My Kindle 3 - A Review

I love to read.  I was once told that for people with ADD, there are often a couple of things in their lives that capture their attention completely.  The feeling of being "focused" is so great (and unusual) that these are the things they spend the most time on...it's almost like a natural high.  For me, the two things that capture me like that are music and reading.  I can pick up a book and spend 2-3 hours reading the whole thing before I realize any time has passed at all.  One would think I would have jumped on the eReader bandwagon immediately.

However, I also love books.  I love the smell of Barnes and Noble.  If you love books, you know what I'm talking about.  I'm not sure I'll ever completely give up books.  There's something about holding a paper copy of a book that I love.  However, there's also something about being able to hold your entire library in one hand that I've been coming to appreciate more and more since I became the owner of a Kindle.

My Kindle 3: I got the granite grey Kindle 3G (6" screen) as a gift for Christmas.  It has the "Fly Me Away" Decal Girl Skin on it.

Things I LOVE about my Kindle:
> Speed of the page turns.  This was one of my biggest concerns about earlier models of eReaders.  I read at about 400 wpm, so a page turn that takes 5-10 seconds would drive me nuts.  I've discovered that I can turn the page about halfway through the last line and continue reading without even an interruption.  Sometimes, though, it actually turns the page too quickly and I have to go back and re-read the rest of the line!
>eInk.  The eInk screen is extremely easy to read IMHO.  The screen (along with faster page turns) was one of the big reasons I chose the Kindle over the Nook.  A couple of things happen when you look at a back lit LED screen for a long time.  First, you don't blink as often, so your eyes dry out.  Second, your brain starts making chemicals that keep you awake, so if you are reading just before bed, you may have trouble falling asleep.  Some people say these things don't bother them, but they are things I notice if I use a computer for a long period of time and one of the times I read the most is right as I'm going to bed, so a non-LED screen was important to me.

>Font size options.  I didn't think I'd care about this.  I've never preferred large print books over "regular" print size, so this didn't really hit my list as important.  However, as we traveled to Chicago to visit my grandmothers, I noticed that it was easier to read in the car if the font was bigger.  It's also easier to read in dim light if the font is bigger.  In "regular" situations I make the size smaller so I can fit more on each page.

>Easy access to definitions.  Again, not something I considered as I was deciding on an eReader, but it's been really nice to be able to check the definition of a word just by moving the cursor to that word.  It's not something I use a lot, but I do appreciate it when I find a word I'm not familiar with.
>Samples.  I can download a sample of a book I might want to read to see if I really want to read it before I buy it.
>3G wireless access.  This was a big factor in my decision to go with an eReader in the first place.  When I go on vacation, I'm always worried about running out of reading material.  This means I practically have to pack a separate suitcase for books.  Never again...as long as I have my Kindle, I have access to hundreds of thousands of books.
>Battery Life.  When I had the wireless on all the time, the battery lasted about a week (a little less if I used it a lot, which I did).  I wanted to see how long it would last if I didn't have the wireless on all of the time, so I charged it a week and a half ago and turned the wireless of.  My battery is still a little more than half full.
>Size, weight, ease of use.  I love the different ways I can hold it.  I can use either hand to turn pages, I can set it down on the table in front of me while I eat and it stays open. 

Wish List
>ePub or something like it.  I can't download books from the library or share books with any one else (that I've discovered).  I hope that becomes a possibility.  I can't afford to buy every book I want to read, even at eBook prices.
>Color would be awesome, but it's not a major drawback for me.  I've learned within the last week that Barnes and Noble is having trouble with it's digital downloads.  My personal theory (though it's just that...a theory) is that the files for the color Nook are holding things up because of their size.  I purposely chose a black and white eInk screen over a color LED screen.

Accessories
>Lighted case.  I got the case with a built in book light.  I really like it.  It feels more like holding a book, but it does take away from being able to turn pages with my left hand.  The light works well and I like that it works off of the Kindle's battery.
>Skin.  I got a skin to put on my Kindle...partly to protect it, partly 'cuz I like the way it looks.

I'm sure I'll be adding to this review over time, but for now, about 3 weeks after I started to use it, these are my thoughts on my Kindle 3.