, but prefer to wait before buying. They read reviews and learn from their friends who use Kindle.



Older Kindles might become obsolete. Technology is changing fast.  Kindle has produced three generations of Kindle models since it was first introduced in 2007.  As Kindle introduces new features, users must decide whether to buy the new model. A competitor might introduce a new game changing  reader that will render Kindle obsolete.



Too expensive. After buying their Kindle reader, users pay for each book downloaded to their library. While Kindle books cost less than new books, the total cost over time is a concern for some people when they can borrow books from public libraries for free. Or they can buy used books..



Like the look and feel of real books. Pick up a real book. Look over its book jacket and illustrations. Thumb through its pages. Scan chapter titles. Turn real pages. People who enjoy this reading experience may not be satisfies with Kindle.



Kindle might crash.  Like all tech gizmos, Kindle could fail causing inconvenience and frustration while replacing the product.



Kindle might get damaged or broken. It could be accidentally dropped. Or something could be dropped on it. It could get wet at the swimming pool.



Kindle could get lost or stolen. This causes frustration and stress in searching for the lost Kindle, or replacing it.



Kindle may be hard on your eyes. Staring at a screen for too long can be hard on your eyes. So much time is already spent watching television and computer displays. Some studies have raised cause for concern about the effects of too much viewing on the eyes.



Battery. Your battery may die on you at the most inconvenient time, and you forgot to bring along your charger.



Inertia. Some folks are set in their ways.  They just don't' want to change how they read books.

?

Put your doubts aside. Consider a Kindle to elevate your reading pleasure.

The new Kindle 3G Wireless Reading Device allows you find and download books and periodicals in less than 60 seconds from anywhere in the world that has 3G wireless coverage.

There are no monthly bills, no annual contracts, no wireless setup, no need for a computer. You shop and read straight from this device.

You have a choice of over 670,000 books - plus newspapers, magazines and blogs. Kindle's Whispersync technology allows you to begin reading right where you stopped reading last time.

You can play MP3 background music while you read.

Check out the latest generation Kindle DX.

Top 5 Improvements in Amazon Kindle 2.0

Everyone is excited over the new Kindle 2.0 which was just released in New York. Here are the 5 best improvements that comes with the new Kindle.

1. Twenty-Five Per Cent More Battery Life

Now you can read on the Kindle for four days straight on a single charge, with the wireless on. Turn off the wireless, and you can take a trip for almost two weeks without worrying about the Kindle running out on you. The battery life varies based on wireless usage, such as shopping the Kindle Store and downloading content.

2. New Five-Way Controller

Kindle 2.0 comes with a clever five-way navigation controller that provides control of more functions. It also comes with the Menu and Back buttons right next to it. This replaces the old scroll wheel used in the first Kindle version, which was a bit of a hassle to use. The new controller makes selecting and highlighting text much easier.

3. New Next Page Button

It's a good thing Amazon paid attention to its customer feedback about the previous and next page buttons on Kindle 1 which were way to big and sensitive. Very likely, you'll accidentally press the buttons and turn the page when you don't intend to. Kindle 2.0 have smaller buttons, with the previous button smaller than the next button, which flex inwards, instead of outwards like in the previous version. This cuts down a lot of accidental page turns, which is a relieve for many Kindle lovers.

4. Sharper Graphics

Kindle 2.0 now boasts 16 shades of grey instead of 4 shades in the original Kindle. Text now look sharper, and less bleed around the letters as noticed in Kindle 1.

5. Sleeker Design

Kindle 2.0 is now 0.36 inches thick, or shall I say thin, compared to Kindle 1's 0.7 inches. They have also got rid of the rather horrid looking square angled keys and replaced them with smooth circular keys for the QWERTY keyboard.

For a side-by-side comparison of Kindle 2.0 and the Original Kindle, please visit http://reviewkindle.blogspot.com/

Should I Buy A Kindle? My Kindle Review

The amazing Amazon Kindle is truly a revolution in reading. With this lightweight portable reading device, you can download books, newspapers and magazines all with a push of a button. It is completely mobile and wireless. You can catch up on the latest news or dive into your favorite book while camping, at the beach, or waiting at the doctors office. The Kindle is definitely for book lovers, tech geeks and gadget freaks like me. I travel a lot so the Kindle was an obvious choice for me because it is lightweight, portable, and can store up to 200 books (I tend to read a couple at time). What I like best is that it has an online dictionary, wireless access to Wikipedia and NO MONTHLY Fee (unless you have a subscription to a Blog, Newspaper or Magazine). Downloading books takes just a couple of minutes and the selection available from Amazon is enormous (currently over 120,000 books)

Why Buy the Kindle?

Just like at the bookstore, you maybe read the back cover and flip through a few pages to get the gist of the book. Well you can do even more with the Amazon Kindle! The Kindle lets you download and read the beginning of the books for Free! If you like what you see, then you buy it. What is even better is that you can read amazon book reviews to see what other people are saying about the book. You can't do that at the bookstore!

SHOULD YOU BUY A KINDLE?

The Kindle is definitely for book lovers, tech geeks and gadget freaks like me. I travel a lot so the Kindle was an obvious choice for me because it is lightweight, portable, and can store up to 200 books (I tend to read a couple at time). What I like best is that it has an online dictionary, wireless access to Wikipedia and NO MONTHLY Fee (unless you have a subscription to a Blog, Newspaper or Magazine). Downloading books takes just a couple of minutes and the selection available from Amazon is enormous (currently over 120,000 books).

Best Features

1. Screen is non-glaring and the text size can be changed.

2. Accessories are available to increase memory, protect your Kindle, or light it up.

3. Like I said before, NO MONTHLY FEE! Free access to Wikipedia.

4. Have up to 6 Kindle accounts so families can share books.

5. Huge selection, with more books being added every month.

6. Check out Amazon Reviews and download excerpts before you commit to buy the book.

7. Saves Trees.

8. Dictionary.

9. Kindle automatically saves the page you were on so you don't reread a chapter (like I used to do).

Cons

1. Coverage not available in Montana or Alaska

2. I would love to see a touch screen Kindle someday with a color monitor

Conclusion

The Kindle is truly an innovation in reading. For more information on the Kindle, including reviews, videos, accessories and to buy the kindle, please visit my website

A. Kelly, Owner of http://www.bestkindlesite.com

Kindle 2 - Is it Hip Or All Hype? - My Review

First let me say wow. The way that the Kindle 2 looks compared with its family is indescribable. It is so much better designed than the original Kindle. It is extremely smooth while being extremely easy to use. Some people knock the K2 but typically there is no comparison. So how did they figure out how good or bad it was? As far as I am concerned any one in their right mind will find the Kindle 2 both stylish and functional.

One of the biggest issues with both the Kindle 1 and 2 was centered on the battery life. The original Kindle had a very short and inconvenient life span. The Kindle 2 however has seen some improvement. There may be no replacement battery with the K2 however the battery charge life is a great deal longer especially when you turn the Wi-Fi off when not using it.

Imagine traveling anywhere you want in the US and still being able to download almost any book you want. I was at my daughter's soccer practice downloading books just the other day. There is nothing easier than look, pick, and click to download the book of your choice. Remember the slow load times on the Kindle 1? Gone! Amazon claims that the load time is 20% faster but I have a feeling it is faster than that.

What about the buttons on the K 1? It was too easy to hit the page button. Now with the Kindle 2 this has been greatly improved. Another improvement is in the weight of the unit. The Kindle 2 is much lighter than its predecessor. It weighs less than many typical paperback books.

You know how the K1 could be a bit difficult to read due to the lack of contrasting shades. The Kindle 2 though has 16 different shades of gray. This can help sharpen up the picture making it easy to read. Also, how about the capacity? The Kindle 2 can actually hold more than 1,500 books.

A point of contention among some is the Text-to-Speech function offered by the Kindle 2. The voice is not nearly the same as a person reading aloud. You can choose whether you want a male or female voice. You can also pick the speed of the reading.

With these pluses I feel that I must point a couple negative points out as well...

When I said that the Kindle 2 was light I did not exaggerate. It can be almost too much so. A nice Kindle cover can help to fix this though. It will add enough weight to give you the feel of holding a book.

Another issue has to do with people with big fingers. The size of the Kindle 2 keyboard is very restrictive. It is too easy to punch wrong letters when typing. I am hoping that this will be fixed by the addition of touch-screen to the next member of the Kindle family. There was a possibility of this capability on the Kindle 2 but it would have affected the screen quality.

We will just have to wait for the right combination of touch-screen and the e-ink technology. Just think of the increased screen size that could be on such a device!

Another issue for some, though I cannot see why, is the Kindle 2's lack of an SD card slot. This shouldn't be much of an issue though considering Amazon allows you full access to any materials you have bought. This means you can leave your books on Amazon servers and keep space on your Kindle 2 free for other things.

Perhaps the largest drawback of all with the device is the fact that you cannot buy one outside the US. Who knows why this is an issue? Some of the current rumors are saying that the Kindle family is going to start being released in Britain in time for Christmas so we shall see.

As far as giving the Kindle 2 a definite rating on a scale of 1-5 I would have to say it is between a four to a four and a half. The keyboard is the deciding factor that kept the device out of the five star spot. I personally think the K2 is great. Just look at the different reviews on Amazon and you will see that others feel the same way.

To learn more about all the great Kindle product by visiting http://www.bestk2accessories.com/

Amazon Kindle How-To Series - Help! My New Kindle 2 is Frozen!

One thing about electronic devices - they know how to put us in a panic every once in a while! The new Amazon Kindle 2 is no different - it sometimes seems to get possessed by one of those demons in the books stored deep inside it's memory. While the Kindle 2 is a very well designed and durable device, it is subject to strange behavior. The worst of these behaviors is when the Kindle 2 freezes-up. The pages don't turn, the screen saver won't turn-off no matter how many times you "Slide and release the power switch to wake".

There are a few things you can do to "unfreeze" your Kindle 2, but the best cure is a bit of prevention. First, let's get to the "unfreezing". In the Kindle 1 you have a few options to unfreeze your device:

A. Use the keyboard reset - hold down the ALT and SHIFT keys then press the "R" button.

B. Manually reset by remove the back cover and insert a paper clip (GENTLY) into the "Reset" hole to reset and unfreeze the Kindle.

C. Remove the battery (with the unit unplugged), turn on the power button to discharge the power in the Kindle, then reinstall the battery.

Unfortunately the new Kindle 2 does not have a keyboard reset, there is no manual reset using a paper clip, and the battery cannot be accessed. So you have one option left for unfreezing your Kindle 2. That is resetting the device using the Power button.

Before doing this it's a good idea to make sure your Kindle 2 is completely charged. Even if it is "frozen" it should still charge - that is the charging indicator should light when the charger is connected. If the charging indicator does not light-up check your plug and if that's OK contact Amazon Kindle support.

Once you are satisfied that your Kindle 2 is charged it's time to reset. To do this -

1. Remove your Kindle 2 from the charger.

2. Slide the power switch to the right and hold it there.

3. SLOWLY count to 15 (the switch has to be held in-place for at least 15 seconds).

4. Release the switch.

5. What will happen? At first NOTHING so don't panic.

6. After about 5 to 10 seconds the Kindle 2 will flash on and off several times.

7. The Amazon logo will appear along with a progress bar showing the Kindle is restarting.

8. Next the Hope page will load with the ebooks, audio books, and other media you've loaded onto your Kindle.

That's it! You should be back in business ready to read another book.

A few things to remember:

If you only hold the Power button to the right for five to 10 seconds you'll just turn the unit OFF. You have to hold the power button to the right for at least 15 seconds.

If the process above does not work - contact the Amazon Kindle support team. They are very helpful and may be able to do some other trouble-shooting on your device.

Now - how do you prevent your Kindle 2 from freezing in the first place?

Well, unlike the Kindle 1, the Kindle 2 does not like to be completely turned off and on. The unit goes into a screensaver power-down mode when not in use consuming very little power. Try leaving the unit on continually and take advantage of the power-down feature. This seems to prevent freeze-ups for many owners. Ok, ok, if you're flying please turn off your Kindle and wait until you get above 10,000 feet before turning on approved electronic devices. And please disable the wireless feature Kindle while flying!

One other thing you can do to prevent Kindle 2 freeze-ups is to make sure your battery doesn't fall below about 15% to 20% charged. The device seems to work better when the charge is above 20%. You don't have to charge your Kindle 2 everyday - in fact that is NOT recommended unless you need it. Just watch the power indicator and give your Kindle 2 a charge when the battery level falls below 20%.

OK - by now we trust you are back to enjoying your favorite ebook or audio book. Congratulations! You've learned how-to unfreeze your Kindle 2 and prevent future freeze-ups from happening.

Got a Kindle? Then you need to get right over to http://www.guidetokindle.com News, information, pictures, and how-to advice for the worlds most popular e-book reader. Exclusive, well-documented articles show you how to get the most from your Kindle investment. Be sure to sign-up for our e-mail newsletter and stay informed about everything Kindle.

Kindle Accessories Are a Necessity

Kindle Accessories

The Amazon Kindle is by far one of the best e-book readers on the market and has certainly changed the way users are now experiencing the growth and easy accessibility of the e-book industry. The Amazon Kindle will elevate your experience to a higher plateau of reading e-books and the ease of downloading online a huge unlimited virtual Library that is growing everyday makes it even more appealing to the end users. If you have a Kindle already then purchasing some Kindle accessories to protect your e-book is an obvious choice. By buying the correct Kindle accessories for your device you will only add to its life and you will feel safe knowing that you can take your kindle everywhere with you and it is protected if dropped or gets knocked around. The last thing you want is to break your expensive e-book reader.

You will find that most Kindle accessories fall into the following categories.

1. Covers. Kindle covers will cover your device and shield it from dust, scratches and give it some protection.Covers and screen protectors also give you the freedom to personalize your Amazon Kindle.

2. Cases. Kindle cases can also reflect your individual style and personality. They also give you protection for your Kindle.

3. Carry Bags. Take your kindle everywhere with you with added protection from a carry bag

4. Earphones. Earphones can add to the pleasure of using your kindle by blocking out external sounds and giving you extra privacy.

5. Power Adapters. With power adapters, you can read e-books on your Kindle anywhere, any time.

6. Reading Lights will light up the screen so you can read in the dark.

7. Skins add personal design to your Kindle. It gives you more protection without adding extra bulk. These skins, however, do not give the high level of protection as covers, jackets, sleeves, or cases.

8. Sleeves will give protection to the entire surface of your Kindle. They have a soft lining, form-fitting design, and padded protection.

9. Warranties - Extended warranties are out there if needed

kindle accessories
kindle case