A few people have asked me about the Amazon Kindle.
Since Christmas is coming up, I've decided to blog about one of my favorite electronic devices in hopes of helping someone trying to decide whether or not to buy a Kindle.
All of the classics are free.
They also offer free books on a regular basis, especially Christian books.
I've gotten free books by Teri Blackstock, Brandilyn Collins, Melody Carlson, Rob Bell, and more!
They also have free secular books, but not as many.
I've gotten a few free mysteries, and books by popular (and sometimes new) authors.
* Free samples!
Want a book, but not sure if you'd like it? Just download a sample to get a taste of it.
If you like it, simply buy with the push of a button.
You can get samples of almost every book on Amazon.
* Huge selection of books
Not every book on Amazon is available in Kindle edition, but the selection is enormous.
It's more likely than not that any particular book you'd like will be available.
* Books from other sources
You can also get books from other websites other than Amazon, as long as they are in Mobi format.
* Lower prices
I've looked into the Nook (from Barnes & Noble). While I don't notice anything undesirable about the device itself, I did notice that the books are more expensive than Amazon.
Also, all Kindle editions are less expensive than the paper version of the book.
Prices range from (about) $5 to $12, depending on the book.
Most cozy mysteries are $5-$6.
New releases and bestsellers are closer to $10-$12.
Of course, there are some that go above $12, but very few.
There's also the free books, and some bargain books that are less than $5.
*Instant Downloads
Itching to read the newest book by your favorite author?
No need to make a trip to a book store, you can have it immediately on your Kindle. :-)
* Reading Outdoors
Because of it's unique screen, the Kindle can be read in bright sunlight without any glare whatsoever. It looks exactly like reading from a paper book.
On the downside, the very thing that makes it able to be read in bright light, makes it impossible to read in the dark. You will need a lamp or reading light to read at night.
*Newspapers and Magazines
I haven't tired this feature, but Amazon offers subscriptions to many magazines and newspapers through the Kindle.
*Mp3 capability
You can add music to your Kindle!
This was a big plus for me because I have trouble reading when there is a lot of noise.
With 4 kids, quiet moments are rare.
I have an mp3 of a rain storm.
When I need quiet, I simply plug in my earphones and turn up the storm. :-)
*Text size
You can change the text size. If need large print, no problem! There are several size options.
* Highlighting and Notes
You can highlight your favorite passages, and even add notes to them.
They are saved in a folder on you Kindle, which you can also transfer to your pc.
*New low price
When I bought my Kindle, the price was not very friendly.
Now, they are offering them at a new low price of $139.
It is worth every penny!
*Covers
There is a wide variety of covers that make the Kindle feel more like a real book when you're holding it.
It also helps to protect it from scratches.
Downsides:
*I wish it had a clock on it
*The Whispernet feature Amazon uses for downloading books is a bit slow.
The coverage isn't very good in our area, so it takes a while to download.
Thankfully, you can download the book to your computer, connect the Kindle to computer, then manually transfer it.
I cannot browse for books on my Kindle because of the bad coverage.
I browse and order on my pc at the Amazon website.
I highly recommend getting the WiFi version.
I haven't tried it, but it has got to be faster than the Whispernet.
*On my Kindle, the "previous" and "next" buttons are a little uneven. I wish there was a "Previous" button on the left at the same level as the "Next" button on the right.
That's the only things I can say bad about it, and they are really sort of petty things really.
Who knows, maybe those things have been fixed in the newer versions.
So, if you're considering buying a Kindle for yourself or as a gift for someone this year- go for it!
You won't be disappointed.
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