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Our Kindle 3 arrived directly from Amazon in a sturdy brown box, Inside the unit is protected inside a tough plastic cutout with a protective film over the screen. The E-ink screen is set to a welcoming greeting.
Inside there is a very attractively designed help guide, and a little box containing the power cable. We don't often remark on the quality of the supplied materials, but this literature is printed on very high grade paper.
Amazon supply a USB cable and a plug – which can be removed for direct connection (and charge) to a computer as well as a power socket.
The Kindle 3 is markedly more compact than the previous version and I think it looks great – with a mini sized keyboard at the bottom and a five way navigation pad. On the rear there are speakers at the top, but we will look (and listen) to these later in the review. With the navigation panel, you can move either up, down, left or right, and select the option you need by pressing in the center position. Kindle users will notice the removal of the top numbers row on the keyboard, this is to accommodate the new smaller unit size and they are accessible by pressing the ‘SYM' key. The keyboard has received many intelligent position changes to make life easier when reading. We like the fact that page back and forward are on both sides of the chassis – making it perfect for left handed people also.
Along the bottom is a power button, a volume control and a headphone and mini USB jack for connection to either a computer or a power source.
The Kindle has a hard rubber backing which is a great improvement over the slippery materials used before, this is the first Kindle that doesn't feel like it would be easily dropped.
The image above shows the Apple iPad (far left), Sony PRS 600 eReader (center) and Amazon Kindle 3 (right). The Kindle 3 is slightly wider and longer than the PRS 600, but it is also thinner meaning it is much easier to carry around.
The Kindle 3 arrives with 4GB of internal storage, pre-registered to your Amazon account, so you can immediately connect to their store and purchase books and magazines. If you buy a Kindle 3 second hand, then you need to deregister it (if it hasn't already been) and re-register to your own account. This also means that you can sync up purchases and redownload at a later date if you temporarily delete them from the device. Unlike the Sony PRS 600, the Kindle has no expansion options, for adding an external SD card for instance. Every Kindle 3 has a dedicated email address tied into your account name, so you can send books directly to the machine like this, if you wish.
I have ordered the 3G version of this 2 weeks ago. still waiting on delivery 🙁
I want to get one of these for christmas now. I used to read a lot of books, but I never make the time anymore. its sad 🙁
Very good indeed. I like the interface system on this one better than the sony unit.
My friend has the DX, the V2. and its great, but I found the text a little weak. great to see them boosting the contrast with this one.
Not for me, I hate books, but it looks well developed. the kindle 2 was quite big looking, ipad size really. too cumbersome for travelling.
Nice design and you can tell its a revision 3 as they have fixed a lot of the stupid design issues.
Been interested in this product for a while, more as a gift for my father than for myself. It looks really well done. very cheap too, the sony products were released at three times this price initially.
Would love this, but I bought the V2 last month, bad move I know, but its pretty good. I am tempted though for the added contrast levels as this is the one part of it I dont like. in daylight I have to strain sometimes to read.
arrrghhh im sick of tablets! Donjt like kindles at all.
Ordered one last week in the UK. I didnt like the sony tablet review here last month as I saw it and the screen is a reflective mess. this is what I want ! thanks!
my girl has the original kindle and its time for an upgrade. Guess ill have to buy it 😉
the reviewer needs to point out that the amazon book store has over half a million books for download and that they are often only a few pounds each. the Apple store is terrible for books and they are often 4 times the price ! the stephen fry book for instance was 16 quid on itunes, and 9 dollars on amazon.
This gets my vote as gadget of 2010.
Would never leave home without mine
I already have one of these for reading PDF documentation for work. and I love it.
I need to get the light leather cover though after reading this. brilliant addition.
Id love to know a percentage of people on KitGuru who would use this. I dont think the active gaming/enthusiast audience read many books anymore. its refreshing to see these reviews here though, just not sure a high percentage appeal to this product.
I would think a lot of people read books, even still. At least I would like to hope so. food for the brain. I read a book a week. even with a busy lifestyle both in work and at home.
I received mine 4 months ago, really satified with it. Also had the kindle 2 but the screen of the kindle 3 is decent ad offers sharper and clearer text.