So here we are, blog post #2 and I just feel the need to share my excitement over a gift recently given to me by three wonderful friends.  They bought me a Kindle!  I had actually been contemplating the purchase but was really on the fence as to whether or not it would be the right move for me.  I love my tech, but I am also a very traditional person and books and paper are just…REAL.  So I wasn’t sure.

That said, I had been meaning to buy the latest read for a book club that I joined this year…something that I am doing for ME…but that’s a whole other blog post… Well, this book was unavailable at the library and about $20 at Chapters.  I was ready to bite the bullet and buy it but had no time to get to there.  Between work, doctor appointments, school pick up and upcoming birthday parties to organize, it just wasn’t happening.  An entire week passed and I was still unable to make it out to buy the book.  I hit the jackpot when I was lucky enough to find a friend who had finished reading to lend me a copy.

About 3 days later, my friends surprised me with a new Kindle. I was blown away. I wanted to launch my blog 3 days later just so I’d be able to talk about it!  So without further ado let me share with you WHY I love my Kindle so much:

1. The screen & e-ink (writing) are fabulous. I expected glare, there is none.
2. e-books are cheaper. I passed on that book club book to a fellow club member who was caught in a similar situation and I was able to download that $20 book for under $8!
3. The downloading process. WOW!  What can I say?  I just find the Kindle Store on my Kindle screen menu. I scroll down & enter using the keyboard at the bottom. I type in the title, hit search and buy.  My Amazon account is charged and in less than a minute there is an entire book in my device! I do not need to be connected to the computer or anything at all.  It is delivered to me via Whispernet (doesn’t that even just sound good?
4. FREE 3G Worldwide.  Yes, I said Free 3G.  Of course the Kindle comes equipped with Free WiFi, but my friends sprung for the next model up which allows me free 3G access in over 100 countries worldwide.  That means I can download a book or the latest edition of the paper wherever I am and pay only the price of the e-book or newspaper, no charge for downloading.  How convenient to not have to find myself in a WiFi zone to download my next read or my local paper.  Agreed that we can load up on books prior to leaving home, but the flexibility here is just wonderful.
5. Google Search. I can use my Kindle to do a Google Search.  I admit it is slow so I wouldn’t recommend it for the usual surfing, but if I found myself out of town with no WiFi & did not want to pay through the nose to do a search on my iPhone, this could be useful.
6. Kindle e-mail.  My Kindle came with an email address.  Although I haven’t tried it yet, I suspect I could forward email to my Kindle and benefit from accessing that email via Free 3G while away from home.  Not bad.
7. Kindle App.  When my friend told me about this I questioned its usefulness, but I have used it twice already.  The Kindle App allows you to access your Kindle Library  through your iPhone or iPad and when you return to reading on your Kindle will prompt you as to whether or not you’d like to continue from where you last left off on the Kindle or other device.  So when my Kindle ran out of charge, I read on my iPhone.  I did the same when I got stuck at an appointment and had left my Kindle at home.  The screen on the iPhone is small and I don’t recommend using it all the time, but I’d rather be in the waiting room with my latest read than without!
8. Sample Reads: You can actually download a free sample of the book you are contemplating ordering, to get a feel for the book and whether or not you think you’d enjoy it.

So, to recap: No running to the store, no parking, no line up, and no figuring out where to store this book after it’s been read!  I saved time, energy, money, and let’s face it, I did something positive for the planet- (although I have to admit,  I’m not comfortable suggesting that books (which are inherently good) are bad for the planet..).

What’s the downside?  Here are a couple:

The caveats:

1. Customs: As Canadians, the customs & duties charges on a Kindle can run you a pretty penny.  If you’re planning a trip to the US of 48 hours or more, it may be a good idea to order it in advance to be delivered to your hotel & then you can bring it back within your exemption.
2. Glitches: I experienced a glitch with a book I wanted to buy- it was available online via my laptop but not when I shopped through the Kindle.  It was easily resolved: I ordered it on my laptop & it was instantly delivered via Whispernet to my Kindle.  No need to connect any wires!
3. Battery life: The WiFi & 3G can drain the battery.  It is easy to turn the wireless off. Do this & your battery will last a very long time.  When you need the wireless, your Kindle will automatically prompt you to turn it back on…just click on ‘yes’. EASY. Also, keeping your Kindle in sleep mode will drain the battery more quickly than actually turning it off.
4. Light: The Kindle does not have a backlit screen but a fabulous case with a built-in light is available through Amazon.com.  I’ll be ordering one & be sure to post my review!

All in all, I 100% recommend the Amazon Kindle.  I am thrilled with it so far.  I enjoy the experience reading on it.

Do you use a Kindle or another e-reader?  Would you recommend it & why?  Here’s your chance to share…

Have a sunny afternoon,

Tanya