Thanks to everyone for their replies, and thanks to Brian for making me do what I should have done in the first place - think about what I need the device for! Although I love my iPhone, I am not a Mac person, and wonder if the android devices support Flash, which as far as I know, the iPhone does not.
I've got one of the old Kindle 3G devices and find it brilliant for hospital stays, waiting rooms, travelling, anything where I don't want weight and the extraordinary amount of energy used, especially if one is ill, to hold open a paperback. I love books. Don't get me wrong, I have probably more than 2000 books, but my Kindle has a definite place in my life now and I'd hate to be without it. Free books from Kindle comprise the majority of my downloads which I receive notification of daiily. Books can be downloaded even when the Kindle isn't on. They automatically come into the Kindle when it is next switched on. Brilliant!
You've got some good advice above - I've got a Kindle Touch which I liked so much I bought one for my wife too - we share an Amazon.fr account which has over a million English titles, which I can also read on my Mac desktop and iPad (and also iPhone if I had one) and each is synced to where I stopped reading. The Kindle and the iPad aren't competitors, they're just different.
If I were you I'd have a look at the Kindle Paperwhite too - it has a low-consumption backlight which allegedly doesn't seriously compromise the long battery life and if you like reading in bed and not disturbing your partner by having the light on it may be for you.
The last sentence is a serving suggestion. Amazon do not supply sleeping partners with their products.
Hi Sheila,
I have owned a Kindle since they first came out and I love it! I did look at the Kindle fire but am staying with the regular Kindle as I like the fact that it is not backlit so I can read anywhere in any kind of light setting. I also had the intergrated reading light case which protects the kindle and allows you to read in the dark without disturbing anyone else.
I use mine every day, more or less, and only have to charge it about once every three weeks. It also works whilst charging it from a power point so doesn't interrupt your reading. If you use your computer to charge it up, however, you cannot read at the same time.
When you do get one, don't forget to go to the Amazon site on your computer and sort the available books by price. There are 100's of free ones on there and some of them are really good. The sychronisation via Wifi is also very quick and effective and if you turn your Wifi off in between downloads your battery lasts even longer.
I also like the fact that you can pre-order books and they are automatically added to your device when you synchronise on their release date.
Hope that helps :)
Daughter bought us both a Kobo for xmas which i believe is WH Smiths from what i have seen the same books on Kindle as Kobo and same price
peter is right the one thing I did'nt mention was that my e-ink kindle holds charge for easily two weeks, my Fire about 3 days! But then I do run a few aps which require keeping the wifi on, which definately does not help.
Thanks Jacqui. I think one of my daughters recently acquired a Kindle Fire and I'm waiting to hear back from her as to the pros and cons, etc.
Thanks Pete. Will do some more research. Talk soon.
Do it! I've had a kindle for 4 years and can't live without it now. The ease of no heavy books (I read a lot). At Christmas my lovely husband bought me a kindle fire...... advantages and disadvantages...
Regular kindle is lighter and definately easier to read in direct sunlight (not back lit, whereas the fire is like the IPad and is a bit difficult to read in the sunlight, or where lots of reflection on the screen is likely)
Fire is in colour..... can have aps..... you can get the online versions of most english magazines( big plus if you spend a fortune on paper mags imported from the UK!!).
Both are lighter and smaller than the Ipad, but obviously don't do everything it does (though the fire is pretty close)
Good morning Sheila. Not being a Kindle owner myself - I am about to buy one for Joanne.
The big difference between e-reads and tablets is that e-readers use "electronic ink" displays which means they only need recharging every few weeks rather than every day/2 days. Different technology. Maybe Kindle plus a Galaxy Tab?
Enjoy
Peter