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Bring Your Library When You Travel: Amazon Kindle.
By carlvaleri | December 9, 2009
Have you ever been sitting quietly, reading light on engulfed in a great book when you feel as if someone is watching you? It happens to me often when I am reading my Kindle.
Usually when I get this feeling, I slowly take my eyes of the book I’m reading and look up only to realize the person next to me staring at my Kindle. As our eyes meet I hear the inevitable question, “is that one of those kindle things?”. I smile because he is about to hear a dissertation on what I feel is one of the greatest technological advances since the invention of the computer.
Every thing I want to read in one place.
Deciding what book to bring on your vacation is not longer a problem with the Amazon Kindle electronic book reader. Now you can sit on the beach with your whole library at your fingertips.
The ability to store up to 1500 books in one place and its easy to view screen are the Kindles best features. The large storage is useful when you are reading a series such as Twilight. Imagine finishing one book and then with a few clicks you are reading the next book in the series. You can even have your favorite magazines and newspapers available to keep up with all the current events. This is a readers dream come true.
Read newspapers on flights without those strange folding tricks.
I admire the people who are able to quickly locate and article in the newspaper and fold it in a rectangular shape the perfect size for viewing. For me it normally turns into a bundled mess.
Now my problems are solved. Open the kindle turn it on and view the an easy navigable menu displaying the sections of the newspaper or magazine. Then at the press of a button you are taken from the table of contents to the article.
The main difference from the real newspaper is the lack of pictures. Only a few pictures are included in the kindle published magazine or newspaper and they are in black and white.
Newspapers, Magazines, Blogs and More.
If you like to read a variety of newspapers and magazines this device is perfect for you. Want to read the New York Times? Simple turn on the Kindle and download the current issue ind seconds.
You can even subscribe to a newspaper and have it delivered without having to leave your house. Imagine not walking outside during a storm and then not having to unwrap the plastic wrapped wet mess. Now you can sit in your warm dry home and watch the bad weather outside because your paper was delivered electronically while you slept.
Many popular magazines and blogs are also available for subscription. One great feature is the ability to convert documents to a format that can be read on the Kindle. This has been helpful for me because I can download my manuals at work as PDF files and then have them converted either on my computer or through the Kindle service.
Books delivered in seconds.
If you just finished a book and are looking for another one to read don’t worry. The Kindle is connected through the wireless network which enables you to browse Amazon for books, magazines, blogs. If you find a book you want simply click on it using the cursor and the book is delivered to your Kindle in less than a minute.
A battery that can last for almost two weeks.
One of my greatest concerns when I bought the Kindle was the battery life. Normally, the battery lasts two sometimes three days. I discovered if I turn off the wireless feature while I am reading and only turn it on when I want to download books I can read without recharging for up to ten days.
Recharging is done by plugging the Kindle into your laptop or using an wall charger. As a matter of fact, if you are out of wireless range and are connected to the internet you can download books from your computer.
Try before you buy.
If you are not sure you want to read a book, simply download a portion and begin reading. Normally a few chapters are free for download.
I find I normally purchase most books that I sample, but it is a great option especially if you don’t know much about the author. I had a friend recommend a book she thought was great. In seconds I downloaded a sample and started reading. I discovered I didn’t like the book and deleted it without spending a dime saving the cost of purchasing the book.
Save Paper. Save Money.
Many times we read a book and then it sits on our shelf for years. Now you can purchase a book and store it on your kindle or online for later download. What a great way of saving trees! Furthermore, the books you purchase are normally less than the print version, especially new releases.
Most new releases are $9.99. If you are traveling internationally and want to download a book it will cost another two dollars. One option while traveling internationally is to connect to the hotels free wireless and download the book to your computer and then to the Kindle, thus saving the international charge.
Since I purchased my Kindle I don’t leave home without it. Not only is a whole library available at my fingertips, I can make notes and highlight books while reading.
My luggage has become lighter since I’m not lugging around two or more books in my bag. If you are an avid reader you will enjoy the Kindle and its many convenient features. Read more about the Kindle online by clicking below.
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Topics: Recommended Reading, Travel Gear | No Comments »