Review: Amazon Kindle 3 Wi-Fi + 3G

The Kindle is arguably the most popular and well-known e-reader on the market, and it's name has become synonymous with e-books. 

From Amazon

The product arrives in a cardboard container, with a very brief instruction manual, USB  cable and plug. I got the Wi-Fi/3G model which costs £152 direct from Amazon, a cheaper non-3G version is available, and there is talk of a special offers version, which displays ads in exchange for a cheaper ticket price, being released in the UK (it is already out in the US) although no date has been given. The small instruction book provided in the box gives you the essential information about how to turn on and charge the device, and a more comprehensive user manual is available on the device once you power up. 

Whilst intuitive to use, if you're used to a touch screen it takes a little while to train yourself not to touch the screen. There are buttons on the left and right sides of the screen and a keyboard at the bottom. Overall the kindle feels sturdy and light, perfect for travelling, although I have now experienced how fragile they are, and would urge everyone to buy a shock proof case as the case is easily damaged by knocks.

The e-ink screen is very easy to read off of, and does not give you eyestrain, although there is an annoying half second of black every time you turn the page. The text size is customisable by pressing the Aa button, which is handy for .pdf document. The interface is very useable, although a marker to show when you have completed a book would be nice, and if you have a large collection of books it takes a while to browse through them. I have over 1,000 books stored and still have 2GB of space left, so no excuse for running out of reading material and no reason to buy the 3G version if you use Wi-Fi. The Kindle is a little slow when synching, downloading or browsing but it's not a problem once you get used to it. A more major issue is that there is no display of the synopsis of the book on the main page, which, if you are looking for something to read, can be annoying. 

There is no standard e-book format, and therefore when considering which e-reader to buy you need to consider where you will purchase most of your books from. The market is still quite limited in the UK, and this means that buying books through the Amazon site is your best bet for compatibility. The Amazon site does have one of the widest selections of e-books in teh UK, so the ease of compatibility is a big plus for the device. A major downside of using the Amazon site is that you have to enable 1-click buying, which I do not link as it links your credit card to the device. I have concerns about buying too many books, as it you cannot add books to a basket before purchasing, and also worry about what should happen should little hands (or less honest big ones) get hold the device, however Amazon has a good reputation for refunding accidentally brought books if contacted within seven days. 

The Kindle will display .doc, .docx, PDF, HTML, .txt, .rtf, .jpeg, .gif, .png, .bmp, .prc and .mobi files, as long as they are unprotected (non-DRM). This does provide you with some options other than Amazon for acquiring e-books and many sites such as Smashwords, allow you to choose formats or sell books without DRM. 

The format of the Kindle means that the books currently available from e-libraries in the UK will not read on the Kindle, although library lending has been enabled in the US. This for me is a major disadvantage of the device and would make me consider another type of reader in the future. The Amazon lending scheme is also unavailable in the UK, preventing you from lending and borrowing books from other Kindle users. Again, this may change in the future. 

Price wise, many books on Amazon are cheaper than their paper counterparts, with a large proportion of books under £5, although some books, particularly those from the larger publishers, are more expensive than their paperbook equivalents, and as a potential buyer, you need to look into your popular authors/genres and compare prices if this is important for you. Amazon does provide a list of free books and there are many 'give-away' sites where you can obtain a free copy of a book, often in exchange for a review on Amazon. It is important to note that not all books are available in e-book form, and there are geo-restrictions on some books, meaning that you cannot buy the electronic version in the UK. Again this is something you need to consider, particularly if you have a limited number of authors you read. Overall the restriction on formats and the pricing is an issue I don't see improving as Amazon and the publishers have a captive market.

The Wi-Fi is easy to set up and is useful for buying and downloading books, as well as downloading firmware updates. I personally like the 3G, as it there is nothing to pay, and you can use it to access the internet aboard. If your area does not have 3G (coverage can be checked on Amazon's website) you can often still connect using the slower GPRS connection, which still allows you to download a book in under a minute. If you use 3G or Wi-Fi you can sych your books between devices, using the free Kindle reading apps, so for example, you can read a chapter on your Kindle, then carry on reading from that point on your Andorid phone. The web-browser is simplistic and the poor navigation due to the five-way direction controller, is a pain for anything more than checking e-mails and accessing Amazon.

Battery wise, I can get about two and a half weeks with heavy use and Wi-Fi off. This is less than the 30 days Amazon promotes, however it is better than my phone and laptop and is more than enough for my needs. Others have reported longer use, and it heavily depends on usage and the number of new books you add (indexing uses up battery). With Wi-Fi on the battery drains quickly so I'd recommend turning it off when not in use. 

The Kindle can display illustrations and due to its 'newness' can entice children into reading. However due to the monochrome screen and the small display size, I would suggest that the Kindle be saved for children who are beginning to free read, and so are less reliant on pictures/colour. 

Key Points

- Light and easy to hold

- Great display and contrast

- In-expensive

- Large e-book store

- Speech to text function

Overall a fantastic device, with some limitations and is format restricted. Good for mainstream readers and those who do not want a multi-function device.

The Kindle is available from Amazon UK in either the Wi-Fi + 3G version or the Wi-Fi only version.

Free E-book - Murder on the Mind by L.L. Bartlett

New York Times bestselling author L.L. Bartlett is currently offering her 2008 crime thriller Murder on the Mind for free on Amazon UK.

From Amazon

Here is the blurb:

Jeff Resnick hardly knew his well-heeled half-brother. But after suffering a fractured skull in a vicious mugging, he reluctantly accepts the fact that he has a long and brutal recovery to face—and his closest of kin can provide him with the time and place to do it.

Now, Jeff is haunted by unexplained visions of a heinous crime—a banker, stalked, killed, and eviscerated like a ten-point buck. When Matt Sumner’s murder is discovered, a still-recovering Jeff realizes this was what he had seen. Jeff must not only convince himself of his new-found psychic ability, but also his skeptical brother Richard Alpert. Since Sumner was Richard’s banker, both brothers have a stake in finding out what happened. With Richard’s reluctant help, Jeff’s investigation leads him to Sumner’s belligerent family and hard-nosed business associates, none of whom want him snooping around.


Get Murder on the Mind for free from Amazon UK. Usual price £3.44.

Review: Madeleine by Kate McCann

As a follower of true crime, it is only right that I read and reviewed Madeleine, especially as I have previosuly reviewed another book, Vanished by Danny Collins, also about the abduction. For those of you who have not followed the story, British 3 year old, Madeleine McCann went missing whilst on holiday with her family in Portugal in 2007. It is not known what happened to her, and she has not been seen since, the popular theory is that she was abducted from her bed, whilst unsupervised in the apartment one night.

From Amazon

Kate McCann's book is, as you might expect, very emotional and puts across Madeline's parents views on her disappearance and the subsequent police investigation. Of course this means that the abduction theory is the only one presented in the book. At times, particularly when discussing why she left her children alone in the apartment, it comes across as over-justifying her and her husband's actions but essentially seems like an honest and not over-exaggerated account. There is a particular focus by McCann on her family's treatment at the hands of the police when they were declared suspects in the disappearance, and at times it is easy to see how horrific it must be to be publicly accused of such a crime, and feel that the real abductor was getting away. The despair is palatable.

However, the book does not answer many key questions surrounding the case and, as expected, is very one sided. There is also a lot of criticism directed at others involved in the case, such as the hotel staff, police and other residents, some of this unjustified and which comes across as a ploy to increase the reader's sympathy for the McCanns.

Overall the book is vivid and detailed, although some of the recollections are dubious because of their detail, and although it presents a one-sided view of events, it is very readable. The purpose of the book is dubious, the official line is that it will raise awareness and the profits will go to the fund to help find Madeleine, however, from some of the content, it seems more like retaliation for all the police leaks about the investigation, at a time when the McCanns, by Portuguese law, could not speak out.

I wouldn't recommend this if you want a broad, unbiased overview of the case, but it does provide a good insight into her parents' feelings and actions.

Madeleine can be purchased from Amazon UK and Amazon US for £7 or $15.37.

Review: Pet Noir by Pati Nagle

Whilst Pet Noir originally sounded right up my street, especially as I am rather fond of cats, the reality was disappointing. The book follows Leon, a genetically engineered cat, who solves a range of cases along with his human companion Devin. That is perhaps the book's biggest downfall, as it is actually five short stories rather than one novel, which interrupted the flow when reading it. Some of the cases were predictable and felt rushed towards the end.

From Amazon

My one other major criticism is that the characterisation, at times, is unbelievable. Leon and Devin, are beautifully written, and it is a shame that the other characters are not written with such care. I did however like the idea of a cat detective, and Pet Noir did make me laugh in places.

As a final word, I would warn hard-core Sci-Fi fans that this is only really Sci-Fi in context, and the plot is rather more humour-based than heavy science-fiction.

Overall, I finished the book but didn't really like it, although that could be just that it wasn't what I expected. I wouldn't read this again, and I would only recommend it to fans of this particular sub-genre or perhaps the teenage reader, who wants something different. Only two stars I'm afraid.

Pet Noir is available from Amazon for £3.47

[This review copy was obtained in the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Giveaway]