With its free built-in wireless capabilities and PC-free operation, Amazon's Kindle holds a distinct advantage over Sony's Reader and is a promising evolution of the electronic book--but Amazon needs to bring down the pricing for both the device and the content to attract a wider audience.
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Is it worth the $399 price tag? Maybe not, but it could be very soon if the hackers get to it. I dig the Kindle and I hope people give it a chance because it’s a great device and I think it’ll put a fire under some asses in the e-book industry.
Read the full review →Despite the Amazon reader's bland design and the fact that this first-generation device leaves some room for improvement, the Kindle and its corresponding service have succeeded in rekindling my interest in reading e-books.
Read the full review →Although I can hold a $400 eBook reader in my hand, it only feels truly valuable because I have a $7 book inside that I want to read. If Amazon can find a way to lower the barrier of entry on either side of the platform—a cheaper Kindle, or free content—it may then be worth wider consideration.
Read the full review →... the Kindle offers a great way to pack around lots of virtual content and grab new content on an impulse buy. At $400, ... it's comparable to other ebook readers that don't offer wireless shopping and downloads. The digital books ... are ... more affordable than most ebooks that have been offered...
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tomtom11
The Kindle is a great ebook reader. I absolutely love the whispernet connectivity, no need for a computer, and it allows you to download books anywhere, anytime. I think this is the greatest strength of the Kindle, something that other ebook readers do not offer, (I have never connected my...
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timothymcgrath
I love my Amazon Kindle... The Kindle Store is amazing, it is great to be able to download books without hooking up to a PC. It is very easy on the eyes, just like looking at paper. The controls for the Kindle are usable, but after using the Kindle 2, they definitely feel inferior. It uses a...
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ttringle
I loved my 1st gen Kindle, gave it to my sister after getting my iPad. I like consolidating down to one device and the iPad was the best way to do so. But I frequently think about buying one of the new Kindles. The device was light, easy to use and never failed me any time I went to use it....
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GDGTUsername
While it is nice to have a device to store many books at once and take it anywhere I go the overall UI and design of the device is frustrating and make it hard to use. I find myself accidentally hitting the buttons when holding the Kindle easily lose my page or place on the page. The e-ink...
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peter1110
The Kindle is very light weight easy to hold. The screen is purposely designed so that you can read while the sun is glaring. Kindle is very easy to navigate. You can easily move the directional keys to highlight important sentences or phrases. You can instantly download a book in a couple of...
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Ogre
I often get tired of gadgets before to long. I have had my Kindle since November of 2007. I still use it every single day. I was skeptical if it would actually replace books for me. I am a heavy reader and used to spend hours in the bookstore searching for book. Now I carry a bookstore around...
Read the full review →How it stacks up
Instantly compare the Amazon Kindle 1st-gen side by side with some of the top devices on gdgt!
Compare these-
Amazon Kindle 1st-gen 81 -
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 92 from $119 -
Amazon Kindle 4th-gen 89 from $69 -
Amazon Kindle Keyboard (Kindle 3rd-gen) 84 from $199 -
Barnes & Noble nook Simple Touch 89 from $63
Other Amazon e-book readers
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Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 92 from $119 -
Amazon Kindle 4th-gen 89 from $69 -
Amazon Kindle Keyboard (Kindle 3rd-gen) 84 from $199 -
Amazon Kindle Touch 84 -
Amazon Kindle DX 73
Don't forget to check out these other devices by Amazon, you might find something good!