Monday, December 26, 2011

Got a Kindle for Christmas

I do a lot of reading on my iPad primarily using the Kindle app.
I particularly like the dictionary function which only requires you to touch the word you want to define, whereupon a definition appears at the bottom of the screen.
Touch screen page turning is also very useful.
The Kindle 4 that I got has no touch screen which I miss. Also the screen is not backlit which means you need a light on at night to read it. One thing I like about reading on the iPad is that, because of the backlit screen, you can sit in the dark and read in comfort.
Additionally, the virtual keyboard is not designed for typing. You have to move the cursor to each individual character and click the "Press to Select" button to type.
Of course, it's unlikely you'll need to do much typing on the Kindle unless you want to add a lot of notes to your reading material.
So, what's good about the Kindle 4.
Well, it's light, small, easy to carry.
Connecting to wifi is very easy and the E ink screen is ideal for reading as it really looks like a paper book although it doesn't show colors.
Selecting and buying books from Amazon is, as expected, extremely easy. In addition, adding ebooks in the .mobi format from sources other than Amazon to your Kindle is also very easy and quick through your computer.
In summary, when reading at home, I'll stick to the iPad because of the convenience of the touch screen and the color screen.
Perhaps when traveling I'll consider taking the Kindle because of its smaller size and lightness.

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