$79 Kindle

Posted by Michael | Comments ↓

The first Kindle was introduced in 2007. Since that time the brand has dominated the e-book reader market. Each Kindle improving upon the last, with the latest generation the least expensive. In 2007, the Kindle debuted at $399 the newest generation starts out at $79 with prices going up with added features.

I recently purchased the low-end $79 Kindle. Most reviews said that it was the best of the Kindles despite it’s cost. Are they lying? Can a product that is more than $300 cheaper than it’s introductory price be better? Here are my thoughts.

Background

Let me first explain where I, a kindle novice, am coming from. I can’t say that I am completely new to e-reading because before my kindle I used my iPhone for reading extensively. And of course I use my monitor to read hundreds of pages text each day. So reading on an electronic screen isn’t foreign to me at all.

First Thoughts

Opening the box feeling the weight and size of the product surprised me. I assumed that it would be bigger and heavier. It felt small in my hands, it weighed too little, about the same as my iPhone but flattened.  It’s feel quickly became familiar as I began to use it over the next few weeks. The page turn buttons seemed to small and could easily be pressed by accident. But the pressure on them seems just right. I’m afraid that with years of use they might become mushy, but at $79 buying another would be easy.

The rubbery back is just rubbery enough to stop slippage but not too rubbery to stick to clothes. The power button is weirdly placed. This is how I imagine the Amazon designers thought process:

George: We need to put this button some where, let’s try the bottom.

Tom: Uh, that would be insane people would press it by accident all the time.

George: Yeah….

Reading Experience

Reading is a pleasure on the Kindle. The letters are crisp and clear but ghosting does occur on the sixth or so page turn. It’s not a big problem and I stopped noticing it after time. The screen blinks black which I clear clears the old pixels. When I’ve tried older Kindles they blink every page turn, I’m not sure which is preferable.

Sometimes I feel as if the bezel is a little too small. I can hold in one had but that causes page turns sometimes. I think they need to increase the bezel size so I can put a thumb on it.

Conclusion

This is a great reading device, buy it.