Kindle Touch 3G Review
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The Kindle Touch is an upgrade from the regular Kindle in that you can use the touch screen to flip pages or search for and select a new book, you can adjust the text to a size that appeals to you, and the screen is the same 6 inches, diagonally. The same high quality E Ink display offers easy reading with no pressure on the eyes, and you can download books from Amazon and store them in Amazon’s cloud at no extra charge. The Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G also have increased battery life and increased storage space when compared to the Kindle. Rather than 1400 books, you can store up to 3000 books on the Kindle Touch. The battery life claims to be 1 to 2 months depending on usage, and of course that means that if you don’t use the WiFi, or 3G, and only read 30 minutes per day, you may not have to charge the Kindle Touch for 2 months.
The Kindle Touch is also slightly larger and slightly heavier than the original Kindle, at 6.8 by 4.7 inches and .4 inches thick. The Kindle Touch weighs 7.5 ounces and the Kindle Touch 3G weighs 7.8 ounces. When compared to a lot of books, this is a good weight, no matter which Kindle you choose.
The biggest benefit of the Kindle Touch is the touch screen. While many people are happy to see longer battery life and more book storage space, the truth is that the original Kindle has enough storage and battery life for most people. However, using the little 5 way button to select letters from the pop up keyboard can be slow and frustrating. Of course, once you get used to it you’ll probably be fine. But with a touch screen you have a lot more flexibility and can browse more comfortably.
Click here to visit the Kindle Touch page.
The big question is: to 3G or not to 3G? Besides that minor .3 ounce difference in weight, there’s not much to distinguish the two models. Except for the
The Kindle Touch is very portable.
free 3G service. With 3G you can download books anywhere there is 3G coverage, anywhere in the world, without a plan. You pay nothing extra once you pay that extra $50 for the Kindle Touch 3G. The WiFi Kindle Touch will connect to WiFi networks at your home, office, or other places that provide WiFi. If you only download books at home – and 3000 book is enough to keep you satisfied – having 3G capability may not matter to you. For people who travel a lot and want to be able to get books almost anywhere there’s a cell phone signal, 3G may be essential. The Kindle Touch 3G also has built in WiFi.
Beware, if you are thinking you’ll get the free 3G overseas, that is not included in the Amazon “free 3G” arena. When you do travel and use 3G, you will pay for it. Additionally, the prices of books will be different depending on where you are.
For many people, the Kindle Touch, whether with 3G capability or with only WiFi, is a good product at a great price. For some, there is an issue with the lack of any password protection – anyone can hop on and buy books from Amazon. Others are disgruntled by the “special offers”, otherwise known as advertising. And disclosure about the benefits of 3G seems to be somewhat hidden. However, for an eReader with touch screen capabilities, the benefits often outweigh any problems. You can tap or swipe to turn the pages and if you want to look up a word you simply touch the unknown word and the definition comes up on the screen.
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Kindle Touch Technical Specs
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| Price | $99/$149 3G |
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| Design | |
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| Touch Screen | Yes |
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| Screen Size | 6” |
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| Screen Type | E Ink |
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| Resolution | 800 x 600 |
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| Overall Size | 6.5″ x 4.5″x .4″ |
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| Weight | 7.5 ounces |
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| Content | |
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| EBooks | 2.6 million |
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| Magazines | 368 |
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| Newspapers | 131 |
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| Memory & Battery | |
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| Memory | 4GB for 3,000 books |
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| Battery Life | 2 months |
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