Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Like many that have already posted reviews, I was a beta-tester for this device. Personally, I found the device pretty revolutionary. For those thinking that you may not feel it is worth the money ---I'd definitely give it another thought after using it. This thing rocks!! ...plus if you think potential applications, college kids - think all your textbooks in an easy to carry, single device. There would be no more carrying all your books and running back to your dorm rooms --just grab 10 oz of easy to carry electronic goodness and off you go! First the device is and always will be an e-book reader and it is designed to replicate a book and that is where this device first struck me as amazing. First off, the Kindle uses electronic ink to produce print that appears (to me) just like the pages of a book. Contrary to reading on a computer screen, this presents the reader with a gray-white background similar to pages producing a comfortable and similar reading experience. Think ipod for books- you can order whatever book you may want easily and quickly downloaded from the Amazon store. The device works as expected and with great ease requiring no setup or additional applications or computers. Another cool feature is the ability to subscribe to publications, newspapers, or magazines and have them automatically downloaded to your device automatically. I woke up and enjoyed checking out the headlines first thing in the morning - just like the paper waiting for me with my cup of coffee. Battery life! This thing lasts much longer than your typical electronic device. In testing, I found that the device with continual usage (never turning it off) got about 3 days of solid use. There are other great features like the ability to play background music while reading, and instant wikipedia and dictionary lookups. The NowNow service is nothing short of remarkable!! Ever have one of those instant "no one knows" questions that arises in conversation? That happened to me when discussing the topic of how to tell if your television is digital or analog. I grabbed the Kindle and went to the NowNow feature and typed in the question. In nothing short of 20-30 minutes, the first of 3 very long and detailed responses arrived in my device giving me the background of FCC transition from analog to digital, the laws driving the transition, and how to tell if you'll be affected and more importantly, how to check your TVs. Instant answers and I received 2 more for a total of 3 to every question that I asked. The final features that are great include the ability to upload files - word documents, pdf files, pictures (jpeg), and other text files to the amazon site. It will alter the file for use on your kindle and automatically download it for you viewing and use later. This gives it a more personal touch allowing the user to download whatever file they may find useful for review be it notes, a speech for rehearsing, possible assessments or commonly used references you have on your computer. Bottom line -- this device does rock and it is well worth considering. Remember, a lot of people balked initially at mp3 files and the ipod for music. This is that type of device that if you love reading, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the investment!!! Recommended!