One of the most significant gadgets that made its name recently is the Kindle reader.
The Kindle from Amazon played a key role in popularizing ebook readers. In fact, people, up to a certain extent, have come to equate Kindle with digital book readers in general. In comparison, Kindle also became what the iPod is for mp3 players.
Before Amazon came out with the Kindle, it was preceded by a hyped up advertising campaign that piqued people’s interest. And when it finally came out, people were intrigued enough to invest in the worthy gadget.
Thankfully, most buyers ended up quite satisfied. It seems that Amazon scored well with its unique offer, which soon caused several other brands and types of e book readers to enter the market.
But the Kindle collection of ereaders still occupies the number one spot.
The Kindle Collection
Amazon Kindle
Amazon offers two types of Kindle reader. The first is the basic Amazon Kindle, and the second is the Kindle DX. The basic Amazon Kindle is the first ever and the original Kindle reader. There are already two types of basic Amazon Kindle: the first generation Kindle and the Kindle 2.
The first generation Kindle was an unforgettable gadget; the one that took the world of book lovers by storm. It was dubbed by many as the “future of book reading.” It was the classic Kindle reader, which came out in the first generation model followed by Kindle 2.
Kindle DX
The Kindle DX came out next. In summary, it was a larger version of the basic Kindle. Instead of a 6-inch screen, it featured a 9.7-inch screen. It also came with a higher price. Most of the features are similar to those found on the basic Amazon Kindle, except that it featured a larger display, an automatic rotating screen, and a PDF reader, which made your reading enjoyment all the more enjoyable and flexible.
The Amazon Kindle 1st generation first popularized the electronic paper-like display that offers sharp and crisp high-res text that avoids glare and eye strain. The Kindle also became phenomenal because it was a stand-alone reader; it did not need to be connected to the Internet.
The wireless device equipped with Amazon’s Whispernet allowed readers to download content right on their devices through Amazon’s wireless ebook library, thanks to Sprint’s national high-speed data network or EVDO. This means you can buy books anytime, anywhere. This is different from WiFi, which requires you to find a hotspot. When Amazon says anywhere, it means anywhere, and Amazon shoulders all the bills.
The light reader featured a 6-inch E-ink screen with a resolution of 600 x 800. It had 4 levels of grayscale and weighed 10.3 ounces, which made carrying it around easy. It came in an ergonomic design so you can hold it comfortably like a book.
The design is meant to make long-form reading comfortable. The vertical scroll buttons are also found on both sides so the Kindle can be used by both right-handed and left-handed users. It is good to note that when the Kindle finally came out, it was met with good consumer feedback that lived up to all the hype.
The first generation Amazon Kindle was followed by Kindle 2. The Kindle 2 featured more or less the same package as the Kindle 1, and it was much-awaited with equal hype. The most important update, however, can be seen the moment you lay eyes on the new Kindle reader.
The reader is now just over 1/3 of an inch thin, so it became easier to bring around. It also had 16 levels of grayscale for crisper text capture and a 25% longer battery life to allow you to read longer on a single charge. It also featured 3G wireless to allow the same wireless downloading anytime and anywhere.
The Kindle 2 also featured the new text-to-speech feature which allows you to sit back and listen as your Kindle reads newspapers, magazines, ebooks, and blogs out loud for you. The whole Kindle 2 package also comes with free book samples, which means you get the first chapters of the book to help you decide whether to go ahead and buy it.
The Kindle 2 also came with better memory capacity; it can now hold more than 1,500 ebooks, making it your very own mobile library.
The 9.7-inch screen of the Kindle DX solved the problem of many interested Kindle readers hampered by the small size of Kindle text. A lot of people complained about the small text, which propelled Amazon to come out with the DX. The DX is also ultra-slim; it was over 1/3 of an inch thick. Holding the DX is like holding a magazine in your hand.
The Kindle reader DX edition also has amazing memory; with the DX, you can bring around 3,500 books at any one time. It also has an auto-rotating screen that allowed you to read in either landscape or portrait. On top of that, the Kindle DX finally offered built-in PDF reader, which is not found on the basic Kindle models.
The same wireless book-buying, however, is retained. The DX also had other similar features as the basic Kindle such as the long battery life and the new text-to-speech feature, which applied to all books unless the book’s author or right holder made the feature unavailable.
Part of the appeal that really helped the Amazon Kindle reader make its name is the amazing Amazon ebook library. The ebook library offered 360,000 titles including books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs. Majority of current New York Times Best Sellers can be found on the store.
U.S. newspapers and magazines such as The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, TIME, Washington Post, and Forbes also supplied their publications to Amazon. Top blogs such as The Onion, ESPN’s Bill Simmons, The Huffington Post, Slashdot, and several others provided key blog posts on a daily basis. It was no wonder the Kindle reader, with the support from the amazing Amazon store, made quite a name for itself.
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came out next. In summary, it was a larger version of the basic Kindle. Instead of a 6-inch screen, it featured a 9.7-inch screen. It also came with a higher price. Most of the features are similar to those found on the basic Amazon Kindle, except that it featured a larger display, an automatic rotating screen, and a PDF reader, which made your reading enjoyment all the more enjoyable and flexible.
