First Impressions Kindle Paperwhite Review

So, I received my Kindle Paperwhite a few days ago and have been excitedly trying it out. The first thing that I need to mention is that I am something of a bookworm.  I have also written a few books myself, but that’s neither here nor there. You can check out one of my Science fiction eBook by following the provided link. So, what have been my first impressions of the Kindle Paperwhite?

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What I was using before getting the Paperwhite?

Before giving you my first impressions of the Kindle Paperwhite, I need to tell you that I have, all along, been using my Google Nexus 7 tablet for reading eBooks. As said, I am an avid reader and can go through 3 novels every week. The Nexus 7 is actually good for reading books, save for the glare. Trying to read anything in direct sunlight is something of a pain in the foot. That’s the major reason why I decided to, in the end, get the Kindle Paperwhite. It took me long enough, it has to be said. I had to wait till 2018 to get the Paperwhite. So, was it worth the wait?

My first impressions of the Kindle Paperwhite.

Here, in any case, are my first impressions of the Kindle Paperwhite;

  1. There is virtually no glare The Kindle Paperwhite has been a revelation in this regard. While using it, there is virtually no glare. What this means is that I don’t get a headache after going through a few chapters of my favorite Science Fiction eBook, as was the case when using the Nexus 7.
  2. Battery life is good but not what it’s advertised to be: Amazon advertises the battery life on the Paperwhite at 6 weeks. It’s actually one of the selling points for the device. However, that’s a bit of a deception. It’s based on the assumption that you are going to be using the device for only 30 minutes every day. Now, that’s clearly not a realistic assumption. When I sit down with a book, I usually read it to the end. This can take me anything up to 3 or 4 hours. Again, battery life is good, but six weeks?!
  3. The power on button is not conveniently placed: Okay, so this is subjective and is based on the fact that I was so used to the Nexus 7. There, the Power On button is on the right side of the device. On the Kindle Paperwhite, the button is at the bottom of the device, beside the charging port. Anyway, the cover for the Kindle is still making it’s sluggish way from China, and when it arrives, I won’t need to use the power button so much (the cover is designed to automatically wake up the Kindle).
  4. The black and white screen: Though there are color e-ink displays out there, the Paperwhite still uses a black and white screen. It’s possible that ten years from now, a color screen will be the selling point for the device. Don’t get me wrong, the black and white screen works great for the Kindle Paperwhite. However, after being used to seeing my eBooks in full color (for the thumbnail covers) on the Nexus 7, I have had to get used to the transition. It’s only natural, after all, to judge a book by its cover! Anyway, the net effect of this is that I buy my eBooks on my PC and have them synced to the Paperwhite.
  5. The device is really lightweight: I hear that the Kindle Paperwhite 2018 edition is even lighter, but the version that I bought (the 2017 version) is really light. That is great, and adds to the joy of going through book after book.
  6. There should be an airplane mode button on the home screen: On the software side, one of the things that I find troubling is that the Airplane Mode button is not in an obvious place. It’s annoying to have to go through a number of screens before reaching this button. I mean, I use the button often enough that I feel it should have been placed on the home screen.

Summary

Okay, I will give you a few more observations as I get them. I do have to say that overall, the Paperwhite has awed me. It is everything that I hoped it would be, and more. Feel free to leave comments in the relevant section below.

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