Ever since the first e-ink readers came out I was fascinated by their simplicity – they made a new market for people who like to read, who like the convenience and often otherwise would not be able to afford this hobby.
And then came Kindle and it instantly became the most loved reader and I started to understand why. I will not go too much into details and all I can say is it ticked off all the right boxes:
- Long battery life – lasts for weeks with single charge of couple of hours. For the last few months I have only charged it three times.
- Durability – I tend to act clumsy sometimes and I have dropped my Kindle on the floor but surprisingly it leaves neither scratches nor dents on the surface or the screen. I don’t even need a case to cover the device (if I opted for case it would cost almost as much as my Kindle itself).
- Display – since the screen has neither glare nor reflection I can spend hours reading without making my eyes tired. I could never do such thing on an iPad.
- Price point – since I am only looking for a dedicated reader I don’t care about touchscreen or a screen with colours. Lack of touchscreen also ensures that I will not accidentally flip the page.
- Weight and size – it is small enough to slip into my jeans back pocket or in my blazer, not to mention my book bag/rucksack. So whenever I am out or got some time to kill – I can read instead of being idle. Size is perfect for holding the device in one hand.
- Simple design and clean user interface – even my six-year-old niece has no problem using a Kindle. The build in Wi-Fi works great as I can get my content just by emailing my @kindle.com account and the device will recognise the common formats (txt, doc, pdf, mobi etc.)
- Further costs – I have an option to read Classical books for free or buy cheap Kindle version books (often cheaper than paperback). However often I will get a free PDF book and use converter to Kindle format (*.MOBI) so the layout is good on my screen. Lately I just find the online articles I want to read and send email them as attachment to my kindle so I can read it on my way home.
Now back to the reason I started this blog post – how to get a good deal when choosing a Kindle. At first I looked at the amazon.co.uk site where the basic version is sold for £69 (with tax) and they do not provide the option to buy used/refurbished. Then I checked the amazon.com (US site) to compare the price and, as it is common with many items, they sell exactly the same item for $69 with special offers (non intrusive ads on screensaver and a tiny ribbon at the bottom of the home screen) but then they also offer used/refurbished Kindles – so I saw one for $49 with a free delivery which works out around £33. So I got myself a Kindle in a perfect conditional for less than half the price. So I placed my order around the time I went to New York to collect it. If I ever want to upgrade or sell it – I can sell it for around £40-£50 without problem as they retain their value. Might even make a small profit!
Conclusion: Do your homework and you can get yourself a great deal. In this case, I bought Kindle which changed the whole reading experience and I tend to read way more than I use to which enriches my life and knowledge. Needless to say, I feel like an ambassador for Kindle and I highly recommend it to anyone who is into reading.
Wise Clips 