Basics of The Kindle

A Look at Amazon.com's Electronic Reading Device

Aug 4, 2008 Lisa Rufle

Amazon has created the first widely marketed e-book reading device of its kind. Here is a look at the Kindle, what it does and its pros and cons.

There seems to be a gadget for every conceivable purpose, and it was just a matter of time before someone decided that reading needed to be redesigned to appeal to the electronic-savvy audience. This is where Amazon's Kindle fits into the equation.

What is The Kindle?

The Kindle was first introduced to U.S. consumers via Amazon.com's website in November 2007. Kindle's main selling platform is that it is a " new wireless reading device," with the capacity to store an average of 200 titles, while offering readers the convenience of having access to multiple books, magazines and newspapers, as well as blogs and Wikipedia.com. all in one portable device.

What Makes The Kindle Revolutionary?

While there are other e-book readers available on the market, Kindle is revolutionary due in part to its additional capabilities. While other e-book readers were primarily designed to read e-books and e-news (with some also being able to play MP3s and audio books as well), Kindle offers the traditional services as well as:

  • Instant book downloads directly from Amazon.com
  • Electronic paper display that has the appearance of real paper
  • Access to domestic and international newspapers
  • Access to over 350 popular blogs updated regularly
  • Light in weight for ease of portability
  • Long battery life
  • The ability to receive via email Word documents and pictures.

Pros of The Kindle

Obviously the most useful feature of the Kindle is its ability to store a large quantity of reading information in a small device. For book lovers who travel frequently or do not have the ability to store a physical library of books in their home due to space issues, Kindle is an ideal way for them to read all the newest releases, without having to carry several books or worry about where to store the books once they have been read. Another convenient feature the Kindle offers is that it does not require the transfer of information from a PC to the Kindle, books and other literature are downloaded directly to the Kindle.

Cons of The Kindle

All these convenient and handy features don't come cheap. The Kindle's MSRP is $359 U.S. dollars. Factor in the cost for electronic book downloads ($9.99 for a new best-seller), monthly electronic newspaper subscriptions (anywhere from $5.99 to $14.99) and monthly magazine fees (varying from $1.25 to $3.49) and readers might have to consider picking and choosing between their favorites to keep monthly fees to a nominal rate. Not to mention the screen of the Kindle is black and white (and no back light), which may be the biggest disappointment for potential Kindle buyers.

As far as popularity, the Kindle devices sell well on Amazon.com, so if that serves as any indication, people are buying them and attempting to give this new method of reading a shot. Whether they will stand the test of time and become the ipod of the literary world remains to be seen.

The copyright of the article Basics of The Kindle in Literary Culture is owned by Lisa Rufle. Permission to republish Basics of The Kindle in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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