The Amazon Kindle 2 Review: Is This The Right Device for Students & Academic Professionals?
The Amazon Kindle 2 may be the avid reader’s best buddy nowadays but do you know that it could also be a good partner for students and professionals? This is because this ebook reader device offers an option for students that allow them to quit hauling around their heavy books. Professionals are also starting to realize that the Kindle can be used for reading their work-related documents. But how is the Kindle 2 doing in this role so far? Let’s find out what the pros and cons are in this Kindle 2 Review.
For most people looking to get a digital version of their book, only MS Word or PDF versions are available. This is because most digital documents are set up to be read primarily on desktop computers. PCs and Macs can read these documents very easily or come with programs which can quickly convert files. Unfortunately, the Kindle does not have a native PDF reader and can only take a limited variety of files, most of which you will not find commonly.
Here are some common solutions for this problem. The first option would be to send over your files to Amazon and have them converted. This requires only a very small fee but if we’re talking about dozens of books here, a student may have to spend a lot of time sending files over to Amazon. Plus, with the issue of college costs, any amount spent would have an impact on struggling students. One could also opt to convert the files himself, but again this would require a lot of time that students could put to better use.
But there are some benefits to switching over to the Kindle 2. First and most obvious, is the size. No more sore back from lugging around a backpack weighing as much as you or aching shoulder from hauling around a briefcase full of materials. You may also save money buy switching over. While that sounds absurd considering the price tag of the Kindle, digital copies often cost substantially less that paper versions and over time may save you some change. And considering the digital age that college has entered, many teachers offer their class work in the form of PDF, meaning you will have to view it on a computer anyways. Why not make it your Kindle?
One’s choice to use a Kindle in the academe would all depend on whether the need for it would outweigh the initial cost. Consider also the time that you would have to spend to convert files. If you can spare the time and the few cents needed to have files converted, then swapping your backpack of books for the Kindle 2 would literally get the load off your shoulders. If the file conversion process is too tedious for you, the new Kindle DX, with its native PDF support, could be the solution you’re looking for.
Amazon Kindle 2 Review – What Makes It Such a Popular eBook Reader?
When the Kindle first released, it was fairly quiet. It didn’t garner the long wait lines of the iPhone or the stampede for the latest Windows. But if you were an avid reader, it may have caught your attention. When the Amazon Kindle released, people began to realize that there really was an incredible piece of technology here. Now, with the release of the Kindle DX, Amazon has become the leading seller of ebook readers and the DX is their new top-end product.
But there are plenty of products out there with hype on their side, is the new DX another one or is it the real deal? Honestly, it is a bit of both. The Kindle DX is just the beefier big brother of the slightly older Kindle 2 and while they are both great technology, they may not be poised to replace paper books just yet. What they do offer, the Kindle 2 especially, is great portability. And with the ability to hold thousands of books in something only as big as a thin hardback book, the appeal is obvious. You would need a library on your back to carry around what the Kindle can.
The Kindle 2 may be the most popular handheld ebook reader available, but it certainly isn’t the only one. The DX, however, is really the only one of its kind available. It offers an enormous screen, more storage and some cool features such as a rotating screen like the iPhone. But it also makes a huge price jump from the Kindle 2.
The price may be the reason so many people don’t have a Kindle yet. The Kindle 2 is expensive at 350 dollars, but the Kindle DX is really hard to swallow at 489 dollars. For that kind of money, you would have high expectations. But the new DX doesn’t come with a cover, free books and it is very limited in what kinds of files it can view thanks to strict copy protection. The Kindle 2 still offers an array of options, but doesn’t cost nearly so much.
Because it is a fairly new piece of technology, the Kindle is still exploring its marketplace. It offers a great wireless connection to the Amazon marketplace, but it still isn’t available outside the country. This is simply because the Kindle is not yet established. Many people still see it as just something to read books on. But not too long ago, the iPod was only something that played music. And now, you’d have a harder time finding someone who doesn’t own one than someone who does. The fact is that the Kindle really is a revolutionary piece of technology and it has certainly made an impact. It’s only a matter of time before everyone with a bookshelf frees up some space in their room and does all their reading from an ebook reader. And as it stands now, Kindle is perched to be the ebook reader of choice for a long time to come.