eBook Readers

img class=”alignleft size-full wp-image-119″ title=”which ebook reader” src=”http://www.generationkindle.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/which-ebook-reader.jpg” alt=”ebook readers” width=”240″ height=”210″ />As eBook readers come in varies shapes sizes and models, you can use the interactice search box above to find out which eBook reader is right for you. Simply choose your options and click find to see the eBook readers that match your criteria

You may already realize that the kindle is the most wanted most gifted and best selling item on Amazon.

With the new latest generation kindle they have really out done themselves, it is smaller, smarter, faster and lighter than its predisestors and its cheaper too.

Basically Amzon have kept everything readers love about Kindle, and made it even better. Our all-new Kindle features a new, compact design that is 30% lighter at just 170 grams and 18% smaller – small enough to fit in your pocket. Kindle features the most-advanced 6-inch E Ink display that reads like real paper, even in bright sunlight.

The all-new Kindle is available  now..Visit the Kindle for Associates page on Associates Central for more information on earning advertising fees through promoting our newest Kindle, and share the all-new Kindle with your site visitors now.

Giving digital content was previously not simple or at least not so direct. To give someone a music album for example on iTunes, the only option for the customer was a generic gift certificate or gift card. Now amazon make it easy for anyone to gift a specific ebook making the gift a much more personal thing than the old tradition voucher.

Simply click on the link below, choose the gift book and click on the image of your choice then click the ‘give as gift’ in the top right corner.

Gift amazon Kindle ebook

UPDATE 9/7/2010: Hey guys – based on the comments received there are definitely some questions that people are interested in that I didn’t touch on in my video review – so I wanted to take some time to answer some of those questions here. Hopefully this is helpful!

Q: Is the Kindle 3 backlit? If not, then how do you see it at night?

A: The Kindle 3 is not backlit. For the Kindle 2 I used a leather case with a reading light clipped to it. For the Kindle 3 Amazon produced a leather case that has a built-in reading light. I’ve been using it since day 1 and I love it.

Q: How well does the new joystick control work?

A: The new Kindle replaces the old five-way navigation joystick with a center button surrounded by a thin 4-way directional control. After messing around with both of these approaches, I don’t really have a strong personal preference one way or another – they both work fine for me.

If you have big hands then I can definitely see having a bit of trouble getting used to the new joystick. The directional control is very thin, and if you’re going to have trouble with any button on the Kindle… that’s definitely going to be the one.

Q: How is viewing PDFs on the Kindle 3? Are they easy to upload onto the Kindle?

A: Uploading PDFs to the Kindle is very easy. You just connect your Kindle to your computer via USB cable and then drag and drop the PDFs. Totally simple. Viewing them is pretty decent, but the major problem is that most PDFs aren’t designed for a 6 inch screen. You might have to do a lot of zooming and panning to see the content you want. If you plan on viewing a ton of PDFs, then you may want to check out the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device, Free 3G, 9.7″ Display, Graphite, 3G Works Globally Latest Generation.

Q: How well does the text-to-speech work?

A: It’s ok. You definitely won’t mistake it for a professionally produced audiobook, but it doesn’t sound as bad as you may think it will. Also note that text-to-speech is not available for every book. You can see on the product page for each Kindle book if text-to-speech is enabled or not.

So that you don’t have to wade through all the comments, I’ll summarize what I see as the key points from the discussion. Keep in mind that much of the great info that follows comes from other Amazon customers who took the time to contribute.

1) Kindle’s battery

a) Thanks to commenters for pointing out that 3rd party internet retailers will sell you a replacement battery and include instructions on how to change it yourself. (Some post a video showing how to do it.) This is not only much cheaper than Amazon’s option, you also keep your own Kindle. Opening the Kindle will void the warranty, but it’s not likely the battery will die before the warranty expires – and if it does, Amazon replaces it at no cost to you.

b) Other commenters obtained objective information about the life of the battery that comes in the Kindle 3, and after doing some math, calculated that the original battery in the Kindle will live for 3-6 years. I’ll probably upgrade to a newer model before the battery in my Kindle 3 dies, so I’m no longer concerned about this issue.

c) My wife and I get a LOT of battery life out of our kindles between charges. She uses hers an hour a day, I use mine about 2 hours a week. We each keep the wireless off about 2/3 of the time, and we both get three or more weeks before we have to recharge.

2) 3G vs. wifi

3G and wifi are two ways for the kindle to connect to the internet. You don’t need an internet connection to read ebooks and newspapers that are already on your device. You need a connection to download new content to your kindle, and also to use kindle’s browser to surf the internet. Let’s suppose for the moment that you don’t use Kindle’s browser very often.

If you don’t have wifi at home, you should probably get the 3G model, otherwise you’ll have to take your kindle to a wifi hotspot every time you want to download a book or newspaper.

If you do have wifi at home, you can probably survive without the 3G version. What about when you’re away from home? If you read ebooks while traveling, just load up your kindle with a few ebooks before leaving home. It becomes an issue if you subscribe to a daily periodical on your Kindle, like the New York Times; then, it’s handy to have 3G so that you continue to get your new issues every day. Yet, wifi hotspots are popping up everywhere – many of them free – so 3G connectivity is less and less a necessity for many of us. And, 3G coverage is not universal – I have two sets of relatives I see regularly who live in areas where 3G coverage is spotty; but in both of those towns, the hotels I stay in have free wifi, so I’m covered.

If you use Kindle’s web browser frequently, it may be worthwhile to get the 3G model. I don’t really like Kindle’s web browser, and my phone has a good web browser and display, so there’s almost never a need for me to use Kindle’s browser.

Most of this argues for getting the cheaper wifi version. But there are reasons to consider the 3G version. First, the extra money you pay for the 3G version buys you unlimited lifetime free 3G service; thinking of it this way, the price really doesn’t seem unreasonable. Second, the more you’re away from home, the more likely you’ll find yourself in a situation in which wifi isn’t available but 3G coverage is good; probably not TOO often, but once in a while. Then, it’s nice to have 3G, especially if you get a daily periodical or if you want to download a new ebook.

3) Amazon’s proprietary format, ePub, Calibre

It’s true, with a nook, you can “borrow” ebooks from a library, if those ebooks are in the ePub format. Some commenters have said this works well on their nook; other commenters have said the selection of ebooks at some libraries is frustratingly small. Whether you have a Nook or a Kindle, check out the free Calibre software. Calibre works with Kindle, Nook, and most major ereader brands. It allows you to convert ebooks from one format to another (so long as the ebook file is not copy-protected). You can convert ePub files into a format that works well with the Kindle. Calibre is very reputable and reliable. I am just starting to use it, and it works well for me. I no longer feel tied to Amazon’s proprietary format. Though, frankly, I LIKE shopping Amazon’s store from my kindle and buying Amazon kindle books. I will probably continue to get the vast majority of my content from Amazon, so the fact that the kindle uses a proprietary Amazon format isn’t really a problem for me.

4) PDF files

Nook does not have native PDF support. When you put a PDF file on your nook, nook converts it into an ebook-like file, then you can adjust the font size and the text and pagination will adjust just like with any ebook. But you cannot see the original PDF file in the format it was created.

Kindle 3 and Kindle DX have native support for PDF files. You can see PDF files just as they would appear on your computer. You can also convert PDF files to an ebook-like format, and then Kindle handles them just the way the Nook handles them – text and pagination adjust when you change the font size.

Unfortunately, some symbols, equations, and graphics get lost or mangled in the translation – even when viewing PDF files in their native format on the Kindle.

Moreover, the small screen size of the Kindle 3 is not great for PDF files, most of which are designed for a larger page size. You can zoom and pan, but this is cumbersome and tiresome. Thanks to commenters who suggested viewing PDF files in landscape mode; this way, you can see the entire top half of the page without panning, and then scroll down to the bottom half. This works a little better.

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UPDATE 11/06/2010:
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My comments about the Nook apply to the original Nook (which continues to be available), not the new color Nook that was just announced.

To me, the new color Nook is in a different product category than the Kindle or original Nook. The color Nook has an LCD screen, like an iPad or most computer monitors. Reading on a computer screen for long periods of time is not comfortable for me – it causes fatigue and headaches. The e-ink Kindle is very comfortable for long reading sessions. So I’ll take a pass on the color Nook. But it will probably be great for others, especially people who want to watch movies, surf the web and play games on their reader, and don’t mind the extra cost, weight, or lack of 3G. I’m looking forward to reading user reviews when it comes out. If you get one, please post a comment to let us know how you like it.

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First, reasons why we prefer the kindle over nook:

* Page refresh speed
Kindle 2 was twice as fast as nook, Kindle 3 is slightly faster yet. However, I read a whole book on the nook and didn’t find page refresh to be so slow as to be annoying. You get used to it, and automatically develop the habit of pressing the page turn button a second before you need it.

* Navigation speed
Here is where the kindle has a huge advantage. Moving the cursor around the screen (e.g. to select things) is way, way, way better on kindle than nook. When you use the rocker button (on kindle 3, or the joystick on kindle 2), the cursor moves almost immediately. In contrast, when you use the “virtual rocker button” on nook’s color touch screen, there’s a noticeable lag before the cursor moves. Plus, just to get to the cursor control on the nook, you have to turn on its color touch screen (which is normally off when not in use, to save battery power). This adds to the lag time. [UPDATE: Nook will soon get a software update that supposedly speeds up performance, specifically navigation and page turns. If this were a software issue, why wasn't it fixed a long time ago? No software update can compensate for a slow processor.]

* Screen contrast
You’ve seen Amazon’s claims that the Kindle 3 e-ink has 50% better contrast. I can tell you, it makes a difference, particularly in low light conditions, when you have to strain a little to make out the not quite as dark characters on Kindle 2 and Nook. When lighting is not ideal, it’s much easier and more pleasant to read on Kindle 3 and Kindle DX than on Nook or Kindle 2.

* Battery life
The nook’s color LCD touch screen drains its battery quickly – I could never get more than 5 days out of a charge. We got at least 7 days or more on the Kindle 2, and the Kindle 3 uses a battery with more capacity than Kindle 2′s battery. My wife and I each get at least 3 weeks of battery life between charges (we keep wireless off about half the time).

* Weight
Nook weighs about 3 ounces more than the new Kindle, and you can really feel the difference. Without a case, Nook is still light enough to hold in one hand for long reading sessions without fatigue. But in a case, Nook is a heavy sucker and wears you out after a while. I found myself taking Nook out of its case when I was reading Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest. The new Kindle 3 is so light, even in a case, my wife and I find it comfortable holding in one hand for long reading sessions.

Reasons some people might prefer the nook:

* In-store experience
If you need help with your nook, you can take it to any barnes and noble and get a real human to help. You can take your nook into the coffee shop section of your local B&N store and read any book for free for up to one hour per day. When you take your nook to B&N, some in-store special deals and the occasional free book pop up on your screen.

* User-replaceable battery
After a year or two of moderate use, the battery will start to lose its ability to hold a charge. Nook’s battery is user-replaceable and relatively inexpensive. To replace Kindle’s battery, you must ship your Kindle to Amazon. Amazon’s customer service told me that they ship you back a DIFFERENT kindle (though the same model as yours) with a new battery inside. I really don’t like this, at all.

* ePub and loaning e-books
Nook uses the ePub format, a widely used open format. Amazon uses a proprietary ebook format. Many libraries will “lend” ebooks in the ePub format, which works with nook but not kindle. Nook owners can “loan” ebooks they purchased to other nook owners for up to two weeks. You can’t do this with kindle.
[UPDATE: Kindle will soon get the same lending feature that Nook has.]

* Nook’s color LCD touchscreen
This could be a pro or con, depending on your preferences. It makes nook hipper and less drab than kindle. Some people enjoy using the color LCD to view their library or navigate. I did, at first. But after two weeks of use, and comparisons with my wife’s kindle, I found the dedicated buttons of the kindle easier and far quicker to use than the nook’s color touchscreen. I also found the bright light from the color screen distracting when I was trying to read a book or newspaper (though when not in use, it shuts off after a minute or so to conserve battery).

A few other notes:

* MP3 player
I’ve used it on the Kindle 3, and it has less features than a first-generation ipod shuffle: no way to select a specific track to hear, let alone see the name of the currently playing track.

* Web browser
The browser on Kindle 3 is easier to use than Nook’s browser, particularly when navigating. But neither is really very good, most people will probably use their e-reader’s browser only in a pinch.

* PDF support
Viewing PDFs is better on Kindle 3 than on Kindle 2 or nook, but still not that great. You have to zoom in on part of the page and pan around to read the page, which is slightly cumbersome; this is less an issue on Kindle DX, because of the DX’s much bigger display. Graphics in my PDF documents don’t usually display correctly on Kindle, and sometimes Kindle can’t even open the PDF file if it has certain kinds of graphics. I imagine the only worthwhile use of Kindle’s PDF compatibility would be if you’re trying to read an e-book that comes in PDF format, provided it was pre-formatted for reading on a device with a 6″ display. Of course, you can convert many PDF documents to Kindle’s native format (you do this by attaching the PDF document to an email that you send to a certain address).

SUMMARY:

Nook and Kindle each offer their own advantages. We like the nook’s user-replaceable battery, compatibility with ePub format, and in-store experience. But we strongly prefer Kindle 3 because its performance is far zippier, it’s screen is easier to read, and its smaller and lighter so it’s more portable and more comfortable to hold in one hand for long reading sessions.

“Amazon’s newest Kindle is the best ebook-reading device on the market. It’s better than the Apple iPad, the Barnes & Noble Nook, the various Sony readers, and certainly better than any smartphone… It’s still black-and-white, but really, that’s for the best. The screen almost glows outdoors. In comparison to the iPad, which turns into a pretty but useless mirror in sunlight, the Kindle only gets more readable. This is a gadget that loves the beach… It’s razor-thin and feels great in the hand, small and light enough to hold comfortably for as long as you care to read (unlike the 1.5-pound, 10-inch iPad).” ‒ Fast Company

“Kindle’s winning combination of noteworthy upgrades—an improved screen, better battery life, lighter weight, and lower price—vaults it to the top of the e-book reader category… The other upside to e-ink displays is that they aren’t backlit, which not only is supposed to reduce eye strain but it allows you to see the screen—better, in fact—in brightly lit environments, including direct sunlight. By contrast, the iPad is hard to read outside because its LCD gets washed out in direct sunlight and the glass covering the screen is reflective and creates glare issues.” ‒ CNET

“Amazon has finally arrived at an e-reader product that not only slays its current competition, but also feels ready to meet the mainstream masses… In fact, the resulting design is actually extremely pleasing to hold: I could hold the Kindle to read for a couple of hours and not feel as if I was encumbered by the device in my hands. I can’t say the same thing for the multipurpose Apple iPad: At 1.5 pounds (25 ounces), the iPad is nearly three times the weight of the new 8.7-ounce Kindle. That alone makes a strong argument in favor of a dedicated e-reader… Its solid build quality, along with its improved design, integrated store, and cross-platform transportability… all add up to a winner that shoots to the head of the pack.” ‒ PC World

“Simply put, it’s the best dedicated ebook reader you can buy… Amazon has managed to increase the contrast on the Kindle in a way that sets it above the Nook, Sony Readers, or any other dedicated ebook reader we’ve tested… in fact given its new low price along with its massive library of ebooks and dead-simple book buying, the Kindle keeps its crown as our Editors’ Choice.” ‒ PC Magazine

img class=”alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-24″ title=”reviews” src=”http://www.generationkindle.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/reviews-150×150.jpg” alt=”http://www.generationkindle.com/?p=19

Kindle 3G + Wi-Fi

Kindle DX

Display Size 6″ diagonal 6″ diagonal 9.7″ diagonal Display Type E Ink Pearl E Ink Pearl E Ink Pearl Size 7.5″ x 4.8″ x 0.335″ 7.5″ x 4.8″ x 0.335″ 10.4″ x 7.2″ x 0.38″ Weight 8.5 ounces 8.7 ounces 18.9 ounces Storage 3,500 books 3,500 books 3,500 books Battery Life (Wireless Off) 1 month 1 month 2-3 weeks Battery Life (Wireless On) 3 weeks 10 days 7 days Books in 60 Seconds Free 3G Wireless Global Wireless Coverage 100 countries and territories 100 countries and territories Wi-Fi Native PDF Support Whispersync Worry-Free Archive Text-to-Speech Portrait & Landscape View Price $139.00 $189.00 $379.00

img class=”alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-30″ title=”amazon-kindle-comparison” src=”http://www.generationkindle.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/amazon-kindle-comparison-150×150.jpg” alt=”