Screen

Amazon Kindle 2 already had a decent display. Amazon Kindle 3′s screen is that much better. It is advertised as having 50% better contrast. By comparing Kindle 3 with Kindle 2 and even Kindle 1, you can tell how big of an improvement its new screen is over those of older Kindle units. Reading on this tiny gadget comes as close as possible to reading on a paper book. The fonts are darker and crisper too, which helps.

Design

Kindle 3 is not only slim but easy to carry around. It’s made for those who spend a lot of their time moving around. The buttons are where you expect them to be. The 5 way controller could be a tad bit better. If you have had a chance to play with Apple iPad for a while, you are going to miss its display’s touch-sensitivity here. The buttons are pretty responsive. The device itself is super light. The body is smaller than that of Kindle 2′s. Unfortunately, that means your old Kindle 2 cases won’t work for this device.

Battery Life

The most impressive feature that Kindle 3 has to offer. Not having to charge your e-reader for up to a month is a huge deal. iPad can last quite a while in stand-by mode. But we were able to get almost 2.75 weeks of battery life on this device (with wireless on). Unfortunately, this device has a non-removable internal battery. That means you won’t be able to change it easily. It’s possible but you have got to feel comfortable with taking your Kindle apart. The adapter is pretty compact and much more convenient to use than the big old one Amazon used to ship with older Kindles.

Document Support

Kindle is compatible with PDF, Amazon, and other popular file formats. It still does not support ePub. That can be solved by using one of the top ePub to Kindle converters on the market. Word (DOC, DOCX), HTML, TXT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, PRC and MOBI are supported though. It would be nice if more formats were supported. The PDF reader should be much better.

Networking

Connecting my Kindle to our Wireless G and N networks was a piece of cake. We did not have to do much to get the job done. Unlike Kindle 1, Kindle 3 can actually last a while even with network functionality on (Kindle 1 did not have WiFi). The Whispernet services are pretty useful. Document syncing and archives make life a lot easier for those who use multiple devices to read their documents. The web browser included on Kindle is pretty decent though one should not expect too much from it. We were able to read our Google Reader feeds on Amazon Kindle (nice to see it could be done).

The Bad

The device’s controls could be a tad bit better. We are still not sold on the whole 5 way controller idea. A touch screen controller could be much more powerful. Kindle 3 does lack a color display, and that could be a big deal for students and those who read image-heavy books. Adding touch capability and supporting more document formats could only help Amazon Kindle at this point.

Amazon Kindle’s software interface still needs a lot of work. It is not as intuitive as it should be. Amazon can learn a lesson or two from Apple here. Finally, the screen seems to be a bit too small. Once you try Kindle DX and Apple iPad, it is hard to go back to a smaller screen. It’s good enough for traveling and everyday reading, but not so much for long research sessions (especially with PDF documents). Kindle DX is too pricey at this point, but it could give people who are looking for an e-reader with a larger screen a way out.

Overall Experience

Kindle 3 is a major step up from older Kindle devices. We are still not completely satisfied with it. It’s very light and quite well designed. It’s so slim, you’ll have to be careful with it when you are carrying it around. Reading PDF documents on this device was a pain. It’s true that users can zoom in on PDF books but that could take away from their reading experience.

The device’s screen is very nice. Reading on it feels like the good old days of reading paper books. The battery life is quite impressive too. I was quite impressed with iPad early on but when it comes to reading experience, nothing comes close to what Kindle 3 offers. Reading tools such as built-in dictionary and Wikipedia access make the Kindle experience more complete. Kindle 3 is not too social media friendly but it lets you get your feet wet with social reading for now.

We have been quite tough on Amazon Kindle for the past couple of years. Kindle 3 is probably the first Kindle that is a must have. The device is mature enough for book addicts to put their trust into. That does not mean Amazon can’t further improve this device (in fact it should). But Kindle 3 is now affordable and tested enough for more people to start using it with confidence.

Disclosure: we were not provided with a review unit for this device. We did not ask for nor received a sample unit or any payment to prepare this review.

Scribd is a great place to find new content and share yours with the community members. It’s in essence the YouTube for books. Scribd has offered free publishing and sharing since its inception, but reports are suggesting that it may be ready to launch its e-commerce system to allow its content producers to sell their content and get compensated for their efforts. The new Scribd publishing model not only allows you to set your own prices, but it enables you to manage your DRM as well to protect your work against piracy.

Scribd is also planning to launch apps for mobile platforms to gain more exposure on mobile devices. So iPhone fans will have even more content to consume with Scribd. What I like about Scribd is their generosity when it comes to compensating publishers. Paying content publishers 80% is far better than the deal you get from Amazon. No wonder a few large publishers are already complaining about their negotiation process with Amazon.

Scribd may allow its users to upload content for free, but it still has a lot of good content for everyone. It would have been nice if we could have a Scribd app on our Kindles, but Amazon is not ready to allow that just yet.

That was a short wait! Kindle DX is already out, and we do get the standard letter from Jeff Bezos to Amazon Customers on the front page of Amazon. Amazon has decided to get away for numbers for now, which is why Amazon is calling the new device Amazon Kindle DX. I have been calling it Kindle 2.5 as it is not really the third generation Kindle but it does offer some improvements over Kindle 2.0.

Kindle DX is only 1/3 inch thick. That means it’s almost as thin as your everyday magazine. It has also been improved upon Kindle 2.0 in the storage area. Kindle 2.0 can hold 1500 ebooks on average. With Kindle DX, you can carry 3500 ebooks. But the major improvement with Kindle DX is the 9.7 inch diagonal rotating screen. That’s much bigger than the previous generation Kindle. That is going to make Kindle DX very attractive to college students and those who want to use their Kindle to read magazines and newspapers on the go.

Here is a summary of what Kindle DX features:

• Screen: the 9.7″ screen makes Kindle DX more attractive to college students and newspaper publishers/readers.
• Color: no color yet. But you get 16 shades of Gray which is currently the best in the industry.
• Auto-Rotate: unlike Kindle 2.0, you can now auto-rotate your Kindle DX’s screen (portrait, landscape) as you turn your device.
• PDF Reader: Amazon Kindle DX now provides native support for PDF (finally!).
• Thickness: it’s as slim as a regular size magazine. So it’s almost as portable as Kindle 2.0, and it’s not that heavier either.
• Storage: holds 3,500 ebooks on the 4 GB internal memory.
• Wireless: you still get wireless 3G connection on your Kindle DX which is fast enough to download books fast.
• Read To Me: the voice to speech feature that raised a lot of controversy is still included on Kindle DX. But Amazon clearly discloses that publishers have the right to disable this.
• Battery Life: you can read your device with wireless turned off for two weeks. If you have to keep your wireless connection on, then you can expect your battery to last for 4 days.
• iPhone: you can easily switch back and forth between your Kindle and iPhone by using Kindle for iPhone app.
• .docx support: Microsoft’s .Docx is supported on Kindle DX.

Here is a graphical comparison of Kindle DX and Kindle 2.0:

Overall, Kindle DX is a bigger, better version of Kindle 2.0. It’s more expensive too! Amazon is seemingly targeting college students, engineers, and other niche segments to expand its business. I am not sure how many Kindle 2.0 owners will upgrade to Kindle DX but it’s certainly worth a look.

Kindle DX Accessories:

• 2-Year Extended Warranty for Kindle DX
• Amazon Kindle DX Leather Cover

Your take: will you be upgrading to Kindle DX?

The Kindle is one of the hottest gadgets on the market, and that means there are a lot of companies out there that are creating new accessories for it every day. After all, if people are buying the Kindle in bunches, they are going to have to accessorize it too! M-edge has some of the best cases made for the iPhone. M-edge Pridiy Hinge Jacket is a cool new case that allows you to protect your Kindle and carry a few other accessories with you.

I found the jacket to be very solid on the front and back. It reminded me off my Kindle 1.0′s original case, but this one is made out of leather and is better equipped to help you get more out of your Kindle experience. The hinge system keeps your Kindle 2.0 tight. So you can’t drop your Kindle even if you try hard. You also get enough space to fit an e-Luminator and other Kindle lights here as well.

Overall, M-edge is a fairly affordable Kindle case that keeps your gadget protected at all times and provides you with a convenient access to your device. If you don’t want to break the bank on some of the more expensive Kindle accessories, you won’t go wrong with Prodigy Hinge Jacket.

Sony reader may be attractive to people who want to use the file formats not supported by Amazon Kindle, but you’ll still need an Internet connection and a place to buy content. The Kindle store has over 250,000 titles, and that is difficult for Sony to compete with. If Sony reader was priced in $200-250 range, I could see folks wanting to save money and going for it. But at $350, it is awfully hard to justify the price tag (especially when you can pay $10 and get the Kindle).

Stay tuned for PRS 700 review.

So you took your credit card out and bought Kindle 2.0 as soon as it was released on Amazon. Big deal! You are just another Kindle adopter. But you know what would set you apart from other Kindle owners? A cool protective case that is almost as expensive as the device itself. If you are looking to pimp your Kindle big time, Cole Haan is the way to go.

Cole Haan is known for its work in the fashion industry. They have some of the best leather products on the market. But I’ve got to say they have hit a grand slam with their set of hand-woven leather Kindle cases. These hand-woven leather covers for Kindle 2.0 are not only very attractive but great for protecting your Kindle as well. Cole Haan Hand-Woven Leather cases come in two flavors:

• Patent
• Standard

The patent cases are more shiny, but there is no major other major difference between the above two categories. All these cases come with hand-stained, hand woven leather exterior and goat suede interior. I was very impressed about how lightweight these cases are. The case protects your device but doesn’t take away the convenience factor. And you get business card holders with all these cases. So if you are a super networker, you have one more excuse to take your Kindle with you.

Cole Haan Hand-Woven Leather cases are stylish and expensive. If you are into fashion and want to dress up your Kindle, you are going to love your Cole Haan case (as long as you can afford it). Otherwise, you can always get one of those cheaper cases. They do work just fine.

Metal Stand for Amazon Kindle 2 is a multi-part reading stand for the 2nd generation Kindle 2.0. A lot of folks leave their Kindle alone when they are charging it. With this stand, you can continue reading and charging your Kindle at the same time. The cut off section allows you to connect your earphone and other accessories as well.

When I first saw this metal stand, I thought “who needs a stand for reading a book.” I admit, I like to hold the Kindle in my hands and read my books. But not everyone uses Kindle that way. And folks with disabilities may not be able to hold the Kindle. The stand is well-made, and it provides the perfect height for reading Kindle books. You can also disassemble and take this metal stand with you anywhere you go. If you need a gadget that holds your Kindle upright while reading, you should consider getting the Metal stand for Kindle 2.0. It’s a bit overpriced, but certainly a useful accessory to own.

Here is how Amazon Kindle 2.0 stacks up against its predecessor. Further review will be posted shortly.