Review: Kindle 3

As promised, here are my impressions of the Kindle, nearly two weeks and three books later.

What is it?

The Kindle is an e-reader developed by Amazon.com. Originally released on November 19, 2007, the Kindle is already on its third generation as a hardware device, with each generation making use of e-ink technology. The latest Kindle hardware has built-in connectivity, either through Wifi only (retail price: US$139) or through Wifi and 3G (retail price: US$189), and comes in either graphite- or white-colored casing. The one I purchased is the 6-inch graphite US version with both Wifi and 3G. (Note: the US version comes with a two-prong power adapter and USB charge cable.)

What are the alternatives?

There are several e-readers on the market already. The closest look-alike to the Kindle is Barnes and Noble's Nook, which also employs e-ink. The Apple iPad is a more sophisticated device that can also be used as an e-reader whether through its proprietary iBookstore or through Kindle and Nook apps that allow content purchased for either device to be displayed on an iPad. While other manufacturers (such as Sony) also have commercially available e-readers, prior to my purchase I only gave the Kindle, Nook and iPad serious consideration as these had well established channels for direct purchase of content.

Why the Kindle and not another e-reader?

I was looking for a dedicated e-reader that more closely approximated the experience of reading an actual book. For this reason, e-ink seemed the way to go. Further, because it was priced outside of my budget, buying an iPad was immediately out of the question.

The Nook initially appealed to me particularly because it is an Android device. Hypothetically, this would mean one could hack into the firmware and install Android apps on it. In addition, it can be argued that the Nook is a more versatile e-reader in that it supports the ePub format (which the Kindle does not) and allows one to share titles with other Nook owners. However, in view of recent news that Barnes and Noble has already put itself up for sale, it did not seem a prudent to invest in a Nook.

This left me with the Kindle by process of elimination. Of course, the prospect of having a direct line to Amazon's library of titles is itself a huge selling point that more than makes up for being locked into Amazon's proprietary .azw e-book format. What sealed the deal, though, was the fact that the Kindle's 3G works globally at no additional charge. Given its "experimental" web browser, the Kindle thus potentially provides anytime and anywhere access to the Internet.

Does it live up to expectations?

The short answer is yes (and not just because of the "personalized" message from Jeff Bezos). Bear with me as I ramble:

Let's start with the e-ink display: it's damned impressive. While it is limited in the sense that it can't display color, it's very easy on the eyes while one reads, unlike a backlit display that can potentially cause eye strain. The ability to read in sunlight is a huge plus. Additionally, because it is exceedingly light the Kindle is very conducive to reading for prolonged periods.

Direct access to Amazon's storefront is not just convenient but amazing. When I demonstrated to the wife exactly how easy it was to buy a book, which appeared on my device seconds later, her immediate reaction was bemused "Now that's dangerous!" The device has 4GB of onboard memory (up to 3,500 books, they say) and no expansion slot. Should your space run out (is that even possible?) you can always clear space on the device as Amazon keeps a copy of all your purchases available for re-download later on.

I anticipated that shifting to reading on an electronic device would entail some adjustment.  Indeed, it took some getting used to all the added features that reading on this format allows. For instance, one can change the font size of a document on the fly, which necessarily alters the onscreen format of what one is reading. In view of this, to allow some uniformity and points of reference, "pages" are replaced by the concept of "locations" so one can easily keep one's place in a book. This has both its pros and cons: for me, reading also involves visual memory, and a lot of the time I remember what I read in a book because I can recall that I read it in a particular part of a page (e.g. "I know I saw it on the upper right hand corner somewhere"). This becomes completely meaningless on a Kindle, where one can actually search for specific keywords instead.

One concern that struck me was that shifting to an e-reader like this meant it would be near impossible to share what I was reading with others. While I momentarily toyed with the idea of checking whether it would be possible to photocopy the Kindle's screen (I chickened out), I did learn that the Kindle allows one to take screenshots if needed (the images displayed in this post, such as the excerpt above from Clay Shirky's Cognitive Surplus, are such screencaptures). It's a relatively cumbersome process, but at least it affords the flexibility of still being able to share short excerpts with others, albeit with some difficulty. (Hint to Kindle users: Shift + Alt + G is the shortcut for screenshots.)

A feature I particularly appreciated is the ability to highlight and annotate with ease. Such annotations and highlights are automatically saved in a separate .txt file called "My Clippings" that I've started storing as my own notes to the books I read. Beyond this, the Kindle also allows you to see what passages in any given book are commonly highlighted by those reading it (i.e. with connectivity turned on). Much as I can see the merit of turning reading into a "social" experience in this way, I choose to turn this feature off as I find it unnecessarily distracting and prefer to discover a book on my own. In addition, some Kindle books also come with a text-to-speech feature (reasonably decent robotic voice included) so the book can be read to you.  This is a neat feature, to be sure, but not something I intend to use.

Personal document format (PDF) files are supported on the Kindle, but can be a chore to read if not properly formatted. By default, PDF's are viewed whole pages at a time, and thus when the original document's font is small (or its margins large) one will have to "click to enlarge" in order to read. Fortunately, it's possible to switch the Kindle's screen orientation from portrait to landscape for some added flexibility, or to send documents to Amazon for proper formatting (a fee is involved, so I haven't tried this). But it's a decent enough portable PDF reader, for sure, more so since PDF's can also be highlighted and annotated as well.

The Kindle's connectivity, particularly its 3G connectivity, works exactly as promised (i.e. free). However, the Kindle's experimental web browser can best be described as functional. Since one has to use this browser using the Kindle's five-way directional buttons and can only input using the built-in keyboard (which feels clunky, like the first versions of the Palm Treo that ever came out), I can't imagine using this browser for heavy Web surfing. No doubt, this feature is one that's nice to have on the go, but one that I will use only if other means to access the Internet are unavailable.

There's also something to be said for the Kindle's overall interface. (Aside: the shortcut Shift + Alt + M is an easter egg that will allow you to play Minesweeper or Gomoku.) For sure, the built-in physical keyboard at its base is clunky, but the buttons on either side of the device to advance or go back a page are great. Notwithstanding my apprehension for moving parts in mobile devices, the layout of these buttons mean that the Kindle is friendly to right- and left-handed users alike (personally, while I am right-handed I tend to read the Kindle holding it only in my left-hand). Interestingly, a lot of people I show it to assume that the Kindle has a touchscreen. I'm fine with the fact it doesn't, but it amuses me to know how pervasive such technology has become.

Final Thoughts

The Kindle 3 packs a lot of punch for its size. It's much sturdier than it looks but with a sleek form factor. Considering the unprecedented access it provides to Amazon's storefront, the polish and features of e-ink books, the ability to read PDF's on the go, and built-in connectivity right out of the box (when you get your Kindle, it's already customized with your Amazon.com account set up and ready to go), it's a great value for the price.

Overall, I don't see the Kindle replacing all my traditional book purchases; just most of them. I know, for instance, that I will continue to buy print books that are either graphics-heavy or have some interwoven design aesthetic. But to the extent that most other books are available cheaper on the Kindle, that's where I'll buy them.

In the end, you can't really beat having your personal library in the palm of your hand and taking it with you wherever you go. Suffice it to say, I am one happy reader.