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In this article, I give you my Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review with specs included. This is Amazon’s e-ink reader and it features a sidelight, not really a backlight. These lights come from the bottom, they are not too strong, but that does a lot. And, the display is really close to paperwhite as e-ink readers go, therefore the name.

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite marks a significant milestone as the first Kindle device to incorporate sidelight technology. This innovation follows in the footsteps of Barnes & Noble’s Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, albeit with some variations in implementation. Unlike the Nook’s top-mounted sidelights, the Paperwhite’s sidelights are situated at the bottom of the screen. For those curious about the technical aspects, Amazon provides detailed explanations on their website regarding the underlying mechanisms of this technology.

Currently, the sidelights are activated, but their presence might go unnoticed in a room with sufficient ambient light. In such conditions, the sidelights complement the reflected natural light, enhancing the brightness of the display. This brightness, while not perfectly white, surpasses the typical gray backgrounds found in e-readers, offering a closer approximation to white than previously seen.

Adjusting the backlight intensity further enhances the display’s whiteness, with the highest settings yielding the most pronounced effect. This enhanced brightness and contrast contribute to the overall improvement in readability, a noticeable upgrade from previous e-reader displays.

However, it’s important to acknowledge that the sidelighting is not flawless. In darker environments, such as reading in bed with minimal lighting, the presence of individual LED lights becomes discernible, resulting in a subtle shadowing effect. While this may not be ideal for those sensitive to such nuances, it’s less distracting compared to similar issues observed in competing devices like the Nook with GlowLight. A direct comparison in dim lighting conditions would elucidate these differences further.

In terms of user interface, users familiar with previous Kindle models will notice significant differences. Finally, book covers make an appearance in the user interface, reminiscent of features found in the Nook and Kobo e-readers, lending a more modern aesthetic. While the traditional ListView remains an option, the inclusion of book cover views represents a step forward in user experience design, aligning the Kindle Paperwhite’s interface more closely with that of the Kindle Fire.

Moreover, the Kindle Paperwhite’s interface reflects a deliberate shift towards a more streamlined and purpose-driven design. Unlike earlier e-readers, which attempted to incorporate multiple functionalities like music playback and web browsing, the Paperwhite focuses squarely on delivering an exceptional reading experience. This single-minded approach is evident in the absence of hardware buttons for page turning and the omission of features typically associated with multipurpose devices. Instead, the Kindle Paperwhite prioritizes portability and ease of use, with a minimalist design that emphasizes its primary function as an e-reader.

Physically, the Kindle Paperwhite exhibits a sleek and lightweight design, with a soft-touch finish adding to its tactile appeal. The absence of protruding bezels contributes to its slim profile, enhancing its aesthetic appeal and ergonomic comfort. Notably, the absence of hardware page turn buttons may disappoint some users accustomed to their presence on previous Kindle models. However, this design choice aligns with Amazon’s vision of creating a device optimized for reading, free from unnecessary distractions or superfluous features.

Pricing and purchasing options for the Kindle Paperwhite vary depending on user preferences. The base model, priced at $119 for the Wi-Fi-only version, includes advertisements displayed on the screen saver. For those willing to pay an additional $20, the option to remove these ads is available.

Alternatively, a Wi-Fi plus 3G model, priced at $179, offers enhanced connectivity options for users who require constant access to digital content. Regardless of the chosen model, Amazon’s decision to offer discounted prices with advertisements reflects its strategy of making e-readers more accessible to a broader audience.

Functionality-wise, the Kindle Paperwhite offers a range of features designed to enhance the reading experience. From creating collections to syncing and checking for new items, users have access to a variety of tools to manage their digital library effectively. The inclusion of an experimental web browser, while not as robust as those found on tablets or smartphones, provides a convenient option for occasional web browsing tasks or accessing reference materials.

Additionally, the device’s settings menu offers customization options, including language preferences, parental controls, and reading options like annotations backup and page refresh settings. These features cater to a diverse user base, allowing individuals to tailor their reading experience according to their preferences and requirements. Furthermore, the inclusion of social networking integration enables users to share their reading progress and preferences with friends and followers on platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite represents a significant advancement in e-reader technology, thanks to its innovative sidelight technology, streamlined user interface, and focus on delivering an unparalleled reading experience. While not without its minor imperfections, such as subtle shadowing in dark environments, the Paperwhite excels in providing a crisp, clear display that enhances readability even in challenging lighting conditions.

With its sleek design, affordable pricing, and comprehensive feature set, the Kindle Paperwhite remains a top choice for avid readers seeking a dedicated e-reader that prioritizes simplicity, functionality, and, above all, the joy of reading.

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite offers users a refined reading experience with its high-resolution display and improved font options. The default font, Cecelia, is crisp and clear, benefiting from the higher pixel density of the display. In addition to Cecelia, users have access to other fonts such as Baskerville, Palatino, Futura, and Helvetica, each offering a distinct style to suit different preferences. With adjustable line spacing, margin controls, and a range of text sizes, readers have the flexibility to customize their reading experience according to their preferences.

Navigating through books on the Kindle Paperwhite is intuitive, with easy access to features like bookmarks, notes, and reading progress. The device supports landscape mode for added convenience and features like X-ray provide additional insights into the content. Users can also look up words easily by tapping and holding on a word to access definitions, translations, and other information. The on-screen keyboard makes it simple to add notes and annotations, enhancing the reading experience.

When it comes to reading PDFs, the Kindle Paperwhite offers a satisfactory experience despite its smaller screen size. While larger screens may be preferable for PDFs, Paperwhite’s sharp display and adjustable contrast settings make reading PDFs manageable. Users can switch between landscape and portrait modes for better viewing, and pinch zooming allows for closer inspection of details within PDF documents. The ability to adjust contrast levels further enhances readability, particularly for PDFs with varying levels of contrast.

In terms of shopping for content, the Kindle Paperwhite maintains a familiar interface, allowing users to browse through categories and discover new content easily. With features like Kindle Selects, users can explore curated selections and access free content, including books and applications. The shopping experience remains streamlined and user-friendly, ensuring that users can find and purchase content with ease.

Overall, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite delivers a superior reading experience with its high-resolution display, customizable fonts, and intuitive navigation features. Whether reading e-books or PDFs, users can enjoy sharp, clear text and convenient access to additional content and features. With its refined design and enhanced functionality, the Kindle Paperwhite stands out as a top choice for avid readers looking for an immersive and enjoyable reading experience.

Let’s explore the realm of free games available for the Kindle. Suppose we’re in the mood for a complimentary game, so we decide to go ahead and acquire one. Now, behold, the game has appeared alongside our collection of books. We’ll give it a test run. Voila, a game on the Kindle!

Now, let’s juxtapose this with the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, Barnes and Noble’s illuminated offering. We can immediately discern a contrast difference between the two devices. When opting for the GlowLight version of the Nook, there’s a slight loss of contrast. However, this trade-off becomes worthwhile for many, including myself, as it enables reading in low-light conditions, courtesy of the side lighting.

The darkness of the Nook’s display becomes evident when comparing the backlight, which is set at a similar level on both devices. This illustrates the difference in background whiteness between the Kindle and the Nook. The Kindle’s light appears more neutral, while the Nook’s light leans towards a bluish, fluorescent hue.

Now, regarding design elements, what does the Nook offer? It boasts an actual home button, a notable feature. Additionally, there’s a power button located on the backside, along with page turn buttons on each side. This setup caters to individuals who appreciate larger bezels for a better grip, especially those with bigger hands. The weight of both devices is comparable, although the Kindle presents a slightly sleeker appearance.

From a side view, the Kindle appears noticeably slimmer and less wide, while the Nook sports a thicker bezel that protrudes above the display. Ultimately, preferences regarding bezel size and ergonomics vary from person to person. While most lean towards modern, slim designs, others may prefer the chunkier bezels for ergonomic reasons.

Examining the back view, the Kindle presents a simplistic slab design, while the Nook features a sculpted back. Both devices offer a soft-touch finish, providing a pleasant tactile experience. Additionally, the Nook includes an expandable storage slot, a convenient feature for increasing storage capacity. In contrast, the new Kindle Paperwhite offers 2 gigs of internal storage, down from 4 gigs on the Kindle Touch, with no expansion slot.

Amazon’s rationale behind this reduction is centered on the assumption that users will heavily utilize their cloud services, downloading and removing content as needed. Nonetheless, 2 gigs can accommodate a considerable number of books, considering the average book size falls within the 200 to 500 KB range. However, comics and PDFs, if sideloaded, may occupy more space, prompting users to consider a tablet for a more enjoyable viewing experience.

Now, let’s transport ourselves to an almost completely dark room, devoid of any external light sources. This scenario mimics the dim reading environment one might encounter in a living room with the lights turned off while someone else watches TV. On the left, we have the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, and on the right, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. Observing both screens, the Kindle Paperwhite appears whiter, contrasting with the bluish cast noticeable on the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight. Additionally, in such dimly lit conditions, both devices exhibit some staircase or shadowing around the lights.

Let’s delve into the realm of e-readers, comparing the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite with its counterparts, and exploring their features, design elements, and overall usability.

Firstly, let’s address the issue of screen illumination. On the Nook Simple Touch, the lighting is positioned at the top, resulting in a noticeable gradient, particularly apparent in dark environments. Despite Jeff Bezos’ claims, the Kindle Paperwhite does not achieve perfect whiteness in such conditions.

There’s a slight unevenness, with some shadowing visible at the bottom of the screen. While this may concern those sensitive to such nuances, it’s notably less distracting than similar issues observed on the Nook Simple Touch. In dimly lit settings, the shadowing may not be as evident, but in near darkness, it becomes perceptible. However, personally, this minor imperfection doesn’t significantly detract from the reading experience.

Examining the light source itself, an examination of the Kindle Paperwhite reveals LEDs diffusing light across the display, a design intended to minimize glare and ensure even distribution. Meanwhile, the Nook Simple Touch GlowLight emits light with a blue-white tint, though this is less pronounced in reality than it appears on camera.

Moving on to a comparison between the Kindle Paperwhite and the Kindle Fire HD, Amazon’s 7-inch tablet, the disparity in size is immediately apparent. The tablet offers a larger display, albeit with a slightly diminished brightness in well-lit environments, a characteristic typical of LCD screens. Furthermore, the glossy finish of the tablet’s display introduces potential glare issues, a drawback not present in the matte display of the Kindle Paperwhite. Despite these differences, both devices boast minimalist black designs, lending them a cohesive aesthetic appeal.

Considering functionality, while both devices feature home screens, the Kindle Fire HD offers a more expansive array of features. With its Android-based operating system, the tablet facilitates access to high-quality games, music, videos, and magazines via the newsstand and a fully-fledged web browser. In contrast, the Kindle Paperwhite prioritizes its role as a dedicated e-reader, focusing on delivering an optimal reading experience with features tailored to this purpose.

For those seeking a versatile device capable of multimedia consumption and web browsing, the Kindle Fire HD presents a more suitable option. However, for individuals primarily interested in a device optimized for reading, with extended battery life, the Kindle Paperwhite remains the preferred choice.

Exploring the experimental web browser feature on the Kindle Paperwhite, one encounters a surprisingly capable tool. While navigating websites, the browser effectively renders desktop sites, offering smooth scrolling and pinch-zoom functionality. Additionally, an article mode option streamlines reading by eliminating clutter, akin to Safari’s reading list feature. While browsing on an e-reader may not be as seamless or feature-rich as on a dedicated tablet or smartphone, the Kindle Paperwhite’s web browser serves as a convenient tool for accessing reference materials or occasional web browsing tasks.

In terms of pricing and availability, the Kindle Paperwhite starts at $119 for the Wi-Fi-only version, with all models equipped with 2GB of storage. An alternative model, featuring Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, is available for $179. However, potential buyers should note that Amazon’s website currently indicates a four to six-week backorder period due to high demand. While online availability may be limited, physical retailers such as Best Buy may still have stock on hand for in-store purchases.

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite continues to excel as a dedicated e-reader, offering a superior reading experience with its adjustable lighting, high-resolution display, and extensive library access. While it may not match the multimedia capabilities of its tablet counterparts, its focus on delivering a superior reading experience makes it the preferred choice for avid readers seeking an immersive literary journey.