Our family does a ton of extracurricular reading and I have been kicking around the idea of getting a Kindle since it first came out, but I also wanted to check out the included experimental web browser. Well this weekend presented the opportunity, someone finally posted a latest generation Kindle on Craig’s List for an attractive price. I have only been interested in the 3G version because it allows you to search and purchase books on it from just about anywhere in the world. Obviously, the added benefit is that you can do some basic web browsing on it from anywhere completely free! My thoughts have been that perhaps I could use it as a mobile communications device in lieu of a cell phone. The down side is that it uses E-Ink (Black & White), is not a touch screen and the keyboard is not particularly comfortable to type on.

Prior to purchasing the Kindle I had spent several hours over several months reading reviews and even getting my hands on some of the competing devices (Nook, i-Pad) to compare the functions and features of each device. I personally fell that the Kindle is a far better package than both the Nook and the i-Pad for reading. It is a better price than most competing devices and the screen is simply better looking than either device when actually reading a book.

Kindle 3!

I met up with the seller yesterday and quickly navigated the main menus and tested the browser by logging on to my Google Voice account to confirm that it would at least render the page. I was quickly impressed by how easy it was to navigate the system and the web even if it is a little cumbersome without a touch interface or a  mouse. I was pleased to see how vivid the display was in direct sun light…not at all like a laptop screen or a cell phone for that matter. I sat in the car for a bit and sent a text message to the individual that I had just purchased it from and was surprised to discover that they were oblivious to the potential of the device :-) As I stopped to get some gas I messaged a few others including my wife, my father and a good friend of mine…it worked like a champ!

Later during the evening I downloaded a few free classics e-books from Amazon to experience what the device is really built for. The text is sharp, the weight of the device is about the weight of a paperback book and turning a page is actually more pleasant  than turning a real page…just click. Afterward I bought my first e-book from Amazon and within about 20 seconds it was ready for me to read! It always remembers were you leave off, it will hold about 3500 e-books and the battery should last from 10 days with heavy use and up to 30 days with the 3G service turned off. I imagine I will burn the battery up in 10-15 days with my personal usage patterns.

I really can’t find much fault in a sub $200 portable book library with the added bonus of free Internet anywhere you go! If you are a casual or heavy reader you really have no reason not to own one of these treasures. Every time my wife sees me reading on it she tells me that the display looks completely fake because it literally looks like paper. If you don’t care about the 3G service they also sell a WiFi only version for just $139.00! I am sure that I will still find myself at the bookstore occasionally picking up a title that is not available on the Kindle service, but I will continue to hope that more and more publishers will see the light that is the Kindle.