The estimated reading time for this post is 7 minutes
If you’re looking for an ereader that’s easy on the eyes, check out the Kindle Paperwhite. This Kindle has enough new features that may make you want to upgrade from an older Kindle or jump on the bandwagon and get your first Kindle.
Paperwhite Screen Improvements
The biggest improvement of the Paperwhite is the lighted screen. Unlike traditional tablets such as the iPad or the Kindle Fire, the Paperwhite is lit from above, resulting in less eyestrain than tablets with LCD screens that are lit from behind. The Paperwhite also has 62% more pixels than other Kindles (221 pixels per inch vs 167 pixels per inch on other Kindle ereaders), so the text is sharp and clear.
The light is bright on the screen, but emits only a soft glow in a dark room, so the light shouldn’t disturb someone sleeping next to you or the person sitting beside you in a dark plane cabin. You can easily adjust the brightness of the screen, turning the light down to preserve battery. There is no switch to turn off the light, but you can turn the brightness down all the way to zero.
Even though the screen is lit, it’s easy to read in bright sunlight. I took the Paperwhite outside on a sunny day and had no problem seeing the screen.
The contrast between the text and the background has improved substantially over previous Kindle models.
The result of these improvements is a Kindle that is much easier to read than previous Kindle ereaders. Since you’re getting an ereader to read, these improvements are significant.
Font Choices
Kindles have always had the advantage of flexible font sizes. If you read better with larger font sizes, then you will appreciate the ability to change your font size to larger typefaces. But with the Paperwhite you can now choose from seven different fonts to make your reading experience more pleasurable.
Navigation
The Kindle Paperwhite comes with one button at the bottom to turn it on and off. Navigation is done through a touch screen with easy controls. Coming from a Kindle Keyboard, I was hesitant about the Paperwhite’s navigation because I found the navigation of the Kindle Touch confusing. Few things are more jarring to the reading experience than accidentally skipping ahead a few pages because you were holding your ereader the wrong way.
The Paperwhite navigation is intuitive. Touch the left third of the page and you go back one page. Tap the right 2/3 of the page and you move ahead one page. You can also swipe the screen to turn pages.
Tap the top of the screen to reveal the menu bar, with controls to get to the Home screen, and adjust the light and the fonts.
Page turning is much quicker than with earlier Kindle models. The screen no longer has to refresh when a page is turned, making the reading experience much more seamless.
A very cool feature of the Paperwhite is Time to Read, which is revealed when you tap the lower left corner of the screen. The Kindle predicts how long it will take you to finish a chapter based on your reading speed so far.
Size
The screen size of the Paperwhite is the same as previous Kindle ereaders, 6″ diagonally. But the body of the Paperwhite has shed weight and girth, measuring a slim 0.36″ thin and weighing in at 7.8 ounces (222 grams) for the 3G model and 7.5 ounces (213 grams) for the Wi-Fi only model. If holding the Paperwhite in your hand for extended periods of time strains your muscles, then you probably need the workout.
X-Ray
The Paperwhite has the X-Ray feature, showing you where else in the book a major character or a keyword appears on X-Ray enabled Kindle books. If you’ll be using your Kindle as a study guide or you’re curious about a character, this is a handy feature.
Battery Life
In spite of having a lighted screen, the Paperwhite reports battery life that is measured in weeks, not days. 8 weeks to be exact. Amazon bases this claim on 1/2 hour of reading per day and the light set at 10 (24 is the maximum light setting). No word on how much being connected to Wi-Fi and 3G depletes battery life, but if you’re going to be away from a power source for eight weeks, chances are you won’t have Internet connection during that time either.
Cons
As many wonderful features as the Paperwhite has, it isn’t perfect. This is the first generation of Kindle that has this lighting, and some compromises seem to have been made.
Shadows
When the screen is lit, you will see shadows at the bottom of the screen. The light seems fairly uniform until you get to the bottom of the screen and then you see the shadows. I didn’t find this distracting when I read, but it does seem surprising that the rest of the screen, including the other three edges, has even lighting. The shadows are most noticeable when the screen is bright and imperceptible (at least to me) at lower light settings.
No Listening
The Paperwhite was designed for reading, not listening. The device has no speakers nor a headphone jack. This means there is no text-to-speech available for Kindle books and you can’t listen to audiobooks on the Paperwhite. The loss of speakers and a headphone jack is unfortunate because those with vision issues, who may greatly appreciate the lighted screen with greater contrast, may also be the ones who miss the audio capabilities on the Paperwhite the most.
Experimental Browser
The Paperwhite’s Experimental browser is limited to Amazon and Wikipedia when connected to the Internet using 3G. This is a big change over the Kindle Keyboard 3G, which gives access to almost all sites over its 3G Experimental browser. See, Kindle Experimental: Worldwide 3G Internet Browser. If you travel abroad and rely on your Kindle to avoid international data roaming charges, stick with the Kindle Keyboard 3G.
Storage Space
The storage on the Paperwhite is 2 GB, which means that this Kindle will “only” hold 1.100 books, as opposed to the Kindle Keyboard which is 4 GB and holds 2,200 books. The Paperwhite does not have an SD card slot so the storage space is not expandable.
Note that Amazon offers unlimited Cloud storage for your Kindle books so while the storage on your Kindle is limited, the number of Kindle books you can own is unlimited.
Pricing
The Kindle Paperwhite is available in Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G models, both with and without Special Offers (a/k/a targeted ads).
Wi-Fi Only
$119 with Special Offers
$139 without Special Offers
Wi-Fi + 3G
$179 with Special Offers
$199 without Special Offers
There are no monthly fees for the 3G data connection and you are not charged when you use 3G. The only time you pay for the 3G Internet connection is when you first purchase your Kindle.
Ads appear on the screen saver and in a banner at the bottom of the home screen. If you buy a Kindle with Special Offers and find the ads distracting, you can pay $20 to remove the advertising at any time.
Bottom Line
The screen of the Paperwhite is so bright and clear that it spoiled me. After seeing the Paperwhite’s screen, I now find the screen of the Kindle Keyboard to be unappealing. I no longer want to read on a Kindle Keyboard, only on the Paperwhite. Think of watching television on a non-HD screen after you’ve been watching on an HD screen. What once seemed perfectly fine doesn’t seem acceptable any more.
If the cons aren’t deal-breakers for you and you’re looking for an ereader that’s very easy to read, the Paperwhite will be a delight for your eyes.
Have you been looking for an ereader that’s easy on the eyes? Have you seen the screen of the Paperwhite? Are any cons of the Paperwhite a deal-breaker for you? Let us know in the Comments section below
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If you’re looking for a fun, insightful, touching and informative book to read on the Kindle (and who isn’t?), check out Bruce Sallan’s recent book, The Empty-Nest Road Trip Blues: An Interactive Journal from A Dad’s Point-of-View available for $2.99. Sallan, a radio show host, author, and fellow blogger, tells the tale of his cross-country trip from California to Massachusetts to take his oldest son off to college for the first time.
The heart-warming story is funny, inspirational and educational as he tries to bond with his son across the miles and through the adventures. Whether you’re a parent or have ever had a parent, you’re bound to find something to relate to in this journal of their journey.
This is wonderful news! I never understood how people were managing to read on those old Kindles. I knew I would have wanted to throw it against the wall if I’d tried to read more than a page with them. There just wasn’t enough contrast between the gray background and the text.
This new one sounds perfect. I might have to give up reading on my iPad, which I rarely do anyway because there’s just too many distractions there.
Hi Kathy, Yes, the Paperwhite is wonderful news. I was fine reading on my Kindle Keyboard until I saw the Paperwhite. Now I can’t look at my older Kindle anymore.
I have never been able to read a book on my iPad. You’re absolutely right, there are way too many distractions. I’ve read books on my iPhone but not on my iPad. I think I’ll be doing a lot more reading on my Kindle now.
I hope you enjoy your Paperwhite, Kathy!
I’m poor or I’d run out and buy one today…and buy run out, I mean log on. Still, I love how aggressively Amazon is striving to improve their product which makes my life as an author possible.
Hi Brian, Let’s hope that your next book is a best seller, gets optioned for a screenplay and becomes a blockbuster movie. Not so far fetched in my opinion! (*)
Hi Carolyn,
Absolutely Amazon doing awesome job these days…!!
Kindle tablet success taking Amazon to next level and every time they come with new ideas and Intuitive concepts. A simple and effective gadget.
From PaperWhite I like the X Ray and Navigation features sounds very interesting and would be useful for e-book readers.
Thanks for sharing the post.
Hi Manickam, I haven’t tried X-Ray yet with any books I’ve read, but I think it would be very handy for the times when a book has a lot of characters and you have a difficult time keeping them all straight.
I was really glad to see that the navigation of the Paperwhite was easy. I’m a fan of physical buttons but I can see why Amazon didn’t create a Paperwhite Keyboard. The Paperwhite is so light and sleek that a keyboard would seem out of place.
Thanks so much for sharing your impressions with us, Manickam.
Oh I so want this! My Kindle is not so easy to read, being older and well used. I wasn’t in the market for a new e-reader, but maybe I am now. 🙂
Hi Carol, You sound like me. I was perfectly satisfied with my Kindle Keyboard until I saw the Kindle Paperwhite. Now I have no desire to read on my Keyboard as I’ve been spoiled by the Paperwhite.
This week’s Cell Phone Junkie Unlocked podcast included a discussion by Joey Koppes about how powered up his old Palm Centro smartphone. He used it for years, but now that he has an iPhone with Retina display, his eyes hurt to look at the low resolution screen of the Centro. I guess you can’t go back with tech!
This is actually the first time I’ve heard of the Kindle Paperwhite. Your review is awesome Carolyn. One thing I’ve been thinking of for a long time is that I need a light on my Kindle in order to read in bed, and it seems that the Paperwhite might be the one for me then?
Hi Jens, I absolutely think the Paperwhite is the one for you, as long as you don’t need audio on it. I have a little reading lamp for my Kindle Keyboard but it’s difficult to position it so there isn’t any glare from the light.
The Paperwhite is a great solution for those who want to read at night, but the screen is so clear, it’s also a great solution for those who want to read during the day. The difference between the screens of the Paperwhite and the Kindle Keyboard is remarkable.
Hi Carolyn
Though I am not using that, but it appears as though paperwhite really stand out in user experience. Awesome progress made by Amazon.
Thanks for sharing this great information and enriching experience as always.
Sapna
Hi Sapna, Good point, Amazon continues to improve its product line and the Paperwhite is an enhancement that really adds to the user experience. Since the point of the Kindle is to read, making the screen easier to read just makes sense!
Anything that is easier on the eyes, is for me. I have a Galaxy tab and just downloaded the Kindle reader from there. I didn’t realize there were no monthly fees with the Kindles themselves. This could be in my future 🙂 Thanks for sharing the review on it.
Hi Lisa, I agree with you, after staring at a computer screen all day, the last thing we need is eye strain reading a book. Kindle ereaders have no monthly fees to access the Internet so getting the 3G model can be very handy. I don’t like being dependent upon Wi-Fi for my Internet access but I also don’t like monthly fees.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, Lisa!
Thx so much for the Shout-Out for my new e-book. I want to let everyone know that I’ve got an offer you can’t refuse! Buy it for FREE at Amazon – whether you have a Kindle or not – and I’ll refund the $2.99 cost AND send you a copy of the PDF to read/watch on any device that has wi-fi. How’s that for a wi-fi. Simply send me your Amazon receipt to: [email protected] and I’ll refund the $2.99 to your PayPal account and send you the PDF…win-win for you AND for me. Let’s get this book to #1 on some of Amazon’s lists. It’s gotten to #8. And, believe it or not, if we sell JUST 25 a day for a week, it will get to #1. Again, you don’t even have to have a Kindle to take advantage of this offer – but reading it on a wi-fi equipped Kindle is ideal. The details of this offer are here: http://www.brucesallan.com/2012/11/28/free-kindle-emptynest-road-trip-blues/
Hi Bruce, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m glad your book is doing so well, though I’m not surprised. I really felt as if I was along on the trip with you as I read your book.
I hope your book does get to #1, Bruce!
Note to readers: I purchased Bruce’s book and did not request a refund as I feel I certainly got my money’s worth.
You’re terrific Carolyn. I really am HAPPY to reimburse people if we can generate some serious “sales” from now until Xmas Eve. It ultimately will get Amazon to “notice” and promote it and it only costs me about $1 per book to give it away. So, readers – really don’t be bashful asking for your money back…either that, or I buy coffee when we meet!
Hi Bruce, I know you’ll gladly reimburse the purchase price, I just wanted to make clear to Wonder of Tech readers that I thought the purchase price was more than fair so I won’t be asking for a refund.
But I will accept that cup of coffee if your next cross-country trip takes you through Philadelphia!
I actually saw this on a commercial the other day Carolyn while watching TV with my Mom. I thought now this is cool for reading because you know I was talking about the laptop having a glare.
I’m thinking about possibly getting a Kindle and I would really like one that I can see the screen. Now I did look at what you said the cons were so I’ll probably not rush into anything at the moment but I appreciate you sharing this. I wouldn’t consider getting one unless I could read the screen really well.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, If you’re getting a Kindle ereader, then I highly suggest this one. It’s so very easy to read that your eyes will thank you! The shadows don’t bother me at all when I read on the Paperwhite, but I wanted to mention them so that people aren’t surprised when they see the screen.
The Paperwhite is sold at Best Buy and Staples. You can see it in person and judge for yourself whether the shadows would bug you.
The shadows may be fixed in a future version of the Paperwhite but I don’t think they will make the Experimental Browser on 3G work on all sites, as it does on the Kindle Keyboard. If there is enough consumer demand, they may add speakers or a headphone jack to future Paperwhite models, but I haven’t heard of any consumer demand for audio on the Paperwhite.