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Kindle 2: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation)

Brand: Amazon
Rating:

Feature

Advanced Design
* Sleek & Trim
* Improved Ergonomics
* New 5-way Controller
* Simple to Use, No Computer Required

Even Longer Battery Life
* 25% Longer Battery Life–Read for Days Without Recharging
* Charge via USB

Wireless Access with Whispernet
* Fast 3G Network–Get Books in Under 60 Seconds
* Expanded National Coverage
* No Wireless Bills


Carry Your Library in 10.2 Ounces
* Holds Over 1,500 Books
* Automatic Library Backup: Download Your Books Anytime for Free

Enhanced Reading
* Lose Yourself in Your Reading
* Paper-like Screen
* Sharper Display of Images and Photos
* Read in Sunlight with No Glare
* Adjustable Text Size
* Read-to-Me Feature
* Improved Newspaper Experience
* Faster Page Turns
* Bookmarks and Annotations
* Full Image Zoom
* Personal Documents
* Built-in Dictionary with Instant Lookup
* Wireless Access to Wikipedia
* Search
* Audiobooks
* Own an iPhone?

Experimental Features
* Read-to-Me
* Basic Web Browser
* PDF Document Conversion
* Listen to Music & Podcasts

Included in The Box
* Kindle electronic reader, power adapter, and USB 2.0 cable (for connection to the Kindle power adapter or optionally to connect to a PC or Macintosh computer).

Product Description
* Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches ; 10.2 ounces
* Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
* Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
* Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.

Kindle 2 Review
I pre-ordered a Kindle 2 for my dad for his 80th birthday. Like most people his age he’s a bit of a technophobe, so I expected to have to go set it up and teach him to use it. I was shocked when he called to tell me that it had arrived and not only had he already registered it with Amazon, but he was reading the morning newspaper on it. He loves it! I can’t think of a better tribute to the Kindle’s ease of use.

I absolutely love this Kindle 2! It’s sleek, stylish looking, and does everything I want it do quickly! I had read that the internet browser was really slow, but the new Kindle has a faster processor and improved modem, so it is actually pretty fast. Of course, not to compare with DSL on a computer but it does the job. As for reading, the text is super sharp and the images are much improved with K2 have 16 shades of gray for better resolution. The new text to speech feature is pretty good. The male voice is better than the female voice but of course, it pales in comparison to audio books read by professionls. Still it’s nice to have the news being read to me while I am typing this review. I can see it being nice for commuting in your car to work or on trips. Might keep the kids quiet while on that trip to grandma’s house. The pages turn automatically as the voice is reading so you can follow along if you choose. With six font sizes, even the visually impaired could benefit from this feature. Would I recommend this product? You bet!

An owner of the lst Kindle (plus the Sony Reader 505), I went out and bought the newest model (and sold the other two on Ebay). Amazon has come out with a much, much nicer device this time around with appreciated improvements over the 1st model. The design is much, much better making the device easier to hold. The buttons have been made smaller, which fixed the large buttons on the lst generation that made the device hard to hold and frustratingly easy to advance the page. The newest model looks like a iPod now, very slick and easy to use. The wireless is now turned on/off in device instead of having a separate switch. Software improvements have been made to the device as well. The dictionary is now accessible on it’s own, instead of only being accessible while in books. The dictionary, change text, and other options are given little unobtrusive pop up screens instead of the old device that would change the screen entirely to get to the dictionary and other options. The text to speech feature is nice, but really for short sessions. Listening to a robo-voice to long periods might get annoying. All in all, Amazon has a fantastic job this time around with this device.

There have been many great reviews written about the Kindle 2(particularly Ben C. Hobson’s) so I’ll focus on the features that convinced me to upgrade to Kindle 2. I have Cerebral Palsy and the first generation Kindle truly changed my life. Despite my love for the device, I thought there were some subtle changes that could be made to make the device even more user friendly. My main frustration with the K1 had to do with the placement of the switches. They were located on the back of the device, requiring me to pull the Kindle halfway out of it’s cover to turn the wireless on/off. Thankfully, Amazon has fixed these placement problems with the Kindle 2. The power switch is now on the top, and is a sliding switch that also puts the device to sleep and resets it. The wireless switch is completely gone, you can now turn it on/off via the menu. The life-changing feature on this generation of the device is the Text-to-speech feature. I’ve always enjoyed reading in bed, but often it takes quite a bit of energy for me to lift a heavy book while laying down. I thought that the K1 might alleviate this problem. However I was disappointed to discover that I was unable to press the buttons from that position. With the K2 I can turn on the TTS feature with one button, place it beside me, and have it read to me all night! Warning: extended use of this feature will cut into battery life significantly, I’ve been getting 2.5 days as opposed to the 2 weeks advertised with the wireless off, I’d say I’ve been using the TTS 2-4 hours a night. Although I’m very disappointed with Amazon’s recent compromise with the Author’s Guild regarding the TTS feature, I hope that the Author’s who choose to opt-out of TTS will be in the minority. Authors should want their works accessible to the greatest number of people. The K2 is thinner and I can lift it in one hand. I contemplated changes to my beloved Kindle with dread, I was one of the few who loved the old page-turning buttons. I have limited use of my hands, and they were very easy to press. I worried that the new buttons would be Sony Reader size, and impossible for me to press. Thankfully the buttons are still at least thumb-size, and may appear hard to press, until you realize that they are hinged on the inside. When I first heard about the joystick replacing the scroll wheel, I thought it would be stiff and difficult to use given my lack of dexterity. I needn’t have worried, the joystick can be operated with a thumbnail, and I actually think it’s slightly easier to use than the scroll wheel. I was initially worried about the lack of an SD card slot until I crunched the numbers on my own reading, and realized that at my current rate of speed, it would take me 2.5 years to read 1,500 books, who needs more reading material than that? Especially when your entire library is backed up on Amazon. The bottom line is that the second-generation Kindle is not so much an upgrade as a creative re-engineering of an already great product. It does almost everything the K1 did, just more efficiently. So while an upgrade to the Kindle 2 isn’t a necessity, I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t want to.

I got my Kindle a few weeks ago (around 2). A week later I took a trip. When I turned my Kindle on the first morning of vacation (no drops or problems had occurred) it would NOT start up. It was dead. Plugged in the charger, which was on ‘green’ but still nothing. Frantic I called Customer Service. After helping me for 10 minutes to try to restart the Kindle and trying to send a message to my Kindle (and getting no response), the Amazon C.S. member apologized and offered to send me a new Kindle by free overnight delivery, at my hotel. By 10:30 the next morning my new Kindle had appeared. THe C.S. person sent a packing slip by e-mail so the old Kindle could be sent back (free) through any UPS office or the pick up at my office.

Accessories Designed for Kindle 2
Amazon Kindle 2 Leather Cover
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Cole Haan Hand-Woven Leather Cover for Kindle 2,Dark Brown
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Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 Clip-On Light (Black, Kindle Version)