Kindle Wifi 6 Inch Review

The Kindle Wi-Fi 6 inch e-Book reader is something of a celebrity in its own right, but few things can live up the the hype put out by the manufacturers.

Consumer Reviews

The Kindle is my first e-ink reader. I own an iPad, an iPhone, and have owned a Windows-based phone in the past that I used as an ereader.

My overall impression of the device is good.

The good:

I'd honestly rather read linear (read from page one to the end, one page at a time) fiction from it than a book, because I can't always get comfortable with a book. Hardcovers are sometimes a bit heavy, and paperbacks don't always lie open easily. The Kindle is incredibly light and thin. I can hold it in one hand easily. The page turn buttons are conveniently located. Page-turns aren't instant, but they're probably quicker than turning a physical page in a printed book (there are just a lot more page-turns unless you choose a small font). The contrast is better than other ereaders I've seen. There is zero eye strain in good light. My eyesight isn't the greatest and I like being able to increase the font size and read without glasses. I love being able to browse the Kindle store and read samples before deciding to purchase. The "experimental" browser is surprisingly usable, but isn't great. It is useful for browsing wikipedia and blogs. The biggest drawback to the browser is the awkward pointer navigation, using the 5-way pad. It syncs your furthest read page over the internet so you can pick up where you left off using your iPhone or iPad.

The so-so:

The kindle store could use more categories and sorting options. You can't sort by "top rated," and there is no category for "alternate histories," for example. Finding a very-specific type of fiction relies on keyword searches, which don't do a great job. The wifi sometimes doesn't connect before it times-out. You rarely need the wifi, but it is annoying if you change a setting, answer "OK" to the prompt to connect, and the thing tells you it failed to connect two seconds later (the exact moment it indicates that it did finally connect, then you need to go back to update the setting again). Most settings don't require a connection, but it is a minor annoyance. Most of your time will be spent reading, and of course your books are stored on the device and a connection is not required. Part of me wishes I'd bought the 3G model, because the browser is good enough that having lifetime free 3G wireless would be worth the extra money. Magazines don't look very good and are not very easy to navigate. There is minor glare in some lighting conditions, mostly when a lamp is positioned behind the reader's head. Read more....

Features of the Kindle Wi-Fi

- 6 Inch Diagonal screen

- E Ink Pearl Technology Screen

- Lightweight

- Large Storage Capacity

- Long Battery Life

Extra Features

Other nice features which we like are:

- Native PDF support

- Whispersync so you can pick up where you left off on any device

- Worry Free Archive

- Text to Speech

- Portrait and Landscape view

Kindle Wi-Fi Specifications

- Display Size:  6″ diagonal

- Display Type:  E Ink Pearl

- Size:  7.5″ x 4.8″ x 0.335″

- Weight:  8.5 ounces

-Storage:  3,500 books

- Battery Life (Wireless Off):  1 Month

- Battery Life (Wireless On):  3 Weeks

- Native PDF Support: Yes

- Whispersync: Yes

- Worry-Free Archive: Yes

- Text-to-Speech: Yes