Kindle Paperwhite

[steelyman]

I'm thinking about getting one of these - 3g, wi-fi, no ads. I've never used one (or any Kindle) before. Any experiences?

 

[REWahoo]

You will love it.

 

[Ally]

I have a regular kindle and I love it. I thought books would be cheaper, but it's so convenient to carry around.

 

[Throwdownmyaceinthehole]

Kindle

Get the cover with the built in light so you can read in bed and also, you can get many classics free. And on the books you purchase, you can share them, or send them to other kindles - my hub and I both have them, and can read the same book at the same time. I think a lot of libraries have kindle lending.

 

[sailor]

Check your local library. Many public libraries lend Kindle books (although my library e-Book selection is disappointing comparing to the paper).
The paperwhite model is nice, because of built in light (no need to buy a separate light).
I think Kindle is excellent for traveling. DW has K3 (3rd generation). I would use it more if our library selection was better.

 

[Richard4444]

I have had Kindles since they came out. The Paperwhite aims the light at the screen and not at your eyes - - - really nice ! I highly recommend it. I have the WiFi only version - personal choice.

 

[steelyman]

Thanks for all the info and opinions, everyone.

So it sounds like the ideal setup is the Paperwhite, a sleeve, and a power adapter.

The only thing I'm unclear on is that it looks like the Paperwhite already has a built-in light and I don't see any separate cases with lights that fit the Paperwhite on Amazon.

 

[Moemg]

I bought a padded gel case on ebay for my kindle . I had a leather case but it was awkward to use .This is great I just throw it in my purse.Check to see if your library has overdrive . It downloads books automatically to kindles .

 

[steelyman]

Thanks for all the info and opinions, everyone.

So it sounds like the ideal setup is the Paperwhite, a sleeve, and a power adapter.

The only thing I'm unclear on is that it looks like the Paperwhite already has a built-in light and I don't see any separate cases with lights that fit the Paperwhite on Amazon.

After a little more research, it appears I don't even need the power adapter. I have one that I bought for an iPod touch and it is microUSB, same as the Paperwhite. Anyone do this? It would be nice to avoid Yet Another Accessory (and nice to save the $$)

 

[REWahoo]

If you are purchasing a new Kindle it will come with a power adapter.

 

[steelyman]

If you are purchasing a new Kindle it will come with a power adapter.

Not the Paperwhite - biggest complaint I've seen in reviews.

 

[REWahoo]

Ouch.

Well, the microUSB charger for your iPod should work. I have a drawer full of microUSB chargers from our old phones that I we use on our Kindles.

 

[Ally]

Our library has overdrive, too. Unfortunately, all the books seem to have many people waiting.

 

[Richard4444]

Not the Paperwhite - biggest complaint I've seen in reviews.

It does come with the micro USB cable that connects your Kindle to the Computer for charging. If you want to plug it into the wall a.c., that is the extra piece ... however, it does come with all you need to charge from your computer.

 

[davemartin88]

Thanks for all the info and opinions, everyone.

So it sounds like the ideal setup is the Paperwhite, a sleeve, and a power adapter.

The only thing I'm unclear on is that it looks like the Paperwhite already has a built-in light and I don't see any separate cases with lights that fit the Paperwhite on Amazon.

Right, no need for a separate light on the paperwhite as the screen is lit. Works well in bright sun too. We have the WIFI versions with ads to save a few bucks, the ads are only seen when not reading so they don't bother us at all and we've even seen a book advertised that we ended up buying and liking.

 

[Ally]

I have ads, too. They only come on when you first turn it on, never during reading.

 

[steelyman]

It arrived today

Very slick device, I think it'll see plenty of use. Someone bought me a gift book before it even got here - how nice is that?

I forgot to get a case so that's in my sights now.

 

[ER Eddie]

I like mine. The only problem I've had is that once, it froze. It was stuck on the ad screen, and no swiping could revive it. I cursed momentarily, but discovered that if you hold the on/off button in place for a long time (30 seconds or so), it will reboot, and that will fix it.

I like it because 1) it has cheap e-books available that I couldn't get otherwise, 2) most of the books are cheaper than print, 3) no waiting, 4) ability to get a sample, which is sometimes pretty large, 5) ability to read in the dark, without an external light, and 6) portability.

The main thing I don't like is the underlining/highlighting function, which is improved over the original Kindle but still not as easy or user-friendly as with a real book. I like to mark the heck out of my books as I'm reading, to draw my attention to important sections. I can then review the important content of the book easily, by looking at my highlights. All of that is more cumbersome on the Paperwhite -- to mark the passage, to find it, and to view it properly.

But otherwise, I like the Paperwhite quite a bit. I'm a big fan of real books, but this is a nice accessory.

 

[steelyman]

Well, my Paperwhite adventure is done, thanks for posting your experiences and advice - very helpful.

I've had it for a little while now, use it daily and love it. One thing I noticed is that the Kindle was so lightweight (a good thing), it didn't feel quite like a real book to me. So I ordered a cover and ended up choosing this one (not a recommendation, just my personal choice that I am very happy with):

Amazon.com: Marware Eco-Vue Genuine Leather Case Cover for Kindle, Brown (fits Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle, and Kindle Touch): Kindle Store

It adds just that extra bit of weight for my desired effect. Plus, I will be heading off on a few trips this spring and summer, and will be happy to have a little extra protection. So my final setup (but nothing is ever final...!) is:

• Kindle Paperwhite, wi-fi only, no ads
• The above cover
• iPod charger does double-duty and works perfectly

I've been happily surprised that book purchases are pretty reasonable ($8 or so for what I've gotten so far). Someone here posted a one-day free deal on a book "Late Bloomer Millionaires" that I'd downloaded in response but never actually read (since I didn't have a Kindle then, only access through the iPod and I wasn't inclined to read a book on that tiny thing!).

Mission accomplished and I now know what you all were talking about

 

[pb4uski]

It does come with the micro USB cable that connects your Kindle to the Computer for charging. If you want to plug it into the wall a.c., that is the extra piece ... however, it does come with all you need to charge from your computer.

We have a fire and I use my blackberry charger. Seems to work fine.

 

[gerrym51]

i bought this when i bought my Kindle. t was on sale for 10.00

Amazon.com: Amazon Kindle PowerFast for Accelerated Charging (not included with device, for use with the new Kindle Fire or Kindle Fire HD models): Kindle Store

 

[Mmm Rrr]

I just upgraded from a Kindle 2 with a leather case to a paperwhite in a neoprene sleeve and I love it!!! So light, the print is so easy on the eye, and the built in light takes me comfortably into the evenings.

I saved the $20 and went for the "special offer" version... the ads don't bother me at all.

I'm going to send my Kindle 2 off to E-books For Troops...

 

[braumeister]

I'm thinking about getting one of these - 3g, wi-fi, no ads. I've never used one (or any Kindle) before. Any experiences?

This is the one I bought just about two months ago, and I absolutely love it.

I've already read at least a dozen books on it, and it was a godsend on a recent long (three weeks) trip.

Another feature I really enjoy is that I can switch between the Kindle Paperwhite and the Kindle app on my iPad, and it automatically keeps track of what page I last read on either device.

Battery life isn't quite as good as they claim (good for a week or so of frequent use, not several weeks), but plenty good enough. Easy to adjust the built-in backlight for the room you're in, too.

 

[Jackanory]

I'm sticking to my Kindle 2 until they make a paperwhite with a physical button! I use Calibre to manage my collection of free books from places like project-gutenberg, and even Amazon; it converts between formats and uploads easily to the device. I think I've bought 1 book in several years, for a grand total of $0.99 - very economical. For those with less scruples, I understand there are vast collections of more recent ebooks available to download illicitly.

 

[Mmm Rrr]

Battery life isn't quite as good as they claim (good for a week or so of frequent use, not several weeks), but plenty good enough.

The 8 week claim is based on 1/2 hour of use a day, which they don't emphasize very much in their marketing! I tend to read 4 hours a day, and yes, a weekly charge is fine with me.