UK Kindle 3G/Wifi 
or Kindle 4 Wifi
A Kindle is a simple electronic device made for reading on. By offering a wireless internet connection (for free) new electronic books can be downloaded directly from the Kindle eBook store to the device itself. Rather than use back-lit displays that use a lot of energy, and can be uncomfortable to view for long stretches, electronic ink is used. It means the screen looks a lot like ink on paper, and the battery will last for weeks or even months, rather than simply for a few hours.
You can see exactly how e-ink displays work (and how great they look) in the video below:
Please note, since writing this article the Kindle has changed.
For improvements to the 3rd Generation UK Kindle and the Kindle 4 please check out our more recent posts. You can now order Kindles online from the UK
The new 3rd generation Kindle Wireless Reading Device will be released on 27 Aug 2010. Orders can be placed immediately for delivery directly from UK stocks.
Back to the original post…
A Kindle is the latest generation of portable handheld reading device produced, marketed and sold by amazon.com. It features wireless technology that allows users to access the Kindle bookstore directly from the device itself. This means no more having to use your computer to browse and buy books and then needing to download them via a USB cable to the device itself. All this really means is that if you finish your latest novel on the beach you can shop for your next one without getting up from your sun lounger! Providing a quick and convenient method for purchasing new material is what has made the Kindle Ebook Reader the best selling product of this type so far.
This key wireless capability is now of course being emulated far and wide across the emerging e-reading device market. But whilst other products have the same capability their downfall perhaps is the fact that the online ebook store they connect too has nothing like the massive range of titles available once you get there. But of course they do tend to allow for greater scope in choosing new titles from every bookstore online, so long as you are willing to do it the old-fashioned way (via a computer).
Okay, so we know the Kindle 2 is a Wireless Reading Device, but surely there must be more to have made it the biggest name in ebook readers today. Well, read on to find out more about what the Kindle Reader has to offer and whether it is the right one for you. In Europe and the UK, Kindles must still be purchased from amazon.com
Amazon Kindle 2 Spec
For every single technical bit of information regarding amazon’s Kindle click on the links above. For a more user friendly range of key information about what the Kindle provides to you, the average consumer continue reading below. This is the list of all those bits and bobs we want to know to help us choose the right Handheld Ebook Reader without drowning in too much technical stuff.
Kindle 2 Size
The Kindle 2 is in the class of really portable ebook readers. Emulating the size of a paperback, they are designed to be lightweight and easily transportable. Not so petite as the Bookeen Cybook Opus, this one isn’t going to slide easily into your back pocket. But at only 10.2 ounces in weight it is not too much of a chore to carry about. The dimensions are a mere 8″ x 5.3″ x 0.36″ making it about paperback size but the thickness of a magazine.
The All Important Kindle 2 Display
The Wireless Global Kindle 2′s display is outstanding. Sorry, but there is no other way of describing it really. That’s not to say it is unique. All the newer ebook readers tend to go for E Ink® electronic paper display and this is no different. For average reader what you need to know is that it is not back lit like a computer or phone screen. Instead it is designed to closely resemble ink on paper. This means there is less chance of fatigue for the eyes. But you will need to invest in a booklight if you intend reading in a darkened room. More interesting it means the angle you can read clearly by is much greater, so no problem relaxing your position and tilting the reader away from you. In addition it means you tend not to get any of the glare in sunlight, you would be used to with a back-lit device.
At 6″ on the diagonal the screen is bigger, and thus possibly more easy to read than some of the smaller devices out there. Of course you get the usual supply of various font sizes to make reading easier for those with less than perfect site. Unlike some of the cheaper models of e-reading device there are sixteen different shades of grey used to give more clarity. You won’t really notice any difference with ordinary text. But for images and diagrams this will make contrast much more defined.
Wireless Kindle Connectivity
It depends on where you live as to what kind of free wireless coverage you get. You can check out the full international coverage here. There are around one hundred countries that are currently serviced by free wireless connectivity for the Kindle reading devices. So, for most holiday makers and travellers the wireless issue will go with you wherever you take your reader.
Memory Storage for the International Wireless Kindle 2
Incorporated into the reading device is around 1.4GB of usable memory. This allows for around 1500 books to be stored on the reader itself. Unlike other readers there is not capacity to add memory to the Kindle 2. But since the amazon Kindle bookstore automatically creates a back-up of your entire library most people do not find this a problem.
Kindle 2 Battery Life
The battery is not user replaceable, so you cannot travel with a back up battery. However the one included is pretty good. The average charge time is around four hours. You can charge with the USB cable from your PC or from the mains. The battery itself lasts, once fully charged, for around a week if you have the wireless feature switched on, and for around double that time if wireless is switched off.
Types of File Supported by the Kindle 2
This is where the amazon Kindle differs hugely from its competitors. The only real choice (without wanting to get too technical) for ebooks is the Kindle store. Titles available elsewhere are most often in ePUB format and that is not supported. So you cannot utilise the free electronic book services providing out of copyright material for example. But since the Kindle bookstore has around 350,000 English language titles available, plus one of the best deals with publishers bringing newer titles every day, for everyday reading you probably won’t run out of books.
Other types of file format are supported however, including TXT, PDF, Audible (Audible Enhanced (AA, AAX)), MP3, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP (through conversion). This means you can download text files, PDFs, HTML and image files from your pc to the reader. Plus of course you can listen to music files and the device will cope with audible books.
Other Bits and Bobs…
There is of course an inbuilt eDictionary so you can check definitions as you read. A QWERTY keypad allows for some serious note taking. You can highlight and annotate the book itself. Pages are bookmarked and so on. You can get the first chapter of most titles free of charge so you can have a little ‘test read’ before you actually buy any ebooks.
The guarantee is for one year, with an option to pay for an extended warranty.
Oh, and this is one of the ebook readers that is both PC and MAC compatible.
What is a Kindle 2?
Well, its a mid-range, mid-size wireless Ebook Reading Device! If you want to know where to buy a Kindle the answer is simple; from amazon.com via the links above. Once registered your device will automatically receive all technical updates wirelessly from them. Wireless capability follows you across the world (within reason) and you can buy endless new material for your reader from the Kindle bookstore. I think, that has just about answered that then!
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This site is for UK Kindle Buyers. International Customers head on over to the 
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