If you are an ardent e-reader who is always looking for ways to read tons of books at reasonable prices, you must have come across Kindle.
Kindle is an iconic device that provides readers with a fitting way to access their favorite books, newspapers, and magazines. It is designed and marketed by Amazon.com.
Our hands quickly tire of holding some of the physical books as they are thick and bulky. You cannot alter designs or change fonts on a physical book. Additionally, they restrict you on how to sit to read their texts comfortably.
You’ll also agree that modern-day physical books are relatively pricey.
But things are different with Kindle! It’s easy to set up and use whenever you want. The device has dramatically influenced the increase in e-book usage.
However, Kindle has its benefits and drawbacks. This is what we will be discussing in this post today.
Hopefully, by the end of it, you’ll come to know whether Kindle is the device you need.
Pros Of Kindle
1. Access to millions of book titles
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Kindle features many free books, magazines, and other reading materials. Additionally, some of these books are available for free download. Since Amazon markets Kindle, you can buy thousands of eBooks from Amazon and store them on Kindle for later access.
While we cannot verify the “million books” narrative as advertised by Amazon, the fact that you can read as many books as possible should convince you to sign up for an unlimited Kindle package by Amazon.
Unlimited Kindle allows users to download and read thousands of eBooks and audiobooks at a nominal fee. Amazon Kindle Unlimited does not include every title on Amazon, but most of the best-sellers are available in the package.
All books eligible for the unlimited package are highlighted with the Amazon Kindle Unlimited logo, and you can access the books on any device. An Amazon Unlimited monthly subscription costs $9.99 and is not tied to any Prime Amazon subscription.
The best thing is the package has a 30-day free trial, so you can try it out before committing.
2. Ease of use
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Compared to other devices like tablets, Kindles are easy to use as they are only made for purchasing, reading, and listening to books. It is not engulfed with functionalities that complicate things.
Setting up a Kindle is pretty straightforward. The initial setup process requires connecting your device to WiFi to register it using your Amazon account. If you have issues setting up your account, follow the setup guide and get things started.
Kindle is not only easy to use but is also good for your eyes. The device uses a paper display technology that mimics ink on paper, which causes less strain to your eyes while reading from an LCD screen.
Every Kindle model is specifically designed for optimal reading. The glare-free screen offers enough reading room so that the text on each page doesn’t feel cramped.
The best part is that you can adjust the size of your text to avoid straining or scrambling for glasses. Some Kindle models even allow you to change the display’s shade from white to warm amber to match the time of the day.
While the e-reader is kind to our eyes as it does not reduce the blink rate, try not to use it too close to your bedtime. Like most devices, Kindle emits blue light, affecting your night’s sleep.
3. Kindle is eco-friendly
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Kindle, like any e-reader, does not need trees, ink, or glue to manufacture it. Kindle is made from plastic, a product of petrochemicals and valuable minerals and metals from Earth, like copper and lithium.
Kindle can represent an entire library or a bookshelf. For this reason, it reduces the environmental burden of amassing physical books. A 32 GB Kindle can store up to 15,000 books, reducing the amount of landfill waste.
Another great advantage of Kindle, which is evident, is that it is paperless. However, since manufacturing e-readers or paperbacks requires natural resources and energy, their environmental impact is based on the number of books you intend to read.
Amazon commands an e-reader market share of about 45%. While every person has a carbon footprint, printing companies in the US have been noted to be the most significant contributors to the global environment’s carbon footprint.
Kindle’s production process is recyclable. If you feel the urge to recycle your old device, simply contact Amazon customer service, and the team will take care of your needs with love.
The need for electronic books cannot be overemphasized. Since Kindle does not have a large carbon footprint, they are the best fit for a healthy planet.
4. Convenience and portability
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Amazon Kindle is one of the most valuable technologies available. It only weighs about 10 ounces, and you can read on the device for four days straight on a single charge. Charging your Kindle takes about four hours while downloading takes just a minute.
Therefore, Kindle is a perfect choice if you are always reading and can help you access thousands of books without getting heavy. While Kindle is slightly bigger than a mobile phone, it neatly fits into a handbag or a laptop case.
It is also a touch screen that highly contributes to its unmatched ease of use. It’s great for traveling and would come in handy as you wait in line or get stuck in traffic. So, whether at home or in transit, Kindle gives you unlimited access to thousands of books.
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5. Kindle is highly economical
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Kindle books are lower priced compared to hardcover books. On average, books on Kindle are 36.5% cheaper than paper versions. Additionally, there are various novels that you can download for free.
The quick downloads and purchases save readers money and time they would have spent visiting a physical store to sample books and periodicals. Most Amazon titles will cost you less than $10 since publishers save more on what they would have been charged for hardcovers and printing.
Kindle Unlimited allows users to borrow and read at least ten books for free. The best part is that the unlimited package has a 30-day free trial, but after that period, you are required to pay $9.99 per month to continue enjoying the service.
There are various ways to save more on Kindle, including daily deals, where you can find multiple exciting books for free or at a lower price. Register for the Amazon newsletter to avoid missing out on these deals.
Amazon Kindle also features monthly deals with over 600 discounted books. The countdown deals can be for a few days, and some might be lucky enough to have good deals, but there is always something worth it.
6. More features
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Kindle makes it unnecessary to acquire a dictionary. Its dictionary feature offers instant interpretation when you place the cursor against a word, hence an excellent way to increase your vocabulary.
Recently, Kindle updated its entry-level package (Kindle Basic) to include better charging features, more storage, and a high-resolution screen. Kindle’s high-contrast screens allow you to read without glare, even in bright sunshine.
Kindle also features explicit texts and fonts with a sharp display that resembles a book page. Some other features you’ll find interesting on Kindle include the single-purpose screen, long battery life, indoor and outdoor screen visibility, whispersync, and cross-platform experience.
Kindle has a page-turning feature to give you the feeling of reading an actual book. However, unlike a physical book, you can read Kindle while eating as you don’t need your hands to hold down pages to keep a book from closing.
Amazon Kindle might not have amenities like color, camera, and video capabilities in the future, but that doesn’t mean you won’t see more specialized features.
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7. Internet, music, and games
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There are various ways through which you can enjoy your favorite music on Kindle. First, you need to connect your Kindle to your computer using a USB cable then move your MP3 files to your Kindle’s music folder.
It’s essential to note that for you to download, purchase, or stream music on your Kindle Fire you need an Amazon.com account and a WiFi connection.
Kindle organizes your music collection based on what is in the cloud and what is available on the device. You should see the music list in the cloud section if you previously purchased music from the Amazon Store.
Besides cloud organization, Kindle’s music library differs from the book library. All tracks are organized in a list view, and you can select your favorite music by playlist, artist, song, or album.
You’ll notice the video content icon at the top of your home screen that leads you to the Kindle Store by default. Its storage capacity is only 6GB because you are less likely to store movies on the device.
If you are still wondering how to play games on Kindle, please visit the Kindle Store and search for Big Fish Games to explore the games available. It’s essential to note that only games from the Kindle Store will play on the device, not those downloaded directly from the Big Fish Games website.
8. Privacy
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With Kindle, you dictate what to read. Following your reading, strange looks in public will no longer bother you as nobody can tell the book’s cover or title.
Kindle also allows you to hide your entire library if connected to the internet. Simply scroll down to your collection tab, click hide, and you are good to go. Select the titles using the toggle feature or the rocker button if you wish to hide just a few books.
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9. Long battery Life and WiFi connectivity
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People love reading on Kindle for its long battery life. Based on your Kindle model, a Kindle battery can last four to 10 weeks on a single charge. Additionally, the device has 300 to 500 charge cycles or four to six years before you have to replace it.
How long your Kindle battery lasts is also determined by its capacity. The Kindle version determines battery capacity and a basic Kindle operates on a battery capacity of 890mAh. Kindle Oasis has a battery capacity of 1130mAh and Kindle Paperwhite 1700mAh.
The battery life stated above is based on test conditions. According to Amazon, a Kindle device is made for 30 minutes of reading per day, with a light setting of 13 and WiFi turned off.
A Kindle device takes two to five hours to charge fully. The device model also determines the charging time, the charger’s charging capacity, and the battery level at the beginning of the charging process.
The long battery life and WiFi connectivity allow you to go on an extended trip without worrying about a charger or taking extra books to read.
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10. Bookmark, highlight, and annotate texts
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Kindle provides multiple bookmarks to help you pick up your reading from where you left off. The best part is that these bookmarks cannot be displaced as in the case of physical books.
The ability to highlight and annotate texts is handy whenever you come across a quote that inspired you or when making academic notes. You can quickly flick between your notes with a few clicks.
11. Waterproofed for protection against accidents
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Learning that you can read your favorite book from anywhere is always a joy. But you may be concerned about taking your expensive Kindle device to the beach or by the pool.
Kindle devices, including Kindle Oasis and Kindle Paperwhite, are waterproof with an IPX8 specification. However, Kindle being waterproof does not mean that you can read it underwater.
According to Amazon, the waterproof feature means your device can withstand two meters of immersion in fresh water for about 60 minutes and only three minutes with a 0.25-meter immersion in seawater.
Therefore, it shouldn’t worry you if you accidentally get splashed while enjoying your read by the pool or accidentally drop your device in the bath.
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12. Allows you to lend out books easily
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Another great advantage of Kindle is that you can lend a book to a friend once you finish reading. However, not all publishers allow you to lend a book.
The lending process is straightforward, so you don’t have to worry about shipping or missing a book before reaching your friend.
To lend a book, visit the Amazon website and ensure you are logged in. Go to “Account & Lists” at the top right, then click “Content & Devices.” Click on books to select the book you wish to lend.
Against the book title you’ve selected, click “More Actions” to see if the book is eligible for lending. If yes, click on “Loan this Title.” Note that you require a Kindle email address associated with your friend’s account for the lending process to complete.
Amazon gives your recipient 14 days to read the lent book, after which the book will be returned to your library. Additionally, your recipient doesn’t need a Kindle to read the title. They can read it through their web browser or the free Kindle mobile app.
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Cons of Kindle
1. Kindle is devoid of the feel of paper
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Reading a physical book is said to help you absorb and remember more information. The many benefits of physical books to your brain and health are tied to the physical sensation of holding a book; since you can see and feel your progress, it gives you a feeling of literally and figuratively unfolding a story.
On the other hand, Kindle fails to offer this feeling to readers as each page is displayed on a screen and doesn’t feel like a physical book. Kindle is only a device replicating a book. Hence, you won’t have the same feeling you get when reading physical books.
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2. Kindle can affect your eyes
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While e-readers like Kindle seem kind to our eyes compared to your laptop, smartphone, or tablet screens, they can harm your eyes. Like any device, Kindle uses blue light for backlighting, and excessive exposure to such lights could lead to conditions like digital eye strain.
I do not recommend using Kindle for longer hours if you have poor eyesight. While the device gives you options for adjusting fonts and illumination, it will still affect your eyes and potentially cause long-term eye problems.
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3. It is electronic
We understand how busy your schedules are and how you rarely find time to peruse a physical bookshelf. While Kindle is handy for people like you, it only partially replicates the feel of an actual book.
Even with a longer battery life, as an electronic device, it will eventually require you to charge it. While some models are waterproof, some are not, meaning exposure to water might even mean losing the device or putting up with extra costs on repairs and replacements of some parts.
Since it is an e-device, it needs extra protection. To make it serve you longer, you need a case or screen protectors with additional costs.
4. It is harder to share
While Kindle introduced a feature that allows you to lend a book for 14 days, it is still different from lending an actual book. Kindle temporarily removes the lent book from your library and then adds it back once the lending period is over.
Probably the only advantage of its lending feature is that you’ll get your book back after two weeks. But for a family, it’s way easier to keep books on shelves so that anyone can read them whenever they want without wondering whose Kindle has the book they may be interested in.
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5. Some have advertisements that need additional costs to remove them
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Readers complain about the newer versions of Kindle as they contain ads, which can be annoying. Whenever you put your device on the lock screen, it displays the advertisement Lock screen Ad. However, Kindle has a “Without Ads” package for an extra $20, making it expensive.
A new Kindle device ranges between $100 and $250. This one-time purchase gives you thousands of free books but could be equivalent to purchasing several physical books.
Kindle allows you to choose whether your device should contain ads or not at the point of purchase.
6. Prone to technical issues
Kindle is an electronic device, so technical issues will likely arise at some point. The problems range from inherent defects to poor upkeep. Such cases might cause you to lose all you saved or incur extra costs to fix the device.
7. It is not easy to manage several books at a go
It is true that you can read multiple books on Kindle. However, Kindle makes it difficult to manage a list of books or keep track of all books. It even becomes more difficult if you are doing research that requires perusing multiple titles.
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Final Words
Kindle is an excellent tool for reading e-books and listening to audiobooks. The device has become popular, thanks to its beneficial features like downloadable books, anti-glare screens, adjustable fonts, and audio capability.
Another compelling reason to choose Kindle is that you can still enjoy physical books. You don’t have to throw away your physical books as the two work harmoniously while delivering different purposes.
You can reserve your Kindle device for weightier books you wish to bring on your vacation and still line your bookshelf with colorful paperbacks. The goal is to have a fulfilling reading experience, regardless of your chosen format.
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