Music, Electronics and Gaming Reviews

When the Kindle first released, it was fairly quiet. It didn’t garner the long wait lines of the iPhone or the stampede for the latest Windows. But if you were an avid reader, it may have caught your attention. When the Kindle 2 released, people began to realize that there really was an incredible piece of technology here. Now, with the release of the Kindle DX, Amazon has become the leading seller of ebook readers and the DX is their new top-end product.

But there are plenty of products out there with hype on their side, is the new DX another one or is it the real deal? Honestly, it is a bit of both. The Kindle DX is just the beefier big brother of the slightly older Kindle 2 and while they are both great technology, they may not be poised to replace paper books just yet. What they do offer, the Kindle 2 especially, is great portability. And with the ability to hold thousands of books in something only as big as a thin hardback book, the appeal is obvious. You would need a library on your back to carry around what the Kindle can.

The Kindle 2 has plenty of competition from other electronic ebook readers, but the new Kindle DX is in a category all its own. Amazon has built a reader that is a step above the competition in almost every way. Whether it is more storage, an easier-to-read screen or the rotating views ala the iPhone, the Kindle DX is unmatched in its features. But it remains unmatched in its price as well.

The price of the Kindle DX is a whooping 489 dollars. This is probably why many people, even those who think highly of the Kindle and the ebook technology, are hesitant to get a Kindle DX. It doesn’t even come with any freebies like a bestseller or two, and since you would still need to purchase a good cover for it, your costs could extend well beyond the 500-dollar mark. At the very least, couldn’t Amazon just have added a cover into the package?

Despite its popularity though, the Kindle remains to be a product of the more advanced technology that still has to hit mainstream. It is a great device for those who are into books but for now, that’s simply what it is – something to read books on. It’s not even offered outside the country yet and still lacks the versatility that other modern gadgets offer. But then again, that’s what the iPod was before too and look how far it has penetrated the market now. What is clear however, is that the Kindle is an innovative gadget that has started a fast-growing industry. Give it a few more years and more people will realize that buying the gadget and the content that goes with it is more cost-efficient and handy that keeping a whole library of books. And until the time comes, the Kindle will continue to rule the market as the ebook reader that has set the bar high.

The Amazon Kindle 2 may be the avid reader’s best buddy nowadays but do you know that it could also be a good partner for students and professionals? This is because this ebook reader device offers an option for students that allow them to quit hauling around their heavy books. Professionals are also starting to realize that the Kindle can be used for reading their work-related documents. But how is the Kindle 2 doing in this role so far? Let’s find out what the pros and cons are in this Kindle 2 Review.

As these are primarily created for computers, digital versions of text books and other reading materials professionals often use, are commonly in MS Word and PDF format. Here’s lies the catch: the Kindle 2 does not natively support PDF files and this is one important thing that individuals have to think about before going ahead and buying one. Of course, there are ways of converting files to make them readable for the Kindle 2, but the process could be tedious, and the results, hit or miss.

There are some solutions to this. First, you can have Amazon convert your files for you for just a small fee. While it is not expensive, a student looking to convert dozens of books over the course of their studies may find it extremely time consuming and frustrating. And many college students don’t have the money to be nickel-and-dimed. If you’re good enough with computers, you can download programs and convert the files yourself. Again, it requires a bit of a learning curve and still takes time you may not be willing to invest.

But with the negative aspects come the positive. Obviously, the size difference is more than a little appealing. College students won’t have an aching back from their backpack full of textbooks and a businessperson won’t have a sore shoulder from a stuffed briefcase. You may even save money with the Kindle 2. When you look at the price, that may sound silly, but digital copies of books can be significantly cheaper and considering how much a college textbook can costs, that is saying something. Most professors have jumped into the digital age and started offering class materials in the form of PDFs, meaning you will need a computer to view some of your work anyways. Switching to the Kindle just gives you another avenue to view that material.

One’s decision to use a Kindle in the academe would all depend on whether the need for it would outweigh the initial cost. Consider also the time that you would have to spend to convert files. If you can spare the time and the few cents needed to have files converted, then swapping your backpack of books for the Kindle 2 would literally get the load off your shoulders. If the file conversion process is too tedious for you, the new Kindle DX, with its native PDF support, could be the solution you’re looking for.