Kindle Paperwhite Really is All It's Cracked up to Be
I think my husband originally liked the idea of having a Kindle
because they really resemble the reading devices they have in Star Trek. The
amazing thing is that this piece of technology actually works as well as it
does in the futuristic TV show.
In case you don't know much about Kindle products or haven't
read any Kindle Paperwhite reviews before, the basic idea is that it is a hand
held reading device. It can hold thousands of books at one time, but is small
and convenient. The feature that sets the Paperwhite apart is the built in light.
(More on that later.)
Why This Instead of Other Similar Products?
He has an iPad Mini, which is a small tablet that he loves.
It is small, not as light as a Kindle, but still smaller than most paper books.
He can read on that device, so why get the Kindle Paperwhite? In this situation
the Paperwhite wins out for reading for a few reasons.
·
Easy on the Eyes - Kindle
products are designed specifically to avoid eye strain by using e-Ink technology. He can read for hours
and not get tired eyes from staring at the screen.
·
Battery Life –
Again, Kindles use e-Ink technology which makes the batteries last for weeks
or even months. Other electronic devices are good if they last even a couple of
days without charging.
·
Smaller and Lighter –
Since it is smaller it is much more comfortable for reading, particularly when lying
down.
·
No Glare – One of
the features Amazon loves to brag about with this product is that it doesn't
have any glare regardless of sunlight. I can see why because it is absolutely
true. This e-reader is easy and comfortable to read in any light.
He previously had the really old Kindle with the keyboard on
it, and technically that still worked fine but he was ready for an upgrade. It
is nice to know that generally speaking Kindle products last a long time with
no problems, at least based on his experience with the older model. I had the
regular Kindle before, and that worked fine as well. So why choose the
Paperwhite over a standard Kindle? There are few main reasons.
·
Built-in Light –
This is the most important special feature that this product has, especially compared
to the older model. He used to have one of those separate lights to read in the
dark that clips on. Some of those lights aren't bad, but none of them are
really great. Somehow this light makes the screen readable without causing eye
strain. Plus, he can read it in bed and it doesn't light up the whole room so I
can go to sleep.
·
Time Left in Chapter –
There is a small monitor in the corner of the screen that tells you how much
time is left until the end of the chapter. Not just pages but actual time. It
estimates based on how fast you are getting through each page and how many
pages are left. He loves this feature because he can make a quick decision
about if he should keep reading to get to a good stopping point or just quit in
the middle.
·
Better Contrast – This
newer device has a sharper image than the old one. The older one wasn't bad
anyway, though.
He sometimes still reads real books made out of paper. That
works well for books that are more of a reference style read, so you can flip
through pages quickly and even write notes on the side, but for most reading applications
the Paperwhite is still a better option for several reasons.
·
Cheaper (or Free) Books –
Often, Kindle version books are cheaper than the actual paper book. And, books
that are past their copyright date are free to load from Amazon. Libraries also
support this platform and books can be "checked out" from the library
website.
·
Lighter – When
traveling this is especially important. Now he can bring hundreds of books on
an airplane instead of just trying to squeeze one or two in a carry-on. It also
makes it easier to lay down and read. It is also convenient for waiting rooms.
·
Built-in Light! – I
will say it again, this is the best feature. There is no need for a lamp or
other light to be on in the room. It illuminates itself and is easy to read in
any light setting. Brightness can be turned up or down according to preference,
as well.
·
Technology – Some
guys just like things because they involve electronics or technology. Why not?
Sometimes technology makes things better and more convenient. This is definitely one of those times.
·
Further Gifts are Easy –
If you want to buy him more gifts you can buy the code for a book right on
Amazon, print it out and put it in a nice gift bag. Or, for real convenience
you can just email the code directly to him or have it loaded to his account.
You don't even have to leave the house, so last minute gifts are always easy.
No more waiting for it to be shipped!
Who to Buy it for and Which Occasions
This is a great gift for anyone who enjoys reading at all,
it is especially good for those who love reading and devour books. Boyfriend,
husband, dad, brother, son, or friend will all appreciate this. Anyone who can
handle a little bit of technology and who enjoys reading is a safe bet. Some
people like to collect real paper books though, so make sure your recipient
isn't trying to build their own personal library in their house or something
first.
We had two Kindle Paperwhites on our wedding registry and
got them both. It is another item, like the Hue light bulb, that is good for an
item that is more geared towards the man on a registry. It is nice for
birthdays, Christmas, or even romantic festivities. Buy him a book that is
fitting for the occasion at the same time to help it to meet the theme. (Maybe
a parenting book for the new dad on Father's day.) This is a great gift for
just about anyone for almost any occasion.
And as a side note, when you are ordering you will be able to choose between "with special offers" or "without special offers". This means that when the Kindle goes to the "screensaver" it will either display and ad or it won't. I haven't found the ad to be bothersome. The only time it is there is when the device is not in use anyway.
