Amazon's third major iteration of its flagship reading device, the Kindle, comes out of the gate looking strong: the new graphite finish with a slimmer, lighter form factor, plus a bumped refresh rate for its E Ink screen.

The new third-generation Kindle only makes that future brighter. All its basic virtues—instant downloading from an abundantly stocked store, light weight, ability to read in sunlight—are still there, with significant improvements in text readability, physical design, and battery life.

After spending some quality time curled up with the new Kindle, ... it’s the first e-reader in months that’s left me wanting to read more. Its solid build quality, along with its improved design, integrated store, and cross-platform transportability ... all add up to a winner that shoots to the...

The third-generation Kindle's winning combination of noteworthy upgrades--an improved screen, better battery life, lighter weight, and lower price--vaults it to the top of the e-book reader category.

Pros Compact Design. Higher-contrast screen than its predecessor. Smarter button layout. Integrated Wi-Fi. 4GB capacity (enough space for 3,500 books). Wide selection of books, magazines, and blogs. Cons No support for EPub format. Bottom Line The latest edition's improvements aren't revolutionary,...

The Kindle has become an attractive, easy-to-use text reader. That's not a slight; devices like the Kindle have now become so attractive and functional that it's hard to imagine going without a reader in the future. With this newest unit, I'm a convert to idea of e-readers.

Good Clear, high-contrast display 3G downloads with no monthly contract Great battery life Winning design Bad Doesn't support EPUB format Restrictive DRM Occasionally confusing menus