I wanted a Kindle for the longest time. To me the thought of eliminating book and magazine clutter and lower library fines was more appealing than the desire to hold a real book. So when Mr. Ng gave me one for my birthday this past weekend, I was thrilled. After almost a week with my Kindle, I have some thoughts and I want to share them with you today…just in case you’re thinking of getting one too.
The Size
One of the reasons I wanted the Kindle Wireless Reading Device (affiliate link) is because of its size. I can read a 1200 page book and not have to heft it around to my favorite reading spots. In reality, I’m carrying around about a dozen books on my Kindle right now, allowing me to change from fiction to non fiction at the touch of a button. I’m digging the convenience of it all.
One of my concerns with the six inch screen was that the print would be too small to read. Though I wear glasses, some books use uncomfortably small fonts. The good news with the Kindle is that I can make the size of the font bigger or smaller, and mine is magnified to granny size.
The Kindle isn’t clunky at all. It’s lightweight, compact and fits in my purse. It’s perfect as I sit and wait during tennis lessons or stand in the checkout line.
The End of the Clutter
Book purists believe this is part of the appeal, but I can’t take all the clutter in my small house anymore. I have so many books and magazines stacked up. There simply isn’t room. The Kindle holds many books at once and those I want to remove to make room are stored at Amazon for me until I want to read them again. I don’t have to worry about paper waste and recycling either, as my favorite newspapers and magazines are also available for Kindle.
Kindle v. “Real Books”
Now, I keep hearing that owning a Kindle isn’t the same thing as holding a book. Of course it’s not, but it reads the same. The words are still the same and the story is still the same. The only thing different is how the words are contained.
I read once that J.K. Rowling won’t put the Harry Potter books on Kindle because she believes in “real books” should be read as real books. (But then she has audio versions and allowed her books to be turned into much abridged movies, so whatever..). I believe in the power of reading over the power of holding a book. If people are reading and enjoying what they’re reading it shouldn’t matter whether it’s hardcover, paperback, comic book, or ebook. Purists need to get over that whole line of thinking. Reading is reading.
Travel
Kindles are perfect for travel. I like to read during travel or while waiting at airports or trains stations. I also enjoy reading on long car rides. The Kindle allows me to carry several books at once, plus magazines and newspapers. Traveling light is a beautiful thing. Sometimes when I travel, my laptop case is heavier than it should be because I have books and magazines shoved inside the extra pockets. The Kindle helps me to travel light.
Kindle Nit Picking
So yeah, I do have a couple of nits to pick…
- I wish the Kindle had a backlight. There are times I’d like to read outside at night, in bed, in the car when it’s dark, or while my husband and son are watching a movie that doesn’t interest me. Though one can purchase a light separately, having a backlit device would be terrific and less distracting to the people around me. On the other hand, I love that I can read the screen outside without having to deal with sun glare. Two big thumbs up on that one.
- Also, I wish I could transfer my existing magazine subscriptions to Kindle. I looked all over for ways to do this and finally contacted Amazon. To read magazines on Kindle I have to wait until my subscription runs out and then resubscribe. It’s not a big deal if I’m renewing anyway, but I’d like to not have to wait. It would be wonderful if we could somehow transfer our existing subscriptions.
- Finally, not all the books I want to read are available on Kindle. That doesn’t mean I won’t read them anyway, but Kindle books are cheaper and I am trying to eliminate clutter. I’m probably more likely to buy a Kindle book now.
The Bottom Line
Anyone who loves books will love having a Kindle. The first book I bought for the Kindle is the hysterically funny “Sh*t My Dad Says” (see affiliate banner in the bottom right sidebar) and I laughed for days. There’s a good variety of books available and even a selection of freebies. I can also read my favorite blogs, newspapers, magazines and ebooks.
Do I recommend the Kindle? Yes, indeedy, I do. I agree that nothing can replace the comfort and feel of a worn out, favorite novel, but it’s time for this old fashioned girl to change with the times. Reading is reading and the Kindle does the job just fine for me. Who knows? I may not even go back to the old way…
Do you have a Kindle? Why or why not? Share your thoughts in the comments…
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